Detailed Semantics

Because T might be of reference type, in the sequel, those entries whose semantic depends on T being of reference type or not will be distinguished using the following convention:

If the entry reads: optional<T(not a ref)>, the description corresponds only to the case where T is not of reference type.
If the entry reads: optional<T&>, the description corresponds only to the case where T is of reference type.
If the entry reads: optional<T>, the description is the same for both cases.

	Note
	The following section contains various `assert()` which are used only to show the postconditions as sample code. It is not implied that the type `T` must support each particular expression but that if the expression is supported, the implied condition holds.

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optional class member functions

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optional<T>::optional();

Effect: Default-Constructs an optional.
Postconditions:*this is uninitialized.
Throws: Nothing.
Notes: T's default constructor is not called.
Example:
```
optional<T> def ;
assert ( !def ) ;
```

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optional<T>::optional( none_t );

Effect: Constructs an optional uninitialized.
Postconditions:*this is uninitialized.
Throws: Nothing.
Notes:T's default constructor is not called. The expression boost::none denotes an instance of boost::none_t that can be used as the parameter.

Example:

#include <boost/none.hpp>
optional<T> n(none) ;
assert ( !n ) ;

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optional<T (not a ref)>::optional( T const& v )

Effect: Directly-Constructs an optional.
Postconditions:*this is initialized and its value is acopy of v.
Throws: Whatever T::T( T const& ) throws.
Notes: T::T( T const& ) is called.
Exception Safety: Exceptions can only be thrown during T::T( T const& ); in that case, this constructor has no effect.

Example:

T v;
optional<T> opt(v);
assert ( *opt == v ) ;

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optional<T&>::optional( T& ref )

Effect: Directly-Constructs an optional.
Postconditions:*this is initialized and its value is an instance of an internal type wrapping the reference ref.
Throws: Nothing.

Example:

T v;
T& vref = v ;
optional<T&> opt(vref);
assert ( *opt == v ) ;
++ v ; // mutate referee
assert (*opt == v);

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optional<T (not a ref)>::optional( bool condition, T const& v ) ;

optional<T&> ::optional( bool condition, T& v ) ;

If condition is true, same as:

optional<T (not a ref)>::optional( T const& v )

optional<T&> ::optional( T& v )

otherwise, same as:

optional<T ['(not a ref)]>::optional()

optional<T&> ::optional()

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optional<T (not a ref)>::optional( optional const& rhs );

Effect: Copy-Constructs an optional.
Postconditions: If rhs is initialized, *this is initialized and its value is a copy of the value of rhs; else *this is uninitialized.
Throws: Whatever T::T( T const& ) throws.
Notes: If rhs is initialized, T::T(T const& ) is called.
Exception Safety: Exceptions can only be thrown during T::T( T const& ); in that case, this constructor has no effect.

Example:

optional<T> uninit ;
assert (!uninit);

optional<T> uinit2 ( uninit ) ;
assert ( uninit2 == uninit );

optional<T> init( T(2) );
assert ( *init == T(2) ) ;

optional<T> init2 ( init ) ;
assert ( init2 == init ) ;

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optional<T&>::optional( optional const& rhs );

Effect: Copy-Constructs an optional.
Postconditions: If rhs is initialized, *this is initialized and its value is another reference to the same object referenced by *rhs; else *this is uninitialized.
Throws: Nothing.
Notes: If rhs is initialized, both *this and *rhs will reefer to the same object (they alias).

Example:

optional<T&> uninit ;
assert (!uninit);

optional<T&> uinit2 ( uninit ) ;
assert ( uninit2 == uninit );

T v = 2 ; T& ref = v ;
optional<T> init(ref);
assert ( *init == v ) ;

optional<T> init2 ( init ) ;
assert ( *init2 == v ) ;

v = 3 ;

assert ( *init  == 3 ) ;
assert ( *init2 == 3 ) ;

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template<U> explicit optional<T (not a ref)>::optional( optional<U> const& rhs );

Effect: Copy-Constructs an optional.
Postconditions: If rhs is initialized, *this is initialized and its value is a copy of the value of rhs converted to type T; else *this is uninitialized.
Throws: Whatever T::T( U const& ) throws.
Notes: T::T( U const& ) is called if rhs is initialized, which requires a valid conversion from U to T.
Exception Safety: Exceptions can only be thrown during T::T( U const& ); in that case, this constructor has no effect.

