C++ : Implementing copy constructor and copy assignment operator

Question

After reading about copy constructors and copy assignment operators in C++, I tried to create a simple example. Though the below snippet apparently works, I am not sure whether I am implementing the copy constructor and copy assignment operator the right way. Could you please point out if there are any mistakes/improvements or a better example to understand the relevant concepts.

class Foobase
{
    int bInt;

public:
    Foobase() {}

    Foobase(int b) { bInt = b;}

    int GetValue() { return bInt;}

    int SetValue(const int& val) { bInt = val; }
};


class Foobar
{
    int var;    
    Foobase *base;      

public:
    Foobar(){}

    Foobar(int v)
    {
        var = v;        
        base = new Foobase(v * -1);

    }

    //Copy constructor
    Foobar(const Foobar& foo)
    {       
        var = foo.var;
        base = new Foobase(foo.GetBaseValue());
    }

    //Copy assignemnt operator
    Foobar& operator= (const Foobar& other)
    {
        if (this != &other) // prevent self-assignment
        {
            var = other.var;
            base = new Foobase(other.GetBaseValue());

        }
        return *this;
    }

    ~Foobar()
    {
        delete base;
    }

    void SetValue(int val)
    {
        var = val;
    }

    void SetBaseValue(const int& val)
    {
        base->SetValue(val);
    }

    int GetBaseValue() const
    {
        return(base->GetValue());
    }

    void Print()
    {
        cout<<"Foobar Value: "<<var<<endl;
        cout<<"Foobase Value: "<<base->GetValue()<<endl;

    }   

};

int main()
{
    Foobar f(10);       
    Foobar g(f);  //calls copy constructor
    Foobar h = f; //calls copy constructor

    Foobar i;
    i = f;

    f.SetBaseValue(12);
    f.SetValue(2);    

    Foobar j = f = z; //copy constructor for j but assignment operator for f

    z.SetBaseValue(777);
    z.SetValue(77);

    return 1;
}

Answer 1

Your copy assignment operator is implemented incorrectly. The object being assigned to leaks the object its base points to.

Your default constructor is also incorrect: it leaves both base and var uninitialized, so there is no way to know whether either is valid and in the destructor, when you call delete base;, Bad Things Happen.

The easiest way to implement the copy constructor and copy assignment operator and to know that you have done so correctly is to use the Copy-and-Swap idiom.