Advanced Classes and Dynamic Memory: Game Lobby

Advanced Classes and Dynamic Memory: Game Lobby ‌

C++ gives a game programmer a high degree of control over the computer. One of the most fundamental abilities is direct control over memory. In this chapter, you’ll learn about dynamic memory—memory that you manage yourself. But with great power comes great responsibility, so you’ll also see the pitfalls of dynamic memory and how to avoid them. You’ll learn a few more things about classes, too. Specifically, you’ll learn to:

n Combine objects

n Use friend functions

n Overload operators

n Dynamically allocate and free memory

n Avoid memory leaks

n Produce deep copies of objects

Using Aggregation Introducing the Critter Farm Program Using Object Data Members Using Container Data Members Using Friend Functions and Operator Overloading Introducing the Friend Critter Program Creating Friend Functions Overloading Operators Dynamically Allocating Memory Introducing the Heap Program Using the new Operator Using the delete Operator Avoiding Memory Leaks Working with Data Members and the Heap Introducing the Heap Data Member Program Declaring Data Members that Point to Values on the Heap Declaring and Defining Destructors Declaring and Defining Copy Constructors Overloading the Assignment Operator Introducing the Game Lobby Program The Player Class The Lobby Class The Lobby::AddPlayer() Member Function The Lobby::RemovePlayer() Member Function The Lobby::Clear() Member Function The operator<<() Member Function The main() Function Summary Questions and Answers Discussion Questions Exercises

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