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Virtual Base Class

Virtual base class is used to avoid multiple copies of a base class when a derived class inherits from multiple parent classes that share the same base class. Without a virtual base class, a derived class would contain separate copies of the shared base class - one from each parent class. But with a virtual base class, there is only one copy of the base class in the derived class, avoiding errors and ensuring consistent behavior when accessing the single instance of the base class.

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77 views3 pages

Virtual Base Class

Virtual base class is used to avoid multiple copies of a base class when a derived class inherits from multiple parent classes that share the same base class. Without a virtual base class, a derived class would contain separate copies of the shared base class - one from each parent class. But with a virtual base class, there is only one copy of the base class in the derived class, avoiding errors and ensuring consistent behavior when accessing the single instance of the base class.

Uploaded by

Ashutosh Sharma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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C++ Virtual Base Class

Virtual base class is used in situation where a derived have multiple copies of base class.
Consider the following figure:

Example without using virtual base class

#include<iostream.h>
#include<conio.h>

class ClassA
{
public:
int a;
};

class ClassB : public ClassA


{
public:
int b;
};
class ClassC : public ClassA
{
public:
int c;
};

class ClassD : public ClassB, public ClassC


{
public:
int d;
};
void main()
{

ClassD obj;

obj.a = 10; //Statement 1, Error occur


obj.a = 100; //Statement 2, Error occur

obj.b = 20;
obj.c = 30;
obj.d = 40;

cout<< "\n A : "<< obj.a;


cout<< "\n B : "<< obj.b;
cout<< "\n C : "<< obj.c;
cout<< "\n D : "<< obj.d;

Output :

A from ClassB : 10
A from ClassC : 100
B : 20
C : 30
D : 40

In the above example, both ClassB & ClassC inherit ClassA, they both have single copy of
ClassA. However ClassD inherit both ClassB & ClassC, therefore ClassD have two copies of
ClassA, one from ClassB and another from ClassC.

Statement 1 and 2 in above example will generate error, bco'z compiler can't differentiate
between two copies of ClassA in ClassD.

To remove multiple copies of ClassA from ClassD, we must inherit ClassA in ClassB and
ClassC as virtual class.

Example using virtual base class

#include<iostream.h>
#include<conio.h>

class ClassA
{
public:
int a;
};

class ClassB : virtual public ClassA


{
public:
int b;
};
class ClassC : virtual public ClassA
{
public:
int c;
};

class ClassD : public ClassB, public ClassC


{
public:
int d;
};

void main()
{

ClassD obj;

obj.a = 10; //Statement 1


obj.a = 100; //Statement 2

obj.b = 20;
obj.c = 30;
obj.d = 40;

cout<< "\n A : "<< obj.a;


cout<< "\n B : "<< obj.b;
cout<< "\n C : "<< obj.c;
cout<< "\n D : "<< obj.d;

Output :

A : 100
B : 20
C : 30
D : 40

According to the above example, ClassD have only one copy of ClassA and statement 4 will
overwrite the value of a, given in statement 3.

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