What is the purpose of member initializer lists in C constructors?

Understanding Member Initializer Lists in C Constructors

When encountering a colon operator (":") following a constructor name in C , it's crucial to understand the significance of member initializer lists. These lists offer a concise and convenient way to initialize class member variables during constructor execution.

For example, consider the following constructor:

class MyClass {
public:

    MyClass() : m_classID(-1), m_userdata(0) { 
    }

    int m_classID;
    void *m_userdata;
};

The member initializer list, located in the constructor's parentheses, initializes the instance variables m_classID and m_userdata with specific values. This is equivalent to writing:

MyClass() {
    m_classID = -1;
    m_userdata = 0;
}

By utilizing the member initializer list, you can initialize member variables before entering the constructor body, where additional assignments and operations can be performed. This clear separation between initialization and further processing enhances code readability and maintainability.

Therefore, a constructor followed by a member initializer list initializes member variables during its execution, providing a flexible and efficient way to set initial values for your class instances.

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