How to check if the iterator is initialized?

Question

If I use a default constructor for an iterator, how to check if it was assigned later on?

For pointers, I could do this :

int *p = NULL;
/// some code
         


        

Answer 1

if(std::list::iterator() == it)

But I suspect... may it's possible, that a valid iterator could pass the comparison. Better to avoid these situations. If it's impossible store the iterator by a pointer.

 std::auto_ptr::iterator> it;