Vector of Pointers??

[n355a]

Can anyone please give me a brief explanation as to how this vector is suppose to work. (vector<GroceryItem*> gitems; )

Here are the classes...

class Inventory

{

protected:

vector<GroceryItem*> gitems;

public:

void AddNewGrocery();

void DeleteGrocery();

void ModifyGrocery();

void ListAllItems();

};
//-----------------------------

class GroceryItem

{

protected:

string itemName;

float temPrice;

int qtyOnHand;

int qtyPurchased;

public:

virtual void PrintGrocery()=0;

};

GroceryItem is a class that holds common properties of other classes such as.. class Bread, class Jam, class Cereal... all with their own special properties as well...

Is this suppose to be a link list??? or something... I don't understand how the vector is suppose to work...

Thanks!

[Banfa]

The vector is not really a linked list, it is more like a variable size array, so when you want to add a grocery item you just increase the size of the vector and new another gorcery item and store a pointer to it in the new position in the vector.

When dealing with vectors of classes (or structures) it is sometimes better to use a vector of pointers to class rather than a vector of class because if reduces the amount of copying of classes that is required (and removes the need for a copy constructor and a operator= override in respect to the vector) so the vector runs faster.