cast operators...

[Gernot Frisch]

Hi,

I have a problem. I want to be able to write this:

a = b + d + c;

Where a can be a double or class A;
b,d,c can each indiviually be one of these: double, class A or class
B. The result of an addition is always class A, or double (double +
double can't be changed).

Know what I mean? I need a real lot of operators and at one point I
get ambiguity, since:

A a; B b; double d;
A = d;
d = A;
a = b + d + b;

operator+ is ambigious:
could be:
A A:perator+(const A&)
or:
A operator+(double, const C&)

Any idea? I'm hopelessly confused how to manage what I want to do...


-Gernot

 

[Victor Bazarov]

I have a problem. I want to be able to write this:

a = b + d + c;

Where a can be a double or class A;
b,d,c can each indiviually be one of these: double, class A or class
B. The result of an addition is always class A, or double (double +
double can't be changed).

Know what I mean? I need a real lot of operators and at one point I
get ambiguity, since:

A a; B b; double d;
A = d;
d = A;
a = b + d + b;

operator+ is ambigious:
could be:
A A:perator+(const A&)
or:
A operator+(double, const C&)

'const C&'? Which one is 'C'? Did you mean 'B'? Are 'A' and 'B'
related by any chance?

Any idea? I'm hopelessly confused how to manage what I want to do...

Post the minimal complete compilable program that demonstrates the
situation. Post the error messages and mark the lines to which they
relate. IOW, read the FAQ 5.8 and act on its recommendations.

Victor

 

[John Harrison]

Hi,

I have a problem. I want to be able to write this:

a = b + d + c;

Where a can be a double or class A;
b,d,c can each indiviually be one of these: double, class A or class
B. The result of an addition is always class A, or double (double +
double can't be changed).

Know what I mean? I need a real lot of operators and at one point I
get ambiguity, since:

A a; B b; double d;
A = d;
d = A;
a = b + d + b;

operator+ is ambigious:
could be:
A A:perator+(const A&)
or:
A operator+(double, const C&)

Any idea? I'm hopelessly confused how to manage what I want to do...

Don't use cast operators. Its likely to cause ambiguity because you give
the compiler two ways of making a conversion (do I construct A from B, or do
I use B:perator A()).

Overload operator+ with different types, but don't ever use the member form
of operator+. I.e. prefer this

A operator+(const A&, const A&); //global form

to this

A A:perator+(const A&) const // member form

The reason is if you use the member form then the type conversion rules
which apply to the left hand side of operator+ are different from the right
hand side, which is confusing and rarely what you would want for operator+.

If you get tired of writing all the possible combinations of operator+
consider using constructors for some of the conversions. E.g.

Given

class A
{
public:
A(double);
...
};

and

A operator+(const A&, const A&);

then

A a;
B b = a + 2.0;

becomes legal because the A(double) constructor is called implicitly.

john

 

[John Harrison]

Given

class A
{
public:
A(double);
...
};

and

A operator+(const A&, const A&);

then

A a;
B b = a + 2.0;

becomes legal because the A(double) constructor is called implicitly.

I meant

A b = a + 2.0;

john

 

[JKop]

Gernot Frisch posted:

Hi,

I have a problem. I want to be able to write this:

a = b + d + c;

Where a can be a double or class A;
b,d,c can each indiviually be one of these: double, class A or class
B. The result of an addition is always class A, or double (double +
double can't be changed).

Know what I mean? I need a real lot of operators and at one point I
get ambiguity, since:

A a; B b; double d;
A = d;
d = A;
a = b + d + b;

operator+ is ambigious:
could be:
A A:perator+(const A&)
or:
A operator+(double, const C&)

Any idea? I'm hopelessly confused how to manage what I want to do...


-Gernot

Create only one operator to add A's together. Then supply
conversion operators from double to A and so on.


-JKop

 

[Gernot Frisch]

Overload operator+ with different types, but don't ever use the
member form

of operator+. I.e. prefer this

A operator+(const A&, const A&); //global form

to this

A A:perator+(const A&) const // member form

The reason is if you use the member form then the type conversion rules
which apply to the left hand side of operator+ are different from the right
hand side, which is confusing and rarely what you would want for

operator+.

That was exaclty it! I removed the function from the class and
whoppa - it worked!
Thank you,
Gernot