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c++c++11lambdaunique-ptrcapture-list

When moving a unique_ptr into a lambda, why is it not possible to call reset?


When moving std::unique_ptr into the lambda, it is not possible to call reset() on it, because it seems to be const then:

error C2662: void std::unique_ptr<int,std::default_delete<_Ty>>::reset(int *) noexcept': cannot convert 'this' pointer from 'const std::unique_ptr<int,std::default_delete<_Ty>>' to 'std::unique_ptr<int,std::default_delete<_Ty>> &
#include <memory>
int main()
{
    auto u = std::unique_ptr<int>();
    auto l = [v = std::move(u)]{
        v.reset(); // this doesn't compile
    };
}
  1. Why does this happen?
  2. Is it possible to capture the std::unique_ptr in another way which allows calling reset() within the lambda (with C++17 or later)?

Solution

    1. Why does this happen?

    Because the function-call operator of a lambda,

    Unless the keyword mutable was used in the lambda-expression, the function-call operator is const-qualified and the objects that were captured by copy are non-modifiable from inside this operator().

    and

    1. Is it possible to capture the std::unique_ptr in another way which allows to call reset() within the lambda

    You need to mark it mutable.

    mutable: allows body to modify the parameters captured by copy, and to call their non-const member functions

    e.g.

    auto l = [v = std::move(u)]() mutable {
        v.reset();
    };