How to prevent object=constructor(); assignment in c++ - c++

This is what I am trying to do:
class A{
public:
A(){/*need to initialize something here*/}
};
int main(){
A a; //OK
a=A(); //not OK
a=A(b); //not OK
///Only A a; needs to be allowed.
return 0;
}
I need to initialize something while preventing object initialization with copy constructor and also prevent assignment to existing object.
Note: It would be good if I can do this without >=C++11.

Since C++11, just delete assignment operator:
class A{
public:
A(){/*need to initialize something here*/}
A& operator =(const A&) = delete;
};

You can achieve your goal by declaring the assignment operator and the copy constructor in the private part, and not defining them.
For example:
class A {
private:
A(A&); // declared, not defined
void operator= (A&); // declared, not defined
public:
A() { //do regular stuff }
}
However, if you are using C++11/C++14, you can use the delete keyword for more explicit case of this:
class A {
public:
A() { //do regular stuff }
A(A&) = delete;
void operator= (A&) = delete;
}
Since the move constructor and the move assignment operators will not be generated if you declare any of the destructor / copy constructor / assignment operator, you don't need to the same thing for them.

You can just = delete; the copy assignment operator:
class A {
// ...
void operator=(A) = delete;
};
Alternatively, if you don't use C++11 you can make the copy assignment private.

You can define the assignment operator as deleted. For example
class A{
public:
A(){/*need to initialize something here*/}
A & operator =( const A & ) = delete;
};
Or you can declare it private.
class A{
public:
A(){/*need to initialize something here*/}
private:
A & operator =( const A & );
};

Related

How to clone an object without copy constructor

According to CppCoreGuideline, I should disable the copy constructor of a base class and propose a clone method: https://github.com/isocpp/CppCoreGuidelines/blob/master/CppCoreGuidelines.md#Rc-copy-virtual
For example:
class B {
public:
explicit B() = default;
B(B&&) = default; // Move constructor
B& operator=(B&&) = default; // Move assignment operator
B(const B&) = delete; // Copy constructor
B& operator=(const B&) = delete; // Copy assignment
virtual ~B() = default;
virtual unique_ptr<B> clone()
{
return unique_ptr<B>{new B{*this}}; // how do this without copy constructor ?
}
private:
int c;
int d;
};
class D : public B {
public:
explicit D() = default;
D(D&&) = default; // Move constructor
D& operator=(D&&) = default; // Move assignment operator
D(const B&) = delete; // Copy constructor
D& operator=(const D&) = delete; // Copy assignment
virtual ~D() = default;
virtual unique_ptr<B> clone() override
{
// how can I copy all private data member of base class ???
}
};
but how can I copy all private data member in clone method? Obviously I'll use the CRTP pattern : C++: Deep copying a Base class pointer
I think the simplest way is to actually make the special members protected instead of deleted. This still prevents slicing, but makes it easier to implement clone(). Note that both the copy and move members need to be treated this way.
class B {
public:
// if this is truly intended to be a polymorphic base class, it probably
// doesn't make sense for the base to be able to clone itself.
virtual unique_ptr<B> clone() = 0;
protected:
B(B const& ) = default;
B& operator=(B const& ) = default;
private:
int c;
int d;
};
Which also allows the derived classes to do this easily:
class D : public B {
public:
D(D const& ) = default; // this is safe now
D& operator=(D const& ) = default;
unique_ptr<B> clone() override {
return unique_ptr<D>(new D(*this));
}
// ...
};
Rather than disabling the copy constructor, consider marking it protected. That way, clients of the class can't accidentally create a copy, but instances of the class can invoke the copy constructor as needed to implement the clone function. You can use the defaulted version of the copy constructor assuming you aren't doing any explicit resource management. Then, to implement clone, you can do something like this:
virtual unique_ptr<B> clone() override
{
return make_unique<D>(*this);
}
This invokes the object's own (protected) copy constructor, which in turn will invoke the base's (protected) copy constructor, etc.
As a note, there's no need to use CRTP here. Using good old fashioned copy constructors should be all you need.

`noncopyable` with custom destructor

I need a noncopyable class which has a declared destructor, and naive approach doesn't work: see https://ideone.com/mU8aoc. What's the problem with the destructor, why moving doesn't work the same way as without it? And of course, how to fix it?
For reference, the complete code (same as by the ideone link above):
class noncopyable {
public:
noncopyable(noncopyable &&) noexcept;
noncopyable &operator=(noncopyable &&) noexcept;
protected:
noncopyable() = default;
~noncopyable() = default;
noncopyable(const noncopyable &) = delete;
noncopyable &operator=(const noncopyable &) = delete;
};
class C: noncopyable {
public:
// compiles if this line is uncommented
// C(C&& c);
C() {}
// also compiles if this is commented
~C() {}
};
C a() {
return {};
}
C b() {
return a();
}
int main() {
return 0;
}
For your code to work, class C must be moveable. When it has no declared destructor, it gets a compiler-generated implicit move constructor (and move assignment operator). But when it has a declared ("custom" in your parlance) destructor, the move constructor (and move assignment operator) are no longer provided implicitly. This is for your safety: it is assumed that if you need an explicit destructor you will need explicit move functions as well.
Reference: http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/language/move_constructor

Public deleted or private default ctor/assignment/copy ctor?

