Have a template parameter that can be pointer type or non-pointer type

Question

Suppose I have something like:

template 
void do_something(T t){
  pass_it_somewhere(t);
  t->do_something();
}

Now it wo

Answer 1

Soultion 1

Use template specialization:

template 
void do_something(T t){
  pass_it_somewhere(t);
  t.do_something();
}

template 
void do_something(T* t){
  pass_it_somewhere(t);    
  t->do_something();
}

Solution 2

Add a user-defined pointer operator in class T:

class A
{
public:
    void do_something() const {}        
    const A* operator->() const { return this; }
};

template 
void do_something(T t){
  pass_it_somewhere(t);      
  t->do_something();
}