A Pooled, Shared Memory allocator for the C++ Standard Template Library . Allows processes to share an STL container class to facilitate control and communications between the connected processes.

The evaluation of an allocator creates an object and returns a new access value which designates the object.

An allocator class takes advantage of the constructor and destructor methods of an object, and uses them to simplify coding. For example, I like to use a CHourglass class to save the current cursor definition and then set the cursor to an Hourglass when it gets created and that restores the previous cursor definition when it is destroyed. To use this class, you simply create the object (forcing the constructor to be called) at the beginning of your function, and when the function ends, the object goes out of scope and gets released, forcing the destructor to be called, and the cursor to be restored to it's original shape.

a person with authority to allot or deal out or apportion