How to release pointer from boost::shared_ptr?

Question

Can boost::shared_ptr release the stored pointer without deleting it?

I can see no release function exists in the documentation, also in the FAQ is explained why it

Answer 1

You can delete the shared pointer, which seems much the same to me. If pointers are always unique, then std::auto_ptr<> is a good choice. Bear in mind that unique pointers can't be used in STL containers, since operations on them do a lot of copying and temporary duplication.