C++: OOP: Data member initializers

Initializing data members

There are two ways to initialize data members.

Explicit assignments in a constructor.
In a member initializer in the constructor header.

Member initializer syntax

The definition (not the prototype) header is followed by a colon, the name of the field, and a parenthesized initial value. Separate multiple initializations with commas.

Insert example here

Member initializer required in the following cases

To initialize const data members.
To initialize references.
To initialize member objects. If a member initializer is not provided, the default constructor for that class will be called.
To initialize base class members.