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<title>Issue 1312: vector::data no longer returns a raw pointer</title>
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<p><em>This page is a snapshot from the LWG issues list, see the <a href="lwg-active.html">Library Active Issues List</a> for more information and the meaning of <a href="lwg-active.html#C++11">C++11</a> status.</em></p>
<h3 id="1312"><a href="lwg-defects.html#1312">1312</a>. <code>vector::data</code> no longer returns a raw pointer</h3>
<p><b>Section:</b> 23.3.13.4 <a href="https://wg21.link/vector.data">[vector.data]</a> <b>Status:</b> <a href="lwg-active.html#C++11">C++11</a>
 <b>Submitter:</b> Alisdair Meredith <b>Opened:</b> 2010-02-07 <b>Last modified:</b> 2016-01-28</p>
<p><b>Priority: </b>Not Prioritized
</p>
<p><b>View all other</b> <a href="lwg-index.html#vector.data">issues</a> in [vector.data].</p>
<p><b>View all issues with</b> <a href="lwg-status.html#C++11">C++11</a> status.</p>
<p><b>Discussion:</b></p>
<p>
The original intent of <code>vector::data</code> was to match <code>array::data</code>
in providing a simple API with direct access to the contiguous buffer of
elements that could be passed to a "classic" C API.  At some point, the return
type became the '<code>pointer</code>' typedef, which is not derived from the
<code>allocator</code> via allocator traits - it is no longer specified to precisely
<code>T *</code>.  The return type of this function should be corrected to no longer
use the typedef.
</p>

<p><i>[
2010-02-10 Moved to Tentatively Ready after 5 positive votes on c++std-lib.
]</i></p>




<p id="res-1312"><b>Proposed resolution:</b></p>
<p>
23.3.13 <a href="https://wg21.link/vector">[vector]</a>
</p>

<p>
Update the class definition in p2:
</p>

<blockquote><pre>
// 23.3.6.3 data access
<del>pointer</del><ins>T *</ins> data();
<del>const_pointer</del><ins>const T *</ins> data() const;
</pre></blockquote>

<p>
23.3.13.4 <a href="https://wg21.link/vector.data">[vector.data]</a>
</p>

<p>
Adjust signatures:
</p>

<blockquote><pre>
<del>pointer</del><ins>T *</ins> data();
<del>const_pointer</del><ins>const T *</ins> data() const;
</pre></blockquote>





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