Thread: Function that returns a class...

So I am working on a software based 3d engine. I have a structure called triangle, and a class called object. The object class contains an array of triangles that make up that object, and position/orientation data.

Anyway, I am writing a function called createCube, which is supposed to return an instance of object (or a pointer to an instance of object). The returned object will contain a bunch of triangles that together resemble a cube (duh). Anyway, Im having some difficulty writing this function. This is what I have, minus the irrelevant parts:

Code:

object createCube(int xpos, ..... )
{
   triangle theTriangles[12];
   //.....
   //code to set triangles to form cube
   //......

   object theCube = new object(xpos, ypos, zpos,0,0,0);
   for (int i=0;i<12;i++)
   {
      theCube.addTriangle(theTriangles[i]);
   }
   return theCube;
}

This does not compile. It says "conversion from 'object*' to nonscalar type 'object' requested" on the line "object theCube= new obj...." So I added a couple astericks (*), changing it to:

Code:

object* createCube(int xpos, ..... )
{
   triangle theTriangles[12];
   //.....
   //code to set triangles to form cube
   //......

   object* theCube = new object(xpos, ypos, zpos,0,0,0);
   for (int i=0;i<12;i++)
   {
      theCube.addTriangle(theTriangles[i]);
   }
   return theCube;
}

But now, it finds a problem with the line "theCube.addTriangle(....)" It says that addTriangle has not been declared (it has) and that their is a request for member of non-aggregate type before '(' token. I tried putting a '&' in front of that line, but it didn't help.

I know the problem has something to do with pointers and reference and dereference operators or something like that. I know its sad that I can figure out 3d math, but not simple classes and pointers. Can anyone help me out? It would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!