Question

I am trying to refactor a working code. The code basically derives an interface class into a working implementation, and I want to use this implementation outside the original project as a standalone class.

However, I do not want to create a fork, and I want the original project to be able to take out their implementation, and use mine. The problem is that the hierarchy structure is very different and I am not sure if this would work. I also cannot use the original base class in my project, since in reality it’s quite entangled in the project (too many classes, includes) and I need to take care of only a subdomain of the problems the original project is.

I wrote this code to test an idea how to implement this, and while it’s working, I am not sure I like it:

#include <iostream>

// Original code is:
// IBase -> Derived1

// I need to refactor Derive2 to be both indipendet class
// and programmers should also be able to use the interface class
// Derived2 -> MyClass + IBase
// MyClass


class IBase {
public:
    virtual void printMsg() = 0;
};

///////////////////////////////////////////////////
class Derived1 : public IBase {
public:
    virtual void printMsg(){ std::cout << "Hello from Derived 1" << std::endl; }
};


//////////////////////////////////////////////////
class MyClass {
public:
    virtual void printMsg(){ std::cout << "Hello from MyClass" << std::endl; }
};

class Derived2: public IBase, public MyClass{
    virtual void printMsg(){ MyClass::printMsg(); }
};

class Derived3: public MyClass, public IBase{
    virtual void printMsg(){ MyClass::printMsg(); }
};

int main()
{
    IBase *o1 = new Derived1();
    IBase *o2 = new Derived2();
    IBase *o3 = new Derived3();
    MyClass *o4 = new MyClass();

    o1->printMsg();
    o2->printMsg();
    o3->printMsg();
    o4->printMsg();

    return 0;
}

The output is working as expected (tested using gcc and clang, 2 different C++ implementations so I think I am safe here):

[elcuco@pinky ~/src/googlecode/qtedit4/tools/qtsourceview/qate/tests] ./test1
Hello from Derived 1
Hello from MyClass
Hello from MyClass
Hello from MyClass
[elcuco@pinky ~/src/googlecode/qtedit4/tools/qtsourceview/qate/tests] ./test1.clang 
Hello from Derived 1
Hello from MyClass
Hello from MyClass
Hello from MyClass

The question is

My original code was:

class Derived3: public MyClass, public IBase{
    virtual void IBase::printMsg(){ MyClass::printMsg(); }
};

Which is what I want to express, but this does not compile. I must admit I do not fully understand why this code work, as I expect that the new method Derived3::printMsg() will be an implementation of MyClass::printMsg() and not IBase::printMsg() (even tough this is what I do want).

How does the compiler chooses which method to re-implement, when two “sister classes” have the same virtual function name?

If anyone has a better way of implementing this, I would like to know as well 🙂

Answer 1

The answer is, compiler overrides both functions, as can be shown by this sample:

#include <cstdio>
using std::printf;

class A {
public:
    virtual void a() {
        printf("A::a\n");
    }
};
class B {
public:
    virtual void a() {
        printf("B::a\n");
    }
};
class C : public A, public B {
public:
    virtual void a() {
        printf("C::a\n");
        A::a();
        B::a();
    }
};
int main() {
    C c;
    A &a = c;
    B &b = c;
    printf("Calling C::a via A\n");
    a.a();
    printf("Calling C::a via B\n");
    b.a();
}

The output is:

Calling C::a via A
C::a
A::a
B::a
Calling C::a via B
C::a
A::a
B::a

If you want to override one and not the other, you need to rename it. Not only it will do what you want, but it will be clearer as well.