A question about class members and constructors

I have the following class:

Code:

---

class Stuff
{
private:
        int val;

 public:
        Stuff (int Val)
        {
                this.val = Val;
        }

        int GetVal()
        {
                return this.val;
        }
       
        void SetVal(int Val)
        {
                this.val = Val;
        }
};

---

The bold line gives me the following error:
error C2228: left of '.val' must have class/struct/union

If I change it to

Code:

---

                Stuff.val = Val;

---

I get the following error:
error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '.'

What would be the correct way of creating a constructor that takes an int and assigns this int to val?
In general, what would be the correct way to address a variable of the class?
In C# I'd use this to refer to the current object, but I can't seem get that to work in C++.

Also, when I create a new Stuff object, what would be the correct syntax?
Would

Code:

---

A = Stuff;

---

create a new, uninitialized object of the Stuff class with static memory
and would

Code:

---

A = new Stuff(2);

---

dynamically allocate a new object the Stuff class, with an initialized value of 2, which is assigned to the variable val?

Thanks in advance.

this is a pointer, so this.val should be this->val. That said, since there can be no conflict in that context, you might as well just use val (unless you want to use a consistent naming convention so the parameter name would also be val). However, in the constructor, you should use the initialisation list, e.g.,

Code:

---

Stuff(int Val) : val(Val) {}

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Megidolaon

Also, when I create a new Stuff object, what would be the correct syntax?

---

It depends. You most likely want to write:

Code:

---

Stuff stuff(2);

---

I suggest that you read a book like Accelerated C++ for a more comprehensive introduction to C++.

Thanks, I know made it:

Code:

---

Stuff (int input)
        {
                val = input;
        }

---

and the declaration

Code:

---

Stuff x(2);
Stuff y(3);

---

and it worked just fine.

Though now I have a whole different question.

I learned that stack memory is precious in C#.
There you have little control about the memory allocation, objects and arrays will automatically be allocated on the heap.

However since you have the choice between stack and heap in C++ I wonder where I should put my objects.
Is it generally best to use mostly pointers and allocate memory for objects on the heap, just like in C#?
Or do I only have to worry about that when I have arrays/vectors/maps of object or otherwise a large amount of them?

I'd use stack variables whenever possible, since you don't need to worry about memory leaks and because calling new (or malloc() in C) takes a lot longer since the kernel needs to allocate memory for you.
If you need a large amount of memory or if the variable needs to live longer than to the end of the function, then use new/delete.

i have a related question; is there any way to do something like this:

Code:

---

template<unsigned size>class c
{
    int data[size];
    c(const c<size>& _c)
        data(_c.data){}
};

---

or do you just have to loop over size in the ctor body?

In that case you don't provide a copy constructor and the one that is automatically provided does the right thing.