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Inheritance: A Mechanism For Specialization A Mechanism For Reuse Fundamental To Supporting Polymorphism

Inheritance allows classes to specialize and reuse functionality from base classes. When an object of a derived class is instantiated, constructors are called from the base class up. Destructors are called from the derived class down. Virtual functions and destructors allow polymorphism through base class pointers. Abstract base classes define pure virtual interfaces that derived classes must implement. Multiple inheritance can model compound relationships but can cause the "diamond problem," resolved with virtual base classes.

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Danny Liskovich
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101 views

Inheritance: A Mechanism For Specialization A Mechanism For Reuse Fundamental To Supporting Polymorphism

Inheritance allows classes to specialize and reuse functionality from base classes. When an object of a derived class is instantiated, constructors are called from the base class up. Destructors are called from the derived class down. Virtual functions and destructors allow polymorphism through base class pointers. Abstract base classes define pure virtual interfaces that derived classes must implement. Multiple inheritance can model compound relationships but can cause the "diamond problem," resolved with virtual base classes.

Uploaded by

Danny Liskovich
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Inheritance

A mechanism for specialization


A mechanism for reuse

Fundamental to supporting polymorphism

68

BankAccount
class Account
{
protected:
double fBalance;
public:
Account( double aBalance );

};

void deposit( double aAmount );


void withdraw( double aAmount );
double getBalance();

class BankAccount: public Account


{
private:
double fInterestRate;
public:
BackAccount( double aRate );

};

void addInterest();
void chargeFee( double aAmount );

69

Constructors and Inheritance

Whenever an object of a derived class is instantiated,


multiple constructors are called so that each class in
the inheritance chain can initialize itself.

The constructor for each class in the inheritance


chain is called beginning with the base class at the
top of the inheritance chain and ending with the most
recent derived class.

70

Base Class Initializer


class BankAccount : public Accout
{
public:
BackAccount( double aRate ) :
Account( 0.0 ),
fInterestRate( aRate )
{}
};

71

Facts About Base Class Initializer

If a base class does not have a default constructor, the


derived class must provide a base class initializer for it.
Base class initializers frequently appear alongside member
initializers, which use similar syntax.
If more than one argument is required by a base class
constructor, the arguments are separated by comma.
Reference members need to be initialized using a member
initializer.

72

Destructors and Inheritance

Whenever an object of a derived class is destroyed,


the destructor for each class in the inheritance
chain, if defined, is called.

The destructor for each class in the inheritance chain


is called beginning with the most recent derived class
and ending with the base class at the top of the
inheritance chain.

73

Virtual Destructors

When deleting an object using a base class pointer


of reference, it is essential that the destructors for
each of the classes in the inheritance chain get a
chance to run:
BackAccount *BAptr;
Account *Aptr;
BAptr = new BackAccount(2.25);
Aptr = BAptr;

delete Aptr;
74

Virtual Account Destructor


Not declaring a destructor
virtual is a common source
for memory leaks!

class Account
{
public:
virtual ~Account() { }

};

75

Virtual Member Functions

To give a member function from a base class new


behavior in a derived class, one overrides it.

To allow a member function in a base class to be


overridden, one must declare the member function
virtual.

Note, in Java all member functions are virtual.

76

Virtual withdraw Method


class Account
{
public:

virtual void withdraw( double aAmount )


{
fBalance -= aAmount;
}

};
77

Overriding the withdraw Method


class BackAccount : public Account
{
public:

virtual void withdraw( double aAmount )


{
if ( !(fBalance - aAmount < 0.0) )
Account::withdraw( aAmount );
}

};

never use ==

base call
78

Calling a Virtual Method


BankAccount lBankAccount(2.25);
Account* Aptr = &lBackAccount;
Aptr->withdraw( 50.0 );
invokes BankAccount::withdraw
79

Facts About Virtual Members

Constructors cannot be virtual.


Declaring a member function virtual does not require that
this function must be overridden in derived classes, except
the member function is declared pure virtual.
Once a member function has been declared virtual, it remains
virtual.
Parameter and result types must match to properly override
a virtual member function.
If one declares a non-virtual member function virtual in a
derived class, the new member function hides the inherited
member function.
You can declare a private member function virtual to enable
polymorphism within the scope of the declaring class.
80

Abstract Base Classes

A class is abstract if it contains one or more pure


virtual member functions.

An abstract class cannot be instantiated.


Derived classes must provide definitions for the pure virtual
member functions, or declare them as pure virtual itself.
A pure virtual member function can be defined in the class
that declares it pure virtual.
If one declares a pure virtual destructor, a definition for it
must be given in the class that declares the destructor
pure virtual.
Abstract classes required a virtual destructor.

81

Pure Virtual Member Function


Now Account is abstract!

class Account
{
public:
virtual double estimateReturn() = 0;
};
82

Abstract Classes as Interfaces

An interface is a set of member functions.


Interfaces never define data types.
Interfaces never provide a default implementation
of methods.
A class implements an interface by defining all
member functions declared by the interface.
An abstract class can be viewed as an interface if
it only contains public pure virtual member
functions.
83

Interface TicTacToeView
class TicTacToeView
{
public:
virtual ~TicTacToeView() {}; // empty required destructor
virtual
virtual
virtual
virtual

void
void
void
void

registerGame( TicTacToe* aGame ) = 0;


printBoard() = 0;
draw() = 0;
declareWinner( int aPlayer ) = 0;

};

84

Access Level for Inheritance

public:

protected:

Public members in the base class remain public.


Protected members in the base class remain protected.
Yields a is a relationship.
Public and protected members in the base class are
protected in the derived class.
Yields a implemented in terms of relationship.

private:

Public and protected members in the base class become


private in the derived class.
Yields a stricter implemented in terms of relationship.
85

Multiple Inheritance

C++ allows a class to inherit from


several base classes at once.
Multiple inheritance is a mechanism to
compose orthogonal behavior.

86

CheckingAccount
class Account
{ };
class BackAccount : public Account
{ };
class WireAccount : public Account
{ };
class CheckingAccount : public BackAccount,
public WireAccount
{ };
87

Diamond Problem
class Account
fBalance

fBalance

class BankAccount

class WireAccount

BankAccount::fBalance

WireAccount::fBalance

class CheckingAccount
CheckingAccount inherits
Account twice!
88

Virtual Base Classes

A virtual base class allows multiple


instances of a base to be included in
object of a derived class.
Members of virtual base classes are
disambiguated by merging them into
one representative.
89

Virtual Account Class


class Account
{ };
class BackAccount : virtual public Account
{ };
class WireAccount : virtual public Account
{ };
class CheckingAccount : public BackAccount,
public WireAccount
{ };
90

How Virtual Base Classes Work


class Account
fBalance

fBalance

class BankAccount

class WireAccount

(Account::)fBalance

(Account::)fBalance

class CheckingAccount
fBalance
91

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