#ifndef EMPLOYEE_H
#define EMPLOYEE_H

class Employee
{
public:
    Employee(const char*, const char*);
    ~Employee();

    const char* GetFirstName() const;
    const char* GetLastName() const;

    static int GetCount(); // static member function, returns # of objects initialized

private:
    char*      _firstName;
    char*      _lastName;
    static int _count; //static data member, number of objects instantiated
};

#endif

#include "Employee.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>
using namespace std;

//----------------------------------------------
// defines and initializes static data member
//----------------------------------------------
int Employee::_count = 0;

//----------------------------------------------
// define static member function that returns
// number of Employee objects instantiated
//----------------------------------------------
int Employee::GetCount()
{
    return _count;
}

//----------------------------------------------
// constructor dynamically allocates space for
// first and last name and uses strcpy_s to
// copy first and last names into the object
//----------------------------------------------
Employee::Employee(const char* first, const char* last)
{
    _firstName = new char[strlen(first) + 1];
    strcpy_s(_firstName, sizeof(_firstName), first);

    _lastName = new char[strlen(last) + 1];
    strcpy_s(_lastName, sizeof(_lastName),  last);

    // increment static count of employees
    ++_count;

    cout << "Employee constructor for " << _firstName << ' ' << _lastName << " called.\n\n";
}

//-----------------------------------------------------
// Destructor deallocates dynamically allocated memory
//-----------------------------------------------------
Employee::~Employee()
{
    cout << "~Employee() called for " << _firstName << ' ' << _lastName << "\n\n";

    delete [] _firstName;
    delete [] _lastName;

    // decrement static count of employees
    --_count;
}

//-----------------------------------------------------
// return first name of employee
//-----------------------------------------------------
const char* Employee::GetFirstName() const
{
    //---------------------------------------------------------
    // const before return type prevents client from modifying
    // private data; client should copy returned sring before
    // destrctor deletes storage to prevent undefined pointer
    //---------------------------------------------------------
    return _firstName;
}

const char* Employee::GetLastName() const
{
    //---------------------------------------------------------
    // const before return type prevents client from modifying
    // private data; client should copy returned sring before
    // destrctor deletes storage to prevent undefined pointer
    //---------------------------------------------------------
    return _lastName;
}

#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>
using namespace std;

#include "Employee.h"

int main ()
{
    cout << "Number of employees before initialization is "
         << Employee::GetCount() << endl; // use class name

    Employee* emp1Ptr = new Employee("Susan", "Baker");
    Employee* emp2Ptr = new Employee("Robert", "Jones");
    cout << "Number of employees after instantiation is " << emp1Ptr->GetCount();

    cout << "\n\nEmployee 1: "
         << emp1Ptr->GetFirstName() << " "
         << emp1Ptr->GetLastName()
         << "\nEmployee 2: "
         << emp2Ptr->GetFirstName() << " "
         << emp2Ptr->GetLastName() << "\n\n";

    delete emp1Ptr; // recapture memory
    emp1Ptr = 0;    // disconnect pointer from free-store space
    delete emp2Ptr; // recapture memory
    emp2Ptr = 0;    // disconnect pointer from free-store space
    cout << "number of employees after deletion is: " << Employee::GetCount() << endl;

    _getch();
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

Employee::Employee(const char* first, const char* last)
{
    _firstName = new char[strlen(last) + 1];
    strcpy_s(_firstName, sizeof(_firstName), first); // HERE

    _lastName = new char[strlen(last) + 1];
    strcpy_s(_lastName, sizeof(_lastName),  last);  //HERE

    // increment static count of employees
    ++_count;

    cout << "Employee constructor for " << _firstName << ' ' << _lastName << " called.\n\n";
}

_firstName = new char[strle....
.... sizeof(_firstName)