Thread: returning a temp. object problem

ok i have a class name CSoulSeeker. i overloaded the addition
operator with this function header CSoulSeeker operator+(const CSoulSeeker& aSoul); the return statement says this return CSoulSeeker(this->m_HitPoints + aSoul.m_HitPoints);

from what i read this is returning a local object...doesnt the local object cease to exist (object is destroyed) onces it reaches end of scope...here is the code if you want to look at it..(this is just an example i am working on to understand more about classes....)

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>

using namespace std;

class CSoulSeeker
{
	private:
		int m_HitPoints;

	public:
		// Constructors
		CSoulSeeker();
		CSoulSeeker(int x);
		CSoulSeeker(CSoulSeeker& aSoul);

		// Destructor
		~CSoulSeeker();

		// overloaded assignment operator
		CSoulSeeker& operator=(const CSoulSeeker& aSoul);

		// overloaded addition operator
		CSoulSeeker operator+(const CSoulSeeker& aSoul);

		// overloaded greater than operator

};

CSoulSeeker::CSoulSeeker()
{
	m_HitPoints = 1000;
}

CSoulSeeker::CSoulSeeker(int x)
{
	m_HitPoints = x;
}

CSoulSeeker::CSoulSeeker(CSoulSeeker& aSoul)
{
	this->m_HitPoints = aSoul.m_HitPoints;
}

CSoulSeeker::~CSoulSeeker()
{

}
CSoulSeeker& CSoulSeeker::operator=(const CSoulSeeker& aSoul)
{
	this->m_HitPoints = aSoul.m_HitPoints;
	return *this;
}

CSoulSeeker CSoulSeeker::operator+(const CSoulSeeker& aSoul)
{
	return CSoulSeeker(this->m_HitPoints + aSoul.m_HitPoints);
}


int main()
{
	return 0;
}

thanks for the help

This is such an important optimization it has a name....

The return value optimsation.

It works by returning constructor arguments. A temporary object is made and returned by value but the standard decrees that where possible temporary objects can be eliminated by the compiler. It is possible for the compiler to eliminate the temporary made in this return statement. So on good compiler this is efficient.