Thread: Operator Overloading (=)

foo& operator= (const foo& f) {

var1 = f.var1, var2 = f.var2;

return *this;
}


foo foo1;
foo foo2;

//...

foo2 = foo1;
ok...
the this pointer in this class points to the object on the left (foo2), the object that is calling this function (the op overload func, =). so why do i have to return *this?

if this (foo2) calls the function, shouldnt it know whats intended?

am i missing something?

you return *this so that you can do

foo1 = foo2 = foo3;

You can string things together, or you can use the object for something else!

ok, one more thing.

a constructor cant return anything. keep that in mind.

class foo
{
public:
foo() {}
foo(const &foo) : var1(foo.var1), var2(foo.var2) {}
private:
int var1;
int var2;
};

and its smart enough to know whats implied, that the object calling it is going to get the value thats intended.

ok wait thats kinda similar, but not entirely.. : )

oh i understand now! thanks

Originally posted by mikeadi
a constructor cant return anything. keep that in mind.

Actually, you can think of a constructor as "automagically" returning a reference to an object. That's why you can do things like

void Function( Player& );

Function( Player() );

And have it work.