Example:

optional<double> x(123.4);
assert ( *x == 123.4 ) ;

optional<int> y(x) ;
assert( *y == 123 ) ;

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template<InPlaceFactory> explicit optional<T (not a ref)>::optional( InPlaceFactory const& f );

template<TypedInPlaceFactory> explicit optional<T (not a ref)>::optional( TypedInPlaceFactory const& f );

Effect: Constructs an optional with a value of T obtained from the factory.
Postconditions: *this is initialized and its value is directly given from the factory f (i.e., the value is not copied).
Throws: Whatever the T constructor called by the factory throws.
Notes: See In-Place Factories
Exception Safety: Exceptions can only be thrown during the call to the T constructor used by the factory; in that case, this constructor has no effect.

Example:

class C { C ( char, double, std::string ) ; } ;

C v('A',123.4,"hello");

optional<C> x( in_place   ('A', 123.4, "hello") ); // InPlaceFactory used
optional<C> y( in_place<C>('A', 123.4, "hello") ); // TypedInPlaceFactory used

assert ( *x == v ) ;
assert ( *y == v ) ;

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optional& optional<T (not a ref)>::operator= ( T const& rhs ) ;

Effect: Assigns the value rhs to an optional.
Postconditions: *this is initialized and its value is a copy of rhs.
Throws: Whatever T::operator=( T const& ) or T::T(T const&) throws.
Notes: If *this was initialized, T's assignment operator is used, otherwise, its copy-constructor is used.
Exception Safety: In the event of an exception, the initialization state of *this is unchanged and its value unspecified as far as optional is concerned (it is up to T's operator=()). If *this is initially uninitialized and T's copy constructor fails, *this is left properly uninitialized.

Example:

T x;
optional<T> def ;
optional<T> opt(x) ;

T y;
def = y ;
assert ( *def == y ) ;
opt = y ;
assert ( *opt == y ) ;

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optional<T&>& optional<T&>::operator= ( T& const& rhs ) ;

Effect: (Re)binds thee wrapped reference.
Postconditions: *this is initialized and it references the same object referenced by rhs.
Notes: If *this was initialized, is is rebound to the new object. See here for details on this behavior.

Example:

int a = 1 ;
int b = 2 ;
T& ra = a ;
T& rb = b ;
optional<int&> def ;
optional<int&> opt(ra) ;

def = rb ; // binds 'def' to 'b' through 'rb'
assert ( *def == b ) ;
*def = a ; // changes the value of 'b' to a copy of the value of 'a'
assert ( b == a ) ;
int c = 3;
int& rc = c ;
opt = rc ; // REBINDS to 'c' through 'rc'
c = 4 ;
assert ( *opt == 4 ) ;

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optional& optional<T (not a ref)>::operator= ( optional const& rhs ) ;

Effect: Assigns another optional to an optional.
Postconditions: If rhs is initialized, *this is initialized and its value is a copy of the value of rhs; else *this is uninitialized.
Throws: Whatever T::operator( T const&) or T::T( T const& ) throws.
Notes: If both *this and rhs are initially initialized, T's assignment operator is used. If *this is initially initialized but rhs is uninitialized, T's [destructor] is called. If *this is initially uninitialized but rhs is initialized, T's copy constructor is called.
Exception Safety: In the event of an exception, the initialization state of *this is unchanged and its value unspecified as far as optional is concerned (it is up to T's operator=()). If *this is initially uninitialized and T's copy constructor fails, *this is left properly uninitialized.

Example:

T v;
optional<T> opt(v);
optional<T> def ;

opt = def ;
assert ( !def ) ;
// previous value (copy of 'v') destroyed from within 'opt'.

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optional<T&> & optional<T&>::operator= ( optional<T&> const& rhs ) ;

Effect: (Re)binds thee wrapped reference.
Postconditions: If *rhs is initialized, *this is initialized and it references the same object referenced by *rhs; otherwise, *this is uninitialized (and references no object).
Notes: If *this was initialized and so is *rhs, this is is rebound to the new object. See here for details on this behavior.

Example:

int a = 1 ;
int b = 2 ;
T& ra = a ;
T& rb = b ;
optional<int&> def ;
optional<int&> ora(ra) ;
optional<int&> orb(rb) ;

def = orb ; // binds 'def' to 'b' through 'rb' wrapped within 'orb'
assert ( *def == b ) ;
*def = ora ; // changes the value of 'b' to a copy of the value of 'a'
assert ( b == a ) ;
int c = 3;
int& rc = c ;
optional<int&> orc(rc) ;
ora = orc ; // REBINDS ora to 'c' through 'rc'
c = 4 ;
assert ( *ora == 4 ) ;

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template<U> optional& optional<T (not a ref)>::operator= ( optional<U> const& rhs ) ;

