Why can operator-> be overloaded manually?

Posted by FredOverflow on Stack Overflow See other posts from Stack Overflow or by FredOverflow
Published on 2010-05-30T12:11:10Z Indexed on 2010/05/30 12:22 UTC
Read the original article Hit count: 195

Filed under:

c++

|

pointers

|

operator-overloading

|

smart-pointers

Wouldn't it make sense if p->m was just syntactic sugar for (*p).m? Essentially, every operator-> that I have ever written could have been implemented as follows:

Foo::Foo* operator->()
{
    return &**this;
}

Is there any case where I would want p->m to mean something else than (*p).m?

© Stack Overflow or respective owner

Related posts about c++

Which C++ book shold I get between "C++ Primer" vs "C++ Primer Plus"

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I want to learn C++ by using Vim and MinGW as compiler. I'm interesting at "C++ Primer (4th Edition)" and "C++ Primer Plus (5th Edition)" but I don't know how about it different. It has no book store that I can review those books, so I want to know, what is the different between those book and which… >>> More
C++ : C++ Primer (Stanley Lipmann) or The C++ programming language (special edition)

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I have a Computer Science degree (long2 time ago) .. I do know Java OOP but i am now trying to pick up C++. I do have C and of course data structure using C or pascal. I have started reading Bjarne Stroustrup book (The C++ Programming Language - Special Edition) but find it extremely difficult esp… >>> More
I need help on my C++ assignment using MS Visual C++

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
Ok, so I don't want you to do my homework for me, but I'm a little lost with this final assignment and need all the help I can get. Learning about programming is tough enough, but doing it online is next to impossible for me... Now, to get to the program, I am going to paste what I have so far. This… >>> More
Managed c++ std::string not accessible in unmanaged c++

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
In unmanaged c++ dll i have a function which takes constant std::string as argument Prototype : void read ( const std::string &imageSpec_ ) I call this function from managed c++ dll by passing a std::string. When i debug the unmanaged c++ code the parameter imageSpec_ shows the value correctly… >>> More
The Definitive C++ Book Guide and List

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
After more than a few questions about deciding on C++ books I thought we could make a better community wiki version. Providing QUALITY books and an approximate skill level. Maybe we can add a short blurb/description about each book that you have personally read / benefited from. Feel free to debate… >>> More

Related posts about pointers

C++ smart pointers: sharing pointers vs. sharing data

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
In this insightful article, one of the Qt programmers tries to explain the different kinds of smart pointers Qt implements. In the beginning, he makes a distinction between sharing data and sharing the pointers themselves: First, let’s get one thing straight: there’s a difference between sharing … >>> More
handling refrence to pointers/double pointers using SWIG [C++ to Java]

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
My code has an interface like class IExample { ~IExample(); //pure virtual methods ...}; a class inheriting the interface like class CExample : public IExample { protected: CExample(); //implementation of pure virtual methods ... }; and a global function to create object of this class - createExample(… >>> More
char pointers & integer pointers (++)

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
i have two pointers, char *str1; int *str2; if i look at the size of both the pointers lets assume str1=4 bytes str2=4 bytes str1++ will increment by 1 byte but if str2++ will increment 4 byte could anybody tell e the concept behind this? >>> More
Smart pointers - cases where they cannot replace raw pointers

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
HI, I have this query about smart pointers. I heard from one of my friends that smart pointers can almost always replace raw pointers. but when i asked him what are the other cases where smart pointers cannot replace the raw pointers,i did not get the answer from him. could anybody please tell… >>> More
C++ Pointers: Number of levels of Indirection

as seen on Programmers - Search for 'Programmers'
In a C++ program that doesn't contain legacy C code, is there a guideline regarding the maximum number of levels of indirection that should be used in the source code? I know that in C (as opposed to C++), some programmers have used pointers to pointers for a multiple dimension array, but for the… >>> More