I have a test class of my to make my own string functions. I have a problem with the copy destructor.
I have 2 strings: s1 and s2.
I call the function s3 = s1 + s2;
It first calls the operator+ function and when it's finished it calls the destructor. Because of this the string object in the operator= function is empty. How can I fix this?
Destructor:
String::~String() {
if (this->str)
delete[] str;
str = NULL;
len = 0;
}
Copy Constructor:
String::String(const String& string) {
this->len = string.len;
if(string.str) {
this->str = new char[string.len+1];
strcpy(this->str,string.str);
} else {
this->str = 0;
}
}
operator=
:
String & String::operator= (const String& string) {
if(this == & string)
return *this;
delete [] str;
this->len = string.len;
if(string.str) {
this->str = new char[this->len];
strcpy(this->str,string.str);
} else {
this->str = 0;
}
return *this;
}
operator+
:
String& operator+(const String& string1 ,const String& string2)
{
String s;
s.len = string1.len + string2.len;
s.str = new char[string1.len + string2.len+1];
strcpy(s.str,string1.str);
strcat(s.str,string2.str);
return s;
}
operator+
should not return a local variable by reference.
Change the return type of operator+
to String
. Ie, make the signature:
String operator+( String const& lhs, String const& rhs )
You probably also want to write a "move constructor" for your String
class: String( String&& other )
if you are writing your code in C++11.
A simple move constructor:
String::String( String&& other ): len(other.len), str(other.str) {
other.len = 0;
other.str = nullptr;
}
This isn't required, because the copy in the return statement of your operator+
will probably be "elided" by your compiler under non-trivial optimization levels, but still good practice.
It's calling the Destructor because String s
is going out of scope in your operator+ overload. Your operator+ overload needs to be returning a copy instead of a reference.
Therefore you should change your operator+ to
String operator+(const String& string1, const String& string2)
Yeah i got your problem
The thing is when you are returning a reference to a temp object from + operator function and then you are assigning this to other object in main So here = overloaded function gets called in to which you are passing a reference to an object that no longer exists
So either you can return a copy from + operator function
or
you can pass a copy in the = overlaoded function