C++ Constructor error. Cannot initialize array of strings

Question

Why cannot initialize my array of strings in my constructor? I get the following error: internal compiler error: Segmentation fault|

at these two lines in the constructor: suits = {"Clubs", "Diamonds", "Hearts", "Spades"}; denominations = {"Ace","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","Jack","Queen","King"};

class Card
    {
      public:
        Card(int n);
        Card(string d, string s);
        int getNumber();
        string getDenomination();
        string getSuit();
        void setNumber(int n);
        void setDenomination(string d);
        void setSuit(string s);
        void printMe();
        void compareMe(Card c);

      private:
        int number;
        string denomiation;
        string suit;
        string suits [4];
        string denominations [13];
    };


    Card::Card(int n)
    {
        suits = {"Clubs", "Diamonds", "Hearts", "Spades"};
        denominations = {"Ace","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","Jack","Queen","King"};

        int denIndex, suitIndex;

        denIndex = 51 % 13;
        suitIndex = 51 / 13;

        number = n;
        denomiation = denominations[denIndex];
        suit = suits[suitIndex];

    }

Answer 1

use std::vector or boost::array, a simplified example of your code is below

#include <boost/assign/list_of.hpp>

#include <boost/array.hpp>

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

class Card
{
public:
    explicit Card( unsigned n ) :
        _number( n ),
        _suits( boost::assign::list_of( "Clubs" )( "Diamonds" )( "Hearts" )( "Spades" ) ),
        _denominations( boost::assign::list_of( "Ace" )( "2" )( "3" )( "4" )( "5" )( "6" )( "7" )( "8" )( "9" )( "10" )( "Jack" )( "Queen" )( "King" ) )
    {

    }

private:
    unsigned _number;
    boost::array<std::string, 4> _suits;
    boost::array<std::string, 13> _denominations;
};

int
main()
{
    Card foo( 5 );

    return 0;
}

Answer 2

You can only use literal array initialization at construction, not assignment.

int good[3] = { 1, 2, 3 }; // OK
int bad[3];
bad = { 1, 2, 3 }; // not so good

You will have to copy the array manually (or use a container like vector or boost::array.

Answer 3

From the code you posted, I guess that the menbers suits and denominations should be static data member, that is they will always have the same data for every Card instance.

So I suggest you make them static and initialize them at file scope in your cpp file (outside of your class declaration):

Declaration:

class Card
{
  public:
    Card(int n);
    Card(string d, string s);
    int getNumber();
    string getDenomination();
    string getSuit();
    void setNumber(int n);
    void setDenomination(string d);
    void setSuit(string s);
    void printMe();
    void compareMe(Card c);

  private:
    int number;
    string denomiation;
    string suit;
    static const string suits [4];                 // static const
    static const string denominations [13];        // static const
};

Definition:

const string Card::suits[4] = {"Clubs", "Diamonds", "Hearts", "Spades"};
const string Card::denominations[13] = {"Ace","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","Jack","Queen","King"};

EDIT: As Robert S. Barnes stated, making them static const is even better.

Hope that helps.

Answer 4

If you're getting an ICE (internal compiler error), then you really should report the code to whoever wrote your compiler. Compilers are supposed to print out warnings and errors, but not segmentation fault.