#include <boost/interprocess/offset_ptr.hpp> I use boost_1_46_1, boost::interprocess::offset_ptr<int> p; std::cin >> p; // error!! offset_ptr.hpp std::ptrdiff_t get_offset() const { return internal.m_offset; } //!operator>> //!for offset ptr template<class E, class T, class Y> inline std::basic_istream<E, T> & operator>> (std::basic_istream<E, T> & is, offset_ptr<Y> & p) { return is >> p.get_offset(); }