title: C++ - Initializing a Member variable inside a member function?
body: <p>This seems like bad coding practice, but it was the guidelines given to me. I want to preface by saying I have no idea how this will actually be implemented in the main, Im just writing the class.</p>
  
  <pre><code>class Example
  {
    private:
       static int total;
    public:
      void initalizeTotal();
  }
  
  Example::initalizeTotal()
  {
     total = 0;
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>total will (I guess) be used to count the number of objects of that class.
  This is basically what I'm getting at. The problem is how I figure out how to actually call the function. 
  I can't just call it in the constructor, sense that would reset total each time. 
  And I've tried and failed "check" if the variable has a value yet and if not, call the function.</p>
  
  <p>Is there any advice anyone can give?</p>
  
  <p>EDIT: 
  I forgot to include that total is static. And that i MUST have a function that initializes total. Thats a requirement of the assignment.</p>