How can I pass an array of objects? - c++

Question

Here I have a very simple program. My aim is to let b equal c, that is to copy all the content of c into b. But I don't know how. The getdata() function returns a pointer pointing to array of objects c, but how can it be used to put c into b?
#include<iostream>
#include<stdlib.h>
using namespace std;
class A
{
public:
A(int i,int j):length(i),high(j){}
int length,high;
};
class B
{
private:
A c[3] = {A(9,9),A(9,9),A(9,9)};
public:
A* getdata()
{
return c;
}
};
int main()
{
A b[3]={A(0,0),A(0,0),A(0,0)};
B *x = new B();
cout<< x->getdata() <<endl;
cout << b[1].length<<endl;
return 0;
}

Answer 1

In modern C++, make yourself a favor and use a convenient container class to store your arrays, like STL std::vector (instead of using raw C-like arrays).
Among other features, std::vector defines an overload of operator=(), which makes it possible to copy a source vector to a destination vector using a simple b=c; syntax.
#include <vector> // for STL vector
....
std::vector<A> v; // define a vector of A's
// use vector::push_back() method or .emplace_back()
// or brace init syntax to add content in vector...
std::vector<A> w = v; // duplicate v's content in w
That's a possible partial modification of your code, using std::vector (live here on codepad):
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
class A
{
public:
A(int l, int h) : length(l), high(h) {}
int length, high;
};
class B
{
private:
vector<A> c;
public:
const vector<A>& getData() const
{
return c;
}
void setData(const vector<A>& sourceData)
{
c = sourceData;
}
};
int main()
{
vector<A> data;
for (int i = 0; i < 3; ++i) // fill with some test data...
data.push_back(A(i,i));
B b;
b.setData(data);
const vector<A>& x = b.getData();
for (size_t i = 0; i < x.size(); ++i) // feel free to use range-for with C++11 compilers
cout << "A(" << x[i].length << ", " << x[i].high << ")\n";
}

Answer 2

Instead of creating an array of A i.e. 'b' in main, create a pointer to A. And then initialize it by calling the getdata().
A *b;
B *x = new B();
b = x->getdata();

Answer 3

Here is an example
#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>
class A
{
public:
A( int i, int j ) : length( i ), high( j ){}
int length, high;
};
class B
{
private:
A c[3] = {A(9,9),A(9,9),A(9,9)};
public:
A* getdata()
{
return c;
}
};
int main()
{
A b[3] = { A(0,0), A(0,0), A(0,0) };
B *x = new B();
A *c = x->getdata();
std::copy( c, c + 3, b );
for ( const A &a : b ) std::cout << a.length << '\t' << a.high << std::endl;
delete []x;
return 0;
}
The output is
9 9
9 9
9 9
Instead of standard algorithm std::copy you may use an ordinary loop. For example
for ( size_t i = 0; i < 3; i++ ) b[i] = c[i];