Implements ReturnPointee() and ReturnRefOfCopy().

include/gmock/gmock-actions.h

@@ -584,6 +584,55 @@ class ReturnRefAction {
   GTEST_DISALLOW_ASSIGN_(ReturnRefAction);
 };
 
+// Implements the polymorphic ReturnRefOfCopy(x) action, which can be
+// used in any function that returns a reference to the type of x,
+// regardless of the argument types.
+template <typename T>
+class ReturnRefOfCopyAction {
+ public:
+  // Constructs a ReturnRefOfCopyAction object from the reference to
+  // be returned.
+  explicit ReturnRefOfCopyAction(const T& value) : value_(value) {}  // NOLINT
+
+  // This template type conversion operator allows ReturnRefOfCopy(x) to be
+  // used in ANY function that returns a reference to x's type.
+  template <typename F>
+  operator Action<F>() const {
+    typedef typename Function<F>::Result Result;
+    // Asserts that the function return type is a reference.  This
+    // catches the user error of using ReturnRefOfCopy(x) when Return(x)
+    // should be used, and generates some helpful error message.
+    GTEST_COMPILE_ASSERT_(
+        internal::is_reference<Result>::value,
+        use_Return_instead_of_ReturnRefOfCopy_to_return_a_value);
+    return Action<F>(new Impl<F>(value_));
+  }
+
+ private:
+  // Implements the ReturnRefOfCopy(x) action for a particular function type F.
+  template <typename F>
+  class Impl : public ActionInterface<F> {
+   public:
+    typedef typename Function<F>::Result Result;
+    typedef typename Function<F>::ArgumentTuple ArgumentTuple;
+
+    explicit Impl(const T& value) : value_(value) {}  // NOLINT
+
+    virtual Result Perform(const ArgumentTuple&) {
+      return value_;
+    }
+
+   private:
+    T value_;
+
+    GTEST_DISALLOW_ASSIGN_(Impl);
+  };
+
+  const T value_;
+
+  GTEST_DISALLOW_ASSIGN_(ReturnRefOfCopyAction);
+};
+
 // Implements the DoDefault() action for a particular function type F.
 template <typename F>
 class MonomorphicDoDefaultActionImpl : public ActionInterface<F> {
@@ -948,6 +997,14 @@ inline internal::ReturnRefAction<R> ReturnRef(R& x) {  // NOLINT
   return internal::ReturnRefAction<R>(x);
 }
 
+// Creates an action that returns the reference to a copy of the
+// argument.  The copy is created when the action is constructed and
+// lives as long as the action.
+template <typename R>
+inline internal::ReturnRefOfCopyAction<R> ReturnRefOfCopy(const R& x) {
+  return internal::ReturnRefOfCopyAction<R>(x);
+}
+
 // Creates an action that does the default action for the give mock function.
 inline internal::DoDefaultAction DoDefault() {
   return internal::DoDefaultAction();

include/gmock/gmock-more-actions.h

@@ -195,6 +195,9 @@ ACTION_TEMPLATE(DeleteArg,
   delete ::std::tr1::get<k>(args);
 }
 
+// This action returns the value pointed to by 'pointer'.
+ACTION_P(ReturnPointee, pointer) { return *pointer; }
+
 // Action Throw(exception) can be used in a mock function of any type
 // to throw the given exception.  Any copyable value can be thrown.
 #if GTEST_HAS_EXCEPTIONS

test/gmock-actions_test.cc

@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ using testing::PolymorphicAction;
 using testing::Return;
 using testing::ReturnNull;
 using testing::ReturnRef;
+using testing::ReturnRefOfCopy;
 using testing::SetArgumentPointee;
 
 #if !GTEST_OS_WINDOWS_MOBILE
@@ -584,6 +585,30 @@ TEST(ReturnRefTest, IsCovariant) {
   EXPECT_EQ(&derived, &a.Perform(make_tuple()));
 }
 
+// Tests that ReturnRefOfCopy(v) works for reference types.
+TEST(ReturnRefOfCopyTest, WorksForReference) {
+  int n = 42;
+  const Action<const int&()> ret = ReturnRefOfCopy(n);
+
+  EXPECT_NE(&n, &ret.Perform(make_tuple()));
+  EXPECT_EQ(42, ret.Perform(make_tuple()));
+
+  n = 43;
+  EXPECT_NE(&n, &ret.Perform(make_tuple()));
+  EXPECT_EQ(42, ret.Perform(make_tuple()));
+}
+
+// Tests that ReturnRefOfCopy(v) is covariant.
+TEST(ReturnRefOfCopyTest, IsCovariant) {
+  Base base;
+  Derived derived;
+  Action<Base&()> a = ReturnRefOfCopy(base);
+  EXPECT_NE(&base, &a.Perform(make_tuple()));
+
+  a = ReturnRefOfCopy(derived);
+  EXPECT_NE(&derived, &a.Perform(make_tuple()));
+}
+
 // Tests that DoDefault() does the default action for the mock method.
 
 class MyClass {};

test/gmock-more-actions_test.cc

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ using testing::DeleteArg;
 using testing::Invoke;
 using testing::Return;
 using testing::ReturnArg;
+using testing::ReturnPointee;
 using testing::SaveArg;
 using testing::SetArgReferee;
 using testing::SetArgumentPointee;
@@ -664,5 +665,14 @@ TEST(SetArrayArgumentTest, SetsTheNthArrayWithIteratorArgument) {
   EXPECT_EQ(letters, s);
 }
 
+TEST(ReturnPointeeTest, Works) {
+  int n = 42;
+  const Action<int()> a = ReturnPointee(&n);
+  EXPECT_EQ(42, a.Perform(make_tuple()));
+
+  n = 43;
+  EXPECT_EQ(43, a.Perform(make_tuple()));
+}
+
 }  // namespace gmock_generated_actions_test
 }  // namespace testing