CPP00-04

This one is mostly for getting to know CPP, so let's use it to setting things up properly.

Since there's no Norm in CPP anymore, I can only encourage you to write yourself a new Makefile.

If you need some inspiration, you can look at mine: https://github.com/haglobah/minimal-Makefile.

Apart from that, there's not that much you need to know up front:

• Consult the documentation
• Read code from others

Welcome to the monster module. It has a remarkable seven exercises, and the different sections are only very loosely related.

The first two exercises are about memory allocation. You'll want to make sure that you know about the difference between the Stack and the Heap by now.

Then, it's about pointers vs. references. Read up on their difference.

After that, it's about being able to use std::string properly (and efficiently). Spend some time on the respective online documentation page, and on StackOverflow/Github :)

For ex05, read the CPP FAQ on Pointers to member functions.

And, last but not least, get to know the switch (x) case ..: ... construct.

Ookay. Let's get to know the Orthodox Canonical Form, shall we?
Inside the 'New rules' part, there is an attempt to explain what this is. I'm quite sure that this second sentence is a pure translation accident. To make that concrete and clear:

Let's say your want to have Table Tennis-Ball objects. Then, the header file TableTennisBall.hpp should at least contain this:

class TableTennisBall
{
        private:

        public:
        TableTennisBall();
        TableTennisBall(TableTennisBall &other);
        TableTennisBall &operator=(TableTennisBall &other);
        ~TableTennisBall();
};

Per constructor, destructor (sometimes also abbreviated: ctor & dtor) and operator overload in the Header that is inside of a public declaration, you also need to have an implementation that goes in your TableTennisBall.cpp. That one should at least contain this:

TableTennisBall(){}
TableTennisBall(TableTennisBall &other){}
TableTennisBall &operator=(TableTennisBall &other){}
~TableTennisBall(){}

On how to implement those properly, refer to [this](https://cplusplus.com/articles/y8hv0pDG/) article.

In the CPP Exam, this form is interestingly called Copliens Form. Why?
I don't know.

Well, since this is done, back to the subject.

Read the articles they're linking:

• C++ Article - Understanding Floating Point Numbers - Cprogramming.com
• Introduction to Fixed Point Number Representation

The next challenge you might encounter is overloading operators. This is a little difficult at the beginning. Please ask someone for 5min of their time if you're unsure how to implement that.

I've now regularly seen the post-increment operators done wrong. Make sure you understand what you should have been doing, what this smallest representable is, and that you did implement them correctly, too.

Here's a test to make sure everything's working:

using std::cout;
using std::endl;

int main()
{
        Fixed a(1);

        cout << endl << "=== Mutation ===" << endl;
        cout << "a: " << a << endl;
        cout << "a--: " << a-- << endl;
        cout << "a: " << a << endl;
        cout << "++a: " << ++a << endl;
        cout << "a: " << a << endl;
        cout << "a++: " << a++ << endl;
        cout << "a: " << a << endl;
        cout << "--a: " << --a << endl;
        cout << "a: " << a << endl;
}

(Yes, those usings are allowed.)
You're able to figure out what the printout should be, aren't you?

And now — with ex03 comes an actually interesting exercise.
In case you want to do that: Read about binary space partitioning.
You might want to start here for a general overview: BSP: Doom
After you're done reading that, a small internet search will surely be able to help you.

Try to write the code so that other people can read it. That is not trivial in this case.

Wohoo, you've arrived at the core of class-based object oriented programming: Inheritance.

So: Read up on how C++ inheritance works:

• Inheritance: Basics
• Inheritance: What your mother never told you

After that, the keywords to search for are: virtual, protected, and diamond of death cpp.

Well, I'll be supplying a little more help. Here is what Wikipedia says about multiple inheritance in C++:

Even though it's not that easy to understand, everything what you need is in there.
Good luck! :)

This module is about understanding how abstract classes work in C++.

So, spend some time on the internet to find out:

• How virtual member functions are different from 'normal' ones
• What a pure virtual function is

With that, there is not much more than hard work awaiting :)