A C++ template device to obtain an underlying type

What happens when you need to get the underlying data type of a pointer or reference? You can write some crazy metaprogram to do it for you. Like this:

template <typename T> struct get_real_type      { typedef T type; };
template <typename T> struct get_real_type<T*>  { typedef T type; };
template <typename T> struct get_real_type<T&>  { typedef T type; };

template <class T>
int foo() {
    return get_real_type<T>::type::N;
}

struct Bar {
    static const int N=24;
};

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
    cout << foo<Bar*>() << endl;
    cout << foo<Bar&>() << endl;
    cout << foo<Bar>() << endl;
}

Incidentally, this is also the basis for the implementation of std::remove_reference. Actually you'd be better of using std::remove_reference, for your own sanity.