Before looking at the new listings for the String class example, let’s consider another matter. Suppose you want to copy an ordinary string to a String object. For example, suppose you use getline() to read a string and you want to place it in a String object. The class methods already allow you to do the following:
String name;
char temp[40];
cin.getline(temp, 40);
name = temp; // use constructor to convert type
However, this might not be a satisfactory solution if you have to do it often. To see why, let’s review how the final statement works:
1. The program uses the String(const char *) constructor to construct a temporary String object containing a copy of the string stored in temp. Remember from Chapter 11, “Working with Classes,” that a constructor with a single argument serves as a conversion function.
2. In Listing 12.6, later in this chapter, the program uses the String & String::operator=(const String &) function to copy information from the temporary object to the name object.
3. The program calls the ~String() destructor to delete the temporary object.
The simplest way to make the process more efficient is to overload the assignment operator so that it works directly with ordinary strings. This removes the extra steps of creating and destroying a temporary object. Here’s one possible implementation:
String & String::operator=(const char * s)
{
delete [] str;
len = std::strlen(s);
str = new char[len + 1];
std::strcpy(str, s);
return *this;
}
As usual, you must deallocate memory formerly managed by str and allocate enough memory for the new string.
Listing 12.4 shows the revised class declaration. In addition to the changes already mentioned, it defines the constant CINLIM, which is used in implementing operator>>().
Listing 12.4. string1.h
// string1.h -- fixed and augmented string class definition
#ifndef STRING1_H_
#define STRING1_H_
#include
using std::ostream;
using std::istream;
class String
{
private:
char * str; // pointer to string
int len; // length of string
static int num_strings; // number of objects
static const int CINLIM = 80; // cin input limit
public:
// constructors and other methods
String(const char * s); // constructor
String(); // default constructor
String(const String &); // copy constructor
~String(); // destructor
int length () const { return len; }
// overloaded operator methods
String & operator=(const String &);
String & operator=(const char *);
char & operator[](int i);
const char & operator[](int i) const;
// overloaded operator friends
friend bool operator<(const String &st, const String &st2);
friend bool operator>(const String &st1, const String &st2);
friend bool operator==(const String &st, const String &st2);
friend ostream & operator<<(ostream & os, const String & st);
friend istream & operator>>(istream & is, String & st);
// static function
static int HowMany();
};
#endif
Listing 12.5 presents the revised method definitions.
Listing 12.5. string1.cpp
// string1.cpp -- String class methods
#include
#include "string1.h" // includes
using std::cin;
using std::cout;
// initializing static class member
int String::num_strings = 0;
// static method
int String::HowMany()
{
return num_strings;
}
// class methods
String::String(const char * s) // construct String from C string
{
len = std::strlen(s); // set size
str = new char[len + 1]; // allot storage
std::strcpy(str, s); // initialize pointer
num_strings++; // set object count
}
String::String() // default constructor
{
len = 4;
str = new char[1];
str[0] = '\0'; // default string
num_strings++;
}
String::String(const String & st)
{
num_strings++; // handle static member update
len = st.len; // same length
str = new char [len + 1]; // allot space
std::strcpy(str, st.str); // copy string to new location
}
String::~String() // necessary destructor
{
--num_strings; // required
delete [] str; // required
}
// overloaded operator methods
// assign a String to a String
String & String::operator=(const String & st)
{
if (this == &st)
return *this;
delete [] str;
len = st.len;
str = new char[len + 1];
std::strcpy(str, st.str);
return *this;
}
// assign a C string to a String
String & String::operator=(const char * s)
{
delete [] str;
len = std::strlen(s);
str = new char[len + 1];
std::strcpy(str, s);
return *this;
}
// read-write char access for non-const String
char & String::operator[](int i)
{
return str[i];
}
// read-only char access for const String
const char & String::operator[](int i) const
{
return str[i];
}
// overloaded operator friends
bool operator<(const String &st1, const String &st2)
{
return (std::strcmp(st1.str, st2.str) < 0);
}
bool operator>(const String &st1, const String &st2)
{
return st2 < st1;
}
bool operator==(const String &st1, const String &st2)
{
return (std::strcmp(st1.str, st2.str) == 0);
}
