c++ get pointer from unique_ptr

To get a pointer from a unique_ptr in C++, you can follow these steps:

  1. Declare a unique_ptr variable: Begin by declaring a unique_ptr variable and initializing it with the object you want to manage. For example: std::unique_ptr<int> myPtr(new int(10));

  2. Access the pointer: To access the raw pointer held by the unique_ptr, use the get() member function. This function returns the raw pointer that the unique_ptr manages. For example: int* rawPtr = myPtr.get();

  3. Use the pointer: Once you have the raw pointer, you can use it just like any other pointer. You can dereference it, assign it to other pointers, or pass it to functions that expect raw pointers. However, remember that you should not delete the object pointed to by the raw pointer since the unique_ptr will take care of deleting it when it goes out of scope.

It is important to note that accessing the raw pointer from a unique_ptr should be done with caution. The purpose of using a unique_ptr is to ensure that the object it manages is automatically deleted when it is no longer needed. Manually deleting the object using the raw pointer can lead to undefined behavior, as it may result in double deletion or accessing a deleted object.

I hope this explanation helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.