VIRTUAL FUNCTIONS ARE HIERARCHICAL
Virtual Functions Are Hierarchical
As explained, when a function is declared as virtual by a base class, it may be overridden by a
derived class. However, the function does not have to be overridden. When a derived class fails
to override a virtual function, then when an object of that derived class accesses that function,
the function defined by the base class is used.
For example, consider this program in which derived2 does not override vfunc( ):
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class base {
public:
virtual void vfunc() {
cout << "This is base's vfunc().\n";
}
};
class derived1 : public base {
public:
void vfunc() {
cout << "This is derived1's vfunc().\n";
}
};
class derived2 : public base {
public:
// vfunc() not overridden by derived2, base's is used
};
int main()
{
base *p, b;
derived1 d1;
derived2 d2;
// point to base
p = &b;
p->vfunc(); // access base's vfunc()
// point to derived1
p = &d1;
p->vfunc(); // access derived1's vfunc()
// point to derived2
p = &d2;
p->vfunc(); // use base's vfunc()
return 0;
}
The program produces this output:
This is base's vfunc().
This is derived1's vfunc().
This is base's vfunc().
Because derived2 does not override vfunc( ), the function defined by base is used when
vfunc( ) is referenced relative to objects of type derived2. The preceding program illustrates a
special case of a more general rule. Because inheritance is hierarchical in C++, it makes sense
that virtual functions are also hierarchical. This means that when a derived class fails to
override a virtual function, the first redefinition found in reverse order of derivation is used.
For example, in the following program, derived2 is derived from derived1, which is derived
from base.However, derived2 does not override vfunc( ). This means that, relative to
derived2, the closest version of vfunc( ) is in derived1. Therefore, it is derived1::vfunc( )
that is used when an object of derived2 attempts to call vfunc( ).
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class base {
public:
virtual void vfunc() {
cout << "This is base's vfunc().\n";
}
};
class derived1 : public base {
public:
void vfunc() {
cout << "This is derived1's vfunc().\n";
} };
class derived2 : public derived1 {
public:
/* vfunc() not overridden by derived2.
In this case, since derived2 is derived from
derived1, derived1's vfunc() is used.
*/
};
int main()
{
base *p, b;
derived1 d1;
derived2 d2;
// point to base
p = &b;
p->vfunc(); // access base's vfunc()
// point to derived1
p = &d1;
p->vfunc(); // access derived1's vfunc()
// point to derived2
p = &d2;
p->vfunc(); // use derived1's vfunc()
return 0;
}
The program displays the following:
This is base's vfunc().
This is derived1's vfunc().
This is derived1's vfunc().
Source : http://elearningatria.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/cse-iii-object-oriented-programming-with-
c-10cs36-notes.pdf
