17 Library introduction [library]

17.6 Library-wide requirements [requirements]

17.6.3 Requirements on types and expressions [utility.requirements]

17.6.3.3 NullablePointer requirements [nullablepointer.requirements]

1

A NullablePointer type is a pointer-like type that supports null values. A type P meets the requirements of NullablePointer if:

  • (1.1)

    P satisfies the requirements of EqualityComparable, DefaultConstructible, CopyConstructible, CopyAssignable, and Destructible,

  • (1.2)

    lvalues of type P are swappable ([swappable.requirements]),

  • (1.3)

    the expressions shown in Table [nullablepointer] are valid and have the indicated semantics, and

  • (1.4)

    P satisfies all the other requirements of this subclause.

2

A value-initialized object of type P produces the null value of the type. The null value shall be equivalent only to itself. A default-initialized object of type P may have an indeterminate value. [ Note: Operations involving indeterminate values may cause undefined behavior.  — end note ]

3

An object p of type P can be contextually converted to bool (Clause [conv]). The effect shall be as if p != nullptr had been evaluated in place of p.

4

No operation which is part of the NullablePointer requirements shall exit via an exception.

5

In Table [nullablepointer], u denotes an identifier, t denotes a non-const lvalue of type P, a and b denote values of type (possibly const) P, and np denotes a value of type (possibly const) std::nullptr_t.

Table 25 — NullablePointer requirements
Expression Return type Operational semantics
P u(np);
 post: u == nullptr
P u = np;
P(np) post: P(np) == nullptr
t = np P& post: t == nullptr
a != b contextually convertible to bool !(a == b)
a == np contextually convertible to bool a == P()
np == a
a != np contextually convertible to bool !(a == np)
np != a