Access specifiers
Consider the following struct:
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struct DateStruct { int nMonth; int nDay; int nYear; }; int main() { DateStruct sDate; sDate.nMonth = 10; sDate.nDay = 14; sDate.nYear = 2020; return 0; } |
In this program, we declare a DateStruct and then we directly access it’s members in order to initialize them. This works because all members of a struct are public members. Public members are members of a struct or class that can be accessed by any function in the program.
On the other hand, consider the following almost-identical class:
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class Date { int m_nMonth; int m_nDay; int m_nYear; }; int main() { Date cDate; cDate.m_nMonth = 10; cDate.m_nDay = 14; cDate.m_nYear = 2020; return 0; } |
If you were to compile this program, you would receive an error. This is because by default, all members of a class are private. Private members are members of a class that can only be accessed by other functions within the class. Because main() is not a member of the Date class, it does not have access to Date’s private members.
Although class members are private by default, we can make them public by using the public keyword:
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class Date { public: int m_nMonth; // public int m_nDay; // public int m_nYear; // public }; int main() { Date cDate; cDate.m_nMonth = 10; // okay because m_nMonth is public cDate.m_nDay = 14; // okay because m_nDay is public cDate.m_nYear = 2020; // okay because m_nYear is public return 0; } |
Because Date’s members are now public, they can be accessed by main().
C++ provides 3 different access specifier keywords: public, private, and protected. We will discuss the protected access specifier when we cover inheritance.
Here is an example of a class that uses all three access specifiers:
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class Access { int m_nA; // private by default int GetA() { return m_nA; } // private by default private: int m_nB; // private int GetB() { return m_nB; } // private protected: int m_nC; // protected int GetC() { return m_nC; } // protected public: int m_nD; // public int GetD() { return m_nD; } // public }; int main() { Access cAccess; cAccess.m_nD = 5; // okay because m_nD is public std::cout << cAccess.GetD(); // okay because GetD() is public cAccess.m_nA = 2; // WRONG because m_nA is private std::cout << cAccess.GetB(); // WRONG because GetB() is private return 0; } |
Each of the members “acquires” the access level of the previous access specifier. It is common convention to list private members first.
Why would you want to restrict access to class members? Oftentimes you want to declare members that are for “internal class use only”. For example, when writing a string class, it is common to declare a private member named m_nLength that holds the length of the string. If m_nLength were public, anybody could change the length of the string without changing the actual string! This could cause all sorts of bizarre problems. Consequently, the m_nLength is made private so that only functions within the String class can alter m_nLength.
The group of public members of a class are often referred to as a “public interface”. Because only public members can be accessed outside of the class, the public interface defines how programs using the class will interface with the class.
So what’s the difference between a class and a struct? Very little! In C++, a class defaults its members to private. A struct defaults its members to public. That’s it!
 8.4 -- Access functions and encapsulation
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 Index
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 8.2 -- Classes and class members
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"One of the primary differences between classes and structs is that classes can explicitly use access specifiers to restrict who can access members of a class."
This is incorrect - *the only* difference is that classes default to private, and structs to public. You can use private: and protected: in a struct, as well as have member functions.
They are usually used in different ways, but that's mostly for code clarity, not because you need it. You can create a struct with inheritance, member functions etc.
yes you are right serenity, we can use access specifiers(public,private and protected)and your own constructor, destructor, copy constructor and assignment operator in structs as well.
yes this is true...the tutorial is great alex...but i think there are certain areas where you need to relook, for example what serenity is pointing out
Hi Alex,
I want to clarify to see if I understood your statements correctly...."For example, when writing a string class, it is common to declare a private member named m_nLength that holds the length of the string. If m_nLength were public, anybody could change the length of the string without changing the actual string!"
Do you mean...
Class Letter
{
int m_nLength = 14;
};
??????????????
Thank you.
You can't initialize a class member in the class itself. (except static const int). But yes, I think you understand. Although the class wouldn't just have that member alone. Also remember class is spelled lower cased.
Another great tutorial. You write really well man.
compiling code in first example gives me an error - (22) : error C2440: 'return' : cannot convert from 'int' to 'DateStruct'. By adding a semi-colon (;) after closing curly brace of structure, it compiles without error. I am using MS Visual C++.
[ Oops, yes, all structs and classes must end with a semicolon. Forgetting it will cause errors on many compilers. -Alex ]
by default class is public or private in c++
By default classes have private members and structs have public members.
No, they're implicitly private. They only become public when you use "public: " before them.