C++ Programming for Non-C Programmers

Prerequisites: Prior programming experience, though not necessarily in C or C++. Some prior knowledge of basic C syntax is helpful but not required.

• Block Structure of C and C++ Programs
• Fundamentals of Syntax
• Built in Data Types
• The Preprocessor and Macros
• Standard Runtime Libraries and Header Files

• Data Types and Qualifiers
• Constants and String Literals
• Static versus Automatic Storage
• Scope and Variables
• Initialization Rules

• Arithmetic, Logical, and Bit Operators
• Precedence and Associativity
• Assignment
• Type Conversion Rules
• Type Casting

• Conditional Constructs: if, switch
• Looping Constructs: while, do, for
• Programming Style

• Advantages of Pointers
• Uses of Pointers
• Declaring Pointers
• Pointer and Address Arithmetic
• Initializing and Dereferencing Pointers
• Pointers vs. Arrays

• Purpose of Functions
• Functions versus Inlining
• The Argument Stack
• Passing by Value
• Passing by Reference
• Declaring External Functions
• Function Prototyping

• New Compiler Directives
• Stream Console I/O
• Explicit Operators
• Standard Libraries
• Data Control Capabilities

• New Declaration Features
• Initialization and Assignment
• Enumerated Types
• The bool Type
• Constant Storage
• Pointers to Constant Storage
• Constant Pointers
• References
• Constant Reference Arguments
• Volatile Data
• Global Data

• Function Prototypes and Type Checking
• Default Function Data Types
• Function Overloading
• Problems with Function Overloading
• Name Resolution
• Promotions and Conversions
• Call by Value
• Reference Declarations
• Call-by-Reference and Reference Types
• References in Function Return
• Constant Argument Types
• Conversion of Parameters Using Default Initializers
• Providing Default Arguments
• Inline Functions

• Creating Automatic Objects
• Creating Dynamic Objects
• Calling Object Methods
• Constructors
• Initializing Member consts
• Initializer List Syntax
• Allocating Resources in Constructor
• Destructors
• Block and Function Scope
• File and Global Scope
• Class Scope
• Scope Resolution Operator ::
• Using Objects as Arguments
• Objects as Function Return Values
• Constant Methods
• Containment Relationships

• Advantages of Dynamic Memory Allocation
• Static, Automatic, and Heap Memory
• Free Store Allocation with new and delete
• Handling Memory Allocation Errors

• Object Copying and Copy Constructor
• Automatic Copy Constructor
• Conversion Constructor

• Inheritance and Reuse
• Composition vs. Inheritance
• Inheritance: Centralized Code
• Inheritance: Maintenance and Revision
  • Public, Private and Protected Members
  • Redefining Behavior in Derived Classes
  • Designing Extensible Software Systems
• Syntax for Public Inheritance
• Use of Common Pointers
• Constructors and Initialization
• Inherited Copy Constructors
• Destructors and Inheritance
• Public, Protected, Private Inheritance

• Streams and the iostream Library
• Built-in Stream Objects
• Stream Manipulators
• Stream Methods
• Input/Output Operators
• Character Input
• String Streams
• Formatted I/O
• File Stream I/O
• Overloading Stream Operators
• Persistent Objects

• The Object Programming Paradigm
• Object-Orientated Programming Definitions
• Information Hiding and Encapsulation
• Separating Interface and Implementation
• Classes and Instances of Objects
• Overloaded Objects and Polymorphism

• Purpose of Template Classes
• Constants in Templates
• Templates and Inheritance
• Container Classes
• Use of Libraries

• Character Strings
• The String Class
• Operators on Strings
• Member Functions of the String Class

• Types of Exceptions
• Trapping and Handling Exceptions
• Triggering Exceptions
• Handling Memory Allocation Errors

• Organizing C++ Source Files
• Integrating C and C++ Projects
• Using C in C++

• Function Prototypes
• Strong Type Checking
• Constant Types
• C++ Access Control Techniques

• Definition of Polymorphism
• Calling Overridden Methods
• Upcasting
• Accessing Overridden Methods
• Virtual Methods and Dynamic Binding
• Virtual Destructors
• Abstract Base Classes and Pure Virtual Methods

• Derivation from Multiple Base Classes
• Base Class Ambiguities
• Virtual Inheritance
  • Virtual Base Classes
  • Virtual Base Class Information

• Components of a Class
• Class Structure
• Class Declaration Syntax
• Member Data
• Built-in Operations
• Constructors and Initialization
• Initialization vs. Assignment
• Class Type Members
• Member Functions and Member Accessibility
• Inline Member Functions
• Friend Functions
• Static Members
• Modifying Access with a Friend Class

• Advantages and Pitfalls of Overloading
• Member Operator Syntax and Examples
• Class Assignment Operators
• Class Equality Operators
• Non-Member Operator Overloading
• Member and Non-Member Operator Functions
• Operator Precedence
• The this Pointer
• Overloading the Assignment Operator
• Overloading Caveats

• STL Containers
• Parameters Used in Container Classes
• The Vector Class
• STL Algorithms
• Use of Libraries