Programming Forums > Application Development > C++

Ade · Mar 28th, 2007, 2:28 PM

Hi guys. I know this is probably a laughable question but I'm wondering with the symbol -> means in the context of a class. The example I can give is from the text book I'm reading at the moment: 'Mfc Programming with Visual c++'.

(Toggle Plain Text)

CClient *pClient;

pClient = new CClient;
pClient->Input();

If you need to know more about the example please let me know and I will post the whole code as that's just selected lines.

I guess that it means that the function 'input()' should act on pClient?

Sorry if this is really simple but googling '->' obviously comes up with nothing and I don't know what it would be called?

Thanks in advance.

DaWei · Mar 28th, 2007, 2:53 PM

It dereferences a pointer in an object context. pClient is a pointer to an object that has an Input () member function. Your statement executes that one, rather than an Input () member of some other class.

Ade · Mar 28th, 2007, 3:07 PM

Cheers for the reply. It's times like this I wish I practised my c++ all year round and not just in the two months before assignments are in!!

So pClient is a pointer to an object. The object is of type CClient? Would that mean that Input() is a member function of the class CClient?

DaWei · Mar 28th, 2007, 3:18 PM

That would be correct.

Ade · Mar 28th, 2007, 3:20 PM

Brilliant, thanks a lot!

Mar 28th, 2007, 2:28 PM	#1
Ade Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: England, UK Posts: 139 Rep Power: 0	C++ Symbol Question... ' -> ' Hi guys. I know this is probably a laughable question but I'm wondering with the symbol -> means in the context of a class. The example I can give is from the text book I'm reading at the moment: 'Mfc Programming with Visual c++'. (Toggle Plain Text) CClient pClient; pClient = new CClient; pClient->Input(); CClient pClient; pClient = new CClient; pClient->Input(); If you need to know more about the example please let me know and I will post the whole code as that's just selected lines. I guess that it means that the function 'input()' should act on pClient? Sorry if this is really simple but googling '->' obviously comes up with nothing and I don't know what it would be called? Thanks in advance. __________________ Don't wound what you can't kill

Mar 28th, 2007, 2:53 PM	#2
DaWei Resident Grouch Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,453 Rep Power: 10	It dereferences a pointer in an object context. pClient is a pointer to an object that has an Input () member function. Your statement executes that one, rather than an Input () member of some other class. __________________ Abstraction doesn't make it impossible to write bad code; it makes it possible to write superior code. Contributor's Corner: Grumpy on C++ Exceptions DaWei on Pointers

Mar 28th, 2007, 3:07 PM	#3
Ade Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: England, UK Posts: 139 Rep Power: 0	Cheers for the reply. It's times like this I wish I practised my c++ all year round and not just in the two months before assignments are in!! So pClient is a pointer to an object. The object is of type CClient? Would that mean that Input() is a member function of the class CClient? __________________ Don't wound what you can't kill

Mar 28th, 2007, 3:18 PM	#4
DaWei Resident Grouch Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,453 Rep Power: 10	That would be correct. __________________ Abstraction doesn't make it impossible to write bad code; it makes it possible to write superior code. Contributor's Corner: Grumpy on C++ Exceptions DaWei on Pointers

Mar 28th, 2007, 3:20 PM	#5
Ade Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: England, UK Posts: 139 Rep Power: 0	Brilliant, thanks a lot! __________________ Don't wound what you can't kill

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Programming Forums > Application Development > C++

C++ Symbol Question... ' -> '