Overloading compound-assignment-operator in C++ does not change variable - c++

In order to become more familiar with C++, I'm implementing a class to manipulate complex numbers.
class Complex {
private:
double _real;
double _imag;
public:
Complex();
Complex(double real, double imag);
Complex(const Complex& z);
Complex operator+(const Complex& u) const;
Complex operator+=(const Complex& u);
};
I already overloaded the + operator which works as expected:
Complex Complex::operator+(const Complex& u) const {
Complex z(_real + u._real, _imag + u._imag);
return z;
}
u=1-2i
v=2-1i
u+v=3-3i
In addition, I wanted to overload += as well:
Complex Complex::operator+=(const Complex& u) {
Complex z(_real + u._real, _imag + u._imag);
return z;
}
This however, does not work as expected and the result of u+=v is u=1-2i. Why is that the case?

Your compound assignment operator creates a new object z instead of changing the original object.
Declare the operator within the class definition like
Complex & operator+=(const Complex& u);
and define it the following way
Complex & Complex::operator+=(const Complex& u) {
_real += u._real;
_imag += u._imag;
return *this;
}
The operator can be defined as a non-class friend function. For example
class Complex {
private:
double _real;
double _imag;
public:
Complex();
Complex(double real, double imag);
Complex(const Complex& z);
Complex operator+(const Complex& u) const;
friend Complex & operator+=(Complex &v, const Complex& u);
};
Complex & operator+=(Complex &v, const Complex& u)
{
v._real += u._real;
v._imag += u._imag;
return v;
}

First of all assign like operators should return reference to assigned value.
Secondly your code should change value of current object.
There are couple solutions:
Complex& Complex::operator+=(const Complex& u) {
*this = Complex(_real + u._real, _imag + u._imag);
return *this;
}
Or
Complex& Complex::operator+=(const Complex& u) {
_real += u._real;
_imag += u._imag;
return *this;
}

Related

Question about class complex in the page 61 of book c++ programming language

class complex {
double re, im; // representation: two doubles
public:
complex(double r, double i) :re{r}, im{i} {} // construct complex from two scalars
complex(double r) :re{r}, im{0} {} // construct complex from one scalar
complex() :re{0}, im{0} {} // default complex: {0,0}
double real() const { return re; }
void real(double d) { re=d; }
double imag() const { return im; }
void imag(double d) { im=d; }
complex& operator+=(complex z) { re+=z.re , im+=z.im; return ∗this; } // add to re and im
// and return the result
complex& operator−=(complex z) { re−=z.re , im−=z.im; return ∗this; }
complex& operator∗=(complex); // defined out-of-class somewhere
complex& operator/=(complex); // defined out-of-class somewhere
};
In my opinion, the format of function declaration should look like that, (return type) name (argument){}. In this case,
complex& operator+=(complex z) { re+=z.re , im+=z.im; return ∗this; }
The complex& is the return type and operation+ is the function name, but why it is followed by a "="?
With operator + you can do something like:
c = a + b;
whti operator += is used to add some data and store it in the first summand:
a += b;
operator+= is itself a function.
The following expression
com_num+=com_other;
is equivalent to the call.
com_num.operator+=(com_other);

no match for operator * operator declared in h and cpp file

I have the following class (header file):
class Kinetics{
double x;
double y;
double z;
public:
Kinetics();
Kinetics(double x_, double y_, double z_);
Kinetics(const Kinetics & obj);
~Kinetics();
double get_x();
void set_x(double x_);
Kinetics operator + (const Kinetics & obj);
Kinetics operator * (double c);
void operator = (const Kinetics & obj);
};
The operators + and * have been implemented (cpp) as:
Kinetics Kinetics::operator + (const Kinetics & obj){
Kinetics aux(x + obj.x, y + obj.y, z + obj.z);
return(aux);
}
and
Kinetics Kinetics::operator * (double c){
Kinetics aux(x * c, y * c, z * c);
return(aux);
}
Contrary to here:
no match for operator*
I have declared and included the header file in my main program. I get the following message:
main.cpp:11: error: no match for ‘operator*’ in ‘2.0e+0 * v2’
And I cannot figure out why. The line of code that originates this error (main file) is:
Kinetics v4 = 2.0 * v2;
Any advise would be welcome. Thank you.
This is why it is a bad idea to declare most binary operators as member functions - they are asymmetric. You need
class Kinetics;
Kinetics operator *(const Kinetics& k, double c);
Kinetics operator *(double c, const Kinetics&k) { return k*c; }
class Kinetics{
double x;
double y;
double z;
public:
Kinetics();
Kinetics(double x_, double y_, double z_);
Kinetics(const Kinetics & obj);
~Kinetics();
double get_x();
void set_x(double x_);
Kinetics operator + (const Kinetics & obj);
friend Kinetics operator * (const Kinetics& k, double c);
void operator = (const Kinetics & obj);
};
There is a common pattern for implementing binary operators, in terms of the compound assignment operators. This avoids the need for friends, and gets you consistent behavior.
In your case, this looks like this:
class Kinetics {
// all that stuff
public:
Kinetics& operator +=(const Kinetics& rhs) {
// implemented inline for less typing
x += rhs.x;
y += rhs.y;
z += rhs.z;
return *this;
}
Kinetics& operator *=(double rhs) {
x *= rhs;
y *= rhs;
z *= rhs;
return *this;
}
}
// These are non-member, non-friend functions
// Again inline for my convenience
inline Kinetics operator +(Kinetics lhs, const Kinetics& rhs) {
lhs += rhs; // lhs is already a copy
return lhs;
}
inline Kinetics operator *(Kinetics lhs, double rhs) {
lhs *= rhs; // You may be tempted to write "return lhs *= rhs;".
return lhs; // Don't. That would prevent RVO.
}
inline Kinetics operator *(double lhs, Kinetics rhs) {
rhs *= lhs; // Thanks for this being commutative
return rhs; // this implementation works.
}

