How to create class objects dynamically?

Question

Let\'s say I have a class box, and a user can create boxes. How to do it? I understand I create objects by className objectName(args); but how

Answer 1

In C++, it is possible to allocate objects using automatic (stack) and dynamic (heap) storage.

Type variable_name; // variable_name has "automatic" storage.
                    // it is a local variable and is created on the stack.

Type* pointer_name = NULL; // pointer_name is a "pointer". The pointer, itself,
                           // is a local variable just like variable_name
                           // and is also created on the stack. Currently it
                           // points to NULL.

pointer_name = new DerivedType; // (where DerivedType inherits from Type). Now
                                // pointer_name points to an object with
                                // "dynamic" storage that exists on the heap.

delete pointer_name; // The object pointed-to is deallocated.
pointer_name = NULL; // Resetting to NULL prevents dangling-pointer errors.

You can use pointers and heap-allocation to dynamically construct objects as in:

#include 
#include 
#include 
class Base {
    public:
        virtual ~Base(){}
        virtual void printMe() const = 0;
    protected:
        Base(){}
};
class Alpha : public Base {
     public:
        Alpha() {}
        virtual ~Alpha() {}
        virtual void printMe() const { std::cout << "Alpha" << std::endl; }
};
class Bravo : public Base {
     public:
        Bravo() {}
        virtual ~Bravo() {}
        virtual void printMe() const { std::cout << "Bravo" << std::endl; }
};
int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
    std::auto_ptr pointer; // it is generally better to use boost::unique_ptr,
                                 // but I'll use this in case you aren't familiar
                                 // with Boost so you can get up and running.
    std::string which;
    std::cout << "Alpha or bravo?" << std::endl;
    std::cin >> which;
    if (which == "alpha") {
        pointer.reset(new Alpha);
    } else if (which == "bravo") {
        pointer.reset(new Bravo);
    } else {
        std::cerr << "Must specify \"alpha\" or \"bravo\"" << std::endl;
        std::exit(1);
    }
    pointer->printMe();
    return 0;
}

Related: the "Factory" object-oriented design pattern