nullptr (C++ Component Extensions)
The nullptr keyword represents a null pointer value. Use a null pointer value to indicate that an object handle, interior pointer, or native pointer type does not point to an object.
Use nullptr with either managed or native code. The compiler emits appropriate but different instructions for managed and native null pointer values. For information about using the ISO standard C++ version of this keyword, see nullptr.
The __nullptr keyword is a Microsoft-specific keyword that has the same meaning as nullptr, but applies to only native code. If you use nullptr with native C/C++ code and then compile with the /clr compiler option, the compiler cannot determine whether nullptr indicates a native or managed null pointer value. To make your intention clear to the compiler, use nullptr to specify a managed value or __nullptr to specify a native value.
The nullptr keyword is equivalent to Nothing in Visual Basic and null in C#.
Usage
The nullptr keyword can be used anywhere a handle, native pointer, or function argument can be used.
The nullptr keyword is not a type and is not supported for use with:
The nullptr keyword can be used in the initialization of the following pointer types:
Native pointer
Windows Runtime handle
Managed handle
Managed interior pointer
The nullptr keyword can be used to test if a pointer or handle reference is null before the reference is used.
Function calls among languages that use null pointer values for error checking should be interpreted correctly.
You cannot initialize a handle to zero; only nullptr can be used. Assignment of constant 0 to an object handle produces a boxed Int32 and a cast to Object^.
Example
The following code example demonstrates that the nullptr keyword can be used wherever a handle, native pointer, or function argument can be used. And the example demonstrates that the nullptr keyword can be used to check a reference before it is used.
// mcpp_nullptr.cpp
// compile with: /clr
value class V {};
ref class G {};
void f(System::Object ^) {}
int main() {
// Native pointer.
int *pN = nullptr;
// Managed handle.
G ^pG = nullptr;
V ^pV1 = nullptr;
// Managed interior pointer.
interior_ptr<V> pV2 = nullptr;
// Reference checking before using a pointer.
if (pN == nullptr) {}
if (pG == nullptr) {}
if (pV1 == nullptr) {}
if (pV2 == nullptr) {}
// nullptr can be used as a function argument.
f(nullptr); // calls f(System::Object ^)
}
Example
The following code example shows that nullptr and zero can be used interchangeably on native pointers.
// mcpp_nullptr_1.cpp
// compile with: /clr
class MyClass {
public:
int i;
};
int main() {
MyClass * pMyClass = nullptr;
if ( pMyClass == nullptr)
System::Console::WriteLine("pMyClass == nullptr");
if ( pMyClass == 0)
System::Console::WriteLine("pMyClass == 0");
pMyClass = 0;
if ( pMyClass == nullptr)
System::Console::WriteLine("pMyClass == nullptr");
if ( pMyClass == 0)
System::Console::WriteLine("pMyClass == 0");
}
Output
pMyClass == nullptr pMyClass == 0 pMyClass == nullptr pMyClass == 0
Example
The following code example shows that nullptr is interpreted as a handle to any type or a native pointer to any type. In case of function overloading with handles to different types, an ambiguity error will be generated. The nullptr would have to be explicitly cast to a type.
// mcpp_nullptr_2.cpp
// compile with: /clr /LD
void f(int *){}
void f(int ^){}
void f_null() {
f(nullptr); // C2668
// try one of the following lines instead
f((int *) nullptr);
f((int ^) nullptr);
}
Example
The following code example shows that casting nullptr is allowed and returns a pointer or handle to the cast type that contains the nullptr value.
// mcpp_nullptr_3.cpp
// compile with: /clr /LD
using namespace System;
template <typename T>
void f(T) {} // C2036 cannot deduce template type because nullptr can be any type
int main() {
f((Object ^) nullptr); // T = Object^, call f(Object ^)
// Delete the following line to resolve.
f(nullptr);
f(0); // T = int, call f(int)
}
Example
The following code example shows that nullptr can be used as a function parameter.
// mcpp_nullptr_4.cpp
// compile with: /clr
using namespace System;
void f(Object ^ x) {
Console::WriteLine("test");
}
int main() {
f(nullptr);
}
Output
test
Example
The following code example shows that when handles are declared and not explicitly initialized, they are default initialized to nullptr.
// mcpp_nullptr_5.cpp
// compile with: /clr
using namespace System;
ref class MyClass {
public:
void Test() {
MyClass ^pMyClass; // gc type
if (pMyClass == nullptr)
Console::WriteLine("NULL");
}
};
int main() {
MyClass ^ x = gcnew MyClass();
x -> Test();
}
Output
NULL
Example
The following code example shows that nullptr can be assigned to a native pointer when you compile with /clr.
// mcpp_nullptr_6.cpp
// compile with: /clr
int main() {
int * i = 0;
int * j = nullptr;
}
Requirements
Compiler option: (Not required; supported by all code generation options, including /ZW and /clr)