NAME¶

std::set_new_handler - std::set_new_handler

Synopsis¶

Defined in header <new>
std::new_handler set_new_handler( std::new_handler new_p ) throw(); (until C++11)
std::new_handler set_new_handler( std::new_handler new_p ) noexcept; (since C++11)

Makes new_p the new global new-handler function and returns the previously installed
new-handler.

The new-handler function is the function called by allocation functions whenever a
memory allocation attempt fails. Its intended purpose is one of three things:

1) make more memory available
2) terminate the program (e.g. by calling std::terminate)
3) throw exception of type std::bad_alloc or derived from std::bad_alloc.

The default implementation throws std::bad_alloc. The user can install his own
new-handler, which may offer behavior different than the default one.

If new-handler returns, the allocation function repeats the previously-failed
allocation attempt and calls the new-handler again if the allocation fails again. To
end the loop, new-handler may call std::set_new_handler(nullptr): if, after a failed
allocation attempt, allocation function finds that std::get_new_handler returns a
null pointer value, it will throw std::bad_alloc.

At program startup, new-handler is a null pointer.

This function is thread-safe. Every call to std::set_new_handler
synchronizes-with (see std::memory_order) the subsequent (since C++11)
std::set_new_handler and std::get_new_handler calls.

Parameters¶

new_p - pointer to function of type std::new_handler, or null pointer

Return value¶

The previously-installed new handler, or a null pointer value if none was installed.

Example¶

// Run this code

#include <iostream>
#include <new>

void handler()
{
std::cout << "Memory allocation failed, terminating\n";
std::set_new_handler(nullptr);
}

int main()
{
std::set_new_handler(handler);
try {
while (true) {
new int[1000'000'000ul]();
}
} catch (const std::bad_alloc& e) {
std::cout << e.what() << '\n';
}
}

Possible output:¶

Memory allocation failed, terminating
std::bad_alloc

See also¶

operator new allocation functions
operator new[] (function)
get_new_handler obtains the current new handler
(C++11) (function)
new_handler function pointer type of the new handler
(typedef)
bad_alloc exception thrown when memory allocation fails
(class)