operator overloading

main.cpp

#include <iostream>
#include <cstdint>

using namespace std;

class IR
{
public:
	uint32_t m_a;
	IR() : m_a(0) { cout << "IR::IR()" << endl; }
	IR(int a) : m_a(a) { cout << "IR::IR(int)" << endl; }
	IR(const IR& mlc1) : m_a(mlc1.m_a) { cout << "IR::IR(const IR&)" << endl; }
	operator uint32_t() const { cout << "IR::operator uint32_t()" << endl; return m_a; }
};

class AW
{
	uint32_t m_b;
public:
	AW() : m_b(0) { cout << "AW::AW()" << endl; }
	AW(int b) : m_b(b) { cout << "AW::AW()" << endl; }
	// explicit operator uint32_t() const { cout << "explicit AW::operator uint32_t()" << endl; return m_b; } // works
	operator uint32_t() const { cout << "AW::operator uint32_t()" << endl; return m_b; } // doesn't work
	operator IR() const { cout << "AW::operator IR()" << endl; return IR(m_b); } 
};

int main(int argc, char const *argv[])
{
	cout << "*** AW a;" << endl;
	AW a;
	cout << "*** IR b;" << endl;
	IR b;
	cout << "*** b = (IR) a;" << endl;
	b = (IR) a; // doesn't work
	// cout << "*** b = a.operator IR();" << endl;
	// b = a.operator IR(); // always works
	return 0;
}