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Virtual Function is VC++

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Started by Prozak June 11, 2001 11:56 PM

2 comments, last by Prozak 23 years, 8 months ago

Prozak

Author

899

June 11, 2001 11:56 PM

Hi all, need a little help here, so.... Does anyone, can anyone explain briefly what virtual functions are, and how to work with them, maybe a short code example? Thanks a zillion, Hugo Ferreira lotsjunk@hotmail.com http://unitek3000.tripod.com

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Null and Void

1,088

June 12, 2001 12:02 AM

Virtual functions are member functions that can be overwritten by a function of the same name in an object that is derived from the class it is in. For example (excuse typos, I'm writing this fast

    class BaseClass {  public:    virtual void Output(void) {      printf("A");    }};class DeriClass : public BaseClass {  public:    virtual void Output(void) {      printf("B");    }};BaseClass Base;DeriClass Deri;BaseClass *PointerB = (BaseClass *) &BaseBaseClass *PointerD = (BaseClass *) &DeriBase.Output();Deri.Output();PointerB->Output();PointerD->Output();

That would print out ABAB. They're pretty useful when used correctly. Of course, they can have a speed penalty if used incorrectly. [EDIT: I knew I'd make a typo...]

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Edited by - Null and Void on June 12, 2001 1:06:23 AM

FrigidHelix

122

June 12, 2001 12:13 AM

The virtual keyword can also be used for destructors, and in this case it has a slightly different function.

When base class destructor is ''virtual'', it signals the compiler to call the derived class'' destructor first, if one exists. In this case, the function is not overridden, it is just called later.

This might be useful in the following situation:

  CBaseClass* ptr = new CDerivedClass(someData); // this is legaldelete ptr; // this will call the CBaseClass destructor            // and if we don''t give this destructor the keyword            // virtual, the derived class'' destructor won''t get            // called.[source]

Arkon

122

June 12, 2001 03:45 AM

//you wonder why to use virtual functions, don''t you?
//so i''ll try to help
#include
#include
#include

struct POINT{ int x, y; };

class _BaseVehicle
{
public:
POINT pos;
int power;
// etc
virtual void WhoAmI()
{
}
};

//now say you have a jeep and a tank
//so---->

class _Tank : public _BaseVehicle
{
void WhoAmI()
{
cout << endl << "I''m a tank!";
}
};

class _Jeep : public _BaseVehicle
{
void WhoAmI()
{
cout << endl << "I''m a jeep!";
}
};

//you see now instead of determining the type of class you can just call the CalcHit
//and the compiler will "know" to which CalcHit to call...

//you could do something like this:
void main()
{
clrscr();
_BaseVehicle *Vehicles[10];

for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
if (i & 1)
{
_Jeep *myjeep = new _Jeep;
Vehicles = myjeep;
}
else
{
_Tank *mytank = new _Tank;
Vehicles = mytank; } } for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) Vehicles->WhoAmI(); for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) delete Vehicles; } //see ? now once it will call for the tank::clachit and then to the jeep:calchit //i hope it helped you a bit to see its use //ofcourse it''s not the ONLY use but i sure can say it''s the major one Arkon [<a href="http://qsoft.ragestorm.com">QSoft Systems</a>]

RageStorm

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