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## Function any_cast

boost::any_cast —

Custom keyword cast for extracting a value of a given type from an `any`.

## Synopsis

    template<typename ValueType> ValueType any_cast(const any & operand);
    template<typename ValueType> const ValueType * any_cast(const any * operand);
    template<typename ValueType> ValueType * any_cast(any * operand);

## Description

Returns: If passed a pointer, it returns a similarly qualified pointer to the value content if successful, otherwise null is returned. If passed a value or reference, it returns a copy of the value content if successful.
Throws: Overloads taking an `any` pointer do not throw; the overload taking an `any` value or reference throws `bad_any_cast` if unsuccessful.
Rationale: The value/reference version returns a copy because the C++ keyword casts return copies.

| Copyright © 2001 Kevlin Henney