A function with class name

Question

Here is a code of a class of Linked List , i have a question on the function Singly_linked_list *GetNext().What does that means if a class name is stated before the function name? Is that a data type?Also,same question on the data member Singly_linked_list *nextPtr.I Please help Thank you

class Singly_linked_list // Use a class Singly_linked_list to represent an object{
public:
// constructor initialize the nextPtr
Singly_linked_list()
{
    nextPtr = 0; // point to null at the beginning
}

// get a number
int GetNum()
{
    return number;
}

// set a number
void SetNum(int num)
{
    number = num;
}

// get the next pointer
Singly_linked_list *GetNext()
{
    return nextPtr;
}

// set the next pointer
void SetNext(Singly_linked_list *ptr)
{
    nextPtr = ptr;
}

 private:
int number;
Singly_linked_list  *nextPtr;
 };

You really need an [introductory book on C++](http://stackoverflow.com/q/388242/179910). Those are the return type of the functions in question. — Jerry Coffin, Feb 02 '13 at 15:04
Nothing is being returned _to_ the class. What's being returned is an instance of the class (or a pointer to one). — Jerry Coffin, Feb 02 '13 at 15:11

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 02 '13 at 15:15

4

// get the next pointer
Singly_linked_list *GetNext()
{
    return nextPtr;
}

This means the function GetNext returns a pointer to an instance of the class Singly_linked_list.

Likewise

Singly_linked_list  *nextPtr;

means nextPtr is a pointer to an instance of the class Singly_linked_list.

edited Feb 02 '13 at 15:15

leemes

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answered Feb 02 '13 at 15:03

Vaughn Cato

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Edit: understanding how something can be of the type of a class was the main problem in the question -- emphasized that – leemes Feb 02 '13 at 15:16

A function with class name

1 Answers1