Error while overloading operator +,-,*,/ in c++ [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
What are the basic rules and idioms for operator overloading?
(8 answers)
Closed 6 years ago.
I am getting error while trying to compile the following code. I am beginner. Please help me figuring it out. I am trying to overload the operators _,+,/,*. It shows error while compiling. Should I use "friend" to solve this?
#include<stdio.h>
class complex{
private:
double real; //real part of complex
double imag; // imaginary part of complex
public:
complex(double r=0., double i=0.):real(r),imag(i)
{
} // constructor with initialization
complex(const complex&c):real(c.real),imag(c.imag)
{
} // copy constructor with initialization
~complex()
{
} // destructor
double re() const
{
return real;
} // read real part
double im() const
{
return imag;
} // read imaginary part
const complex& operator=(const complex&c)
{
real=c.real;
imag=c.imag;
return *this;
} //assignment operator
const complex& operator+=(const complex&c)
{
real += c.real;
imag += c.imag;
return *this;
} // addition of current complex
const complex& operator-=(const complex&c)
{
real -= c.real;
imag -= c.imag;
return *this;
} // subtract from current complex
const complex& operator*=(const complex&c)
{
double keepreal = real;
real = real*c.real-imag*c.imag;
imag = keepreal*c.imag+imag*c.real;
return *this;
} // multiply current complex with a complex
const complex& operator/=(double d)
{
real /= d;
imag /= d;
return *this;
} // divide current complex with real
void print(const complex&c)
{
printf("(%f,%f)\n",c.re(),c.im() );
} // printing complex number
friend complex operator !(const complex& c)
{
return complex(c.re(),-c.im());
}
friend double abs2(const complex& c)
{
return c.re()*c.re()+c.im()*c.im();
} // absolute value of complex
const complex& operator/=(const complex&c)
{
return *this *= (!c)/=abs2(c);
} // divide the current complex by a complex
const complex operator-(const complex& c)
{
return complex(-c.re(),-c.im());
} // negative of complex number
const complex operator-(const complex& c,const complex& d)
{
return complex(c.re()-d.re(),c.im()-d.im());
} // difference between complex numbers
const complex operator+(const complex& c,const complex& d)
{
return complex(c.re()+d.re(),c.im()+d.im());
} // addition of complex numbers
const complex operator*(const complex& c,const complex& d)
{
return complex(c)*=d;
} // multiplication of complex numbers
const complex operator/(const complex& c,const complex& d)
{
return complex(c)/=d;
} // division of complex numbers
};
int main(){
complex c(1.,0.),d(3.,4.);
print(c-d);
print(c/d);
return 0;
}
the output I am getting is:
complex_nums.cpp:76:59: error: ‘const complex complex::operator-(const complex&, const complex&)’ must take either zero or one argument
const complex operator-(const complex& c,const complex& d)
^
complex_nums.cpp:80:59: error: ‘const complex complex::operator+(const complex&, const complex&)’ must take either zero or one argument
const complex operator+(const complex& c,const complex& d)
^
complex_nums.cpp:84:59: error: ‘const complex complex::operator*(const complex&, const complex&)’ must take either zero or one argument
const complex operator*(const complex& c,const complex& d)
^
complex_nums.cpp:88:59: error: ‘const complex complex::operator/(const complex&, const complex&)’ must take exactly one argument
const complex operator/(const complex& c,const complex& d)
^
complex_nums.cpp: In function ‘int main()’:
complex_nums.cpp:96:11: error: ‘print’ was not declared in this scope
print(c-d);
^
complex_nums.cpp:97:9: error: no match for ‘operator/’ (operand types are ‘complex’ and ‘complex’)
print(c/d);
All your operators (+,-,*,/) need exactly one or no arguments, unless they are friend functions. Mark all the operator functions as friend, and the code should work. Otherwise, eliminate 1 parameter from each of the operators, and instead of that use the current instance (this). Example for + operator with parameter removed:
const complex operator+(const complex& c)
{
return complex(c.re()+re(),c.im()+im());
}
Reference of friend arithmetic operators: http://www.learncpp.com/cpp-tutorial/92-overloading-the-arithmetic-operators-using-friend-functions/
Next Error
What are you doing with your print() function? It should be in global scope, because it takes a complex as parameter. Move print() out of the class into global scope, like this. If you still want to keep a print() for the object itself, do so, but the one for your class should look like below:
class complex
{
void print(const complex&c)
{
printf("(%f,%f)\n",re(),im() );
} // printing complex number
};
void print(const complex&c)
{
printf("(%f,%f)\n",c.re(),c.im() );
} // printing complex number
Binary operators are either free functions with 2 arguments (preferred) or member functions with one argument (not so good).
You have defined member functions with 2 arguments.
Turning them into free functions by adding friend is one way.
Another is to make them free functions, defined outside the class but written in terms of member functions (as you have done anyway):
struct complex
{
/* ... */
};
// class definition ends
//free function
inline complex operator/(const complex& c,const complex& d)
{
return complex(c)/=d;
} // division of complex numbers
Note, this function can be improved:
inline complex operator/(complex c,const complex& d)
{
c /= d;
return c;
}
Also, unary operators should return complex&, not const complex&. The thing you're returning is mutable, because you just mutated it.
For the errors with the operators must take either zero or one argument, this is because you are implementing the non-member function as a member funciton. These should be free functions to work properly, or should only take one argument and use this as the other.
See this question for clarification:
Operator overloading : member function vs. non-member function?
For the error with print, I guess you are trying to call the print member function. To do that you need to do e.g. the following:
complex(c-d).print();

