Question

I have the following hierarchy:

Graduate.cpp  (abstract)
   College.cpp  (abstract)
      Ecollege.cpp
   University.cpp (abstract)
      Tuniversity.cpp
      Huniversity.cpp  

class Huniversity for example represents a student that graduated from H university.
each non-abstract class has to implement the following method which is defined in Graduate.h:

    virtual double CalcGraduateAvg() = 0;

Tuniversity has use info from Huniversity. this info is stored it static variables.
this is for example Tuniversity header and implementation:

#include "University.h"
#define AVG_FACTOR 5

class Tuniversity : public University {
public:
    Tuniversity(int id, char identifier, double salary, double grades);
    virtual double CalcGraduateAvg();

protected:
    static int _numTGrads;
    static double _sumTGrades;
};

#include "Tuniversity.h"
#include "Huniversity.h"

//initialize static variables:
int Tuniversity::_numTGrads = 0;
double Tuniversity::_sumTGrades = 0;

Tuniversity::Tuniversity(int id, char identifier, double salary, double grades)
    : University(id,identifier, salary, grades) {

    _numTGrads++;
    _sumTGrades += grades;
}

double Tuniversity::CalcGraduateAvg() {

//HERE I CAN'T access sumHGrades and numHGrades since it's private
    double A = Huniversity::_sumHGrades / Huniversity::_numHGrads;
    double T = _sumTGrades / _numTGrads;
    _normalizedGradesAvg = A / T * _gradesAvg + AVG_FACTOR;
    return _normalizedGradesAvg;

}

My design problem is how Tuniv’ reads data from Huniv’ (the two static variables).
Besides the fact that both class inherit University there is not connection between them.
I don’t want to make these variables public since its wrong.
I don’t want to make a none static virtual function GetAvg() since it will force me to create and object in order to get the data.
I tried to make virtual static function but it’s not possible.
Do you think there is a good solution to this problem (I rather not implement a static
function GetAvg() in Tuni’ and Huniv which will return the data because if i expand my program, for instance add Muniv’ there is no interface that forces the class to implement that GetAvg() function, so i consider that option a bad design).
As far as i see there is no good solution to this problem.
Using the 2 static variables in each class is my exercise requirement and i wish to consult with you before i ask my TA to change that requirement.

Thanks you all!

Answer 1

class Huniversity for example represents a student that graduated from H university

So why do you call this class Huniversity and not Hstudent ?

I think you’re mixing university and student and put them into the same class (because you also have static members representing per-university information in a class which you say represents a student). The universities could contain a vector of (pointers to) student objects where each student object contains its grade.

I would introduce separate classes for students and make the static members for number of students and sum of grades non-static and add the method GetAvg().