Return pointers instead of refs, because its too dangerous with the bloody auto keyword that takes a copy if you are not careful. This will never happen using pointers.

Tongue in cheek situation but hrmpl..

src/AbstractPityUnit.cc

@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ namespace pEp {
         // Every RootUnit has its own dir
         std::string AbstractPityUnit::getRootUnitDir()
         {
-            return getGlobalRootDir() + getRoot().getName() + "/";
+            return getGlobalRootDir() + getRoot()->getName() + "/";
         }
 
         // Every process has its own dir inside its rootUnitDir
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ namespace pEp {
             if (isRoot()) {
                 return _transport_endpoints;
             } else {
-                return getRoot().transportEndpoints();
+                return getRoot()->transportEndpoints();
             }
         }
 

src/PitySwarm.cc

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ namespace pEp {
             pEpLogClass("called");
 
             for (auto n : _model.nodes()) {
-                TestUnit* tmp = &_swarmUnit.addNew<TestUnit>(
+                TestUnit* tmp = _swarmUnit.addNew<TestUnit>(
                     n->getName(),
                     std::bind(
                         &PitySwarm::_init_process,
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ namespace pEp {
             _swarmUnit.setExecMode(PityUnit<>::ExecutionMode::PROCESS_SEQUENTIAL);
             _swarmUnit.setName(new_name);
             for (auto n : rhs._nodeUnits) {
-                TestUnit* tmp = &_swarmUnit.addCopy(TestUnit(*n.second));
+                TestUnit* tmp = _swarmUnit.addCopy(TestUnit(*n.second));
                 _nodeUnits.insert(std::pair<int, TestUnit*>(n.first, tmp));
             }
         }
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ namespace pEp {
 
         PitySwarm::TestUnit& PitySwarm::addTestUnit(int nodeNr, const TestUnit& unit)
         {
-            TestUnit& ret = getLeafUnit(nodeNr).addCopy(std::move(unit));
+            TestUnit& ret = *getLeafUnit(nodeNr).addCopy(std::move(unit));
             return ret;
         }
 

src/PityTree.hh

@@ -38,25 +38,25 @@ namespace pEp {
             // Append
             // creates a new instance of CT, add the new instance as child and returns a ref to it
             template<typename CT, typename... Args>
-            CT& addNew(Args&&... args);
+            CT* addNew(Args&&... args);
 
             // Creates a copy, adds the copy as child and returns a ref to it
             template<typename CT>
-            CT& addCopy(const CT&& child, const std::string& new_name = "");
+            CT* addCopy(const CT&& child, const std::string& new_name = "");
 
             template<typename CT>
-            CT& addCopy(const CT& child, const std::string& new_name = "");
+            CT* addCopy(const CT& child, const std::string& new_name = "");
 
             // Just adds child as a non-owned reference.
-            T& addRef(T& child);
+            T* addRef(T& child);
 
             // Query
-            virtual T& getSelf() = 0;
+            virtual T* getSelf() = 0;
             T* getParent() const;
             ChildRefs getChildRefs() const;
             int getChildCount() const;
-            T& getChild(const std::string& name);
+            T* getChild(const std::string& name);
-            T& getRoot();
+            T* getRoot();
 
             void setName(const std::string& name);
             std::string getName() const;

src/PityTree.hxx

@@ -49,18 +49,18 @@ namespace pEp {
 //
         template<typename T>
         template<typename CT, typename... Args>
-        CT& PityTree<T>::addNew(Args&&... args)
+        CT* PityTree<T>::addNew(Args&&... args)
         {
             static_assert(std::is_base_of<T, CT>::value, "T must be base of CT");
             std::shared_ptr<CT> tmp = std::make_shared<CT>(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
-            _childobjs.push_back(tmp);
+            _childobjs.emplace_back(tmp);
-            addRef(*tmp.get());
+            addRef(*tmp);
-            return *tmp.get();
+            return tmp.get();
         }
 
         template<typename T>
         template<typename CT>
-        CT& PityTree<T>::addCopy(const CT&& child, const std::string& new_name)
+        CT* PityTree<T>::addCopy(const CT&& child, const std::string& new_name)
         {
             static_assert(std::is_base_of<T, CT>::value, "PityTree<T> must be a base of T");
             CT* tmpraw = new CT(child);
@@ -69,22 +69,22 @@ namespace pEp {
                 tmpraw->setName(new_name);
             }
             addRef(*tmpraw);
-            return *tmpraw;
+            return tmpraw;
         }
 
         template<typename T>
         template<typename CT>
-        CT& PityTree<T>::addCopy(const CT& child, const std::string& new_name)
+        CT* PityTree<T>::addCopy(const CT& child, const std::string& new_name)
         {
             return addCopy(std::move(child));
         }
 
         template<class T>
-        T& PityTree<T>::addRef(T& child)
+        T* PityTree<T>::addRef(T& child)
         {
             child.setParent(&_self);
             _childrefs.insert(ChildRef(child.getName(), child));
-            return child;
+            return &child;
         }
 
         template<class T>
@@ -157,12 +157,12 @@ namespace pEp {
         }
 
         template<class T>
-        T& PityTree<T>::getRoot()
+        T* PityTree<T>::getRoot()
         {
             if (!isRoot()) {
                 return _parent->getRoot();
             } else {
-                return _self;
+                return &_self;
             }
         }
 
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ namespace pEp {
         }
 
         template<class T>
-        T& PityTree<T>::getChild(const std::string& name)
+        T* PityTree<T>::getChild(const std::string& name)
         {
             T* ret = nullptr;
             try {
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ namespace pEp {
             } catch (const std::exception& e) {
                 throw std::invalid_argument("PityNode not found: '" + name + "'");
             }
-            return *ret;
+            return ret;
         }
 
         // name is alphanumeric only (everything else will be replaced by an underscore)

src/PityUnit.hh

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ namespace pEp {
             // copy-assign
             PityUnit<TestContext>& operator=(const PityUnit<TestContext>& rhs);
 
-            PityUnit<TestContext>& getSelf() override;
+            PityUnit<TestContext>* getSelf() override;
             // clone
             PityUnit<TestContext>* clone() override;
 

src/PityUnit.hxx

@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ namespace pEp {
         }
 
         template<class TestContext>
-        PityUnit<TestContext> &PityUnit<TestContext>::getSelf()
+        PityUnit<TestContext> *PityUnit<TestContext>::getSelf()
         {
-            return *this;
+            return this;
         }
 
         template<class TestContext>