[\<- 01/07](01-07.md)

# OOP: Classes, Objects, and ADTs

## Object Oriented Programming

- OOP is a programming language model organized around **objects** rather than "actions" and **data** rather than logic
- There are 4 major principles that make a language Object Oriented
	- Encapsulation
	- Data Abstraction
	- Polymorphism
	- Inheritance

### Encapsulation

- Hiding mechanism, hiding of data implementation
	- Private variables
	- Public accessor methods

### Abstractions

- A concept or an idea which is not associated with any particular instance
	- Expressing the "intent" and not the "implementation"
	- **Abstract** classes and **virtual** members

### Polymorphism

- One name, many forms!
	- What does `a+b` mean?
		- What is `a` and what is `b`?

### Inheritance

- "is a" or "has a" relationship between objects
	- Dog "is a" mammal
	- Ferrari "is a" car, "has an" engine

## Class

**A class is a new kind of data type**

- A collection of data, such as integers, characters, and so on
- We implement data structures as classes
- A class has the ability to include special functions, called **member functions** which are designed specifically to manipulate the class

### Example: Thinking Cap

```
class thinking_cap{

	public:
		void slots(char new_green[], char new_red[]);
		void push_green() const;
		void push_red() const;

	private:
		char green_string[50];
		char red_string[50];
};
```

- Note: the `const` means that the function cannot change the data in the variables of the class
	- `const` should be specified for all "getter" functions

### Files for Thinking Cap

- The `thinking_cap` class definition, which we have just seen, is placed with documentation in a file called `thinker.hxx` outlined here
- The implementations of the three member functions will be placed in a separate file called `thinker.cxx`, which we will examine in a few minutes

### Using the Thinking Cap

- A program that wants to use the `thinking_cap` must **include** the thinker header file (along with its other head inclusions)
- The program starts by calling the slots member function for student

```
#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include "thinker.h"

int main(){
	thinking_cap student;
	thinking_cap fan;

	student.slots("Hello", "Goodbye");
	fan.slots("Go Broncos!", "Boo!");
	student.push_green(); //expected output: "Hello"
	fan.push_green();     //expected output: "Go Broncos!"
	student.push_red();   //expected output: "Goodbye"
}
```

### Thinking Cap Implementation

- The below code belongs in the `thinking_cap` class definition

```
void thinking_cap::slots(char new_green[], char new_red[]){
	assert(strlen(new_green) < 50);
	assert(strlen(new_red) < 50);
	strcpy(green_string, new_green);
	strcpy(red_string, new_red);
}

void thinking_cap::push_green{
	cout << green_string << endl;
}
```

### A Common Pattern

- Often, one or more member functions will place data in the member variables so that other member functions may use that data

### Summary

- Classes have member variables and member functions. An object is a variable where the data type is a class
- You should know how to declare a new class type, how to implement its member functions, how to use the class type
- Frequently, the member functions of an class type place information in the member variables, or use information that's already in the member variables
- In the future, we will see more features of OOP

---

## Class Constructors

- **Constructors** provide an initialization function **that is guaranteed to be called**
- **A constructor is a member function** with **these special properties**
	- A constructor is **called automatically** whenever a variable of the class is declared
	- The **name of a constructor must be the same as the name of the class**
	- A constructor **does not have any return value**
		- You must not write `void` (or any other return type) at the front of the constructor's head

### Example

```
namespace scu_coen79_2A{
	class point{

		public:
			//CONSTRUCTOR
			point(double i_x=0; double i_y=0);

			void shift(double x_amount, double y_amount);
			void rotate90();
			double get_x() const { return x; } //inline function
			double get_y() const { return y; } //inline function

		private:
			double x; //x coordinate of this point
			double y; //y coordinate of this point
	};
}
```

- Notice that the above code has a couple of inline functions
	- It is best practice to only do this for very short functions

### Write a Constructor for Thinking Cap

```
//prototype in the class definition
thinking_cap();

//definition
thinking_cap::thinking_cap(){
	strcpy(green_string, "Hi"); //default green_string is "Hi"
	strcpy(red_string, "Bye");  //default red_string is "Bye"
}
```

### Automatic Constructor

- If you write a class with no constructor,
	- The compiler automatically creates a simple default constructor
	- **This automatic default constructor doesn't do much work**

### Value Semantic

- The value semantics of a class determines how values are copied from one object to another
- In C++, the value semantics consists of two operations:
	- Assignment operator
	- Copy constructor

### Assignment Operator

**Example**
- DS1 is a data structure that includes the names of employees in a hospital
- DS2 is an object that can include names of employees
- We want to assign the values in DS1 to DS2. This is what we do:

```
employeeName DS2;
DS2 = DS1;
```

- The **automatic assignment operator** simple **copies each member variable** from the object on the left of the assignment

**Note**: Automatic assignment operator **does not always work** (future lectures)

### Copy Constructor

**Example**

- DS1 is a data structure that includes the names of employees in a hospital
- We want to create an object DS2 while making it an exact copy of DS1
- This is what we do:

```
employeeNames DS2(DS1);
```

- **A constructor with exactly one argument**
- The data type of the argument is the same as the constructor's class
- Or equivalently

```
employeeNames DS2 = DS1;
```

### C++ Copy Constructor

- C++ provides an **automatic copy constructor**
- The automatic copy constructor initializes a new object by **merely copying all the member variables from the existing object**
- When you implement a class, **the documentation should include a comment indicating that the value semantics is safe to use**

```
//VALUE SEMANTICS for the XYZ class:
	//Assignments and the copy constructor may be used with XYZ objects
```

[01/14 ->](01-14.md)