Thread: Data Abstraction?

Recently I finished a Binary Tree program. Though finished, my teacher's comments were "you did not abstract your data seperately" so here i am, i have an idea of what is meant but id like for some explanation better.

Ok so i have a structure like this:

Code:

typedef struct mystruct{
     int data;
     char charater;
     float dat;
    }MYSTRUCT;

so far what iv understood is that id have a separate struct like to manipulate the data, anyhow I'm just here for further advice, or if anyone can link me up to examples which shows this concept, I'd prefer examples if there are, i tried google but couldnt find any close to the concept, maybe its just me:

Code:

typedef  struct data{
       MYSTRUCT *data;
       struct data *right;
       struct data *left;
}DATA;

DATA *DataPtr;

Thanks

Originally Posted by c++0x

Check this out, Senor.

Code:

typedef struct data_t
{
  void *absract;
  struct data_t *left, *right;  
} data_t;

Now a data_t doesn't physically hold your data, rather it just points to your data. Thus it is abstract. Did Elysia not explain this to you?

Hehe, is who i think? Damn Elysia, I have seen my message box in red, but havent checked, i totally forgot.

Originally Posted by c++0x

Yep but I half 2 act dum cuz I alreddy gt messed up. So yes, this is "Jeff" ..........4m class ;-)

Hehe k Jeff, umm well i just read Elysia's Mssg, but dnt want to send her all codes, it will be too much, if i could just grasp the real idea behind the concept i think i can take it up from there.

so void *absract; will be pointing to the current data, and the pointers to the left and right will act the same way i had them doing, right is that the idea.

Originally Posted by c++0x

Check this out, Senor.

Code:

typedef struct data_t
{
  void *absract;
  struct data_t *left, *right;  
} data_t;

Now a data_t doesn't physically hold your data, rather it just points to your data. Thus it is abstract. Did Elysia not explain this to you?

You should not rely much on techniques like this, I think.
It create opportunity for a lot of bugs.
Abstraction is better left for C++, where there are much better facilities to make this.

Of course, using C, techniques like this may be important to know, but you must also know that they can be dangerous, as well.
And unfortunately, C lacks good generic programming, which makes things such as this common.

Originally Posted by Elysia

You should not rely much on techniques like this, I think.
It create opportunity for a lot of bugs.
Abstraction is better left for C++, where there are much better facilities to make this.

Of course, using C, techniques like this may be important to know, but you must also know that they can be dangerous, as well.
And unfortunately, C lacks good generic programming, which makes things such as this common.

Hmm i see, teacher said its good to learn this so that when you move to C++ you have an idea already about how stuff works, anyway semester is done , just wanted to figure something about the concept

Good Teacher.. Really good teacher.

Originally Posted by WDT

Good Teacher.. Really good teacher.

Yup, he's cool !