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C++ Mutable Keyword: The Mutable Storage Class Speci Er in C++ (Or Use of Mutable Keyword in C++)

The mutable keyword in C++ allows data members of a class to be modified even when the object is declared as const. This is useful when most members need to be constant but some need to be updateable. The mutable keyword allows specific members to be changed in const functions by making the this pointer effectively non-const for those members. It cannot be used with static, const, or reference members. Two example programs demonstrate that a mutable member can be modified on a const object, while a non-mutable member cannot.

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Krishanu Modak
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63 views

C++ Mutable Keyword: The Mutable Storage Class Speci Er in C++ (Or Use of Mutable Keyword in C++)

The mutable keyword in C++ allows data members of a class to be modified even when the object is declared as const. This is useful when most members need to be constant but some need to be updateable. The mutable keyword allows specific members to be changed in const functions by making the this pointer effectively non-const for those members. It cannot be used with static, const, or reference members. Two example programs demonstrate that a mutable member can be modified on a const object, while a non-mutable member cannot.

Uploaded by

Krishanu Modak
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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C++ mutable keyword

Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls


around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8 (Bible)

The mutable storage class speci er in C++ (or use of mutable keyword in C++)
auto, register, static and extern are the storage class speci ers in C. typedef is also considered as a storage class speci er in C. C++ also
supports all these storage class speci ers. In addition to this C++, adds one important storage class speci er whose name is mutable.

What is the need of mutable?


Sometimes there is requirement to modify one or more data members of class / struct through const function even though you don’t want the
function to update other members of class / struct. This task can be easily performed by using mutable keyword. Consider this example where
use of mutable can be useful. Suppose you go to hotel and you give the order to waiter to bring some food dish. After giving order, you suddenly
decide to change the order of food. Assume that hotel provides facility to change the ordered food and again take the order of new food within
10 minutes after giving the 1st order. After 10 minutes order can’t be cancelled and old order can’t be replaced by new order. See the following
code for details.

#include <iostream>
#include <string.h>
using std::cout;
using std::endl;
  
class Customer
{
    char name[25];
    mutable char placedorder[50];
    int tableno;
    mutable int bill;
public:
    Customer(char* s, char* m, int a, int p)
    {
        strcpy(name, s);
        strcpy(placedorder, m);
        tableno = a;
        bill = p;
    }
    void changePlacedOrder(char* p) const
    {
        strcpy(placedorder, p);
    }
    void changeBill(int s) const
    {
        bill = s;
    }
    void display() const
    {
        cout << "Customer name is: " << name << endl;
        cout << "Food ordered by customer is: " << placedorder << endl;
        cout << "table no is: " << tableno << endl;
        cout << "Total payable amount: " << bill << endl;
    }
};
  
int main()
{
    const Customer c1("Pravasi Meet", "Ice Cream", 3, 100);
    c1.display();
    c1.changePlacedOrder("GulabJammuns");
    c1.changeBill(150);
    c1.display();
    return 0;
}

Output:

Customer name is: Pravasi Meet


Food ordered by customer is: Ice Cream
table no is: 3
Total payable amount: 100
Customer name is: Pravasi Meet
Food ordered by customer is: GulabJammuns
table no is: 3
Total payable amount: 150

Closely observe the output of above program. The values of placedorder and bill data members are changed from const function because they
are declared as mutable.

The keyword mutable is mainly used to allow a particular data member of const object to be modi ed. When we declare a function as const,
the this pointer passed to function becomes const. Adding mutable to a variable allows a const pointer to change members.
mutable is particularly useful if most of the members should be constant but a few need to be updateable. Data members declared as mutable
can be modi ed even though they are the part of object declared as const. You cannot use the mutable speci er with names declared as static
or const, or reference.

As an exercise predict the output of following two programs.

// PROGRAM 1
#include <iostream>
using std::cout;
  
class Test {
public:
  int x;
  mutable int y;
  Test() { x = 4; y = 10; }
};
int main()
{
    const Test t1;
    t1.y = 20;
    cout << t1.y;
    return 0;
}

// PROGRAM 2
#include <iostream>
using std::cout;
  
class Test {
public:
  int x;
  mutable int y;
  Test() { x = 4; y = 10; }
};
int main()
{
    const Test t1;
    t1.x = 8;
    cout << t1.x;
    return 0;
}

Source:
The mutable storage class speci er (C++ only)

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