std::malloc and memory management

[burnit]

Hi all! I'm relatively new to C++, so the following question could be simple to some...

I'm writing a class wich should manage memory allocations. It's not a garbage collector, but simple a template class wich should wrap all memory functions: this is the first step. This class has 3 functions: malloc, realloc and free.

        template <typename T>
	class duAlloc
	{

	public:
		static T *malloc(duint n);

		static T *realloc(T *mem, duint n);

		static void free(T *mem);
	};

#include <util/duAlloc.cpp>

As you can see, it's very simple. But, in implementation I call the <b>real</b> malloc:

template <class T>
T *duAlloc<T>::malloc(duint n)
{
	T *m;

	duAssert(n > 0);

	if ((m = malloc(sizeof(T) * n)) == NULL) {
		abort();
	} else
		return (m);
        }

The code execution result recursive infinitely, because malloc in interpreted as duAlloc::malloc...

I know I could write std::malloc for specify the malloc routine, but compiler say that malloc is not defined in the std namespace... anyone can help me?

...then. I'd like to make memory reference countable: so having a generic pointer user can query memory size and a reference count. A duAlloc::free call will free memory only if the reference count is reset. How I can start implementing this?

Many thank to all!

[burnit]

Resolved... problems includes cstdlib inside a mine namespace...

However... the question about reference/size countable memory is always open...

[Cabhan]

I've never implemented something like this. However, if you want to do this with anything (and not just your own special classes where a reference count could be built in), why not just use a dictionary to map pointers to reference count? You could write a retain function that would increment a reference count, and then just free it at the end of the function, and the free'ing would only happen if that was the last reference.

As for querying: you would already have the dictionary for reference count, you could use a second one to map pointers to sizes. Or make a struct called reference_info or something that stores both pieces of information.

[the_unforgiven]

What you're looking for are smart pointers.
Take a look at following links:

Smart pointer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Smart Pointers - What, Why, Which?
Smart Pointers

HTH