From: "Bart Kowalski" <me AT nospam DOT com>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++,comp.os.msdos.djgpp
References: <9ag6en$s1t$1 AT tron DOT sci DOT fi>
Subject: Re: Array class assignment operator. Confused....
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Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2001 04:28:40 GMT
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To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
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Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com

> Here is my problem (made a little array class with linked list)
>
> Array<int>    table(8);
> Array<int>    table2(4);
>
> table = table2;
>
> Should the above line assign ("Array& operator=(const Array&)")
> as much as possible from the smaller array object to larger one
> and keep any left over elements unchanged OR should it
> make identical copy of the smaller one and delete any left over
> array elements ???

Please don't post attachments to newsgroups. It is considered very rude, and
some news servers will delete your message.

Now to your question. When you assign an object to another object then both
objects should be equivalent after the assignment. The standard container
classes such as vector assume this. So you should definitely go with the second
option.


Bart.