C++ Default Assignment Operator

[Ganesh Rajaraman]

Hi,

This is the program that i am trying.

class A
{
public:
A()
{
cout<<"Default Constructor"<<endl;
a=0;
}
A(void *arg)
{
cout<<"I am into
Constructor(Void *)<<endl;
cout<<"Value Of A : "<<*((int *)arg)<<endl;
a= *((int *)arg);
}
int getA()
{
return a;
}
void setA(int arg)
{
a=arg;
}

~A()
{
cout << "Inside destructor" << endl;
}

private:
int a;
};

int main()
{
A obj;
obj=NULL;
return 1;
}

Output :

Default Constructor
I am into Constructor(Void *)
Segmentation Fault(Core Dumped)

Here I have a default Constructor and a single Argument Constructor
which takes a void * (I dont see any reason for having this but juz to
explain this scenario).

In my main the instance of A "obj" gets constructed by the default
constructor. When I try to assign "obj=NULL" i expect a compilation
error. Instead it compiles fine and it tries to call my single argument
constructor "A( void *)" and gives me a "core dump" as it is a NULL
pointer. when I say "obj=NULL" i expect the default assignment operator
method to be called but how is my constructor call happens.

I tried this in Linux with g++ compiler.
Question is
1. when i try to assign a obj with a NULL why i am not getting a
compilation error.
2. why is A(void *) getting invoked.
3. How is C++ Default Assignment Operator Implemented.

Thanks,
Ganesh.

[red floyd]

Ganesh Rajaraman wrote:

Hi,

This is the program that i am trying.

class A
{
public:
A()
{
cout<<"Default Constructor"<<endl;
a=0;
}
A(void *arg)
{
cout<<"I am into
Constructor(Void *)<<endl;
cout<<"Value Of A : "<<*((int *)arg)<<endl;
a= *((int *)arg);
}
int getA()
{
return a;
}
void setA(int arg)
{
a=arg;
}

~A()
{
cout << "Inside destructor" << endl;
}

private:
int a;
};

int main()
{
A obj;
obj=NULL;
return 1;
}

Output :

Default Constructor
I am into Constructor(Void *)
Segmentation Fault(Core Dumped)
[redacted]
Question is
1. when i try to assign a obj with a NULL why i am not getting a
compilation error.

Because the compiler silently translates
obj=NULL;

into
obj = A(NULL);

2. why is A(void *) getting invoked.

See above

3. How is C++ Default Assignment Operator Implemented.

See above.

[=?ISO-8859-15?Q?Juli=E1n?= Albo]

Ganesh Rajaraman wrote:

Question is
1. when i try to assign a obj with a NULL why i am not getting a
compilation error.
2. why is A(void *) getting invoked.

Because you have a constructor that takes a void * and is not marked as
explicit. A non explicit constructor with one argument can be used by the
compiler as an implicit conversion operator.

So the line:

obj= NULL;

becomes:

obj= A (NULL);

--
Salu2

[Grizlyk]

Ganesh Rajaraman wrote:

Hi,

A(void *arg)
{
cout<<"I am into Constructor(Void *)<<endl;
cout<<"Value Of A : "<<*((int *)arg)<<endl;
a= *((int *)arg);
}

A obj;
obj=NULL;

Default Constructor
I am into Constructor(Void *)
Segmentation Fault(Core Dumped)

Segmentation Fault because
a= *((int *)arg);
for (arg == NULL) is equal to
a= *((int*)0) =* 0 = segmentation fault due to access (read) from
address 0.

It is implementation depended, in some systems (OSes and compilers)
access to address 0 treats as segmentation fault, even for DOS, one can
see "NULL pointer assignment" message after program exit.

Check "arg" for example like this:
a= arg? *((int*)arg): 0;