this pointer

[stub]

Some questions about "this" pointer:

1. To make an assignment function,

Stribg &String::operator=(const String &other)
{
...
return *this;
}

I have hard time to understand why "*this" matches a "String &" here. Could
someone shed some light on this?

2. In a static member function aren't there "this" pointer accessible inside
it?

3. In a const member function is the "this" pointer of const type while
non-const type in a non-const member?

Thanks in advance!

[Ali R.]

> Some questions about "this" pointer:

1. To make an assignment function,

Stribg &String::operator=(const String &other)
{
...
return *this;
}
The return type is a String & (String reference) and the assignment
operator is passing back a reference to itself one the assignment is done.
I have hard time to understand why "*this" matches a "String &" here. Could someone shed some light on this?

2. In a static member function aren't there "this" pointer accessible inside it?
No there is no this pointer in a static member function.
3. In a const member function is the "this" pointer of const type while
non-const type in a non-const member?
Yes the this pointer is a const pointer in a const member function.
Thanks in advance!

[Jacek Dziedzic]

"stub" <st**@asof.com> wrote in message news:1qzob.22753
$E**********@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

Some questions about "this" pointer:

1. To make an assignment function,

Stribg &String::operator=(const String &other)
{
...
return *this;
}

I have hard time to understand why "*this" matches a
"String &" here. Could someone shed some light on this?
You return *this in an assignment operator so that
it's possible to do things like:

a=b=c; // a,b,c are String's and
// b returns (*this) so that a can be assigned
2. In a static member function aren't there "this" pointer
accessible inside it?

Static methods have no "this" pointer, because they
are not associated with a particular instance of an object.

HTH,
- J.