Thread: A simple question of a C++ function

  1. #1
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    A simple question of a C++ function

    Here is a class

    Code:
    class Complex{
    private:
    int real, image;
    public:
    Complex(int r=0, int i=0):real(r),image(i){}
    
    int GetReal() {return real;}
    int GetImage() {return image;}
    
    void foo(const Complex & rhs){
    cout<<rhs.GetImage()<<endl;
    return;
    }
    };
    When I compile it, it reports:

    In foo method: error C2662: 'Complex::GetImage' : cannot convert 'this' pointer from 'const Complex' to 'Complex &'
    What does it mean?

  2. #2
    carry on JaWiB's Avatar
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    Since rhs is a const object, you can only call its members which are marked const, so try this:
    Code:
    int GetReal() const {return real;}
    int GetImage() const {return image;}
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  3. #3
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    Thank you. I revised the function as:

    Code:
    void foo(const Complex & rhs){
    cout<<rhs.image<<endl;
    return;
    }
    It works, but my question is that 'image' is private of 'rhs', how can you visit a private variable of rhs outside (rhs.image)?

    Quote Originally Posted by JaWiB View Post
    Since rhs is a const object, you can only call its members which are marked const, so try this:
    Code:
    int GetReal() const {return real;}
    int GetImage() const {return image;}

  4. #4
    int x = *((int *) NULL); Cactus_Hugger's Avatar
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    JaWiB proposed a good solution to your problem, but you implemented another.

    The reason your change compiles is because classes are friends with themselves, and thus can access private members. I don't think I've ever seen a tutorial mention this, but adding "friend class Complex" to your class will yield this error in gcc:
    Code:
    someclass.cpp:6: error: class `Complex' is implicitly friends with itself
    Last edited by Cactus_Hugger; 05-07-2007 at 06:51 PM.
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