'_var' Vs. '_ptr'

Each CORBA object has two additional classes defined for it - one that ends with a '_var' suffix, and one that ends with a '_ptr' suffix.

The '*_ptr' class represents a pointer to an object of the given class.

The '*_var' class is a smart-pointer that performs reference counting on the object. If a '_var' instance is destroyed, and by this brings the reference count of its object to 0, the object itself it destroyed.

Conclusions - use a '_var'  where possible, to avoid the headache of memory management.