[section boost/python/return_opaque_pointer.hpp]
[section Class `return_opaqe_pointer`]
return_opaque_pointer is a model of [link concepts.resultconverter.resultconvertergenerator_concept ResultConverterGenerator] which can be used to wrap C++ functions returning pointers to undefined types such that the return value is copied into a new Python object.

In addition to specifying the `return_opaque_pointer` policy the [link to_from_python_type_conversion.boost_python_opaque_pointer_conv.macro_boost_python_opaque_specia `BOOST_PYTHON_OPAQUE_SPECIALIZED_TYPE_ID`] macro must be used to define specializations for the [link utility_and_infrastructure.boost_python_type_id_hpp.functions `type_id`] function on the type pointed to by returned pointer.
``
namespace boost { namespace python
{
    struct return_opaque_pointer
    {
        template <class R> struct apply;
    };
}}
``
[endsect]
[section Class `return_opaque_pointer` metafunctions]
``template <class T> struct apply``
[variablelist
[[Returns][`detail::opaque_conversion_holder<R> type;`]]
]
[endsect]
[section Example]
In C++:
``
# include <boost/python/return_opaque_pointer.hpp>
# include <boost/python/def.hpp>
# include <boost/python/module.hpp>
# include <boost/python/return_value_policy.hpp>

typedef struct opaque_ *opaque;

opaque the_op   = ((opaque) 0x47110815);

opaque get () { return the_op; }
void use (opaque op) {
    if (op != the_op)
	throw std::runtime_error (std::string ("failed"));
}

void failuse (opaque op) {
    if (op == the_op)
	throw std::runtime_error (std::string ("success"));
}

BOOST_PYTHON_OPAQUE_SPECIALIZED_TYPE_ID(opaque_)

namespace bpl = boost::python;

BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(opaque_ext)
{
    bpl::def (
        "get", &::get, bpl::return_value_policy<bpl::return_opaque_pointer>());
    bpl::def ("use", &::use);
    bpl::def ("failuse", &::failuse);
}
``
Python code:
``
"""
>>> from opaque_ext import *
>>> #
>>> # Check for correct conversion
>>> use(get())
>>> failuse(get())
Traceback (most recent call last):
        ...
RuntimeError: success
>>> #
>>> # Check that there is no conversion from integers ...
>>> use(0)
Traceback (most recent call last):
        ...
TypeError: bad argument type for built-in operation
>>> #
>>> # ... and from strings to opaque objects
>>> use("")
Traceback (most recent call last):
        ...
TypeError: bad argument type for built-in operation
"""
def run(args = None):
    import sys
    import doctest

    if args is not None:
        sys.argv = args
    return doctest.testmod(sys.modules.get(__name__))
    
if __name__ == '__main__':
    print "running..."
    import sys
    sys.exit(run()[0])
``
[endsect]
[endsect]