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### 1312. `vector::data` no longer returns a raw pointer

Section: 24.3.11.4 [vector.data] Status: C++11 Submitter: Alisdair Meredith Opened: 2010-02-07 Last modified: 2016-01-28

Priority: Not Prioritized

View all other issues in [vector.data].

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Discussion:

The original intent of `vector::data` was to match `array::data` in providing a simple API with direct access to the contiguous buffer of elements that could be passed to a "classic" C API. At some point, the return type became the '`pointer`' typedef, which is not derived from the `allocator` via allocator traits - it is no longer specified to precisely `T *`. The return type of this function should be corrected to no longer use the typedef.

[ 2010-02-10 Moved to Tentatively Ready after 5 positive votes on c++std-lib. ]

Proposed resolution:

24.3.11 [vector]

Update the class definition in p2:

>     // 23.3.6.3 data access
>     pointerT * data();
>     const_pointerconst T * data() const;

24.3.11.4 [vector.data]

Adjust signatures:

>     pointerT * data();
>     const_pointerconst T * data() const;