Replacing functions in the std namespace

Question

I have a library that replaces free , malloc and a couple of other functions by using a define in it's header:

#define free some_custom_free 

This unfortunately horribly breaks when other libraries (boost in this case) use std::free instead of directly calling free :

error: 'some_custom_free' is not a member of 'std'

Can this be properly and portably solved, preferably without having to touch either libraries?

Answer 1

Nope. You're screwed a thousand ways from Sunday because the library that used #define was written by an Australopithecus. The only solution is to change the library that did #define free .

Answer 2

You SHOULD use __malloc_hook , which allows you to change what malloc does.

• set __malloc_hook to actaully run some_custom_malloc

• set __free_hook to run some_custom_free

• remove the #define and everything will work fine!

Another option - make sure the #include for this library are always AFTER the #include for boost / stl / whatever.