Category: Migrating from C to C++

On my last project, my team started working on implementing object-oriented concepts in C. Eventually we realized that we were reimplementing multiple C++ features. We admitted to ourselves that we would not implement our constructs more efficiently than the C++ compiler. We were also very interested in the extra safety mechanisms implicit in C++: better …

Continue reading "Migrating from C to C++: NULL vs nullptr"

Here's a pitfall I wandered into earlier: virtual default values are not inherited from a base class! You'll need to specify the default value again in the inherited class. Since both our base class and default class can have default values, that leads to the next question - how do I know which default value …

Continue reading "Virtual Function Defaults"

When introduced to the std::shared_ptr, many people immediately want to produce a function that returns a std::shared_ptr to this. //BAD! creates multiple control blocks to the same pointer std::shared_ptr<Thingy> get_a_thingy() { return this; } When the function above is used to generate a std::shared_ptr, each call will create a new control block. The first std::shared_ptr …

Continue reading "std::shared_ptr and shared_from_this"

When moving from C or early C++ to C++11/C++14, it can be difficult knowing where to start. Here are some minor features to focus on that will improve your programming and make your life easier. NULL vs nullptr I'll just go ahead and say it: eliminate NULL from your vocabulary right now. nullptr is the …

Continue reading "Migrating to Modern C++"