How do I remove an element of a vector and returning it?

pop_back just returns void, so I just can't use that?
erase is okay but it doesn't return anything....
Do I use a combination of both?
Thanks
Jack

if "it" is an iterator referring to the to be removed element, "v" is the vector and "T" its value_type:

Code:

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// 1)
// requires T to be copyable
// will make v copy all elements after "it", order is preserved

T elem = *it;

v.erase(it);

// 2)
// requires T to be copyable
// no more copy, order is not preserved

using std::swap;

T elem = *it;

swap( *it, v.back() );
v.pop_back();

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if T is only movable, just replace elem initializations above with a move.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lucky6969b

pop_back just returns void, so I just can't use that?
erase is okay but it doesn't return anything....
Do I use a combination of both?
Thanks
Jack

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As you state, pop_back just deletes the last element and doesn't return anything. If you want the contents of the last element before you delete it then use back() before pop_back(). See http://www.cplusplus.com/reference/vector/vector/back/