'this' argument has type const but function is not marked const

Question

Okay so I\'m a bit of a noob at C++ and in my second assignment I am required to make classes with public and private arguments etc, etc. Basically the mutator functions won\'t

Answer 1

1. You should use std:: in the class declaration. See Why is “using namespace std;” considered bad practice? on the question why.

2. Your set_ methods take unsigned arguments. You cannot assign an unsigned to a string like PhoneNumber_ = x;. The arguments need to be strings.

You'd need to change your members like

std::string get_PhoneNumber() const { return PhoneNumber_; } // Accessor
const void set_PhoneNumber(std::string const & x) { PhoneNumber_ = x; } // Mutator

3. When you write temp->get_PhoneNumber() = id; your intention is clearly to set the value for PhoneNumber_, so why do you use the get_ method? Just use the appropriate set_ method and write temp->set_PhoneNumber(id);.

4. Generally avoid pointers in C++. If you're really in need of a pointer use a smart pointer like std::unique_ptr or std::shared_ptr (if and only if you are required to use a plain pointer: use one).

5. A 'blank' default value for a std::string is an empty string like

   std::string const & id = std::string{} Appears clearer to me.

6. To create an object of type Customer with blank/empty member strings you do not need to do more than Customer customer_object; since there is an implicitly declared default constructor which uses the std::string default constructor which results in an empty strign anyway.

7. Usually a constructor is used to create an object depending on some arguments values.

You could easily write one that takes all required values and can be used as a default constructo anyway by adding something along the lines of

Customer(const std::string& id = std::string{}, 
  const std::string& name = std::string{}, 
  const std::string& address = std::string{})
  : PhoneNumber_(id), Name_(name), Address_(address)
{ }

to your class. See another C++ Class Initialization List example.

See another C++ Class Initialization List example.

8. For the sake of encapsulation you usually want to avoid using 'direct' getters and setters revealing your data structure.