diff --git a/example/ip_allocator.cpp b/example/ip_allocator.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f2c6d67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/ip_allocator.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,293 @@
+/* Boost.MultiIndex example of use of Boost.Interprocess allocators.
+ *
+ * Copyright 2003-2008 Joaquin M Lopez Munoz.
+ * Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
+ * (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
+ * http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+ *
+ * See http://www.boost.org/libs/multi_index for library home page.
+ */
+
+#if !defined(NDEBUG)
+#define BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_ENABLE_INVARIANT_CHECKING
+#define BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_ENABLE_SAFE_MODE
+#endif
+
+#include <boost/config.hpp> /* keep it first to prevent nasty warns in MSVC */
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <boost/interprocess/allocators/allocator.hpp>
+#include <boost/interprocess/containers/string.hpp>
+#include <boost/interprocess/managed_mapped_file.hpp>
+#include <boost/interprocess/sync/named_mutex.hpp>
+#include <boost/interprocess/sync/scoped_lock.hpp>
+#include <boost/multi_index_container.hpp>
+#include <boost/multi_index/ordered_index.hpp>
+#include <boost/multi_index/member.hpp>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <iterator>
+#include <sstream>
+#include <string>
+
+using boost::multi_index_container;
+using namespace boost::multi_index;
+namespace bip=boost::interprocess;
+
+/* shared_string is a string type placeable in shared memory,
+ * courtesy of Boost.Interprocess.
+ */
+
+typedef bip::basic_string<
+  char,std::char_traits<char>,
+  bip::allocator<char,bip::managed_mapped_file::segment_manager>
+> shared_string;
+
+/* Book record. All its members can be placed in shared memory,
+ * hence the structure itself can too.
+ */
+
+struct book
+{
+  shared_string name;
+  shared_string author;
+  unsigned      pages;
+  unsigned      prize;
+
+  book(const shared_string::allocator_type& al):
+    name(al),author(al),pages(0),prize(0)
+  {}
+
+  friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os,const book& b)
+  {
+    os<<b.author<<": \""<<b.name<<"\", $"<<b.prize<<", "<<b.pages<<" pages\n";
+    return os;
+  }
+};
+
+/* partial_str_less allows for partial searches taking into account
+ * only the first n chars of the strings compared against. See
+ * Tutorial: Basics: Special lookup operations for more info on this
+ * type of comparison functors.
+ */
+
+/* partial_string is a mere string holder used to differentiate from
+ * a plain string.
+ */
+
+struct partial_string 
+{
+  partial_string(const shared_string& str):str(str){}
+  shared_string str;
+};
+
+struct partial_str_less
+{
+  bool operator()(const shared_string& x,const shared_string& y)const
+  {
+    return x<y;
+  }
+
+  bool operator()(const shared_string& x,const partial_string& y)const
+  {
+    return x.substr(0,y.str.size())<y.str;
+  }
+
+  bool operator()(const partial_string& x,const shared_string& y)const
+  {
+    return x.str<y.substr(0,x.str.size());
+  }
+};
+
+/* Define a multi_index_container of book records with indices on
+ * author, name and prize. The index on names allows for partial
+ * searches. This container can be placed in shared memory because:
+ *   * book can be placed in shared memory.
+ *   * We are using a Boost.Interprocess specific allocator.
+ */
+
+/* see Compiler specifics: Use of member_offset for info on
+ * BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_MEMBER
+ */
+
+typedef multi_index_container<
+  book,
+  indexed_by<
+    ordered_non_unique<
+      BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_MEMBER(book,shared_string,author)
+    >,
+    ordered_non_unique<
+      BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_MEMBER(book,shared_string,name),
+      partial_str_less
+    >,
+    ordered_non_unique<
+      BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_MEMBER(book,unsigned,prize)
+    >
+  >,
+  bip::allocator<book,bip::managed_mapped_file::segment_manager>
+> book_container;
+
+/* A small utility to get data entered via std::cin */
+
+template<typename T>
+void enter(const char* msg,T& t)
+{
+  std::cout<<msg;
+  std::string str;
+  std::getline(std::cin,str);
+  std::istringstream iss(str);
+  iss>>t;
+}
+
+void enter(const char* msg,std::string& str)
+{
+  std::cout<<msg;
+  std::getline(std::cin,str);
+}
+
+void enter(const char* msg,shared_string& str)
+{
+  std::cout<<msg;
+  std::string stdstr;
+  std::getline(std::cin,stdstr);
+  str=stdstr.c_str();
+}
+
+int main()
+{
+  /* Create (or open) the memory mapped file where the book container
+   * is stored, along with a mutex for synchronized access.
