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+# Computer Science 3 Lab Exercises C++
+
+This repo documents the transition of the third CS3 lab exercises from Java to C++.
+The Course is about programming concepts rather than a specific language.
+
+## Changes
+
+### Worksheet 1
+**Element:**
+  - In Element every mention of Element is replaced with `std::shared_ptr<Element>`.
+  - Command cmd becomes `std::shared_ptr<Command>`.
+  - In the constructor `Element(Command cmd)` uses `std::make_shared<Command>(cmd)` to produce a `std::shared_ptr`.
+  - The destructor `~Element()` may be configured to log destruction of removed Elements.
+
+**CommandList:**
+  - the `Element root` now is a `shared_ptr<Element>` and is initialized inline with `std::make_shared<Element>(Command("root"))`. This is necessary because a shared pointer is empty upon construction.
+  - All member functions previously returning `Command`s now return `std::make_shared<Command>`.
+  This is to allow for returning `nullptr` if something went wrong.
+  - `getElement()` now returns `std::shared_ptr<Element>`.
+  - `getPos()` now returns `std::make_shared<Command>`.
+  - Where appropriate the funtion parameter `int` has been replaced with `unsigned int` to prohibit passing negative values.
+  - In `add(Command cmd)` `std::make_shared<Element>(cmd)` is used to create a new `Element`.
+  Here is easily visible how std::make_shared<T>() is the C++ equivalent to Java`s `new` operator.
+  - The `std::bad_alloc`-Exception possibly thrown by `std::make_shared<Element>()` is not catched in `add()`, to not introduce `try{} catch{}` too early.
+  Thus add() wont return `nullptr`, but crash the program if an error occures.
+
+
+## Trivia
+
+### smart pointers
+  - smart pointers point to NULL on construction.
+  - They can easily be checked for content with
+  ```
+    if (mySmartPointer)
+        //has content
+    else
+        //is empty
+  ```
+  - A unique pointer will be destroyed at the end of it's scope.
+  - A smart pointer will be destroyed when all of it's references are overwritten or the scope of the last reference ends.
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