In C++ how to convert a string to class object?

Question

For example i have a class named "WaterScene", in the .xml i have saved as string "WaterScene" when i read the .xml i have to convert that string to class. One approach is just string comparison

if( string == "WaterScene")
return new WaterScene;

Is there any generic way to do this to avoid string comparison? Like in objective C(dynamic language) we can get the class using string...

Class classObject =[[NSBundle mainBundle] classNamed:string];

Answer 1

If all of the objects you would be returning are derived from a common base class, you could use a std::map<std::string,BaseClass *>. The comparisons ultimately in there somewhere, but it keeps things better organized.

Answer 2

No, you can't do it with standard C++. C++ has no notion of reflection. Sorry :)