NetNews Offline 2/NetNews Offline Volume 2.iso/news/comp/lang/c++-part2/15545

Internet Message Format | 1996-08-05 | 1.7 KB

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From: "John P. Atkinson" <[e-mail]>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: const member functions
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 1996 14:09:06 -0800
Organization: Data/Ware Development, Inc.
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Jay B. Perry wrote:
>
> The attached code doesn't compile, complaining about the non-const
> object's attempt to use a non-const private method (even though a
> const public method with the same name is available).
>
> private:  //  Private methods
>    //  Private accessor, should only be available to
>    //  non-const X objects
>    int& value( ) { return _value; }


OK, looks like value is a private method only.  It's in scope only from within other methods of the
X class, or from any of X's friends (you've declared none, though.)


>    //  The following line results in an error for several
>    //  compilers, all complaining about an attempt to use
>    //  the private X::value method!
>    cout << t1.value() << endl;

So, you're calling value() from within main().  main() doesn't have scope to see into the private
portions of X.  value() shouldn't be callable from main(), irrespective of const vs non-const.

(I think!)

--
--John Atkinson         Data/Ware Development, Inc.
                        9449 Carroll Park Drive
  [e-mail]    San Diego, CA   USA  92121   [phone] ext.317
"There is more to life than increasing its speed."
  --Mahatma Gandhi