CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++
Filip OvertoneSinger Rydlo
Filip OvertoneSinger Rydlo

Reputation: 300

What exactly does the syntax ::~ mean in newly added class in C++ Visual Studio 2010

I have s simple question:

Situation: When I rightclick Source Files folder and select Add->Class - C++ class , a class is added in a separate file *.cpp and *.h (great! This is exactly what I wanted).

Now: what does the function name

classname::~classname(void)

exactly does ?

Is it a destructor of that class called "classname" ?

I cannot find explanation of this syntax "::~" on the internet, and so I am asking here. :)

Upvotes: 3

Views: 426

Answers (6)

Zac Howland
Zac Howland

Reputation: 15872

// myclass.h header
class MyClass
{
public:
    MyClass(); // default constructor
 MyClass(const MyClass& mc); // copy constructor
 ~MyClass();  // destructor
};

// myclass.cpp implementation
#include "myclass.h"

MyClass::MyClass() // implementation of default constructor
{
}

MyClass::MyClass(const MyClass& mc) // implementation of copy constructor
{
}

MyClass::~MyClass() // implementation of destructor
{
}

Upvotes: 2

yasouser
yasouser

Reputation: 5177

Yes, it is the destructor.

ClassName::~ClassName() - is how you begin the definition of a destructor in your YourFileName.cpp.

Upvotes: 1

aschepler
aschepler

Reputation: 72401

Yes, the syntax classname::~classname() { /*...*/ } defines the destructor for class classname.

Upvotes: 1

T33C
T33C

Reputation: 4429

I assume you meant

classname::~classname(void)

Where ~Classname is the destructor method for the class, classname.

:: is the scope operator ~ denotes the destructor.

Upvotes: 1

Konrad Rudolph
Konrad Rudolph

Reputation: 545686

There are two different things at work here:

  • The namespace delimiter operator, ::
  • The destructor, which is a special function that’s always called ~classname.

In your case, the syntax classname::~classname(void) simply defines the class’ destructor. The :: means that what follows belongs to the class called classname. And what follows is just the destructor name (see above).

This is the same syntax used for all class member definitions. If your class had a function called foo that took an int and returned an int, then its definition outside the class would look as follows:

int classname::foo(int)

This is exactly the same as with the destructor (except that the destructor has no return value and takes no arguments).

Upvotes: 6

Ben Voigt
Ben Voigt

Reputation: 283713

Yes, it's a destructor.

Note that if you're writing your own destructor in production code, you're probably doing something wrong. The exception would be if you're writing an RAII container, in which case you must also write custom copy constructor and assignment operator, or if you're just trying to learn about destructors.

Upvotes: 4

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