If I want to forbid copy construction/assignment then is:
class foo
{
public:
foo(const foo&) = delete;
foo& operator = (const foo&) = delete;
};
The same as:
class foo
{
private:
foo(const foo&) = default;
foo& operator = (const foo&) = default;
};
Which is the right way and why?
The right way is the first solution : the copy constructor and assignment operators are not defined, so any attempt to use them will not compile.
class foo
{
public:
foo(const foo&) = delete;
foo& operator = (const foo&) = delete;
};
The second is declaring and defining the implicitly generated forms as private :
An object of type foo is allowed to copy itself.
Any friend class or method is also allowed to copy a foo
So copy construction/assignment is still possible.
You could also use boost::noncopyable as a base class, it does exactly that with c++11 (see the source code here)

How to make a C++ class produce non cloneable objects

How can I make a Class non-cloneable like we can do in Java while creating singleton.
Is there any condition we can put on copy constructor so that an exception can be thrown if user tries to make a copy of an object?
I am a novice in C++ so kindly add any info to this or redirect if an answer is already available for the same.
Just declare copy constructor and copy assign operator private
in C++03
class NonCopyable
{
public:
NonCopyable() { }
private:
NonCopyable(const NonCopyable&);
NonCopyable& operator=(const NonCopyable&);
};
Also you can make a class derive from NonCopyable, AnotherType is un-copyable
class AnotherNonCopyable : private NonCopyable
{
public:
AnotherNonCopyable () {}
}
With C++11:
class NonCopyableType
{
public:
NonCopyableType(const NonCopyableType&) = delete;
NonCopyableType& operator=(const NonCopyableType&) = delete;
};
You can delete the copy constructor and assignment operator:
struct Foo
{
Foo(const& Foo) = delete;
Foo& operator=(const Foo&) = delete;
};
If you don't have C++11 support, make them private, and don't implement them:
struct Foo
{
private:
Foo(const& Foo);
Foo& operator=(const Foo&);
};
Note In C++, class and struct are essentially the same.
Declare the copy-semantics as delete:
//C++11 only
MyClass(MyClass const &) = delete;
MyClass& operator=(MyClass const &) = delete;
That makes the class non-copyable!
//pre-C++11 code
private:
MyClass(MyClass const &); //declare only, don't define it
MyClass& operator=(MyClass const &); //declare only, don't define it
This should also work!
Is there any condition we can put on copy constructor so that an
exception can be thrown if user tries to make a copy of an object.
if you make the copy constructor private, The code will not compile when the programmer tries to make another copy. This is probably better than detecting the error with an exception at runtime.
class foo {
private:
operator = ( const foo& f);
};

Prevent instantiation of an object outside its factory method

Suppose I have a class with a factory method
class A {
public:
static A* newA()
{
// Some code, logging, ...
return new A();
}
}
Is it possible to prevent the instantiation of an object of this class with a new, so that factory method is the only method to create an instance of the object?
Sure; just make the constructor private (protected if this is a base class):
class A {
public:
static A* newA()
{
// Some code, logging, ...
return new A();
}
private:
A() {} // Default constructor
};
You should make the copy constructor private/protected as well, if required.
And as always, you should strongly consider returning a smart pointer rather than a raw pointer, in order to simplify memory management issues.
You may also want to make the copy constructor private as well or with new C++11 syntax you can explicitly tell the compiler to not copy it and make the default constructor private with something like this:
struct NonCopyable {
NonCopyable & operator=(const NonCopyable&) = delete;
NonCopyable(const NonCopyable&) = delete;
NonCopyable() = default;
};
class A : NonCopyable {
public:
static std::shared_ptr<A> newA()
{
// Some code, logging, ...
return std::make_shared<A>();
}
private:
A() {} // Default constructor
};
The C++03 way was usually something like this:
class A {
public:
static A* newA()
{
// Some code, logging, ...
return new A();
}
private:
A() {} // no outsider default constructor
A(const A& rhs); // no copy
A& operator=(const A& rhs); // no assignment
};
int main()
{
A x; // C2248
A y(x); // C2248
x = y; // C2248
A* p = A::newA(); // OK
std::cin.get();
return 0;
}