Thread: Initializer Lists

  1. #1
    Still A Registered User DISGUISED's Avatar
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    Initializer Lists

    what is the advantage(s) of using an initializer list such as....

    construct() : var1(0), var2(0) { }

    instead of .......

    construct() { var1 = 0; var2 = 0; }

    The book I am reading says to always use the list because it's better, but doesn't tell me why.

  2. #2
    S­énior Member
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    When you create an instance of a class each member object that it contains will be constructed before the body of the instance constructor is called (the constructor body is only executed when the allocation for all the members of the class has been done in full). So, if you have user-defined objects within your class, then their default constructors will be called initially and then when the body of the constructor of the 'outer' class is executed any initialisation of these 'inner' classes will be done using copy or conversion constructors. If you don't use an initialisation list then you'll get two constructors called for the member objects.

    The use of initialisation lists gets around this by passing the initialisers to the member objects for use in their initial creation.

  3. #3
    geek SilentStrike's Avatar
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    Small, but important, correction. The constructor for any object is only called once.

    If you don't initialize an object in the initalizer list, its default constructor will get called. When you then "initialize" it again in the function body, simply are using the assignment operator =.
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