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From: rpj@redcloud.cad.mcc.com (Rich Johns)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: static members
Summary: static members
Message-ID: <701@cadillac.CAD.MCC.COM>
Date: 6 Jan 89 22:20:38 GMT
Sender: news@cadillac.CAD.MCC.COM
Reply-To: rpj%cad@MCC.COM (Rich Johns)
Organization: MCC VLSI-CAD Program, Austin, TX
Lines: 35


In Stroustroup on page 275, section 8.5.1 it states:

   "No initializer can be specified for a static member, 
    and it cannot be of a class with a constructor."

This could mean two things(at least):

1) if a class has a constructor, that class may NOT have 
   static members.

2) You cannot have a static data member which needs a 
   constructor.

After discussing this with someone, I am inclined to 
think number 2 is correct. As such are the following
assumptions correct:

 a) a static data member is allowed, as long as:
    1) the member does not require a constructor.
    2) the member is private

 b) a static const data member  is allowed, as long as:
    1) the member does not require a constructor.
    2) the member is private

 c) a static const data member CAN have an initial value.
 
 d) a static function member is not allowed.



Rich Johns, MCC CAD Program | 3500 W. Balcones Center Dr., Austin, TX 78759
ARPA: johns@mcc.com         | Phone: [512] 338-3714
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