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c++syntaxdynamic-allocationnew-operator

object declaration and definition in c++

Possible Duplicate:
Do the parentheses after the type name make a difference with new?

I saw someone uses the constructor like this:

class Foo
{
  public: Foo();
};

int main(){
  Foo *f= new Foo;
}

what is the difference between Foo *f= new Foo; and Foo *f= new Foo(); ?

Solution

  • First of all the code you give will not compile. You need to have

    Foo* f = new Foo()

    Notice the asterisk.

    Otherwise the two calls have the same result for non-primitive types. I have worked in companies where the () syntax is enforced by the styleguide and for a good reason: for primitive types there can be a difference:

    int* p = new p;
cout << *p << endl; // the value is arbitrary i.e. behavior is undefined.
int* q = new int();
cout << *q << endl; // outputs 0.

    It may be obvious here but imagine that Foo is a typedef for instance. So my advice is: always use the Foo() syntax.