private - C++ access specifiers

Question

I just want to make sure I got the idea of public and private right.

Regarding the private access specifier, does it mean:

• Only accessed inside the class
• Cannot be accessed from the object of the class unless there are public class methods that can be used to access them (Can other objects use those public functions?)
• No other object can access them

And for public:

• Accessed from the object of the class
• Accessed from any other object

Is that right?

Answer 1

private : Only member functions and friends of class can access it.
public : Can be accessed anywhere where the object has scope.

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Answering the questions -

private:

1. Yes
2. Yes. (Can other objects use those public functions? With out having class relations, one object of class cannot communicate to the other's members. )
3. Friends has access to private members of a class. So, answer depends upon your class has friends or not.

public:

1. Yes
2. Depends whether the object has hierarchical relations to the member's class you are trying to access.