Question about overloading the [ ] operator

[Kush]

Hello All,

Once again another question.

This time I would like to understand why one needs to overload the [ ]
operator to access objects in array format?

Example code:

class A {
{ };

class B {
private:
A array[10];
A* pA = array;

public:
A& operator [ ] (int i) { return pA; } //Line 1:

void do_something(void) {
A a;
a = pA[2]; } //Line 2
};

Why do I need Line 1? Since pA is a pointer of type A, can I not
directly access "array members" using simple pointer arithmetic?

i.e. without declaring Line 1, use Line 2
or equivalently use the below statement to replace Line 2
a = *(pA + 2);

I'm sure I'm missing something. Can someone please point out my
misconception?

Thanks again in advance!

Kush

 

[BobR]

Kush wrote in message

Hello All,

Once again another question.

This time I would like to understand why one needs to overload the [ ]
operator to access objects in array format?

Example code:

class A { };

class B {
private:
A array[10];
A* pA = array;
public:
A& operator [ ] (int i) { return pA; } //Line 1:

void do_something(void) {
A a;
a = pA[2]; } //Line 2
};

Why do I need Line 1? Since pA is a pointer of type A, can I not
directly access "array members" using simple pointer arithmetic?

i.e. without declaring Line 1, use Line 2
or equivalently use the below statement to replace Line 2
a = *(pA + 2);

I'm sure I'm missing something. Can someone please point out my
misconception?
Thanks again in advance!
Kush

One good reason might be: to check the index for range.

A& operator [ ] ( int i ) {
if( i < 0 || i > 9 ){ throw std:ut_of_range();} // or 'assert', or ?
return pA[ i ];
} //Line 1:

 

[Salt_Peter]

Hello All,

Once again another question.

This time I would like to understand why one needs to overload the [ ]
operator to access objects in array format?

Example code:

class A {
{ };

class B {
private:
A array[10];
A* pA = array;

public:
A& operator [ ] (int i) { return pA; } //Line 1:

void do_something(void) {
A a;
a = pA[2]; } //Line 2
};

Why do I need Line 1? Since pA is a pointer of type A, can I not
directly access "array members" using simple pointer arithmetic?

Line 1 is there to access the array from the outside world. You don't
need the pointer pA at all.
array already decays to a pointer anyways.

i.e. without declaring Line 1, use Line 2
or equivalently use the below statement to replace Line 2
a = *(pA + 2);

There is no need:
A a = array[2];
will do

Try something like this, although a std::vector would be more usefull:

#include <iostream>
#include <stdexcept>

class A { };

template< typename T , const size_t Size >
class B
{
T array[Size];
public:
A& operator [ ] (size_t i)
{
if(i < 0 || i > Size - 1)
throw std:ut_of_range("array out of bounds");
return array;
}
void do_something()
{
T a;
a = array[2];
}
};

int main()
{
try {
B< A, 10 > b;
// A a = b[11]; // throws
b.do_something();
}
catch( const std::exception& r_e )
{
std::cerr << "Error: ";
std::cerr << r_e.what() << std::endl;
}
}

___
Note that a std::vector has an at(...) member function that does the
range_check for you.
Its so much easier to do the above with a vector.

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
#include <stdexcept>

template< typename T >
class B
{
std::vector< T > vt;
public:
B(size_t size, const T& t = T())
: vt(size, t) { } // ctor
T& operator[](size_t i)
{
return vt.at(i);
}
void do_something()
{
vt.at(2) = 33.3;
}
};

int main()
{
try {
B< double > b( 5, 11.1 );
// A a = b[11]; // throws
b.do_something();
for(size_t i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
{
std::cout << "b[" << i << "] = ";
std::cout << b << std::endl;
}
}
catch( const std::exception& r_e )
{
std::cerr << "Error: ";
std::cerr << r_e.what() << std::endl;
}
}

/*
b[0] = 11.1
b[1] = 11.1
b[2] = 33.3
b[3] = 11.1
b[4] = 11.1
*/

 

[Frederick Gotham]

Kush:

This time I would like to understand why one needs to overload the [ ]
operator to access objects in array format?

The same reason why you have to eat with a spoon: You don't, but everyone's
doing it.

Example code:

class A {
{ };

class B {
private:
A array[10];
A* pA = array;

public:
A& operator [ ] (int i) { return pA; } //Line 1:

void do_something(void) {
A a;
a = pA[2]; } //Line 2
};

Why do I need Line 1? Since pA is a pointer of type A, can I not
directly access "array members" using simple pointer arithmetic?

Within the class, yes you can. The operator[] you have provided is so that
outside of the class, people can do:

B obj;

obj[5] = ... ;

i.e. without declaring Line 1, use Line 2
or equivalently use the below statement to replace Line 2
a = *(pA + 2);

Both in C and in C++, the following:

arr

is equivalent to: *(arr+i)

which is equivalent to: *(i+arr)

which is equivalent to: i[arr]