Effect: Assigns another convertible optional to an optional.
Postconditions: If rhs is initialized, *this is initialized and its value is a copy of the value of rhsconverted to type T; else *this is uninitialized.
Throws: Whatever T::operator=( U const& ) or T::T( U const& ) throws.
Notes: If both *this and rhs are initially initialized, T's assignment operator (from U) is used. If *this is initially initialized but rhs is uninitialized, T's destructor is called. If *this is initially uninitialized but rhs is initialized, T's converting constructor (from U) is called.
Exception Safety: In the event of an exception, the initialization state of *this is unchanged and its value unspecified as far as optional is concerned (it is up to T's operator=()). If *this is initially uninitialized and T's converting constructor fails, *this is left properly uninitialized.

Example:

T v;
optional<T> opt0(v);
optional<U> opt1;

opt1 = opt0 ;
assert ( *opt1 == static_cast<U>(v) ) ;

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void optional<T (not a ref)>::reset( T const& v ) ;

Deprecated: same as operator= ( T const& v) ;

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void optional<T>::reset() ;

Deprecated: Same as operator=( detail::none_t );

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T const& optional<T (not a ref)>::operator*() const ;

T& optional<T (not a ref)>::operator*();

T const& optional<T (not a ref)>::get() const ;

T& optional<T (not a ref)>::get() ;

inline T const& get ( optional<T (not a ref)> const& ) ;

inline T& get ( optional<T (not a ref)> &) ;

Requirements:*this is initialized
Returns: A reference to the contained value
Throws: Nothing.
Notes: The requirement is asserted via BOOST_ASSERT().

Example:

T v ;
optional<T> opt ( v );
T const& u = *opt;
assert ( u == v ) ;
T w ;
*opt = w ;
assert ( *opt == w ) ;

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T const& optional<T (not a ref)>::get_value_or( T const& default) const ;

T& optional<T (not a ref)>::get_value_or( T& default ) ;

inline T const& get_optional_value_or ( optional<T (not a ref)> const& o, T const& default ) ;

inline T& get_optional_value_or ( optional<T (not a ref)>& o, T& default ) ;

Returns: A reference to the contained value, if any, or default.
Throws: Nothing.

Example:

T v, z ;
optional<T> def;
T const& y = def.get_value_or(z);
assert ( y == z ) ;

optional<T> opt ( v );
T const& u = get_optional_value_or(opt,z);
assert ( u == v ) ;
assert ( u != z ) ;

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T const& optional<T&>::operator*() const ;

T & optional<T&>::operator*();

T const& optional<T&>::get() const ;

T& optional<T&>::get() ;

inline T const& get ( optional<T&> const& ) ;

inline T& get ( optional<T&> &) ;

Requirements: *this is initialized
Returns:The reference contained.
Throws: Nothing.
Notes: The requirement is asserted via BOOST_ASSERT().

Example:

T v ;
T& vref = v ;
optional<T&> opt ( vref );
T const& vref2 = *opt;
assert ( vref2 == v ) ;
++ v ;
assert ( *opt == v ) ;

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T const* optional<T (not a ref)>::get_ptr() const ;

T* optional<T (not a ref)>::get_ptr() ;

inline T const* get_pointer ( optional<T (not a ref)> const& ) ;

inline T* get_pointer ( optional<T (not a ref)> &) ;

Returns: If *this is initialized, a pointer to the contained value; else 0 (null).
Throws: Nothing.
Notes: The contained value is permanently stored within *this, so you should not hold nor delete this pointer

Example:

T v;
optional<T> opt(v);
optional<T> const copt(v);
T* p = opt.get_ptr() ;
T const* cp = copt.get_ptr();
assert ( p == get_pointer(opt) );
assert ( cp == get_pointer(copt) ) ;

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T const* optional<T (not a ref)>::operator ->() const ;

T* optional<T (not a ref)>::operator ->() ;

Requirements: *this is initialized.
Returns: A pointer to the contained value.
Throws: Nothing.
Notes: The requirement is asserted via BOOST_ASSERT().

Example:

struct X { int mdata ; } ;
X x ;
optional<X> opt (x);
opt->mdata = 2 ;

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optional<T>::operator unspecified-bool-type() const ;

Returns: An unspecified value which if used on a boolean context is equivalent to (get() != 0)
Throws: Nothing.

Example:

optional<T> def ;
assert ( def == 0 );
optional<T> opt ( v ) ;
assert ( opt );
assert ( opt != 0 );

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bool optional<T>::operator!() ;

Returns: If *this is uninitialized, true; else false.
Throws: Nothing.
Notes: This operator is provided for those compilers which can't use the unspecified-bool-type operator in certain boolean contexts.

