c++ - std::find not using my defined == operator -

i have simple class storing in vector pointers. want use find on vector failing find object. upon debugging doesn't seem call == operator i've provided. can 'see' object in debugger know there. code below uses copy of first item in list, still fails. way can make pass use mergeline* mlt = linelist.begin(), shows me comparing objects , not using equality operator @ all.

class mergeline { public:    std::string linename;    int startindex;    double startvalue;    double fidstart;    int length;      bool operator <  (const mergeline &ml) const {return fidstart < ml.fidstart;}    bool operator == (const mergeline &ml) const {          return linename.compare( ml.linename) == 0;}     };  class otherclass{ public:    std::vector<mergeline*>linelist;    std::vector<mergeline*>::iterator ll_iter;    void dosomething( std::string linename){  // original version returned linelist.end()  //   mergeline * mlt  //   mlt->linename = linename;   // version doesn't work either (i thought sure!)       mergeline *mlt =new mergeline(*linelist.front());       ll_iter = std::find(linelist.begin(), linelist.end(), mlt);       if (ll_iter == linelist.end()) {          throw(exception("line not found in linelist : " + mlt->linename));       }       mergeline * ml = *ll_iter;      } }; 

cheers, marc

since container contains pointers , not objects, comparison between pointers. way pointers equal when point exact same object. you've noticed comparison operator objects never called.

you can use std::find_if , pass comparison object use.

class mergelinecompare {     mergeline * m_p; public:     mergelinecompare(mergeline * p) : m_p(p)     {     }     bool operator()(mergeline * p)     {         return *p == *m_p;     } };  ll_iter = std::find_if(linelist.begin(), linelist.end(), mergelinecompare(mlt));