diff --git a/mrw/auto.hpp b/mrw/auto.hpp
index 9eda272..9055993 100644
--- a/mrw/auto.hpp
+++ b/mrw/auto.hpp
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
     @license LGPL, see file <a href="license.html">COPYING</a>
 
     $Log$
+    Revision 1.5  2004/10/11 16:05:02  marc
+    new AutoPtr
+
     Revision 1.4  2004/10/07 09:24:08  marc
     enhance windoze compatibility
 
@@ -146,6 +149,67 @@ namespace mrw {
       RESOURCE_TYPE _res;       ///< the resource to be managed
   };
 
+  template <typename T>
+  class AutoPtr {
+    public:
+      /// @brief Construct from an allocated resource.
+      /// The resource is freed if necessary.
+      /// AutoPtr takes over ownership of the resource.
+      explicit AutoPtr(T* res = 0)
+        throw(std::bad_exception): _res(res) {
+          res = 0;
+      }
+      /// @brief Takeover ownership from another AutoPtr.
+      AutoPtr(AutoPtr& o) throw(std::bad_exception):
+        _res(o.release()) {
+      }
+      /// @brief Free resource. Calls @c reset().
+      ~AutoPtr() throw(std::bad_exception) {reset();}
+      /// @brief Assign new resource. Calls @c reset().
+      /// The resource is freed if necessary.
+      AutoPtr& operator=(T* res) throw(std::bad_exception) {
+        return reset(res);
+      }
+      /// @brief Takeover ownership from another AutoResorce.
+      /// Calls @c reset() from @c this and @c release() from @c other.
+      AutoPtr& operator=(AutoPtr& other) throw(std::bad_exception) {
+        return reset(other.release());
+      }
+      /// @brief Get the resource.
+      operator T* const() const throw(std::bad_exception) {
+        return _res;
+      }
+      /// @brief get the resetted resource for resetting it.
+      /// Calls @c reset and returns the cleaned resource.
+      /// The intention is, that you can safely assign it a new value
+      /// (e.g. in an expression).
+      T* getClean() throw(std::bad_exception) {
+        reset();
+        return _res;
+      }
+      /// @brief find out, if a value is set
+      /// @return @c true: resource is valid
+      operator bool() const throw(std::bad_exception) {
+        return _res!=0;
+      }
+      /// @brief Give away ownership of the resource.
+      /// @return old resource
+      T* release() throw(std::bad_exception) {
+        T* res(_res); _res=0;
+        return res;
+      }
+      /// @brief Assign a new resorce.
+      /// The old resource of @c this is freed if necessary.
+      AutoPtr& reset(T* res = 0)
+        throw(std::bad_exception) {
+        delete _res;
+        _res = res;
+        return *this;
+      }
+    private:
+      T* _res;       ///< the resource to be managed
+  };
+
   /** @brief Automatically closes a file when destructed.
       @pre #include <mrw/auto.hpp>