Chapter 7.

INHERITANCE

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Minh Quang NGUYEN
Hanoi National University of Education

September 2015

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Minh Quang NGUYEN

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE

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Minh Quang NGUYEN

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
What is inheritance?

Concept

I
I

C++ allow you to create a new class from existing classes.

Class B is inherited from class A: B possesses all data
members and function members of A, except the private
members.
I
I

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Class B is child class, or so-called derived class

Class A is parent class, or so-called base class.

Minh Quang NGUYEN

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
What is inheritance?

Concept

I
I

C++ allow you to create a new class from existing classes.

Class B is inherited from class A: B possesses all data
members and function members of A, except the private
members.
I
I

Paris Saclay

Class B is child class, or so-called derived class

Class A is parent class, or so-called base class.

Minh Quang NGUYEN

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
What is inheritance?

Concept

I
I

C++ allow you to create a new class from existing classes.

Class B is inherited from class A: B possesses all data
members and function members of A, except the private
members.
I
I

Paris Saclay

Class B is child class, or so-called derived class

Class A is parent class, or so-called base class.

Minh Quang NGUYEN

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
What is inheritance?

Concept

I
I

C++ allow you to create a new class from existing classes.

Class B is inherited from class A: B possesses all data
members and function members of A, except the private
members.
I
I

Paris Saclay

Class B is child class, or so-called derived class

Class A is parent class, or so-called base class.

Minh Quang NGUYEN

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
What is inheritance?

Concept

I
I

C++ allow you to create a new class from existing classes.

Class B is inherited from class A: B possesses all data
members and function members of A, except the private
members.
I
I

Paris Saclay

Class B is child class, or so-called derived class

Class A is parent class, or so-called base class.

Minh Quang NGUYEN

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Inheritance implementation

Structure
Structure to create new class inherited from a base class.
class base_class : access_modifier derived_class
{
data members;
function members;
};

Access Modifier
public
protected
private

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Members inherited from based class

have the same access modifier of based class
access modifier transforms to protected
access modifier transforms to protected

Minh Quang NGUYEN

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Inheritance implementation

Example
Base class: class Shape

Derive class 1: Rectangle

class Shape
{
protected:
float width, height;
public:
void set_data(float a,
float b)
{
width = a;
height = b;
}
};

class Rectangle: public Shape

{
public:
float area ()
{
return (width * height);
}
};

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Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Inheritance implementation

Example (cont.)
Derive class 1: Triangle

main() function

class Triangle: public Shape

{
public:
float area ()
{
return width * height / 2;
}
};

int main ()
{
Rectangle rect;
Triangle tri;
rect.set_data (5,3);
tri.set_data (2,5);
cout << rect.area() << endl;
cout << tri.area() << endl;
return 0;
}

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Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Inheritance implementation

Constructor of derived class

Constructor of derived class can call/invoke constructor of base
class by the structure:
derived_class(parameters) :: base_class(parameters)

Example
void Shape(float a, float b)
{
width = a;
height = b;
}

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void Rectangle(float a, float b)

{
width = a;
height = b;
}

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11

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Upcasting and Downcasting

Upcasting
Upcasting is converting a derived-class reference or pointer to a
base-class. In other words, upcasting allows us to treat a derived
type as though it were its base type.
Example given class Shape and Rectangle in previous example. A
function play() that uses base class:
void play(Shape &s)
{
s.set_data(1.1, 2.2);
}

If in some other part of the program we use the play() function

like below:
Triangle c;
play(c);
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Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Upcasting and Downcasting

Upcasting: how does it work?

I

A Triangle is being passed into a function that is expecting a

Shape.

Since a Triangle is a Shape, it can be treated as one by play().

That is, any message that play() can send to a Shape a
Triangle can accept.

Child *pChild = &parent; // actually this wont compile

// error: cannot convert from Parent * to Child *
pChild -> gotoSchool();

A Parent is not a Child (a Parent need not have a gotoSchool()

method), the downcasting in the above line can lead to an unsafe
operation.
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13

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Upcasting and Downcasting

Upcasting: how does it work?

I

A Triangle is being passed into a function that is expecting a

Shape.

Since a Triangle is a Shape, it can be treated as one by play().

That is, any message that play() can send to a Shape a
Triangle can accept.

Child *pChild = &parent; // actually this wont compile

// error: cannot convert from Parent * to Child *
pChild -> gotoSchool();

A Parent is not a Child (a Parent need not have a gotoSchool()

method), the downcasting in the above line can lead to an unsafe
operation.
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Minh Quang NGUYEN

14

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Upcasting and Downcasting

Upcasting: how does it work?

I

A Triangle is being passed into a function that is expecting a

Shape.

Since a Triangle is a Shape, it can be treated as one by play().

That is, any message that play() can send to a Shape a
Triangle can accept.

Child *pChild = &parent; // actually this wont compile

// error: cannot convert from Parent * to Child *
pChild -> gotoSchool();

A Parent is not a Child (a Parent need not have a gotoSchool()

method), the downcasting in the above line can lead to an unsafe
operation.
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15

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

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An ambiguity that arises when two

classes B and C inherit from A, and
class D inherits from both B and C.

