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From: dattatri@metaphor.Metaphor.COM (Dattatri)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: C++ Syntax Query
Keywords: Pointer to Member Functions
Message-ID: <1743@metaphor.Metaphor.COM>
Date: 5 Nov 90 21:24:51 GMT
Organization: Metaphor Computer Systems, Mountain View, CA
Lines: 36

Since ANSI-C allows the following:

	int (*funcp)();
	/* more code and initialization */
	funcp();  /* (*funcp)(); is the old K&R style */

and C++ also allows this syntax, I feel it is odd not to allow the same
generalization for pointer to member functions. See code below.

	class Pointer {
	  public:
		int Integer;
		Pointer(int a=0) { Integer = a; }
		void display() { cout << Integer << '\n' ; }
	};
main()
{
	void (Pointer::*ptf) ();
	ptf = &Pointer::display;
	Pointer alpha = 57;
	Pointer *beta = new Pointer(48);
	(alpha.*ptf)(); // Why not alpha.ptf() 
	beta->ptf();   // this is also not allowed 
	(beta->*ptf)(); // this is the language rule
}

The only logical argument would be: 
    The call to a member function through a pointer to a member function
    should be explicit in the syntax such that a call through a 
    pointer to a function and a call through a pointer to a *member*
    function appear different.

Would anyone like to comment.
I will post a summary if enough responses are received.

Kayshav -- dattatri@metaphor.com