template< class T >
constexpr T* launder( T* p ) noexcept;
Devirtualization fence with respect to p. Returns a pointer to an object at the same address that p represents, while the object can be a new base class subobject whose most derived class is different from that of the original *p object.
Formally, given
A
of a byte in memoryA
T
, ignoring cv-qualifiers at every levelThen std::launder(p) returns a value of type T*
that points to the object x. Otherwise, the behavior is undefined.
The program is ill-formed if T
is a function type or (possibly cv-qualified) void.
std::launder
may be used in a core constant expression if and only if the (converted) value of its argument may be used in place of the function invocation. In other words, std::launder
does not relax restrictions in constant evaluation.
std::launder
has no effect on its argument. Its return value must be used to access the object. Thus, it's always an error to discard the return value.
Typical uses of std::launder
include:
new
from a pointer to an object providing storage for that object.The reachability restriction ensures that std::launder
cannot be used to access bytes not accessible through the original pointer, thereby interfering with the compiler's escape analysis.
int x[10]; auto p = std::launder(reinterpret_cast<int(*)[10]>(&x[0])); // OK int x2[2][10]; auto p2 = std::launder(reinterpret_cast<int(*)[10]>(&x2[0][0])); // Undefined behavior: x2[1] would be reachable through the resulting pointer to x2[0] // but is not reachable from the source struct X { int a[10]; } x3, x4[2]; // standard layout; assume no padding auto p3 = std::launder(reinterpret_cast<int(*)[10]>(&x3.a[0])); // OK auto p4 = std::launder(reinterpret_cast<int(*)[10]>(&x4[0].a[0])); // Undefined behavior: x4[1] would be reachable through the resulting pointer to x4[0].a // (which is pointer-interconvertible with x4[0]) but is not reachable from the source struct Y { int a[10]; double y; } x5; auto p5 = std::launder(reinterpret_cast<int(*)[10]>(&x5.a[0])); // Undefined behavior: x5.y would be reachable through the resulting pointer to x5.a // but is not reachable from the source[edit] Example
#include <cassert> #include <cstddef> #include <new> struct Base { virtual int transmogrify(); }; struct Derived : Base { int transmogrify() override { new(this) Base; return 2; } }; int Base::transmogrify() { new(this) Derived; return 1; } static_assert(sizeof(Derived) == sizeof(Base)); int main() { // Case 1: the new object failed to be transparently replaceable because // it is a base subobject but the old object is a complete object. Base base; int n = base.transmogrify(); // int m = base.transmogrify(); // undefined behavior int m = std::launder(&base)->transmogrify(); // OK assert(m + n == 3); // Case 2: access to a new object whose storage is provided // by a byte array through a pointer to the array. struct Y { int z; }; alignas(Y) std::byte s[sizeof(Y)]; Y* q = new(&s) Y{2}; const int f = reinterpret_cast<Y*>(&s)->z; // Class member access is undefined // behavior: reinterpret_cast<Y*>(&s) // has value "pointer to s" and does // not point to a Y object const int g = q->z; // OK const int h = std::launder(reinterpret_cast<Y*>(&s))->z; // OK [](...){}(f, g, h); // evokes [[maybe_unused]] effect }[edit] Defect reports
The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.
DR Applied to Behavior as published Correct behavior LWG 2859 C++17 definition of reachable did not consider pointerstd::launder
might make pointer to an inactive
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