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Thread: friend class in TC++ book

  1. #1
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    Default friend class in TC++ book

    hello,

    I read TC++ vol2. (html ed 2004) at page 456 (chap design patterns) "the inner class idiom".
    In the class "Outer" it writes:
    Qt Code:
    1. class Outer {
    2. .....
    3. class Inner1;
    4. friend class Outer::Inner1;
    5. ...........
    6. };
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    I tried to get out those two lines and it compiles; why? What sense have they, please?

    thanks,
    Regards

  2. #2
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    It means oobjects of the Outer::Inner1 class can access private members of Outer class instances.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    Quote Originally Posted by wysota View Post
    It means oobjects of the Outer::Inner1 class can access private members of Outer class instances.
    Sorry, I don't understand how expolit this two lines; see this ,please:
    Qt Code:
    1. class Shape {
    2. class Type;
    3. friend class Shape::Type;
    4.  
    5. int _number;
    6. double _x, _y;
    7. class Type {
    8. Shape* _parent;
    9. public:
    10. Type(Shape* sh) : _parent(sh) {
    11. double d = _parent->compute();
    12. double d2 = _x; //is this an access ? It works only with "parent->_x"
    13. }
    14. };
    15. Type _type;
    16. public:
    17. Shape(double x = 0, double y = 0) : _type(this), _x(x), _y(y) { }
    18. double compute() { return _x * _y; }
    19. };
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    Where can I access to provate member of Shape ? (and how?)
    Regards

  4. #4
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    Instances of Shape::Type can access _number, _x, _y and _type from instances of Shape.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    hello,
    I don't find a way to access those private members; from where? from main?
    Qt Code:
    1. //main.cpp
    2. Shape s;
    3. Shape::Type t(&s);
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    Or where, please?
    Regards

  6. #6
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    Quote Originally Posted by mickey View Post
    I don't find a way to access those private members; from where? from main?
    Since Shape::Type is a friend of Shape (it works only one way), then any object of Shape::Type can access member variables of any Shape object.
    Qt Code:
    1. Shape::Type::Type(Shape* sh) : _parent(sh) {
    2. ...
    3. double d2 = _parent->_x; // "this" is an object of Shape::Type class, so it can access
    4. // _x in _parent which points to an instance of Shape.
    5. }
    To copy to clipboard, switch view to plain text mode 

  7. #7
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    hello,
    i don't understand:
    Qt Code:
    1. class Shape {
    2. //class Type;
    3. //friend class Shape::Type;
    4. int _number;
    5. double _x, _y;
    6.  
    7. class Type {
    8. Shape* _parent;
    9. public:
    10. Type(Shape* sh) : _parent(sh) {
    11. double d = _parent->compute();
    12. double d2 = _parent->_x; //it compiles....
    13. }
    14. };
    15. public:
    16. Type _type;
    17. Shape(double x = 0, double y = 0) : _type(this), _x(x), _y(y) { }
    18. double compute() {
    19. return _x * _y; }
    20. };
    To copy to clipboard, switch view to plain text mode 
    if i comment those lines, it complies anyway...
    Regards

  8. #8
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    Could you prepare a minimal compilable example of the above?

  9. #9
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    Quote Originally Posted by mickey View Post
    double d2 = _parent->_x; //it compiles....
    The standard says:
    A nested class is a member and as such has the same access rights as any other member.
    Which means that nested classes behave as if they were friends of nesting class.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    Quote Originally Posted by wysota View Post
    Could you prepare a minimal compilable example of the above?
    the example is compilable;
    Thw question was: how come TC++ vol2 write those 2 lined commented in the post #7 (if they are unuseful) ???
    Regards

  11. #11
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    Quote Originally Posted by mickey View Post
    how come TC++ vol2 write those 2 lined commented in the post #7 (if they are unuseful) ???
    Not everything what's written in a book is correct.

  12. The following user says thank you to jacek for this useful post:

    mickey (26th August 2008)

  13. #12
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    Default Re: friend class in TC++ book

    I'd say this code in the book might be an explicit declaration of an implicit feature of the standard. Especially that we know some compilers tend to create their own "standards".

  14. The following user says thank you to wysota for this useful post:

    mickey (26th August 2008)

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