The Destructor

The destructor destroys an object, i.e., it deallocates the memory used by the object.
Prototype
```
    Type::~Type();
```
The destructor is used in the following situation.
- To destroy an object when it passes out of scope.
  - A local variable passes out of scope when execution returns from a function.
  - A variable declared within a block {} passes out of scope when execution leaves that block.
  - A "temporary" object passes out of scope when the evaluation of the expression in which it occurs is completed.
The Automatic Destructor
- Invokes each data member's destructor.
- Deallocates the memory used by the data members.
Example - DestructorTest.cpp, vector.h (original), vector.h(copy) , vector.cpp

This page was last modified on Feb 2, 2001

URL: http://people.hsc.edu/faculty-staff/robbk/Coms262/Lectures/Destructor.html