typedef ComPtr<IDirect3DTexture9 Texture;    // typedef for ease of use

std::vector<Texture textures;                // easy storage!

Texture resource;
D3DXLoadTextureFromFileIfIAskNicely(/* large number of arguments */,
resource.AddressOf());

D3DSURFACE_DESC desc;
if(FAILED(resource-GetLevelDesc(0, &desc)))
    throw Wobbly();     // no need to worry about resource cleanup if

something fails

textures.push_back(resource);                // easy storage!
  

#ifndef _COMPTR_H
#define _COMPTR_H

//! A template COM smart pointer.
template<typename I>
class ComPtr
{
public:
	//! Constructs an empty smart pointer.
	ComPtr() : m_p(0) {}

	//! Assumes ownership of the given instance, if non-null.
	/*! \param	p	A pointer to an existing COM instance, or 0 to create an 
					empty COM smart pointer.
		\note The smart pointer will assume ownership of the given instance. 
		It will \b not AddRef the contents, but it will Release the object 
		as it goes out of scope.
	*/
	explicit ComPtr(I* p) : m_p(p) {}

	//! Releases the contained instance.
	~ComPtr()
	{
		SafeRelease();
	}

	//! Copy-construction.
	ComPtr(ComPtr<I> const& ptr) : m_p(ptr.m_p)
	{
		if(m_p)
			m_p->AddRef();
	}

	//! Assignment.
	ComPtr<I>& operator=(ComPtr<I> const& ptr)
	{
		ComPtr<I> copy(ptr);
		Swap(copy);
		return *this;
	}

	//! Releases a contained instance, if present.
	/*! \note You should never need to call this function unless you wish to
		take control a Release an instance before the smart pointer goes out 
		of scope.
	*/
	void SafeRelease()
	{
		if(m_p)	
			m_p->Release();
		m_p = 0;
	}

	//! Explicitly gets the address of the pointer.
	/*! \note This function should not be called on a smart pointer with 
		non-zero contents. This is to avoid memory leaks by blatting over the 
		contents without calling Release. Hence the complaint to std::cerr.
	*/
	I** AddressOf()
	{
		if(m_p)
		{
			std::cerr << __FUNCTION__ 
				<< ": non-zero contents - possible memory leak" << std::endl;
		}
		return &m_p;
	}

	//! Gets the encapsulated pointer.
	I* Get() const { return m_p; }

	//! Gets the encapsulated pointer.
	I* operator->() const { return m_p; }

	//! Swaps the encapsulated pointer with that of the argument.
	void Swap(ComPtr<I>& ptr)
	{
		I* p = m_p;
		m_p = ptr.m_p;
		ptr.m_p = p;
	}

	//! Returns true if non-empty.
	operator bool() const { return m_p != 0; }

private:
	//! The encapsulated instance.
	I* m_p;
};

#endif // ndef _COMPTR_H