C++ Overview & Basics

(CS 1002)

Dr. Muhammad Aleem,

Department of Computer Science,

National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences,
Islamabad Campus
 History
• C evolved from two languages (BCPL and B)
• 1980: “C with Classes”
• 1985: C++ 1.0
• 1995: Draft standard
• Developed by Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs
• Based on C, added Object-Oriented
Programming concepts (OOP) in C
• Similar program performance (compared to C)
 C vs. C++
• Advantages:
1. Faster development time (code reuse)

2. Creating / using new data types is easier

3. Easier memory management

4. Stricter syntax & type checking => less bugs

5. Easier to implement Data hiding

6. Object Oriented concepts
C++ Program Compilation
 From a High-level Program to an Executable File

a) Create file containing the program with a *text

editor (e.g., pico, gedit, etc.)

b) Run preprocessor to convert source file directives

to source code program statements (#include
lines).
c) Run compiler to convert source program
statements into machine instructions (g++).

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*For more information: https://linuxhint.com/best-text-editors-for-ubuntu/
 From a High-level Program to an Executable File

d) Run linker to add/connect hardware-specific library

code to machine instructions, producing an
executable file. (g++)
Steps: b) through d) are often performed by a single
command or button click (such as g++).

Compiling a C++ program:

g++ -o first.exe hello.cpp

Note 
Errors occurring at any step will prevent execution of the step that follows.
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 What Is a Program Made Of?
Common elements in programming languages:
– Key/reserved words (predefined meaning)
– Programmer-defined identifiers (rules apply)
– Operators (e.g., + for “add, * for multiply)
– Punctuation (symbols that organize, e.g., comma (,),
semicolon(;), parentheses, etc.)
– Syntax ( rules of “grammar” )

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First C++ Program
Preprocessor Directive

Standard Namespace

main function

Print message on screen

end main function

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 Preprocessor Directives
#include<iostream>
# is a preprocessor directive

• The preprocessor runs before the actual compiler

and prepares your program for compilation.

• Lines starting with # are directives to preprocessor

to perform certain tasks, e.g., “include” command
instructs the preprocessor to add the iostream
library in this program
 main( ) function
• Every C++ program start executing from main ( )

• A function is a construct that contains/encapsulates

statements in a block.

• Block starts from “{“ and ends with “}” brace

• Every statement in the block must end with a

semicolon ( ; )

• Examples…
 Example Program 1
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int num1 = 5, num2, sum;
num2 = 12;

sum = num1 + num2;

cout << "The sum is " << sum;
return 0;
}

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 Example Program 2
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int num1 = 5, num2, sum;
cout << “Enter second number: “;
cin >> num2;
sum = num1 + num2;
cout << “The sum is “ << sum;
return 0;
}

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 Key Words
• Also known as reserved words
• Have a special meaning in C++
• Can not be used for another purpose
• Written using lowercase letters
• Examples in program (shown in green):
using namespace std;
int main()

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 Some C++ Reserve Words
auto break int long
case char register return
const continue short signed
default do sizeof static
double else struct switch
enum extern typedef union
float for unsigned void
goto if volatile while
 Programmer-Defined Identifiers
• Names made up by the programmer
• Not part of the C++ language
• Used to represent various things, such as
variables (memory locations)
• Example in program (shown in green):
int num1;

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 Variables
• A variable is a name for a cell in computer memory
(RAM) where a value can be stored.
• The memory cell (variable) holds a data value
• A variable must be defined before it can be used
• Example variable definition (declaration):
double num1;

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 Variables
- Variables are identifiers which represent some
unknown, or variable-value.

- A variable is named storage (some memory address’s

contents)

x = a + b;
Speed_Limit = 90;
 Declaring Variables
TYPE <Variable Name> ;

Examples:
int marks;
double Pi;
int suM;
char grade;

- NOTE: Variable names are case sensitive in C++ ??

 Declaring Variables
• C++ is case sensitive
– Example:
area
Area
AREA
ArEa

are all seen as different variables

 Variable Names
Valid Names:
• Start with a letter
• Contains letters
• Contains digits
• Contains underscores

• Do not start names with underscores: _age

• Don’t use C++ Reserve Words

 Variable Names
• Choose meaningful names
– Don’t use abbreviations and acronyms: mtbf, TLA,
myw, nbv

• Don't use overly long names

• Ok:
partial_sum
element_count
staple_partition

• Too long (valid but not good practice):

remaining_free_slots_in_the_symbol_table
Which are valid variable names?
AREA area_under_the_curve
2D _Marks
Last Chance #values
x_yt3 areaoFCirCLe
Num-2 %done
Grade*** return
Ifstatement
 Declaring Variables…
• When we declare a variable, what happens ?
– Memory allocation
• How much memory (data type)

