CONSTRUCTORS

AND
DESTRUCTORS
Harinder Singh
Sukhpal Singh
Thapar University, Patiala
Batch: 2011-2013

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WHAT IS A CONSTRUCTOR ?
In c++ , a constructor is a special member
function whose task is to initialize the objects
of its class.
It is special because its name is the same as
the class name.
It is called constructor because it constructs
the value of data members of the class.
The constructor is invoked whenever an object
of its associated class is created.

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CLASS WITH A CONSTRUCTOR

Class integer {
int m, n;
public:
integer(void);
};
Integer : : integer (void)
{
m=0; n=0;
}
Object declartion:
Integer int1;

// constructor declared
// constructor defined

// object int1 created

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CONSTRUCTOR

They should be declared in public section.
They are invoked automatically when the objects are
created.
They don't have return types, cannot return values.
A constructor that accepts no parameters is called
default constructor. The default constructor for class
A is A:: A() . The statement A a; invokes the default
constructor of the compiler to create the object a.

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PARAMETERIZED CONSTRUCTOR

The constructor that can take arguments.

Class integer {
int m, n;
public:
integer(int x, int y);
//parameterized constructor
};
Integer : : integer (int x, int y)
{
m=x; n=y;
}
Object declaration statement integer int1 ; do not work
here.

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CALL IN PARAMETERIZED CONSTRUCTOR

We must pass the initial values as arguments to
the constructor function when object is created.
This can be done in two ways:
By calling the constructor explicitly.
integer int1 = integer(0, 100);
By calling the constructor implicitly.
integer int1(0, 100);
This method is also called shorthand method.

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EXPLICIT/IMPLICIT CALL
int main()
{
integer int1(0, 100);
integer int2 = integer(25, 75);
cout<<object 1:
int1.function1();
cout<<object 2:
int2.function1();
return 0;
}
Output
object1:
object2:

m=0 and n= 100

m=25 and n= 75

//implicit call
//explicit call

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MULTIPLE CONSTRUCTOR IN A CLASS

Class integer
{
int m, n;
public:
integer()
{m=0; n=0;}
integer(int a, int b)
{m=a; n=b;}
integer(integer & i)
{m= i.m; n= i.n;}
};

//default constructor
//parameterized constructor

//copy constructor

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CONSTRUCTORS WITH DEFAULT ARGUMENTS

complex(float real , float imag=0)
{
}
complex c1(5.0);
complex c2(2.0,3.0);
Difference b/w A::A() and A::A(int a=0).

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DYNAMIC INITIALIZATION OF OBJECTS

Provide various initialization formats using
overloaded constructors.
Fixed_deposit() { }

Fixed_deposit(long int p, int y ,float r=0.12);

Fixed_deposit( long int p, int y, int r);

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COPY CONSTRUCTOR
It is used to declare and initialize an object
from another object.
e.g

code() { }
code( int a) {id = a;}
code( code &x){ id = x.id; } //copy constructor.
And various calls for them are:
code A(100); // object A is Created and initialized.
code B(A);
// copy constructor called.
code C = A; // copy constructor called again.
code D;
// object D is created , not initialized
D=A;
// copy constructor is not called.

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DYNAMIC CONSTRUCTORS

It is used to allocate memory while creating

objects.

Enable the system to allocate right amount of

memory for each object when objects are not of
same size.
Thus resulting in saving of memory.

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DYNAMIC CONSTRUCTORS
class String
{
char *name;
int length;
public:
String ()
{ length = 0;
name = new char[length+1];
}
String (char *s)
{ length = strlen(s);
name = new char[length+1];
strcpy(name, s);
}
};

main()
{
Char *first = ME_SE_CR ;
String name1( first);
String name2( Rupinder);
.
.
.
}

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DESTRUCTORS
~ integer() { }
As new is used to allocate memory in
dynamic constructors, here we use delete to
free that memory.
Never take any argument nor does it return any
value.
It will be invoked implicitly by compiler upon
exit from program or a block or a function.

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DESTRUCTORS
Int count = 0;
class test1
{
public :
~test1()
{
count ++;
cout <<\n no. of object created
<< count ;
}
~test1 ()
{ cout <<\n no. of object destroyed
<< count ;
Count - - ;
}
};

main()
{
cout << \n Enter Main \n;
test1 t1, t2, t3, t4;
{
cout <<\n Entered in block1 ;
test1 t5;
}
{
cout <<\n Entered in block2 ;
test1 t6;
}
cout << \n Re-Enter Main \n;
return 0;
}

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OUT PUT
Enter Main
No. of object created 1
No. of object created 2
No. of object created 3
No. of object created 4
Enter block 1
No. of object created 5
No. of object destroyed 5
Enter block 2
No. of object created 5
No. of object destroyed 5
Re - Enter Main
No. of object destroyed 4
No. of object destroyed 3
No. of object destroyed 2
No. of object destroyed 1

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THANK YOU