Does C++11 have C#-style properties?

Question

In C#, there is a nice syntax sugar for fields with getter and setter. Moreover, I like the auto-implemented properties which allow me to write

public Foo fo         


        

Answer 1

No, C++ has no concept of properties. Though it can be awkward to define and call getThis() or setThat(value), you are making a statement to the consumer of those methods that some functionality may occur. Accessing fields in C++, on the other hand, tells the consumer that no additional or unexpected functionality will occur. Properties would make this less obvious as property access at first glance appears to react like a field, but in fact reacts like a method.

As an aside, I was working in a .NET application (a very well known CMS) attempting to create a customer membership system. Due to the way they had used properties for their user objects, actions were firing off that I hadn't anticipated, causing my implementations to execute in bizarre ways including infinite recursion. This was because their user objects made calls to the data access layer or some global caching system when attempting to access simple things like StreetAddress. Their entire system was founded on what I would call an abuse of properties. Had they have used methods instead of properties, I think I would have figured out what was going wrong much more quickly. Had they have used fields (or at least made their properties behave more like fields), I think the system would have been easier to extend and maintain.

[Edit] Changed my thoughts. I'd had a bad day and went a bit on a rant. This cleanup should be more professional.