CS 3323, Topics in Programming Languages
Review for C++ Exam, Fall 1999

(Topics arranged according to the text: Deitel and Deitel, C++: How to Program, 2nd Edition. Emphasis not on text, but on what was covered in class, on handouts, and in assignments.)

• Chapters 1-5: Standard topics and a "better C".
  • Stroustrup thought the name should be ++C.
  • Goals of C++:
    • Provide features for object-oriented programming (primarily classes and inheritance).
    • Nearly as efficient at C for the same task.
    • (Mostly) upwardly compatible with C.
    • Provide features that make a "better C".
    • Provide most features that anyone might want (resulting in a very complex language).
  • Basic I/O with << and >>.
  • Reference parameters (i.e., int &). Return of a reference.
  • Storage model: similar to C, with auto, static, and dynamic storage, the latter using new and delete.
  • inline functions to replace C macros.
• Chapters 6 and 7: Classes.
  • Handout: C structs.
    • "Bare" struct: copies when a parameter, when returned, or when assigned.
    • Pointer to struct: passes, returns, and assigns a pointer.
    • Uses fixed amount of storage, known at compile time.
  • public and private members.
  • Data members and member functions.
  • Constructors (essential for dynamic data).
    • default.
    • convert.
    • copy.
  • Destructors: essential when dynamic data present.
  • this pointer. (Return *this to return the class as a reference (and a pointer is returned).)
  • Handout: Examples of contructors, destructors.
  • Handout: Dice statistics (showing header files and separation of interface from implementation).
  • Assign 1: Rational numbers (classes, constructors).
• Chapter 8: Operator overloading.
  • Must use existing C++ operators, with unchanged properties (precedence, arity, and associativity).
  • At least one operand must be user-defined.
  • When member function, one operand is implcit.
  • When friend function, all operands are explicit.
  • Handout: Complex numbers, showing friend and member overloaded operators.
  • Handout: String class example.
  • Handout: Time example.
  • Handout: Date example.
  • Assign 2: Time and Overloaded ++ (overloading both postfix and prefix ++).
• Chapter 9: Inheritance.
  • Base class and derived classes.
  • protected members.
  • public inheritance.
  • Constructors work down from the base class to derived classes, while destructors work up from derived to base.
  • Handout: Multiple inheritance (Time and Date).
• Chapter 10: Virtual Functions and Polymorphism.
  • Declare a function virtual; then if redefined in a derived class, a pointer to a derived class object will choose the correct function at run time.
  • Handout: Final Shape class, showing polymorphism: (Array of pointers to Shape, pointing to derived class objects. In this case the system will pick correct derived class member function, assuming the function is virtual.)
  • Assign 3: Vehicle class. (Inheritance and polymorphism).
• Chapter 11: Stream I/O.
  • Overloads << and >> operators, with first operand a Stream (cin or cout), returning the Stream.
  • Type safe, unlike scanf or printf.
  • Just the basics.
• Chapter 12: Templates.
  • Allow parameterized code with an arbitrary type as the parameter, even a user-defined type.
  • In essence, does a textual replacement and compiles the resulting code.
  • Handout: Simple stack of int versus stack as template.
• Chapter 15: Data structures.
  • Modest additional possibilities because of the object-oriented features of C++.
  • Handout: Binary tree in C++ (compared with Java).