very basic linked list question (i think)

just started learning linked lists, and i'm having some problems. was wondering if anyone could help me out...

Code:

---

//node.h file//////////////////////////
#ifndef NODE_H
#define NODE_H

class NODE {
        private:
          int i;
      NODE *next;
};

#endif

---

Code:

---

//linkedlist.cpp (main .cpp) file/////////////////
#include <iostream.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include "node.h"

int main() {
        NODE *first;
  NODE *temp=new NODE;
  int a=0;

  temp->i=100;
  temp->next=NULL;
  first=temp;

  a=first;

  cout << a;

  getch();

  return 0;
}

---

when i try to compile it, i get the following error messages:
'NODE::i' is not accessible
'NODE::next' is not accessible

if anyone could help, i would really really appreciate it. thanks in advance. oh, and i'm using borland 5.02

thanks again

you made them private, therefore outside forces are not allowed to touch it. If you want to give outside forces the right to touch a member variable you have to make them public

but i'm accessing (or so i think i am) through an object of class NODE (*temp is declared as an object of NODE). or am i wrong?
thanks

temp->i=100;

this is being done in main() which is not a member of Node

got it, thanks a lot

A better way to write your list would be to hide how it really works behind an interface, that way you can give the user of your class an easy to use interface and you can change how the list works without crashing programs that already use it. You can even not use a linked list and it'll still work the same way. :)

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class NODE
{
        int list_item;
        NODE *next;
public:
        NODE( int new_item );
        void append( int new_item );
        NODE *go_next();
        void display_item();
};

// Make a node that links to nothing
NODE :: NODE( int new_item )
{ list_item = new_item; next = 0; }

// Add a node to the current node
void NODE :: append( int new_item )
{ next = new NODE( new_item ); }

// Go to the next node
NODE *NODE :: go_next()
{ return next; }

// Print the contents of the node
void NODE :: display_item()
{ cout<< "Item: " << list_item <<endl; }

int main()
{
        NODE *head = new NODE( -1 ); // Dummy node
        NODE *list = head;
       
        // Append 20 numbers
        for( int add_item = 0; add_item < 20; add_item++ ) {
                list->append( add_item );
                list = list->go_next();
        }

        list = head->go_next(); // Skip the dummy node
        while( list != 0 ) {
                list->display_item();
                list = list->go_next();
        }

        // Destroy the list
        list = head->go_next(); // Skip the dummy node
        for( NODE *save = list; list != NULL; save = list ) {
                list = save->go_next();
                delete save;
        }

        return 0;
}

---