How to store a reference of an object inside of another class c++?

Question

If I have the classes Register and Line, where each Register object will include a reference to a Line object, how can I write it?

 class Register{ public: Line &line; Register(Line &object){ line = object; } };

is this valid? If not what can I do? Thank You.

"is this valid?" - Would you really be asking if it was working? — StoryTeller - Unslander Monica
– StoryTeller - Unslander Monica, Commented Dec 10, 2017 at 20:40
@StoryTeller yes, but I read that references have to be initialized, but am I not assigning? So I don't know if it would work. — Hannah
– Hannah, Commented Dec 10, 2017 at 20:42
You have to make sure that the Line object referenced in your Register class outlives the Register object, otherwise you will run into trouble. — BobMorane
– BobMorane, Commented Dec 10, 2017 at 20:49
A reference member is almost never what you want. You won't be able to copy a Register, and you need to be very careful about lifetimes. — molbdnilo
– molbdnilo, Commented Dec 10, 2017 at 20:51
You are assigning. Assignment and initialization are different. — M.M
– M.M, Commented Dec 10, 2017 at 20:53

SoronelHaetir · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-10 20:49:47Z

Reference members must be initialized in the ctor initializer list, assigning to them in the ctor body is not the same thing at all:

class Register { public: Line & line; Register(Line &object) :line(object) {} };

1 Answer 1