Overload assignment operator with string parameter

Asked Feb 19 '16 at 13:07

Active Feb 19 '16 at 13:38

Viewed 105 times

I have a type defined in C++ the following way:

class MyTypeT
{
public:
    MyTypeT();
    virtual ~MyTypeT();

    /// Initialize from string
    bool fromString(const std::string &typeinfo);

    /// Write to string
    virtual std::string toString() const;

    /// Is instance empty (not initialized yet)
    bool empty() const;
};

I was thinking to overload the assignment operator like this:

MyTypeT & MyTypeT::operator=(const std::string & rhs)
{
    fromString(rhs);
    return *this;
}

Is this allowed and useful approach or are there any side effects?

edited Feb 19 '16 at 13:38

Patryk

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asked Feb 19 '16 at 13:07

Simon

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related/dupe: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4421706/operator-overloading – NathanOliver Feb 19 '16 at 13:11
1

Better create `MyTypeT(std::string)` constructor and no need in multiple overloading all operators for you type and `std::string` and any other, only for you type. – Yuriy Orlov Feb 19 '16 at 13:14
Allowed: yes. Useful: no. – Christian Hackl Feb 19 '16 at 13:15
@ChristianHackl Why not? – Simon Feb 19 '16 at 13:16
2

Depending on how your code then uses the class, it may or may not be a good idea. As a rough rule of thumb, if you provide an `operator=()` you need to provide a corresponding constructor. – Peter Feb 19 '16 at 13:21

Overload assignment operator with string parameter

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