– Memory associated with a name (variable name)

– The allocated space has a unique address

Marks

int Marks; %$^%$%$*^%

FE07
 Variables Initialization
• Variables may be given initial values, or
initialized, when declared. Examples:
length
int length = 7 ; 7

diameter
float diameter = 5.9 ; 5.9

initial
char initial = ‘A’ ; ‘A’
 Operators
• Used to perform operations on data
• Many types of operators:
– Arithmetic: +, -, *, /
– Assignment: =
– Input: (stream extraction) >>
– Output: (stream insertion) <<

• Examples in program (shown in blue):

num2 = 12;
sum = num1 + num2;
cin >> num2; cout << sum; 1-25
 Punctuations
• Characters that mark the end of a statement,
separate items in a list, and separate elements of
a statement.

• Example in program (shown in blue):

int main ( )
{
double num1, num2=3, num3;
num1=5;
cout << sqrt(num2);
} 1-26
 Lines vs. Statements
In a source (.cpp) file,
A line is all of the characters entered before a carriage
return (ENTER key).
Blank lines improve the readability of a program.

Here are four sample lines. Line 3 is blank:

double num1 = 5, num2, sum;
num2 = 12;

sum = num1 + num2;

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 Lines vs. Statements
• A statement is an instruction to the computer to
perform an action.
• A statement may contain keywords, operators,
programmer-defined identifiers, and punctuation.
• A statement may fit on one line, or it may occupy
multiple lines.
Here is a single statement that uses two lines:
double num1 = 5,
num2, sum;

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 Comments
• Two types of comments
1. Single line comment: // my program
2. Multi-line (paragraph) comment:
/* my
Program */

• The compiler ignores all the comment related text

 Input / Output Example
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

int main ( )
{
string name; //Name of student
cout<< “Enter you name";
cin>>name;
/* Now print hello , and students name */
cout<< “Hello “ << name;
return 0;
}
 Omitting std:: prefix
- using directive brings namespaces or its sub-items
into current scope

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
cout<<“Hello World!”<<endl;
cout<<“Bye!”;
return 0;
}
 Namespaces
• Namespace pollution
– Occurs when building large systems from pieces
– Identical globally-visible names clash
– How many programs have a “print” function?
– Very difficult to fix

using namespace std;

cout<<“Hello World”;

std is a standard C++ namespace,

You can define your own namespaces too (we see this in future)
 rvalue and lvalue
Assignment Rule: On the left side of an assignment
there must be a lvalue or a variable (address of memory
location)

int i, j;
i = 7;
7 = i;
j * 4 = 7;
 rvalue and lvalue
• Are the two occurrences of “a” in this expression the
same?
a = a + 1;
One on the left : location of the variable (whose name is
a, or address);
One on the right: value of the variable (whose name is
a);

• Two attributes of variables lvalue and rvalue

• The lvalue of a variable is its address
• The rvalue of a variable is its value
 Using iostream
• Standard iostream objects:
cout - object providing a connection to the monitor
cin - object providing a connection to the keyboard
 The Insertion Operator (<<)
• To send output to the screen we use the insertion
operator (i.e., <<) on the object cout
cout << age;

• Different type of objects can be printed:

cout << 7; // Outputs 7
cout << 3.6; // Outputs 3.6
cout << “String”; // Outputs String
cout << ‘\n’; // Outputs a newline
 The Extraction Operator (>>)
• To get input from the keyboard we use the extraction
operator and the object cin
cin >> Variable;

• Multiple uses of the insertion and extraction operator can

be chained together:
cout << E1 << E2 << E3 << … ;
cin >> V1 >> V2 >> V3 >> …;

• Example:
cout << “Total sales are $” << sales << ‘\n’;
cin >> Sales1 >> Sales2 >> Sales3;
 The >> Operator

• Values must be separated by whitespace (space, tab,

end-of-line [ENTER], end-of-file).

• Multiple values need not all be of the same

type

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 The >> Operator
• When ENTER key pressed, keyboard input goes to the input buffer
(where it is stored as characters)
1 2 3 T O M B R O W N 7 2 . 5 eol
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  position

>> extracts chara+cters from the input buffer and converts

them into the data type of the variable
int count;
cout << "How may chairs in the room? ";
cin >> count;

• String “123” converted to whole number (int) 123 and stored into
variable count. Next, >> starts at pos 5 (space)
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 String input (Variables)
// Read first and second name
#include<iostream>
#include<string>
int main() {
string first;
string second;
cout << “Enter your first and second names:";
cin >> first >> second;
cout << "Hello “ << first << “ “ << second;
return 0;
}
Any Questions