Computer Programming

Lec. #

Chapter 4

Classes and Objects

 Classes and Objects

• Introduction
• Properties of OOP
• Class Definition
• Class Examples
• Objects
• Constructors
• Destructors 2
 Introduction
• Classes and Objects are the basic building
blocks of Object Oriented Programming.

• Properties of OOP:
– Encapsulation: collect both data and functions in one unit called
class.
– Data Hiding: hide data from mistakenly accessed by using the
access modifiers keywords: private, public or protected.
– Inheritance: is the ability to take an existing class and make a
new modified class from the original. The new class takes all the
properties of the original class plus additional prosperities, Ex.,
adding new member variables and member functions.
– Polymorphism: is the art of taking advantage versatile feature
that brings Object Oriented Methodologies to its full potential.
 Class Basics
• What is a Class?
– A class is an Abstract Data Type (ADT) used to
define a new structure data types.
– A class combines data fields (member
variables), operations that can be performed on
data (functions) and access
modifiers/specifiers.
Where a class can be written in a program?
– A class can be written within the header part of
the program.

Note that, the header part may contain more than one class.
 Class Declaration
• Classes are generally declared using the keyword class,
with the following format:

• class: Keyword or reserved word in C++

• Class_Name: any valid identifier
• Class Members (Data/Variable members and Function members)
• Access modifier/specifier: an operator for access control
 Class
• Class
–A user defined type
–Consists of both data and
methods
–Defines properties and behavior
of that type

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 Define a Class Type
Header
class: is a keyword
class class_name class_name: is any name
{ {
permission_label:
Access Modifiers
member;
Body permission_label: Data or function
member; members
...
};
};

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 Define a Class Type

Header class Rectangle

class class_name {
{ private:
permission_label:
int width;
member;
Body permission_label:
int length;
member; public:
... void set(int w, int l);
}; int area();
};
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 Classes & Objects
Objects: Instance of a class
class Rectangle
{
Rectangle r1;
private: Rectangle r2;
int width; Rectangle r3;

……
int length;
public:
void set(int w, int l);
int area(); int a;
};
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 Class Definition: Data Members
• Can be of any type, built-in or user-defined
• non-static data member
– Each class object has its own copy

• static data member

– Acts as a global variable
– One copy per class type, e.g. counter

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 Static Data Member
Rectangle r1;
class Rectangle Rectangle r2;
{ Rectangle r3;
private:
int width;
count
int length;
static int count; r1 r2
public: width width
length length
void set(int w, int l);
int area(); width
r3 length
} 11
Class Definition: Member Functions
• Used to
– access the values of the data members (accessor)
– perform operations on the data members
(implementor)
• Are declared inside or outside the class body
• Their definition can be placed inside the class
body, or outside the class body
• Can access both public and private members of
the class
• Can be referred to using dot or arrow member
access operator
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 Define a Member Function
class Rectangle EX:
{ r1.set(5,8);
private:
int width, length;
class name
public:
void set (int w, int l);
int area() {return width*length; } member function name
};

void Rectangle :: set (int w, int l)

inline {
width = w;
length = l;
scope operator
}
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 Class Definition - Access Control

• Information hiding
– To prevent the internal representation from direct
access from outside the class
• Access Specifiers
– public
• may be accessible from anywhere within a program
– private
• may be accessed only by the member functions, and friends
of this class
– protected
• acts as public for derived classes
• behaves as private for the rest of the program
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 class Time Specification
class Time
{
public :
void Set ( int hours , int minutes , int seconds ) ;
void Increment ( ) ;
void Write ( ) const ;
Time ( int initHrs, int initMins, int initSecs ) ; // constructor
Time (); // default constructor
private :
int hrs ;
int mins ;
int secs ;
};
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Class Interface Diagram
Time class

Set
Private data:
Increment
hrs
Write
mins
Time secs

Time

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 Class Definition - Access Control
• The default access specifier is private
• The data members are usually private or protected
• A private member function is a helper, may only be
accessed by another member function of the same
class (exception friend function)
• The public member functions are part of the class
interface
• Each access control section is optional,
repeatable, and sections may occur in any order

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 What is an object?

OBJECT
set of methods
Operations (member functions)

Data internal state

(values of private data members)

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 Declaration of an Object
class Rectangle
main()
{ {
private: Rectangle r1;
Rectangle r2;
int width;
int length; r1.set(5, 8);
public: cout<<r1.area()<<endl;

void set(int w, int l); r2.set(8,10);

int area(); cout<<r2.area()<<endl;
}
};
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 Declaration of an Object
r1 is statically allocated
class Rectangle
{ main()
private: {
Rectangle r1;
int width;
r1.set(5, 8);
int length;
}
public:
void set(int w, int l); r1
width = 5
int area(); length = 8
};
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