Question about TypeDef

[The Hobo]

If I have this:

typedef struct tagPOINTS {
  LONG score, fouls;
} POINTS;

Can I manipulate the data by doing:

POINTS green;
green.score = 44;
green.founds = 1;

[Zaei]

Yup. The typedef struct tagXXXXX is for C programmers. In C, you would find some code like this:

struct X
{
  //... some data...
};

...

struct X y;
y.<something>

By typedefing, you would only have X y as the declaration of the variable.

Z.

[The Hobo]

What you just said confused me All I understood was the "Yes." Would it work as I put it? And what's the difference between what you said?

Me Confused.

[jim mcnamara]

typedef is a little like Private type.... End TYpe in VB. Creating a UDT in VB.

It lets you create a name for any datatype you want

typedef BOOL unsigned integer;

BOOL i;  // i is now an unsigned integer

[Zaei]

To explain my above post more =). Take a look at the following C++ snippet:

struct X
{
   int y;
};

...

X myX;
myX.y = 10;

Now compare to this C snippet:

struct X
{
   int y;
};

...

struct X myX;
myX.y = 10;

Note the difference in the declaration of myX. To avoid having to type struct over and over again, you can do this:

typedef struct tagX
{
  int y;
} X;

...

X myX;
myX.y = 10;

Z.

[The Hobo]

Alright. Thanks

[The Hobo]

Just to follow this up:

I use classes a lot in my programs now, so I was wondering if there's any real reason to use structs or should I just use classes?

[FantastichenEin]

In c++ is a struct not automatically made a type?

[CornedBee]

jim: you confused the order:
typedef unsigned int BOOL;
would be correct.


In C++ you don't need the struct keyword (or enum, union, whatever) for declaring variables anymore. But if a header file is written for both C and C++ (like windows.h) you'll still find this syntax.

[parksie]

Originally posted by The Hobo
Just to follow this up:

I use classes a lot in my programs now, so I was wondering if there's any real reason to use structs or should I just use classes?

Using a struct makes it clearer when you're reading that it's not supposed to have object-oriented behaviour (you can inherit structures as well, but they default to public access on all members, so you can use them for small things).