std::set_new_handler (3) - Linux Manuals

std::set_new_handler: std::set_new_handler

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 std::set_new_handler and std::get_new_handler calls. (since C++11)

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[100000000ul];
          }
      } catch (const std::bad_alloc& e) {
          std::cout << e.what() << '\n';
      }
  }

Output:

  Memory allocation failed, terminating
  std::bad_alloc