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C++ Function Overriding

This tutorial explains function overriding in C++, where a derived class can redefine a function from its base class. It includes examples demonstrating how to call overridden functions and access base class functions using the scope resolution operator. The tutorial emphasizes the use of virtual functions for proper overriding behavior when using base class pointers to derived class objects.

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4 views

C++ Function Overriding

This tutorial explains function overriding in C++, where a derived class can redefine a function from its base class. It includes examples demonstrating how to call overridden functions and access base class functions using the scope resolution operator. The tutorial emphasizes the use of virtual functions for proper overriding behavior when using base class pointers to derived class objects.

Uploaded by

Albert
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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C++ Function Overriding

In this tutorial, we will learn about function overriding in C++ with the help of
examples.

As we know, inheritance is a feature of OOP that allows us to create derived


classes from a base class. The derived classes inherit features of the base class.

Suppose, the same function is defined in both the derived class and the based
class. Now if we call this function using the object of the derived class, the
function of the derived class is executed.

This is known as function overriding in C++. The function in derived class


overrides the function in base class.

Example 1: C++ Function Overriding

// C++ program to demonstrate function overriding

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Base {
public:
void print() {
cout << "Base Function" << endl;
}
};

class Derived : public Base {


public:
void print() {
cout << "Derived Function" << endl;
}
};

int main() {
Derived derived1;
derived1.print();
return 0;
}

Output

Derived Function

Here, the same function print() is defined in both Base and Derived classes.

So, when we call print() from the Derived object derived1 , the print() from
Derived is executed by overriding the function in Base .

Working of function overriding in C++

As we can see, the function was overridden because we called the function from
an object of the Derived class.

Had we called the print() function from an object of the Base class, the
function would not have been overridden.

// Call function of Base class


Base base1;
base1.print(); // Output: Base Function

Access Overridden Function in C++


To access the overridden function of the base class, we use the scope resolution
operator :: .

We can also access the overridden function by using a pointer of the base class
to point to an object of the derived class and then calling the function from that
pointer.

Example 2: C++ Access Overridden Function to the Base Class

// C++ program to access overridden function


// in main() using the scope resolution operator ::

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Base {
public:
void print() {
cout << "Base Function" << endl;
}
};

class Derived : public Base {


public:
void print() {
cout << "Derived Function" << endl;
}
};

int main() {
Derived derived1, derived2;
derived1.print();

// access print() function of the Base class


derived2.Base::print();

return 0;
}

Output

Derived Function
Base Function

Here, this statement

derived2.Base::print();

accesses the print() function of the Base class.

Access overridden function using object of derived class in C++

Example 3: C++ Call Overridden Function From Derived Class

// C++ program to call the overridden function


// from a member function of the derived class

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Base {
public:
void print() {
cout << "Base Function" << endl;
}
};

class Derived : public Base {


public:
void print() {
cout << "Derived Function" << endl;

// call overridden function


Base::print();
}
};

int main() {
Derived derived1;
derived1.print();
return 0;
}

Output

Derived Function
Base Function

In this program, we have called the overridden function inside the Derived class
itself.

class Derived : public Base {


public:
void print() {
cout << "Derived Function" << endl;
Base::print();
}
};

Notice the code Base::print(); , which calls the overridden function inside the
Derived class.

Access overridden function inside derived class in C++

Example 4: C++ Call Overridden Function Using Pointer

// C++ program to access overridden function using pointer


// of Base type that points to an object of Derived class

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Base {
public:
void print() {
cout << "Base Function" << endl;
}
};

class Derived : public Base {


public:
void print() {
cout << "Derived Function" << endl;
}
};

int main() {
Derived derived1;

// pointer of Base type that points to derived1


Base* ptr = &derived1;

// call function of Base class using ptr


ptr->print();

return 0;
}

Output

Base Function

In this program, we have created a pointer of Base type named ptr . This
pointer points to the Derived object derived1 .

// pointer of Base type that points to derived1


Base* ptr = &derived1;

When we call the print() function using ptr , it calls the overridden function
from Base .

// call function of Base class using ptr


ptr->print();

This is because even though ptr points to a Derived object, it is actually of


Base type. So, it calls the member function of Base .

In order to override the Base function instead of accessing it, we need to use
virtual functions in the Base class.

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