Methods

Objects - Data and Methods

C

  • Object ⇔ struct

  • Operations on objects: free functions

  • ⟶ can be defined anywhere

C++

  • Classes: data and methods

  • Methods: functions bound to objects

Method - Example point (1)

  • What is a point? ⟶ x and y

  • What is the responsibility of a point?

    • move itself

    • compute its distance to origin

    • … or from another point …

class point
{
public:
    void move(int x, int y);
    float distance_origin() const;
    float distance(const point&) const;
};

Method - Example point (2)

  • point offers functionality

  • point should be used as simply and clearly as possible!

point p(2, 0);
p.move(1, 0);
if (fabs(p.distance_origin() - 3.0) > 0.0001)
    std::cerr << "FPU bogus?" << std::endl;

Methods and Design

Question: what should a point be able to?

Difficult to answer …

  • Should it offer its coordinates?

    • I think so ⟶ small inline access methods

  • Should it offer two dimensional arithmetic methods?

    • Why not? This is what a point is there for.

  • Should it be able to print a plot of itself?

    • Why not? As long as users of a point are willing to link 28 more libraries.

    • ⟶ Coupling

Methods: Wrap-Up

Many but simple (?) Nuances …

  • const: type system

  • References: performance

  • static, with yet another meaning of the keyword