Odd output from program when entering operator? - c++

Question

I'm probably missing something obvious here. This is my code (I'm just learning true C++, and I want to get some practice):
#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>
using namespace std;
class String {
private:
char * value;
int len;
friend ostream & operator<<(ostream & os, String s);
public:
String();
String(const char * base);
~String();
String operator+(String s);
String operator*(int n);
int length();
};
String::String() {
this->value = new char[0];
this->len = 0;
}
String::String(const char * base) {
this->value = new char[this->len = strlen(base)];
strcpy(this->value, base);
}
String::~String() {
delete [] this->value;
}
int String::length() {
return this->len;
}
String String::operator+(String s) {
String n;
delete [] n.value;
cout << "Upon entering, I am: \"" << *this << "\"\n";
n.value = new char[this->len + s.len];
for(int i = 0; i < this->len; i++) {
n.value[i] = this->value[i];
}
for(int i = 0; i < s.len; i++) {
n.value[i + this->len] = s.value[i];
}
n.len = this->len + s.len;
cout << "String::operator+(" << *this << ", " << s << ") succeeded with new value = \"" << n << "\"\n";
return n;
}
String String::operator*(int n) {
String s;
delete [] s.value;
s.value = new char[this->len * n];
for(int i = 0; i < this->len * n; i++) {
s.value[i] = this->value[i % this->len];
}
cout << "String::operator* succeeded with new value = \"" << s << "\"\n";
return s;
}
ostream & operator<<(ostream & os, String s) {
return os << s.value;
}
int main() {
String s("Hello, world!");
cout << s << "\nLength = " << s.length() << "\n\n";
cout << (s + String("\n")) * 5;
return 0;
}
And the string initializes and displays correctly, but my output is really strange; it seems that upon entering the operator+, "Hello, world!" suddenly becomes "x%r"?
C:\Users\Ryan\Documents\My Dropbox\C++ Projects>strings
Hello, world!
Length = 13
Upon entering, I am: "x%r"
String::operator+(x%r,
) succeeded with new value = "x%r"
String::operator* succeeded with new value = "╚%r"
─

Answer 1

Try this:
ostream & operator<<(ostream & os, const String& s) {
return os << s.value;
}
otherwise your should define copy constructor for your String class.

Answer 2

You need to provide copy constructor and assignment operator.

Answer 3

There are a lot of problems with your code.
You are managing your own memory. You should avoid doing this if at all possible.
You are consitantly forgetting that strings have a null terminator. In order to accomodate the strin Hello, world! you need a char buffer that is 14 bytes, not 13.
You have a len member variable that does effectively the same thing as the strlen function, except for the inconsistent consideration of #1 above.
Your string class does not have a copy constructor, which results in wild pointers and eventually crashes.
Here is a refactoring of your code that pretty much works.
#define _CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS
#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>
using namespace std;
class String {
private:
char * value;
// size_t len;
friend ostream & operator<<(ostream & os, String s);
public:
String();
String(const char * base);
String(const String& rhs)
{
value = new char[strlen(rhs.value)+1];
strcpy(value,rhs.value);
}
~String();
String operator+(String s);
String operator*(int n);
size_t length();
};
String::String() {
this->value = new char[0];
}
String::String(const char * base) {
this->value = new char[strlen(base)+1];
strcpy(this->value, base);
}
String::~String() {
delete [] this->value;
}
size_t String::length() {
return strlen(value);
}
String String::operator+(String s) {
String n;
delete [] n.value;
cout << "Upon entering, I am: \"" << *this << "\"\n";
n.value = new char[strlen(value)+strlen(s.value)+1];
for(int i = 0; i < strlen(value); i++) {
n.value[i] = this->value[i];
}
for(int i = 0; i < strlen(s.value); i++) {
n.value[i + strlen(value)] = s.value[i];
}
n.value[strlen(value)+strlen(s.value)] = '\0';
cout << "String::operator+(" << *this << ", " << s << ") succeeded with new value = \"" << n << "\"\n";
return n;
}
String String::operator*(int n) {
String s;
delete [] s.value;
s.value = new char[(strlen(value)*n)+1];
for(int i = 0; i < strlen(value) * n; i++) {
s.value[i] = this->value[i % strlen(value)];
}
s.value[strlen(value)*n] = '\0';
cout << "String::operator* succeeded with new value = \"" << s << "\"\n";
return s;
}
ostream & operator<<(ostream & os, String s) {
return os << s.value;
}
int main() {
String s("Hello, world!");
cout << s << "\nLength = " << s.length() << "\n\n";
cout << (s + String("\n")) * 5;
return 0;
}