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here is my trivial question: what can this friend method GetBox() can do?

class CBox
{
   float x;
   float y;

   friend CBox* GetBox();
public:
   float getArea();
   CBox();

protected:
    static CBox* m_Ptr; //<== I added this new member!
}

CBox::CBox()
{
  m_ptr= this;
}

CBox* GtBox()
{
   return m_Ptr;
}


What I have tried:

I understand this function GetBox() return a pointer to CBox type object, but kind of thing can it do?


I may need a small use case to deepen my understanding on friend methods.
Posted
Updated 29-Aug-21 6:53am
v2
Comments
Rick York 29-Aug-21 12:38pm    
See this documentation : https://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/inheritance/

It can access the private members CBox.x and CBox.y.
 
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Comments
Southmountain 28-Aug-21 22:02pm    
I see, it can access all data members, including protected data members too.
Southmountain 28-Aug-21 22:08pm    
I updated my question, added a static int memeber...
Greg Utas 29-Aug-21 7:41am    
A friend can either be another class or another function, and making it a friend allows it to access all protected and private members.
Southmountain 29-Aug-21 20:33pm    
thanks for your knowledge. in essence, the friend function is a global function that specifically interact with this class.
Greg Utas 30-Aug-21 5:52am    
This is my go-to site for C++: https://en.cppreference.com. A wonderful resource.
C++
static CBox* m_Ptr; //<== I added this new member!
CBox::CBox()
{
  m_ptr= this;
}

CBox* GtBox()
{
   return m_Ptr;
}


Is an absolutely bad idea!!!

Static member variables are global variables, so to speak, that are scoped by the class namespace.
There will be only one instance of m_ptr, regardless of how many instances of the CBox exists. And when you do
m_ptr= this;
you can see how you going to end up in a hot water. You better off rewrite your function as:

C++
CBox* GtBox()
{
   return this;
}
 
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Comments
Southmountain 29-Aug-21 20:37pm    
yes, it looks like static variable m_ptr only point to one instance.
so this static variable m_ptr is not necessary and can be removed?
steveb 30-Aug-21 0:35am    
Yes. You can just return this pointer

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