Thread: Problem with classes.

Hello, im still learning classes. But im just not sure of something.

Let's say i make a new file called Dog.cpp and another one called Dog.h

In the Dog.h i create the class, and in the Dog.cpp i set the functions.


Isn't it supposed to link itself? Do i like need to include Dog.h into Dog.cpp?


And another question about classes.

Code:

class Dog
{


public:
	
	Dog(string Color, int hisAge);
	~Dog();
	string getColor();
	int getAge();


private:
int age;

};


void Dog::Dog(string Color, int hisAge)
{

	hisAge = age;

}

void Dog::~Dog()
{

}

int getAge()
{
	return age;
}

string getColor()
{

	return Color;

}

How come this code give me an error, and please, could you help me improve it so i will be better at classes next time. Thank you.

you need to declare the scope of the function

Code:

string getColor()
{
}

this is an "unbound" function; i.e. not a member of your class.

if you change this to:

Code:

string dog::getColor()
{
}

now the compiler can identify that getColor is a member of dog.

this is not required if you provide the implementations inside the class declaration (which is not recommended), because anything declared inside the class definition is, by definition, a member of that class.

and yes, you need to #include "dog.h" in dog.cpp

>> Do i like need to include Dog.h into Dog.cpp?
Yes, #include "Dog.h".

>> How come this code give me an error
What error does it give you? Did you #include<string>? Did you use the std namespace? Did you forget to add a member variable for the Color (since you have one for the age)?

>> could you help me improve it so i will be better at classes next time.
You don't need to write the destructor if it is empty, but it's fine for learning right now. You should use the initializer list to intialize your member variables, look that up.

What C++ book are you using? This should be explained in any basic treatment of classes. Anyway, the typical approach is to define the class in the .h file, and implement the member functions in the .cpp. For this, of course you have to include the .h in the .cpp. In the .cpp, you also have to qualify the member function names with the class name, e.g. Dog::getColor as opposed to just getColor.

Google for "Thinking in C++" - it's a free, very excellent C++ book.