Accesing private data from method of another object

I define a class named MyString. Part of it follows:

class MyString{
private:
char *Str;
int Length;
public:
MyString():Str(NULL),Length(0) {}

MyString(const MyString &rhs);

~MyString() {delete [] Str;}
};


Why am i allowed to use rhs's private variable rhs.Str from a method of another object? What am i doing wrong?


MyString::MyString(const MyString &rhs)
{
Str = new char[rhs.Length +1];
for(int i=0;i<=Length;i++) *(rhs.Str+i)= *(Str+i);
cout<<"Copy Constructor Called...";
}

Quote:

---

Why am i allowed to use rhs's private variable rhs.Str from a method of another object?

---

Because you can access private members of a class from its member functions.

Sorry, but i don't think i follow.

if i have in my main function two instances of MyString:

MyString strA,strB;

and have a method in the class with the following prototype

void func(MyString &x);

You say that if i call in my main function strA.func(strB);

its OK for strA.func(strB) to mess with strB's member variables???

I am talking about two different instances of the class.

You are not explaining your problem sufficiently clearly I'm afraid. The example you have given originally is a copy constructor, if you can't access members when you make a copy, you could not make a copy!

Your second message shows a completely different scenario.

Quote:

---

if i have in my main function two instances of MyString:

MyString strA,strB;

and have a method in the class with the following prototype

void func(MyString &x);

You say that if i call in my main function strA.func(strB);

its OK for strA.func(strB) to mess with strB's member variables???

---

Yes, exactly. Private members of a class can only be accessed directly by member functions of that class.

Code:

---

#include <iostream>

class X {
    int a_;
public:
    X(int a) : a_(a) {}
    void func(X& x) { std::cout << x.a_ << std::endl; }
};

int main() {
    X x0(10), x1(20);
    x0.func(x1);
}

---

Best way to deal with that is to create a base class with protected data members. Then derive your other classes from the base - they will be able to access the protected members.

public/protected/private are based on the class, not the instance of this class. Any method of said class can access any property or method of it's arguments if they are of the same class.

Don't you mean that all variables in a class and such have a scope of the whole class that it resides in? (I don't know if I understood it correctly)

Ok, one last try and then give up on me. The following code is an example of what i am asking.

#include <iostream.h>

class ABC{

private:
int Data;
public:
ABC(int x): Data(x) {}
int GetData() const {return Data;}
void SetData(int x) {Data = x;}

void func(ABC &x);
};

void ABC::func(ABC &x)
{
x.Data =34; // Why is this right ?
// Shouldn't i be obliged to use x.SetData(34); That's my question.
}


int main()
{
ABC a(10),b(12);

a.func(b);

return 0;
}

Quote:

---

void ABC::func(ABC &x)
{
x.Data =34; // Why is this right ?
// Shouldn't i be obliged to use x.SetData(34); That's my question.
}

---

Because ABC::func and ABC::Data are both members of ABC (obviously). In other words you can access any private member of a class from its member functions and friends.