CHAPTER 8

CONSTRUCTORS AND DESTRUCTORS

8.1 Introduction

When an instance of a class comes into scope, a special

function called the constructor gets executed. The constructor function
initializes the class object. When a class object goes out of scope, a
special function called the destructor gets executed. The constructor
function name and the destructor have the same name as the class
tag. Both the functions return nothing. They are not associated with any
data type.

8.2 Constructors

// Program - 8.1
// to determine constructors and destructors
#include<iostream.h>
#include<conio.h>
class simple
{
private:
int a,b;
public:
simple()
{
a= 0 ;
b= 0;
cout<< “\n Constructor of class-simple “;
}
~simple()
{
cout<<“\n Destructor of class – simple .. “;
}
void getdata()
{
cout<<“\n Enter values for a and b... “;
cin>>a>>b;
}
void putdata()
{
cout<<“\nThe two integers .. “<<a<<‘\t’<< b;
cout<<“\n The sum of the variables .. “<< a+b;
}
};
void main()
{
simple s;
s.getdata();
s.putdata();
}

185
 When the above program is executed, constructor simple() is
automatically executed when the object is created. Destructor ~
simple() is executed, when the scope of the object ‘s’ is lost, i.e., at the
time of program termination.

The output of the program will be as follows:

Constructor of class - simple ..

Enter values for a & b… 5 6
The two integers….. 5 6
The sum of the variables….. 11
Destructor of class - simple …

8.3 Functions of constructor

1) The constructor function initializes the class object

2) The memory space is allocated to an object

8.4 Constructor overloading

Function overloading can be applied for constructors, as

constructors are special functions of classes. Program - 8.2
demonstrates constructor overloading.

The constructor add() is a constructor without parameters(non

parameterized). It is called as default constructor. More traditionally
default constructors are referred to compiler generated constructors
i.e., constructors defined by the computers in the absence of user
defined constructor. A non- parameterized constructor is executed when
an object without parameters is declared.

186
// Program - 8.2
// To demonstrate constructor overloading
# include<iostream.h>
#include<conio.h>
class add
{
int num1, num2, sum;
public:
add()
{
cout<<“\n Constructor without parameters.. “;
num1= 0;
num2= 0;
sum = 0;
}
add ( int s1, int s2 )
{
cout<<“\n Parameterized constructor... “;
num1= s1;
num2=s2;
sum=NULL;
}
add (add &a)
{
cout<<“\n Copy Constructor ... “;
num1= a.num1;
num2=a.num2;
sum = NULL;
}
void getdata()
{
cout<<“Enter data ... “;
cin>>num1>>num2;
}
void addition()
{
sum=num1+num2;
}
void putdata()
{
cout<<“\n The numbers are..”;
cout<<num1<<‘\t’<<num2;
cout<<“\n The sum of the numbers are.. “<< sum;
}
};
void main()
{
add a, b (10, 20) , c(b);
a.getdata();
a.addition();
b.addition();
c.addition();
cout<<“\n Object a : “;
a.putdata();
cout<<“\n Object b : “;
b.putdata();
cout<<“\n Object c.. “;
c.putdata();
}

187
OUTPUT:

Constructor without parameters….

Parameterized Constructor...

Copy Constructors…

Enter data .. 5 6

Object a:

The numbers are 5 6

The sum of the numbers are ….. 11

Object b:

The numbers are 10 20

The sum of the numbers are … 30

Object c:

The numbers are 10 20

The sum of the numbers are ….. 30

The constructor add ( int s1, int s2) is called as parameterized

constructor .To invoke this constructor , the object should be declared
with two integer constants or variables .

188
Note: char, float double parameters can be matched with int data
type due to implicit type conversions

For example: add a ( 10, 60 ) / add a ( ivar, ivar )

The constructor add (add &a ) is called as copy constructor. A copy

constructor is executed:

1) When an object is passed as a parameter to any of the

member functions
Example void add::putdata( add x);

2) When a member function returns an object

For example, add getdata();

3) When an object is passed by reference to constructor

For example, add a; b(a);

The following program – 2 demonstrates as to when a copy

constructor is executed?

189
// Program – 8.3
// To demonstrate constructor overloading

# include<iostream.h>
#include<conio.h>
class add
{
int num1, num2, sum;
public:
add()
{
cout<<“\n Constructor without parameters.. “;
num1= ‘\0’;
num2= ‘\0’;
sum = ‘\0’;
}

add ( int s1, int s2 )

{
cout<<“\n Parameterized constructor... “;
num1= s1;
num2=s2;
sum=NULL;
}

add (add &a)

{
cout<<“\n Copy Constructor ... “;
num1= a.num1;
num2=a.num2;
sum = NULL;
}

void getdata()
{
cout<<“Enter data ... “;
cin>>num1>>num2;
}
void addition(add b)
{
sum=num1+ num2 +b.num1 + b.num2;
}

add addition()
{
add a(5,6);
sum = num1 + num2 +a.num1 +a.num2;
}

void putdata()
{
cout<<“\n The numbers are..”;
cout<<num1<<‘\t’<<num2;
cout<<“\n The sum of the numbers are.. “<< sum;
}
};

190
 void main()
{
clrscr();
add a, b (10, 20) , c(b);
a.getdata();
a.addition(b);
b = c.addition();
c.addition();
cout<<“\n Object a : “;
a.putdata();
cout<<“\n Object b : “;
b.putdata();
cout<<“\n Object c.. “;
c.putdata();
}

ouput of the above program

Constructor without parameters..
Parameterized constructor...
Copy Constructor ... Enter data ... 2 3

Copy Constructor ...

Parameterized constructor...
Parameterized constructor...
Object a :
The numbers are..2 3
The sum of the numbers are.. 35
Object b :
The numbers are..0 1494
The sum of the numbers are.. 0
Object c..
The numbers are..10 20
The sum of the numbers are.. 41

Have you noticed as to how many times copy constructor is

executed?

Copy constructor is for the following statements of Program – 8.3.

191
 In the above example the function addition is also overloaded.
So, primarily functions declared anywhere within the program
can be overloaded.

8.5 Rules for constructor definition and usage

1) The name of the constructor must be same as that of the

class

2) A constructor can have parameter list

3) The constructor function can be overloaded

4) The compiler generates a constructor, in the absence of

a user defined constructor

5) The constructor is executed automatically

8.6 Destructors

A destructor is a function that removes the memory of an object

which was allocated by the constructor at the time of creating a object.
It carries the same name as the class tag, but with a tilde ( ~) as prefix.

192
Example :
class simple
{
——
——
public :
~simple()
{
.......................
}
}

8.7 Rules for destructor definition and usage

1) The destructor has the same name as that of the class

prefixed by the tilde character ‘~’.

2) The destructor cannot have arguments

3) It has no return type

4) Destructors cannot be overloaded i.e., there can be

only one destructor in a class

5) In the absence of user defined destructor, it is

generated by the compiler

6) The destructor is executed automatically when the

control reaches the end of class scope

193
Exercises

I Complete the following table

Constructor Destructor
1. Should be declared under - scope - scope
2. overloading is - -
3. Is executed when an
object is
The function of a

II. Why do the following snippets throw error ?

Class simple Class simple Class simple

{ { {
private : private : private :
int x; int x; int x;
simple() public : public :
{ x = 5; } simple(int y) simple(int y)
}; { x = y; } { x = y; }
};
void main() simple(int z = 5)
{ {
simple s; x = z;
} }
};
void main()
{
simple s(6);
}

194