+   */
+
+  bip::managed_mapped_file seg(
+    bip::open_or_create,"./book_container.db",
+    65536);
+  bip::named_mutex mutex(
+    bip::open_or_create,"7FD6D7E8-320B-11DC-82CF-F0B655D89593");
+
+  /* create or open the book container in shared memory */
+
+  book_container* pbc=seg.find_or_construct<book_container>("book container")(
+    book_container::ctor_args_list(),
+    book_container::allocator_type(seg.get_segment_manager()));
+
+  std::string command_info=
+    "1. list books by author\n"
+    "2. list all books by prize\n"
+    "3. insert a book\n"
+    "4. delete a book\n"
+    "0. exit\n";
+
+  std::cout<<command_info;
+
+  /* main loop */
+
+  for(bool exit=false;!exit;){
+    int command=-1;
+    enter("command: ",command);
+
+    switch(command){
+      case 0:{ /* exit */
+        exit=true; 
+        break;
+      }
+      case 1:{ /* list books by author */
+        std::string author;
+        enter("author (empty=all authors): ",author);
+
+        /* operations with the container must be mutex protected */
+
+        bip::scoped_lock<bip::named_mutex> lock(mutex);
+
+        std::pair<book_container::iterator,book_container::iterator> rng;
+        if(author.empty()){
+          rng=std::make_pair(pbc->begin(),pbc->end());
+        }
+        else{
+          rng=pbc->equal_range(
+            shared_string(
+              author.c_str(),
+              shared_string::allocator_type(seg.get_segment_manager())));
+        }
+
+        if(rng.first==rng.second){
+          std::cout<<"no entries\n";
+        }
+        else{
+          std::copy(
+            rng.first,rng.second,std::ostream_iterator<book>(std::cout));
+        }
+        break;
+      }
+      case 2:{ /* list all books by prize */
+        bip::scoped_lock<bip::named_mutex> lock(mutex);
+
+        std::copy(
+          get<2>(*pbc).begin(),get<2>(*pbc).end(),
+          std::ostream_iterator<book>(std::cout));
+        break;
+      }
+      case 3:{ /* insert a book */
+        book b(shared_string::allocator_type(seg.get_segment_manager()));
+
+        enter("author: ",b.author);
+        enter("name: "  ,b.name);
+        enter("prize: " ,b.prize);
+        enter("pages: " ,b.pages);
+
+        std::cout<<"insert the following?\n"<<b<<"(y/n): ";
+        char yn='n';
+        enter("",yn);
+        if(yn=='y'||yn=='Y'){
+          bip::scoped_lock<bip::named_mutex> lock(mutex);
+          pbc->insert(b);
+        }
+
+        break;
+      }
+      case 4:{ /* delete a book */
+        shared_string name(
+          shared_string::allocator_type(seg.get_segment_manager()));
+        enter(
+          "name of the book (you can enter\nonly the first few characters): ",
+          name);
+
+        typedef nth_index<book_container,1>::type index_by_name;
+        index_by_name&          idx=get<1>(*pbc);
+        index_by_name::iterator it;
+        book b(shared_string::allocator_type(seg.get_segment_manager()));
+
+        {
+          /* Look for a book whose title begins with name. Note that we
+           * are unlocking after doing the search so as to not leave the
+           * container blocked during user prompting. That is also why a
+           * local copy of the book is done.
+           */
+
+          bip::scoped_lock<bip::named_mutex> lock(mutex);
+
+          it=idx.find(partial_string(name));
+          if(it==idx.end()){
+            std::cout<<"no such book found\n";
+            break;
+          }
+          b=*it;
+        }
+
+        std::cout<<"delete the following?\n"<<b<<"(y/n): ";
+        char yn='n';
+        enter("",yn);
+        if(yn=='y'||yn=='Y'){
+          bip::scoped_lock<bip::named_mutex> lock(mutex);
+          idx.erase(it);
+        }
+
+        break;
+      }
+      default:{
+        std::cout<<"select one option:\n"<<command_info;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}