What Does the 'this' Pointer Refer to in C Member Functions?

The Enigmatic 'this' Pointer: Unveiling Its Purpose

In the realm of object-oriented programming, the 'this' pointer holds a crucial role. It serves as a ubiquitous attribute within member functions, yet its enigmatic behavior often puzzles novices.

Understanding the Role of 'this'

To unravel the mystery, let's delve into the C scenario you encountered:

void do_something_to_a_foo(Foo *foo_instance);

void Foo::DoSomething()
{
  do_something_to_a_foo(this);
}

What Does 'this' Reference?

The pivotal question remains: what does the keyword 'this' refer to within the DoSomething() member function? The answer lies in its intimate connection to the current object.

this as a Hidden Parameter

The 'this' pointer essentially functions as a hidden parameter. When an instance of the Foo class (e.g., x) invokes the DoSomething() method, it implicitly passes its own memory address as 'this'.

Example Clarification

To solidify this concept, consider the following invocation:

Foo x;
x.DoSomething();

When x invokes DoSomething(), 'this' within the member function will automatically hold the address of x.

Relevance of 'this' in Non-static Member Functions

Non-static member functions, like DoSomething(), have direct access to the member data of the containing object. The 'this' pointer enables this accessibility by providing a link to the object's own memory. Through 'this', these functions can manipulate the attributes and methods of the object they belong to.

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