Get and set method definition in c plus plus?

Answer 1

Accessors (getters) and mutators (setters) are defined as you would define any member function, usually using the attribute's name prefixed with get_ or set_ as appropriate. Accessors are typically defined as constant member functions that return values (copies of attributes), but you can also return references and pointers to the actual attributes if required, even though these can both undermine encapsulation. However, returning constant references or contant pointers to constant types ensures encapsulation is maintained without creating any unecessary copies of an object (the caller can make a volatile copy when desired). Mutators typically accept a constant value, reference or pointer and act as a data validator, verifying that the incoming data is acceptable before physically setting the member. The return value of a mutator is often void, but when validation is not a concern, it can be useful to return the current value (prior to mutation), thus allowing the caller to easily determine if the object has been mutated or not.