Overloading operators outside of the class

So, i have a simple class:
class complex{
private:
double a,b;
public:
void setA(double a){ this->a=a; }
void setB(double b){ this->b=b; }
double getA(){ return a; }
double getB(){ return b; }
friend complex operator+(const complex&, const complex&);
};
And i have the actual overloaded operator here:
complex operator+(const complex& x, const complex& y){
complex c;
c.a=x.a+y.a;
c.b=x.b+y.b;
return c;
}
I must have the operator overloaded outside of the function. In order to have access to private variables (those also HAVE to be private) I befriended the class with the function. I don't know if that's correct way to do such things, but at least it works.
I want to be able to add an integer to both members. In main():
complex a;
a.setA(2);
a.setB(3);
a+5;
Would result in having a.a=7 and a.b=8. Such overload inside the class is quite easy to make (Again, don't know if that's good solution, if not please correct me):
complex operator+(int x){
this->a+=x;
this->b+=x;
}
But I have no idea how to make it outside of the class because i can't use "this" pointer.
The usual approach to this sort of problem is to have member functions that define the reflexive version of arithmetic operators and free functions that define the non-reflexive version, implemented with the reflexive version. No friend declarations needed. For example:
class complex {
public:
complex& operator+=(const complex& rhs) {
x += rhs.x;
y += rhs.y;
return *this;
}
private:
double x, y;
};
complex operator+(const complex& lhs, const complex& rhs) {
complex result = lhs;
result += rhs;
return result;
}
Having a+5 change the value of a is unusual, but if that's really wha you want, make operator+(int) a member. However, users would typically expect that a+5 would leave a unchanged, and that a += 5 would modify a.

How do I most efficiently return multiple values from an overloaded operator? (C++)

I have a class "complex" that contains a Real and an Imaginary value. I'm trying to overload the + operator so I can add real to real and imaginary to imaginary, but I'm banging my head against a wall here.
In the function, I can get the values easy. Returning them however, is a bitch.
My plan is to overload the '=' operator, too, so I can go
complex a, b, c;
(set a and b)
c = a + b;
then have a+b return a complex, then have complex c equal the complex returned by a+b
Any opinion on whether that's a viable path?
Any opinion on whether it can be done easier?
Return them as a complex! e.g.
const complex operator+(const complex &a, const complex &b)
{
return complex(a.re + b.re, a.im + b.im);
}
You shouldn't need to overload operator=; the compiler will generate one for you that does an element-by-element copy, which will probably suffice for a complex class.
I'm not sure I understand the problem. Do you have a complex class?
struct complex
{
complex(float real, float imag) :
real(real), imag(imag)
{}
// first make the mutating version
complex& operator+=(const complex& rhs)
{
real += rhs.real;
imag += rhs.imag;
return *this;
}
float real, imag;
};
// then use that for the non-mutating version
complex operator+(complex lhs, const complex& rhs)
{
lhs += rhs;
return lhs;
}
This is, of course, just an exercise; we have std::complex.
What's wrong with overloading the + operator:
complex operator+(const complex& a, const complex& b) const {
return complex(a.real + b.real, a.imag + b.imag);
}
And the operator=() similarly? (but the compiler give you this by default)
complex& operator=(const complex& a) {
real = a.real;
imag = a.imag;
return *this;
}
It is viable but there is already complex class in standard library. Reuse it or at least have a look how the operator overloading is done there.