«

Hi,

I'm learning how to program in C++, and I came up with a couple of
questions.

1. Can I declare a constructor or destructor virtual? If so, please
provide me an example where I could use it.

2. Could a constructor be declared private? If so, how could I
instantiate an object of this class? I think I could use friend
methods to do it, but I'm not sure.

Thanks in advance,

Andre

"sieg1974" <> wrote...
> I'm learning how to program in C++, and I came up with a couple of
> questions.
>
> 1. Can I declare a constructor or destructor virtual? If so, please
> provide me an example where I could use it.

A constructor cannot be virtual. A destructor can. Please read your
favourite C++ book about virtual destructors. Also, it is covered in
the FAQ (http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite/).

> 2. Could a constructor be declared private? If so, how could I
> instantiate an object of this class? I think I could use friend
> methods to do it, but I'm not sure.

Yes, it can. You would leave instantiation of such class to the
class members or to the friends as you stated. Read about "named
constructor idiom" (or "the factory method"). This also is covered
in the FAQ.

Victor

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 20:39:09 -0700, sieg1974 wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm learning how to program in C++, and I came up with a couple of
> questions.
>
> 1. Can I declare a constructor or destructor virtual? If so, please
> provide me an example where I could use it.

Constructor: No! (At least no directly)
Destructor: Yes. Do it whenever it is likely that someone will inherit
your class.
http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lit....html#faq-20.5

>
> 2. Could a constructor be declared private? If so, how could I
> instantiate an object of this class? I think I could use friend methods
> to do it, but I'm not sure.

Yes it can, for example when using the singleton design pattern: you have
a static function that returns the one and only instance.

>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Andre

"sieg1974" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> Hi,
>
> I'm learning how to program in C++, and I came up with a couple of
> questions.
>
> 1. Can I declare a constructor or destructor virtual?

No.

> 2. Could a constructor be declared private?

Yes.

> If so, how could I
> instantiate an object of this class? I think I could use friend
> methods to do it, but I'm not sure.

class A
{
public:
static A* createA() { return new A; }
private:
A() {}
};
int main()
{
A* pA = A::createA();
}

"jeffc" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> "sieg1974" <> wrote in message
> news: om...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm learning how to program in C++, and I came up with a couple of
> > questions.
> >
> > 1. Can I declare a constructor or destructor virtual?
>
> No.

Read too fast. The others who said a destructor can be virtual are correct
(when using polymorphism destructors should be virutal.)