Thread: Should I use -> or . ?

Hello all ... I am trying to learn C++ ... again (PHP is so much easier).

Here is my question:

Should I use the arrow operator to access class methods and the dot operator to access class members?

Here is the code I am using:

Code:

#ifndef CREATURE

class Creature {
  public:
  Creature(){
    std::cout << "Creating Creature" << std::endl;
  }
  
  ~Creature(){
    std::cout << "Destroying Creature" << std::endl;
  }
  
  void eat(){
    std::cout << "Creature is eating" << std::endl;
  }
  
  void setBloodType(char* bType){
    bloodType = bType;
  }
  
  char* getBloodType(){
    return bloodType;
  }
  
  protected:
    char* bloodType;
  
};

#define CREATURE 1
#endif

Code:

#ifndef MAMMAL

class Mammal : public Creature {
  
  public:
    
    Mammal(){
      std::cout << "Creating Mammal" << std::endl;
    }

    ~Mammal(){
      std::cout << "Destroying Mammal" << std::endl;
    }
    
    void eat(){
      std::cout << "Mammal is eating" << std::endl;
    }
  
};

#define MAMMAL 1
#endif

Code:

#include<iostream>
#include "Creature.cpp"
#include "Mammal.cpp"

using namespace std;

int main(){
  
  Creature *creature = new Creature;
  char* CreatureBloodType = "Unknown";
  creature->setBloodType(CreatureBloodType);
  creature->eat();
  cout << "Creature blood type is " << creature->getBloodType() << endl;
  delete creature;
  
  char* MammalBloodType = "O Negative";
  Mammal *mammal = new Mammal;
  mammal->eat();
  mammal->setBloodType(MammalBloodType);
  cout << "Mammal blood type is " << mammal->getBloodType() << endl;
  delete mammal;
  
  system("PAUSE");
  return 0;
}

TIA!