Something that can happen in larger projects is that a header file for a class is included in multiple files. While this seems trivial, some compilers can run into a problem of thinking it’s multiple classes with the same name. Luckily, C++ gives us a method to prevent this from happening, by using a built…
Everything we’ve looked at so far is what is known as an instance member. That is, each instance of a class – called and object, has it’s own set of properties and methods. This is mostly what is done. So if we look at two Circle objects for example, the radius of one circle is…
We’ve talked about abstraction before when working with functions. The idea being using a simple to remember name, to hide a (potentially) complex process involving lots of steps. Classes are often used in the same way. They should be thought of as a “black box” which the programmer doesn’t need to worry about how the…
Let’s look a little closer at constructors than we did in our initial Defining Classes for Objects example. Anytime you create an object, a constructor is called. If you overload your constructor, C++ will pick the right constructor to call, just like it does when you overload a function. Constructors must have the same name…
Once you create your class, you need to create an object. The Class is just a blueprint for the program to follow. It doesn’t do anything until you create an object based off of that blueprint. Think of a house. If you have a house blueprint, all you have are some sheets of paper or…
Multi-dimensional arrays, often called a matrix, are possible in C++. C/C++ treats them as an array of arrays. Because of how they are defined, each array within the array will be of the same size. This actually makes them easier to work with. To define them, you use two sets of brackets, and can think…
A C String is actually an array of characters. While C strings are a thing, generally speaking it is best to use the C++ string object. However, if you run into an older application, or someone who wants to do things old style, it is good to know how to use a C-String. Additionally, any…
An array isn’t a “data type” like you’d normally think of one. It is a collection of the same type of data, similar to a List in Python. Behind the scenes, there are a few things you need to know however: In an array, all elements must be of the same data type. When constructed,…
