AP Computer Science Workshop

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Why Use the AP C++ Classes?

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Problems with C++ Arrays and Strings

• Arrays
  • no range checking for arrays
  • array size must be defined when you first create array; cannot change size

• Strings
  • no range checking for strings

  • maximum string size must be defined when you first create string; cannot grow dynamically

  • strings must end with '\0'

  • must remember to allocate space for extra null byte

  • can't use ==, !=, < operators to compare strings

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STL vs AP Classes

• STL - Standard Template Library
  • Large collection of common classes
  • Standard across different compilers (someday)

• AP Classes - Developed for Advanced Placement courses and AP Test
  • Smaller collection of useful classes (almost a subset of STL)
  • Simpler, easier-to-use

• I use apstring and apvector in CS 1 to talk about declaring and using classes, not implementing them.

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Alyce Brady, Kalamazoo College