If there is a method in A that B

and/or C has overridden, and D
does not override it, then which
version of the method does D
inherit: that of B, or that of C?

Minh Quang NGUYEN

16

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Paris Saclay

An ambiguity that arises when two

classes B and C inherit from A, and
class D inherits from both B and C.

If there is a method in A that B

and/or C has overridden, and D
does not override it, then which
version of the method does D
inherit: that of B, or that of C?

Minh Quang NGUYEN

17

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Paris Saclay

An ambiguity that arises when two

classes B and C inherit from A, and
class D inherits from both B and C.

If there is a method in A that B

and/or C has overridden, and D
does not override it, then which
version of the method does D
inherit: that of B, or that of C?

Minh Quang NGUYEN

18

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Diamond problem - solution

1. Clear declaration
2. Virtual base class
D d_object;
d_object.B::x;
d_object.C::x;

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Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Virtual base class

Virtual base class

To share a base class, simply insert the virtual keyword in the

inheritance list of the derived class. This creates what is called a
virtual base class, which means there is only one base object that
is shared.
class derived_class: virtual public base_class
{
// member function
};

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Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Virtual base class - example

class C: virtual public A

class A
{
{
public:
public:
C(int nC, int nA): A(nA)
A(int nPower)
{
{
cout
<< "C: " << nC << endl;
cout << "A: " << nPower;
}
}
};
};
class D: public B, public C
class B: virtual public A
{
{
public:
public:
D(int nA, int nB, int nC)
B(int nB, int nA): A(nA)
: A(nB, nA), B(nB, nA), A
{
{
cout << "B: " << nA;
}
}
};
};Paris Saclay
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21

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Display
In main() function:
int main()
{
Copier cCopier(1, 2, 3);
}
Without virtual:

With virtual:
PoweredDevice: 3
Scanner: 1
PoweredDevice: 3
Printer: 2

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PoweredDevice: 3
Scanner: 1
Printer: 2

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22

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Display
In main() function:
int main()
{
Copier cCopier(1, 2, 3);
}
Without virtual:

With virtual:
PoweredDevice: 3
Scanner: 1
PoweredDevice: 3
Printer: 2

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PoweredDevice: 3
Scanner: 1
Printer: 2

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23

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Display
In main() function:
int main()
{
Copier cCopier(1, 2, 3);
}
Without virtual:

With virtual:
PoweredDevice: 3
Scanner: 1
PoweredDevice: 3
Printer: 2

Paris Saclay

PoweredDevice: 3
Scanner: 1
Printer: 2

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Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Virtual base classes are created before non-virtual base

classes, which ensures all bases get created before their
derived classes.

Note that the Scanner and Printer constructors still have calls
to the PoweredDevice constructor. If we are creating an
instance of Copier, these constructor calls are simply ignored
because Copier is responsible for creating the PoweredDevice,
not Scanner or Printer. However, if we were to create an
instance of Scanner or Printer, the virtual keyword is ignored,
those constructor calls would be used, and normal inheritance
rules apply.

If a class inherits one or more classes that have virtual

parents, the most derived class is responsible for constructing
the virtual base class.

Paris Saclay

Minh Quang NGUYEN

25

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Virtual base classes are created before non-virtual base

classes, which ensures all bases get created before their
derived classes.

Note that the Scanner and Printer constructors still have calls
to the PoweredDevice constructor. If we are creating an
instance of Copier, these constructor calls are simply ignored
because Copier is responsible for creating the PoweredDevice,
not Scanner or Printer. However, if we were to create an
instance of Scanner or Printer, the virtual keyword is ignored,
those constructor calls would be used, and normal inheritance
rules apply.

If a class inherits one or more classes that have virtual

parents, the most derived class is responsible for constructing
the virtual base class.

Paris Saclay

Minh Quang NGUYEN

26

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Virtual base classes are created before non-virtual base

classes, which ensures all bases get created before their
derived classes.

Note that the Scanner and Printer constructors still have calls
to the PoweredDevice constructor. If we are creating an
instance of Copier, these constructor calls are simply ignored
because Copier is responsible for creating the PoweredDevice,
not Scanner or Printer. However, if we were to create an
instance of Scanner or Printer, the virtual keyword is ignored,
those constructor calls would be used, and normal inheritance
rules apply.

If a class inherits one or more classes that have virtual

parents, the most derived class is responsible for constructing
the virtual base class.

Paris Saclay

Minh Quang NGUYEN

27

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Multiple inheritance - diamond problem

Virtual base classes are created before non-virtual base

classes, which ensures all bases get created before their
derived classes.

Note that the Scanner and Printer constructors still have calls
to the PoweredDevice constructor. If we are creating an
instance of Copier, these constructor calls are simply ignored
because Copier is responsible for creating the PoweredDevice,
not Scanner or Printer. However, if we were to create an
instance of Scanner or Printer, the virtual keyword is ignored,
those constructor calls would be used, and normal inheritance
rules apply.

If a class inherits one or more classes that have virtual

parents, the most derived class is responsible for constructing
the virtual base class.

Paris Saclay

Minh Quang NGUYEN

28

Chapter 7. INHERITANCE
Q&A

QUESTION and ANSWER

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29