Something like   template<class T> class Redactable {     T value_{};     bool redacted_ = false; public:     void redact()   { redacted_ = true; }     void unredact() { redacted_ = false; }     operator T&()         pre (!redacted_)     {         return value_;     } };   With the only magic being good error handing by the compiler or IDE?   -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von:Jens Maurer <jens.maurer_at_[hidden]> Gesendet:Mo 24.08.2026 04:14 Betreff:Re: [std-proposals] Forget forget let‘s redact An:std-proposals_at_[hidden]; CC:Sebastian Wittmeier <wittmeier_at_[hidden]>; On 8/24/26 00:04, Sebastian Wittmeier via Std-Proposals wrote: > How about solving it as > > std::redactable<T> > > similar to std::optional<T>? > > It could still be a magic (templated) class going beyond the capabilities of pure library solutions. I'm ok with having standard library functions whose implementations requires implementation-defined means. I'll oppose standard-library looking functions that (for the caller) change the way the core language works at the call site. Jens