Advanced Program Design with C++

Advanced Program Design with C++ Part 1: Program Structure Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure free functions and main function compilation unit header file, implementation file namespaces Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Structure of C++ programs • C++ is a superset of C • main() function is the program driver • Free functions • Data structures • A C program is a valid C++ program • Classes encapsulate other functions: Object-oriented • The main() function is a free function, not a class member Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Simple C++ program Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: multiple files programs • Only simplistic programs are self-contained into one file • C++ is a language that specifies programming structures and includes only basic data structures and operators • Most programs require the use of libraries defined in other files • Complier will compile the library’s code and the program’s code, then the linker will link them • Unlike Java, a single C++ file can contain many classes/functions/data structures. • This leads to what is called physical design, i.e. decisions as to what entities are grouped within/across files. Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: multiple files programs • Aside from having to use libraries, large programs need to be split into different files for various reasons: • Speed up compilation: The compiler may recompile only the files that changed since the last compilation. • Increase organization, decrease browsing time: Physically splitting your code along logical lines will make it easier to browse through the code to locate classes, functions, etc. • Facilitate code reuse: Modular physical design allows for grouping related entities and separating them from less related ones. Each group can then be logically designed to be reusable across different projects. Modular/reused code can be fixed, fixing all projects that use it. • Split coding responsibilities among programmers: For really large projects, several programmers are involved. The larger are the program files, the more likely it is that several programmers are changing the same file simultaneously. Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: compilation unit • In C++, a compilation unit is a .cpp file • A file may contain several functions, data structures, or classes (unlike Java) • Each compilation unit is compiled individually into an object file • The linker then attempts to resolve cross-references between the object files to form the unique executable file Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: compilation units as program parts • Program parts, or components • Kept in separate files • Compiled separately and linked together before the program runs • Compared to Java, C++ provides much more freedom to define what is a “part”, as it can be composed of a group of functions, data structures and classes • In C++, there is a separation between the interface declarations and the implementation of a component • Each component is a group of highly cohesive and highly coupled elements Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: cohesion • Cohesion: The degree to which the elements of a module belong together in the achievement of a common goal. • Cohesion is increased if: • The functionalities embedded in a module have much in common. • The composing elements carry out a small number of related activities, by avoiding coarsely grained and/or unrelated sets of data. • Advantages of high cohesion: • Increased understandability of modules (simpler, fewer operations). • Increased maintainability, because changes in one module require fewer changes in other modules. • Increased reusability, because application developers will find the component they need more easily among the cohesive set of operations provided by the module. Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: coupling • Coupling: the degree to which an element relies on other elements for its operation • Coupling is not a desired quality, but is a side-effect of defining different elements to carry a common task • Much related to cohesion: good modules exhibit high cohesion and high internal coupling • Coupling between modules is what really needs to be avoided • Disadvantages of high coupling: • A change in one module forces a ripple effect of changes in other modules • Assembly of modules requires more effort due to the increased inter-module dependency • A module might be harder to reuse and/or test because dependent modules must be included Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: header files and implementation files • Programs may have header files (.h) and program files (.cpp) • No one-to-one relationship between file and classes as in Java • Can have one file that contains many classes • Not necessary. One can have the whole program in a single file • Additional “physical design” consideration • Important aspect of C++ program design Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: header files and implementation files • Interface/header File (.hfile) • Contains class declaration with free functions and operators declarations • Useful to programmers, as it is an abstract view of a module • Implementation File (.cppfile) • Contains free/member function definitions • The .cpp file is a compilation unit • General rules: • There should be a one-to-one relationship between a given .ccp file and a corresponding .h file, and they should have the same name. • The .cpp file “#includes” its.h file. • A.cpp file should never be “#included”. Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: header files • Header files are intended for providing forward declarations to the compiler • Typically, for each x.cpp file, there is a corresponding x.h file • Any program file using entities defined in x.cpp will #include “x.h” • This way, this program file does not use unresolved identifiers • The linker will later make the proper connections on the object files • In Java, this is solved by having files named after the single class they contain • The Java model is much easier to use, though less flexible than the C++ model Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: header files • A module’s interface (classes and free functions declaration) should always be in its header file. • Programs that use this module will “#include" it. There is different syntax to use if you are including a user-defined module, or an existing library module: #include “mymodule.h” • Quotes indicate a user-defined module • The compiler will find it in your project directories #include <mymodule.h> • < > indicate predefined library header file • The compiler will find it in the library directories • Using different search paths Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: implementation files • A module’s implementation code should be in a .cppfile • Typically, give the header file and the implementation file the same name • mymodule.h and mymodule.cpp • Not enforced, but failure to do so is confusing • A module is composed of classes and free functions • All the modules’ classes’ member function and free functions are defined in the.cpp file • Implementation file must #includethe module’s header file, as it contains the module’s classes and data structures declarations • cppfiles contain the executable code • Function definitions, including main(), free functions, member functions. Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Header file: example //This is the header file dtime.h. This is the interface for the class DigitalTime. //Values of this type are times of day. The values are input and output in //24 hour notation as in 9:30 for 9:30 AM and 14:45 for 2:45 PM. #ifndef DTIME_H #define DTIME_H #include<iostream> usingnamespacestd; classDigitalTime// This is a class declaration. { // It contains variable/function member declarations. public: // The function definitions are found in the corresponding .h file. DigitalTime(inttheHour, inttheMinute); DigitalTime( ); getHour( ) const; getMinute( ) const; void advance(intminutesAdded); void advance(inthoursAdded, intminutesAdded); friendbooloperator ==(constDigitalTime& time1, constDigitalTime& time2); friendistream& operator >>(istream& ins, DigitalTime& theObject); friendostream& operator <<(ostream& outs, constDigitalTime& theObject); private: int hour; int minute; staticvoidreadHour(int& theHour); staticvoidreadMinute(int& theMinute); staticintdigitToInt(char c); }; #endif//DTIME_H Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Implementation file: example //This is the implementation file: dtime.cpp of the class DigitalTime.//It contains all the function definitions for the function declarations in the dtime.h file. //The interface for the class DigitalTime is in the header file dtime.h. //Note that there is no class declaration in this file. #include<iostream> #include<cctype> #include<cstdlib> usingnamespacestd; #include"dtime.h“ // All .cpp files need to #include their corresponding .h file //Uses iostream and cstdlib: DigitalTime::DigitalTime(inttheHour, inttheMinute) { if (theHour < 0 || theHour > 24 || theMinute < 0 || theMinute > 59){ cout << "Illegal argument to DigitalTime constructor."; exit(1); } else{ hour = theHour; minute = theMinute; } if (hour == 24) hour = 0; } // Syntax: ClassName::FunctionName. DigitalTime::DigitalTime( ){ hour = 0; minute = 0; } intDigitalTime::getHour( ) const{ return hour; } // All other member functions and operators definitions declared in dtime.h should be defined here } Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: redundant includes • Header files are typically included multiple times • e.g., class declaration included by class implementation and main program file • Must only be compiled only once • else, multiply defined names • No guarantee which "#include" in which file the compiler might see first or how many files will end up including a particular header file • Use preprocessor directives • Instructs the compiler to read a header file only once Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: redundant includes • Header file structure for file fname.h: #ifndef FNAME_H#define FNAME_H… //Content of header file…#endif • FNAME typically name of file for consistency and readability • This avoids multiple definitions from compiling the same header file more than once • May also use: #pragma once… //Content of header file… Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: redundant includes • In fact, this is a specialized use of the conditional compilation preprocessor directive. • Conditional compilation: #ifdef x //or ifndef ... #else ... #endif • Can be used to switch between portions of code by switching on/off x, e.g. machine-dependent code. Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: namespaces • Namespace: Collection of name definitions inside a program, potentially across different files • For example, namespace “std” is common in libraries • Has all the standard library definitions we need #include <iostream>using namespace std; • Includes entire standard library of name definitions #include <iostream>using std::cin; using std::cout; • Can specify just the objects we want • Can be more efficient, as it avoids including things we don’t use Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: namespaces • Used as a solution to resolve potential name clashes • Large programs use many classes and functions • As a program re-uses many other files, it increases the possibility of encountering entities that have the same name • Namespaces are meant to deal with this • A namespace can be turned "on" with the using namespacedirective • If names might conflict, switch it off • But how to “switch it off” after it has been activated? • You cannot, but conveniently, the using directive is effective only in the scope in which it is used (see next slide). Use different namespaces in separated code blocks. Though this solution has its limitations. • This is one reason why the use of using NS::namedirective is advocated over using namespace NS Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: namespaces • Given namespaces NS1andNS2 • Both have void function myFunction()defined differently • If we want to use either definitions at different places in our program, we may do the following: { using namespace NS1; myFunction();} { using namespace NS2; myFunction();} Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: global namespace • Any code goes in some namespace • Unless specified, code belongs to the global namespace • No need for using directive • Global namespace always available • Implied “automatic” usingdirective • But there is no way to “turn it off” Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: creating a namespace • To create a namespace: namespace Space1{Some_Code} • Places names defined and/or declared in Some_Codeinto namespace Space1 • Can then be made available by : using namespace Space1 • And any of the entities defined (e.g. NSentity) in it can be made available by: using Space1::NSentity Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: creating a namespace across header and implementation files • As seen earlier, header files and implementation files hold different parts of the definition/declaration of the entities in a module. • Thus, when using namespaces, the same namespace needs to be declared and used consistently in both the header file and the implementation file. • In the header file (declarations): namespace Space1{ void greeting();} • In the implementation file (definitions): namespace Space1{ void greeting() { cout << "Hello from namespace Space1.\n"; }} Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: inline namespace qualification • Can specify where name comes from • Use the scope-resolution operator (::) • Only intended for one use (or few) • If overused, leads to less readable code NS1::fun1(); • Specifies that fun1()comes from namespace NS1 • Especially useful for parameters: intgetInput(std::istreaminputStream); • Parameter type definition found in istream’sstd namespace • Eliminates need for usingdirective or declaration Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: namespaces example Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: unnamed namespace • Compilation unit: • A file, along with all files #included in the file • Thus, in you #include a .cpp file, you merge them into a single compilation unit. Avoid! • Every compilation unit has unnamed namespace • Declared in the same way as a named namespace, but with no name • All names declared in an unnamed namespace are then local to the compilation unit • Use unnamed namespace to keep things "local" • Scope of unnamed namespace is compilation unit • Not same as global namespace • Global namespace: • No namespace grouping at all; global scope • Unnamed namespace: • Has namespace grouping, just no name; local scope Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Program structure: global vs. unnamed namespace example #include <iostream> using namespace std; namespace { constinti = 4; // this is local } inti = 2; // this is globalint main() { cout << i << endl; // ERROR, i is ambiguous return 0; } Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

References • Walter Savitch, Absolute C++ (Chapter 1, 11), Addison-Wesley, 2006. • Bjarne Stroustrup, The C++ Programming Language (Chapters 2,6,14,15), Addison-Wesley, 2013. • Y. Daniel Liang, Introduction to Programming with C++ (Chapter 2, 13). Joey Paquet, 2007-2019

Advanced Program Design with C++