next pointer in linked list

Here is my code for a linked list.

LinkedList.h

Code:

---

#ifndef LINKEDLIST_H
#define LINKEDLIST_H

class LinkedList
{
    public:
        LinkedList();
        ~LinkedList();
        void createNode(char name[]);//creates a node at end of list
        void dump();//prints contents of all nodes

    private:
        unsigned int length;
        struct Node
        {
            char name[20];
            Node *next;
        };
        Node *startPointer;

};

#endif // LINKEDLIST_H

---

LinkedList.cpp

Code:

---

#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
#include <string.h>
#include "..\include\LinkedList.h"

LinkedList::LinkedList() : length(0), startPointer(NULL)
{

}


LinkedList::~LinkedList()
{

}

void LinkedList::createNode(char name[])
{
    if(startPointer == NULL)
    {
        startPointer = new Node;//Node is a struct
        (*startPointer).next = NULL;
        strcpy((*startPointer).name, name);
     
    }
    else
    {
        Node *temp = startPointer;
        while((*temp).next != NULL)
            temp = (*temp).next;
        (*temp).next = new Node;
        temp = (*temp).next;
        strcpy((*temp).name, name);
        (*temp).next = NULL;
    }
}

void LinkedList::dump()
{
    Node *temp = startPointer;
    std::cout << (*temp).name << std::endl;
    while((*temp).next != NULL)
    {
        temp = (*temp).next;
        std::cout << (*temp).name << std::endl;
    }
}

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In a previous thread it was mentioned that I could set the next pointer to null using the constructor of the struct. I found an example from this website

Code:

---

struct node
{
    node(int data_p) { data=data_p; next=0; }
    int data;
    node *next;
};

---

In my header file why can't I do this?

Code:

---

struct Node
        {
            char name[20];
            Node *next = null;
        };

---

What's so special about initializing the variables the first way?

What's the best way of doing this?

You need to do it in a constructor.

Code:

---

struct Node
{
    Node()
    {
        next = NULL;
    }
    char name[20];
    Node *next = null;
};

---

Also do you hate the -> operator or just unaware of its existence?

Code:

---

Node *temp = startPointer;
while(temp->next != NULL)

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I see. I was confused because I didn't realize that was a constructor and I thought struct was calling itself before it was fully defined.

I'm not using the -> operator because I'm still getting use to pointers. Using (*a).b reminds me what's actually happening. It also makes me appreciate how much easier it is to use ->

Another thing that's bothering me is that I don't need to include libraries for making the c-string or using strcpy. According to www.cplusplus.com/reference/clibrary/cstring/ #include <string.h> is needed. According to C Strings - C Tutorial - Cprogramming.com #include <cstring> is needed.

<string.h> is the C header for c style string functions

<cstring> is the C++ header for c style string functions.

Not sure why you would want to use c-strings besides learning purposes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by prog-bman

Not sure why you would want to use c-strings besides learning purposes.

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I am doing this just to learn. Thanks for the help.