Example:

optional<T> opt ;
assert ( !opt );
*opt = some_T ;

// Notice the "double-bang" idiom here.
assert ( !!opt ) ;

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bool optional<T>::is_initialized() const ;

Returns: true if the optional is initialized, false otherwise.
Throws: Nothing.

Example:

optional<T> def ;
assert ( !def.is_initialized() );
optional<T> opt ( v ) ;
assert ( opt.is_initialized() );

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Free functions

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optional<T (not a ref)> make_optional( T const& v )

Returns: optional<T>(v) for the deduced type T of v.

Example:

template<class T> void foo ( optional<T> const& opt ) ;

foo ( make_optional(1+1) ) ; // Creates an optional<int>

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optional<T (not a ref)> make_optional( bool condition, T const& v )

Returns: optional<T>(condition,v) for the deduced type T of v.

Example:

optional<double> calculate_foo()
{
  double val = compute_foo();
  return make_optional(is_not_nan_and_finite(val),val);
}

optional<double> v = calculate_foo();
if ( !v )
  error("foo wasn't computed");

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bool operator == ( optional<T> const& x, optional<T> const& y );

Returns: If both x and y are initialized, (*x == *y). If only x or y is initialized, false. If both are uninitialized, true.
Throws: Nothing.
Notes: Pointers have shallow relational operators while optional has deep relational operators. Do not use operator == directly in generic code which expect to be given either an optional<T> or a pointer; use equal_pointees() instead

Example:

T x(12);
T y(12);
T z(21);
optional<T> def0 ;
optional<T> def1 ;
optional<T> optX(x);
optional<T> optY(y);
optional<T> optZ(z);

// Identity always hold
assert ( def0 == def0 );
assert ( optX == optX );

// Both uninitialized compare equal
assert ( def0 == def1 );

// Only one initialized compare unequal.
assert ( def0 != optX );

// Both initialized compare as (*lhs == *rhs)
assert ( optX == optY ) ;
assert ( optX != optZ ) ;

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bool operator < ( optional<T> const& x, optional<T> const& y );

Returns: If y is not initialized, false. If y is initialized and x is not initialized, true. If both x and y are initialized, (*x < *y).
Throws: Nothing.
Notes: Pointers have shallow relational operators while optional has deep relational operators. Do not use operator < directly in generic code which expect to be given either an optional<T> or a pointer; use less_pointees() instead.

Example:

T x(12);
T y(34);
optional<T> def ;
optional<T> optX(x);
optional<T> optY(y);

// Identity always hold
assert ( !(def < def) );
assert ( optX == optX );

// Both uninitialized compare equal
assert ( def0 == def1 );

// Only one initialized compare unequal.
assert ( def0 != optX );

// Both initialized compare as (*lhs == *rhs)
assert ( optX == optY ) ;
assert ( optX != optZ ) ;

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bool operator != ( optional<T> const& x, optional<T> const& y );

Returns: !( x == y );
Throws: Nothing.

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bool operator > ( optional<T> const& x, optional<T> const& y );

Returns: ( y < x );
Throws: Nothing.

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bool operator <= ( optional<T> const& x, optional<T> const& y );

Returns: !( y<x );
Throws: Nothing.

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bool operator >= ( optional<T> const& x, optional<T> const& y );

Returns: !( x<y );
Throws: Nothing.

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void swap ( optional<T>& x, optional<T>& y );

Effect: If both x and y are initialized, calls swap(*x,*y) using std::swap. If only one is initialized, say x, calls: y.reset(*x); x.reset(); If none is initialized, does nothing.
Postconditions: The states of x and y interchanged.
Throws: If both are initialized, whatever swap(T&,T&) throws. If only one is initialized, whatever T::T ( T const& ) throws.
Notes: If both are initialized, swap(T&,T&) is used unqualified but with std::swap introduced in scope. If only one is initialized, T::~T() and T::T( T const& ) is called.
Exception Safety: If both are initialized, this operation has the exception safety guarantees of swap(T&,T&). If only one is initialized, it has the same basic guarantee as optional<T>::reset( T const& ).

Example:

T x(12);
T y(21);
optional<T> def0 ;
optional<T> def1 ;
optional<T> optX(x);
optional<T> optY(y);

boost::swap(def0,def1); // no-op

boost::swap(def0,optX);
assert ( *def0 == x );
assert ( !optX );

boost::swap(def0,optX); // Get back to original values

boost::swap(optX,optY);
assert ( *optX == y );
assert ( *optY == x );