c++ help with starting new project
Author
Hi, I'm trying to start a new project and have already run into a couple of issues, all quite minor but I would like some help/advice please.
Problem 1:
My header file has 2 classes that both have references to each other in them, so it can't compile, is there anyway round this? i.e.
Class Screen
{
public:
//pointer to screen manager
ScreenManager* pScreenManager;
}
Class ScreenManager
{
private:
std::vector<Screen> listOfScreens;
}
Problem 2:
In C# I have an enum of ScreenStates that can accessed everywhere (I think because it is in a namespace), is it a good idea to create a namespace for most of my game, or is that bad programming practise? If it is bad practise, what is the best way to create an enum (e.g. enum ScreenState{ Active,Inactive, Paused,};) so that the screenmanager and other areas of the game can access it? I assume I could achieve this by making it a global variable, however I just wanted to see if this was necessary or not...
Thanks for any responses
Adam
Hey KnightAdz!
You declare ScreenManager after you make use of the class' name. Since you are using a pointer to the object, this is fine as long as you make a forward declaration.
However, if you were trying to keep a reference or copy of a ScreenManager before it's actual layout is visible, you need to move the layout before the code that uses it.
There is not much point to tossing an engine in a namespace unless you need to resolve ambiguity. If you had a bunch of symbols other libraries might use like 'list', or 'map' you would want to isolate the symbols in a namespace to avoid name collisions. The STL is full of objects with names other people might use ('list' and 'map' included) and the developers were courteous enough to throw the entire thing in namespace std.
However, in a game engine you can get more specific. For example, when I write a game I would name the class with the initialization logic and the message loop after the game, followed by App.
That's just me. I don't expect to be using any other code that has an object called starcraftApp, so I don't throw it in a namespace. It saves me from typing 'using namespace' everywhere, which gets VERY annoying for me, especially when I realize that by doing so I effectively defeat the purpose of the namespace since I just keep pushing the code to global scope.
Also, declaring an enum does not make an instance of it's type magically appear. It's just another layout. You would declare the enum and then declare a variable of it's type elsewhere.
If you need any help in the future with C++, drop me a PM.
Hope this Helps, and Cheers!
-Zyro
Quote:Problem 1:
My header file has 2 classes that both have references to each other in them, so it can't compile, is there anyway round this? i.e.
Class Screen
{
public:
//pointer to screen manager
ScreenManager* pScreenManager;
}
Class ScreenManager
{
private:
std::vector<Screen> listOfScreens;
}
You declare ScreenManager after you make use of the class' name. Since you are using a pointer to the object, this is fine as long as you make a forward declaration.
class ScreenManager; // <-- Forward declaration. Make a habit of using these.class Screen{public://pointer to screen managerScreenManager* pScreenManager;}class ScreenManager{private:std::vector<Screen> listOfScreens;}However, if you were trying to keep a reference or copy of a ScreenManager before it's actual layout is visible, you need to move the layout before the code that uses it.
Quote:In C# I have an enum of ScreenStates that can accessed everywhere (I think because it is in a namespace), is it a good idea to create a namespace for most of my game, or is that bad programming practise? If it is bad practise, what is the best way to create an enum (e.g. enum ScreenState{ Active,Inactive, Paused,};) so that the screenmanager and other areas of the game can access it? I assume I could achieve this by making it a global variable, however I just wanted to see if this was necessary or not...
There is not much point to tossing an engine in a namespace unless you need to resolve ambiguity. If you had a bunch of symbols other libraries might use like 'list', or 'map' you would want to isolate the symbols in a namespace to avoid name collisions. The STL is full of objects with names other people might use ('list' and 'map' included) and the developers were courteous enough to throw the entire thing in namespace std.
However, in a game engine you can get more specific. For example, when I write a game I would name the class with the initialization logic and the message loop after the game, followed by App.
class starcraftApp; // With apologies to Blizzard.That's just me. I don't expect to be using any other code that has an object called starcraftApp, so I don't throw it in a namespace. It saves me from typing 'using namespace' everywhere, which gets VERY annoying for me, especially when I realize that by doing so I effectively defeat the purpose of the namespace since I just keep pushing the code to global scope.
Also, declaring an enum does not make an instance of it's type magically appear. It's just another layout. You would declare the enum and then declare a variable of it's type elsewhere.
enum colors{ RED, GREEN, BLUE};int main(){ colors c = GREEN; //... return 0;}If you need any help in the future with C++, drop me a PM.
Hope this Helps, and Cheers!
-Zyro
Author
Hey zyrolasting, thanks for your advice, that was a lot of help, and thanks for being so nice - you might regret that offer of the PM :-P rating ++
Quote:you might regret that offer of the PM
If you truly do not understand something I will be happy to help. [smile]
It is true I don't want to be answering every little thing, though. A great tutorial and reference for C++ can be found here.
Glad I helped!
-Zyro
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