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Chapter 14: Problem 53

True or False If a class doesn't have a copy constructor, the compiler generates a default copy constructor for it.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Explain your answer briefly. Answer: Yes, it is true. If a class doesn't have a user-defined copy constructor, the compiler automatically generates a default copy constructor for it. However, the default copy constructor performs a shallow copy, and in cases where a class has pointer data members, a custom copy constructor should be defined to avoid issues.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Copy Constructors

A copy constructor is a special member function of a class that initializes a new object as a copy of an existing one. It takes the form `classname(const classname& other)`, where `other` is a reference to the object being copied.
02

The Default Copy Constructor

If a class doesn't have a user-defined copy constructor, the compiler automatically generates a default copy constructor. The default copy constructor does a shallow copy, meaning that it copies field-by-field from one object to another. When a class has pointer data members, it creates a problem with the shallow copy as both objects will point to the same memory location. In these cases, the programmer should define a custom copy constructor to address the issue.
03

True or False: Compiler-generated Copy Constructor

The statement "If a class doesn't have a copy constructor, the compiler generates a default copy constructor for it" is true. The compiler will generate a default copy constructor for a class if it isn't explicitly defined by the programmer. However, it is essential to understand the limitations of the default copy constructor (shallow copy) and define a custom one when necessary.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What is passed to the parameter of a class's operator= function?

Each of the following class declarations has errors. Locate as many as you can. class Point { private: int xCoord; int yCoord; public: Point (int x, int y) { xCoord = x; yCoord = y; } // Overloaded + operator void operator+(const &Point right) { xCoord += right.xCoord; yCoord += right.yCoord; } ... Other member functions follow ... };

Static member variables are defined __________ the class.

What type of value should be returned from an overloaded relational operator function?

True or False Static member variables are defined outside their class declaration.
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