--> Jamie Kowinsky wrote to All  <--
 
JK>say I have a class defined, lets call it class test, this class has
JK>a number of private variables and public functions.  It includes a
JK>function to print out some private data fileds ex "void
JK>test:print(void)" this function simply does "cout << stuff" on a
JK>number of things, in effect printing the fields of the object.
JK>
JK>Now say i have some object created with this class ex:
JK>test thing = test(....);
JK>normally to print this thing i have to call "thing.print" I would
JK>rather do a "cout << thing".  I am fimular with overloading
JK>operators, and I would like to know if its possible to overload the
JK><< operator somehow to do this. Or perhaps there is another way.
 
You bet, overloading << is an important C++ ability.
 
// I did not test this code, but it should be close...   
#include 
 
class test {
  private:   // Aside: yes, Neil, I explicitly do this!
    int a;
    const char *s;
 
  public:
    // Constructor with default arguments
    test(int i = 1, const char *str = "No String") : a(i), s(str) { }
 
    // This is how to overload <<
    friend ostream & operator << (ostream & os, test & t)
    {
       os << "The int is " << t.a << endl;
       os << "The string is " << t.s << endl;
 
       return os;
    }
};
 
 
int main(void)
{
   test t1();
   test t2(0, "Overloaded <<");
 
   cout << t1 << endl;
   cout << t2 << endl;
 
   return 0;
}
 
Cliff Rhodes
cliff.rhodes@juge.com
crhodes@flash.net
 
X CMPQwk 1.42 1692 X"If you would live innocently, seek solitude." - P
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