CSC 1061 Week 3: Operator Overloading in C++

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary characteristic of a non-member function in C++?

It belongs to a specific class and its instance.

It can access private members of a class without restriction.

It can operate independently of class instances. (correct)

It performs the task on an object of a class.

Which of the following defines an overloaded function in C++?

A function that can only accept one specific data type.

A function that can only be called from within a member function.

A function that performs different tasks based on input type.

Functions that have the same name but differ by their argument list. (correct)

What does the 'pass by value' method imply for function parameters?

A copy of the data is made and used within the function. (correct)

Only reference types can be passed using this method.

The original data can be modified within the function.

The method cannot be used for simple data types.

Which of the following correctly describes a friend function in C++?

It can access the private and protected members of a class if declared as a friend. Signup and view all the answers

Which operator can be overloaded in C++?

Operators like +, -, *, and / can be overloaded. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the function prototype in C++?

To declare the function signature Signup and view all the answers

How does a member function access the private data members of its class?

It inherently has access to them Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct format for defining a member function?

className::functionName() Signup and view all the answers

What does the 'this' pointer refer to in a member function?

The object invoking the member function Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about a non-member function is true?

It cannot access private variables of any class. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of static member functions?

They are accessible without an object instance. Signup and view all the answers

Why might a function prototype be declared in a header file?

To minimize code redundancy Signup and view all the answers

In the context of member functions, what does const signify when included in the function declaration?

The function does not modify any member variables. Signup and view all the answers

How are arguments passed to a function defined in C++?

They can be passed either by value or by reference. Signup and view all the answers

Which component is mandatory for defining a member function in a class?

The scope resolution operator Signup and view all the answers

What is a key advantage of using pass by reference instead of pass by value?

It can be more efficient when passing large objects. Signup and view all the answers

In C++, what does the keyword 'const' signify when passing by reference?

The referenced variable cannot be modified within the function. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about function overloading is true?

The function name must remain the same regardless of the type or number of parameters. Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of passing an argument by value to a function?

A copy of the variable is made for that function call. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of a non-member function in C++?

It does not have access to class members directly. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Course Information

Course code: CSC 1061
Topic: ADT Classes with Operator Overloads

Objectives

Correctly use value, reference, and constant reference parameters
Overload binary and input/output operators for new classes
Identify and implement friend functions for new classes
Understand and implement operator overloading in C++
Create custom behaviors for operators with user-defined classes

Agenda: Week 3

Function Types
Parameter Passing Types (Pass by value, pass by reference, const reference)
Function Overloads and Polymorphism
Non-Member and Member Functions
This Pointer
Static Variables
Operator Overloads
Friend Functions

Types of Functions (in C++)

Non-Member Function: A function that performs a task, independent of any specific object.
Member Function: A function that performs a task on an object.
Overloaded Function: Functions with the same name but different argument lists.
Operator Overload Function: An operator extended to work with objects of a class
Friend Function: A non-member function that can access private and protected members of a class.

Parameter Passing Types

Pass by Value (simple types): The function receives a copy of the parameter. Any changes made to the parameter within the function do not affect the original variable.
Pass by Reference (non-const): The function receives the memory address of the parameter directly. Changes made to the parameter within the function directly affect the original variable.
Const Pass by Reference (objects): The function receives the memory address of the parameter, but is not allowed to modify the original variable.

Pass by Value vs. Pass by Reference

Pass by Value: - Arguments are copied into the new function.
Pass by Reference: Arguments are passed as an address.

Function Overloads

Functions can have the same name, but different signatures (number or types of arguments).
This allows functions to perform the same task with different data types. Polymorphism is a concept in object-oriented programming in which an operation can be applied to data in many different types.

Non-member Function Prototype

Non-member functions are self-contained functions accepting input and output data;
Prototypes end with a semicolon
Declared in header files (.h)
Example: std::string strToUpper(const std::string& str);

Non-member Function Definition Body

The definition body begins with the prototype
Arguments passed to functions are accessible within the body
Example: std::string strToUpper(const std::string& str) { std::string tmp; ... return tmp; }

Member Function Prototype

Member functions operate on objects of the class.
They have access to the private data members of the class.

Member Function Definition Body

The definition body has the class name before the function name.
Private/protected data members of the class and function arguments are accessible within the definition.

Classes and *this Pointer

When an object calls a member function, a copy of the data member is created.
this pointer is a hidden argument passed to all member functions.
this stores the address of the object invoking the member function call.
Static member functions do not have a this pointer.
Static member functions can be called without an object (called with the class name)

Static Variables

Static member variables are shared by all objects of a class.
Static variables are allocated space in separate static storage.
They cannot be initialized using constructors; they are initialized publicly.

Polymorphism and Operator Overloads

Polymorphism means "many forms."
Polymorphism in operators means the same operator symbol has different meanings for different data types
Activity sections include reading and completing activities from listings 2 to 7. Self-Check Exercises Q-11 to Q-14 for additional preparation.

Operator Overloading

Operator overloading allows using standard operators on user-defined classes.
Not all operators can be overloaded.
Specific guidelines exist for overloading operators for maintainability and user experience

Guidelines for Operator Overloading

Use common sense; avoid non-intuitive operator overloading for user experience
If one relation operator is defined, define all six (=, !=, <, <=, >, >=).
Maintain usual arithmetic identities when overloading arithmetic operators.
Support mixed mode

How to Overload Operators

Different operators have different prototype structures
Left and right hand values, types of operators

Friend Functions

Friend functions are non-member functions that have access to the private and protected members of the class.
Defined within the class to allow function access to private data.
Do not use the class keyword before the function name.

Overview of Operator Overloading

Summary of operator types, whether the function is a member or not.

Relational Operator Overloads

Provide a list of ways to overload relational operators to make code reusable. Complement the prior function for reusability.

Operator Function Example

Explain operators usage through the example of working with simple data type.
Values used with operators determine the prototype needed.

Finish Operator Prototype

Prototype for the operator>> and operator>> functions for the Date class.

Operator<< Function Definition

Describes the operator<< function definition for outputting data.

Operator << std::ofstream

Similar to console output, but writes to a file instead.
File opening, checking, and closing are handled by the caller of the operator.

Operator >> Function Definition

Describes the operator>> function definition for reading input from a file.

Operator == Function Definition

Describes the operator== function definition for comparing dates.

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Description

This quiz focuses on ADT classes and operator overloading in C++. You'll learn about various parameter passing types, function overloads, and the significance of friend functions. Test your understanding of implementing custom behaviors for operators in C++.