[Resolved] Class Instantiation

[The Hobo]

I have a switch statement like this:

switch (iOption) {
    case 1:
        cFreshman cNewStudent = new cFreshman();
        cNewStudent.getSpecialInfo();
        break;
      
    case 2:
        cSophomore cNewStudent = new cSophomore();
        cNewStudent.getSpecialInfo();
        break;

     case 3:
        cJunior cNewStudent = new cJunior();
        cNewStudent.getSpecialInfo();
        break;
        
    case 4:
        cSenior cNewStudent = new cSenior();
        cNewStudent.getSpecialInfo();
        break;

    default:
        break;
}

There's other code involived in the cases, but I just trimmed it to this as an example. Now, to shorten up the code, I wanted to do something like this:

switch (iOption) {
    case 1:
        cFreshman cNewStudent = new cFreshman(); break;
      
    case 2:
        cSophomore cNewStudent = new cSophomore(); break;

     case 3:
        cJunior cNewStudent = new cJunior(); break;
        
    case 4:
        cSenior cNewStudent = new cSenior(); break;

    default:
        break;
}

cNewStudent.getSpecialInfo();
// do other stuff with cNewStudent

But that obviously wont work, since cNewStudent is only defined within the scope of the case statement.

So I'm wondering if there's any other way to do it? Like:

cClassName cNewStudent;
switch (iOption) {
    case 1:
        cNewStudent = new cFreshman(); break;
      
    case 2:
        cNewStudent = new cSophomore(); break;

     case 3:
        cNewStudent = new cJunior(); break;
        
    case 4:
        cNewStudent = new cSenior(); break;

    default:
        break;
}

cNewStudent.getSpecialInfo();
// do other stuff with cNewStudent

I know that doesn't make much sense, but can I setup the class without defining what type it is, and then define it's type in the case statement? Or anything else like this?

I know it's a longshot, but I figured I'd ask anyways.

[The Hobo]

I just realized my original switch code doesn't even compile.

[sunburnt]

something like this:

public class cStudent
{
     public:
          virutal void getSpecialInfo() {};
          virtual /* other functions shared amongst students */
};

public class cSophmore : public cStudent
{
     public:
          void getSpecialInfo() { /* .... */ };
          /* .... */
}




///////////////////////////////////////
cStudent cNewStudent;

switch (iOption) 
{
    case 1:
        cNewStudent = new cFreshman();
        break;
    case 2:
        cNewStudent = new cSophomore();
        break;
     case 3:
        cNewStudent = new cJunior();
        break;
    case 4:
        cNewStudent = new cSenior();
        break;
}

cNewStudent.getSpecialInfo();

[The Hobo]

Thanks, I think I got it working using that idea.