Have a homework assignment in which I'm supposed to create a vector of pointers to objects
Later on down the load, I'll be using inheritance/polymorphism to extend the class to include fees for two-day delivery, next day air, etc. However, that is not my concern right now. The final goal of the current program is to just print out every
object'
s content in the vector (name & address) and find it'
s shipping cost (weight*cost).
My Trouble is not with the logic, I'm just confused on few points related to objects/pointers/vectors in general. But first my code. I basically cut out everything that does not mater right now, int main, will have user input, but right now I hard-coded two examples.
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
class Package {
public:
Package(); //default constructor
Package(string d_name, string d_add, string d_zip, string d_city, string d_state, double c, double w);
double calculateCost(double, double);
void Print();
~Package();
private:
string dest_name;
string dest_address;
string dest_zip;
string dest_city;
string dest_state;
double weight;
double cost;
};
Package::Package()
{
cout<<"Constucting Package
Object with default values: "<<endl;
string dest_name="";
string dest_address="";
string dest_zip="";
string dest_city="";
string dest_state="";
double weight=0;
double cost=0;
}
Package::Package(string d_name, string d_add, string d_zip, string d_city, string d_state, string r_name, string r_add, string r_zip, string r_city, string r_state, double w, double c){
cout<<"Constucting Package
Object with user defined values: "<<endl;
string dest_name=d_name;
string dest_address=d_add;
string dest_zip=d_zip;
string dest_city=d_city;
string dest_state=d_state;
double weight=w;
double cost=c;
}
Package::~Package()
{
cout<<"Deconstructing Package Object!"<<endl;
delete Package;
}
double Package::calculateCost(double x, double y){
return x+y;
}
int main(){
double cost=0;
vector<Package*> shipment;
cout<<"Enter Shipping Cost: "<<endl;
cin>>cost;
shipment.push_back(new Package("tom r","123 thunder road", "90210", "Red Bank", "NJ", cost, 10.5));
shipment.push_back(new Package ("Harry Potter","10 Madison Avenue", "55555", "New York", "NY", cost, 32.3));
return 0;
}
So my questions are:
I'm told I have to use a vector
of
Object Pointers, not Objects.
Why? My assignment calls for it
specifically, but I'm also told it
won't work otherwise.
Where should I be creating this
vector?
Should it be part of my Package
Class? How do I go about adding
objects into it then?
Do I need a copy constructor? Why?
What'
s the proper way to deconstruct
my vector of
object pointers?
Any help would be appreciated. I've searched for a lot of related articles on here and I realize that my program will have memory leaks. Using one of the specialized ptrs from boost:: will not be available for me to use. Right now, I'm more concerned with getting the foundation of my program built. That way I can actually get down to the functionality I need to create.
Thanks.
