Static Functions and class variables? - c++

Question

I have broken down my issue into a small simple program.
I have a class myclass I have created in a separate .cpp file "classes.cpp" and declared in the header file "classes.h". myclass contains a variable a of which is initialized when instantiated. This makes variable a = 5.
My overall goal is to create a class in a separate .cpp file declared in a .h file which I can create multiple instances of in my main() program. The problem I am having is this.
In my main() function I create an instance of myclass called first.
my main program shows the variable a is set to the number 5.
If I want to change that number using a static function (and it has to be a static function as this relates to something much bigger in another program I am writing). I call the static function directly and in that static_function I create an instance of myclass and call the non_static_function because static functions have no implicit 'this' connecting them to an object.
In my non_static_function I change the value to the number 8. The problem is that the value of variable 'a' in 'first' remains at 5 when I want it to be 8. I need to change the value using first->static_function(8) and not by first->a = 8. . How can I do this?
Code below:
**main.cpp**
#include <iostream>
#include "classes.h"
using namespace std;
int main()
{
myclass *first = new myclass();
cout << "Myclass variable a is = " << first->a << endl;
first->static_function(8); // trying to change myclass variable 'a' to 8.
cout << "But" << endl;
cout << "the actual value of a is still: " << first->a << endl;
}
**classes.h**
#ifndef CLASSES_H_INCLUDED
#define CLASSES_H_INCLUDED
class myclass
{
public:
int a;
myclass();
void non_static_function(int x);
static void static_function(int x);
};
#endif // CLASSES_H_INCLUDED
**classes.cpp**
#include <iostream>
#include <cstdlib>
#include "classes.h"
using namespace std;
myclass::myclass()
{
a = 5;
}
void myclass::non_static_function(int x)
{
a = x;
cout << "The value for variable 'a' was 5 but is now: " << a << endl;
}
void myclass::static_function(int x)
{
myclass *p = new myclass();
p->non_static_function(x);
}

Answer 1

If you want every instance of myclass to have its own a and you want to call a static function to change it then you need to pass the instance you want changed to the static function. A static function can only modify static members of a class or the members of an instance that is inside its scope. Non static member functions can change any variable that is a member of the class.
class Foo
{
private:
int bar;
public:
static void static_function(int value, Foo & foo) { foo.bar = value; }
void non_static_function(int value) { bar = value; }
};
int main()
{
Foo foo;
Foo::static_function(8, foo);
// now bar will have the value of 8
foo.non_static_function(20);
// now bar will have the value of 20
}

Answer 2

I have finally found a way to deal with this small problem. Above the 'myclass' definition in classes.cpp I declare a 'myclass' variable
myclass *tgt; . Then in my constructor for 'myclass' I just allocate the instantiated object to a my global myclass variable of which I can access from the myclass definition tgt = this; Now I can use tgt in my static function to call the non_static_function in my 'myclass' definition and it all works perfectly.
NathanOliver, you are correct in saying that I need a class instance but the way I have done it here suits my needs. Passing the instance of myclass is certainly another way of doing this but it would require a global function above my 'myclass' definition.
Thanks for the help.
**main.cpp**
#include <iostream>
#include "classes.h"
using namespace std;
int main()
{
myclass *first = new myclass();
cout << "Myclass variable a is = " << first->a << endl;
first->non_static_function(8); // trying to change myclass variable 'a' to 8.
cout << "But" << endl;
cout << "The actual value of a is still: " << first->a << endl;
myclass *second = new myclass();
cout << "For the 'second' class the variable a is: " << second->a << endl;
second->non_static_function(23);
cout << "After calling the static function from 'second' the value of a is: " << second->a << endl;
cout << "And first->a is still: " << first->a << endl;
}
**classes.h**
#ifndef CLASSES_H_INCLUDED
#define CLASSES_H_INCLUDED
class myclass
{
public:
int a;
myclass();
void non_static_function(int x);
static void static_function(int x);
};
#endif // CLASSES_H_INCLUDED
**classes.cpp**
#include <iostream>
#include <cstdlib>
#include "classes.h"
using namespace std;
myclass *tgt; // *Add a global myclass variable above the myclass
definition*
myclass::myclass()
{
tgt = this; // *In the constructor allocate the instantiated class
//from main() to "tgt" .*
a = 5;
}
void myclass::non_static_function(int x)
{
a = x;
// Now see that the value of a is changed.
cout << "The value for variable 'a' was 5 but is now: "<< this->a << endl;
}
void myclass::static_function(int x)
{
tgt->non_static_function(x);
}