C++ In a Nutshell

Name

operator delete — Global operator delete

Synopsis

void operator delete(void* ptr) throw(  );
void operator delete[](void* ptr) throw(  );
void operator delete(void* ptr, const std::nothrow_t&) throw(  );
void operator delete[](void* ptr, const std::nothrow_t&) throw(  );
void operator delete(void* ptr, void*) throw(  );
void operator delete[](void* ptr, void*) throw(  );

The global operator delete function is called from a delete expression to free memory. The memory, which ptr points to, must have been returned by a corresponding call to operator new or be a null pointer. You must not call operator delete more than once for the same pointer. If ptr is null, operator delete returns without doing anything.

The first two versions of operator delete free the memory that ptr points to, which must have been allocated by calling the plain form of operator new. These forms of operator delete are called from a delete expression. The first is called for a scalar delete, and the second is called for an array delete[].

The remaining forms are called only when the corresponding placement new expression throws an exception during construction. The nothrow functions free the memory that ptr points to. The last two forms do nothing. See the new expression in Chapter 3 to learn how and when placement operator delete is called.

Unlike other identifiers in the standard library, operator delete is global and is not in the std namespace. Also, unlike with other functions in the standard library, you can provide ...