Question

I have an abstract class with a couple pure virtual functions, and one of the classes I derive from it does not use one of the pure virtual functions:

class derivative: public base
{
public:
    int somevariable;
    void somefunction();
};

anyways, when I try to compile it, I get an error (apparently, a class is still considered abstract if derive from an abstract class and don’t override all pure virtual functions). Anyways, it seems pointless to define a function

int purevirtfunc(){return 0;}

just because it needs to be defined through a technicality. Is there anyway to derive a class from an abstract class and not use one of the abstract class’s pure virtual functions?

Answer 1

If your derived class doesn’t “use” the base class pure virtual function, then either the derived class should not be derived from the base, or the PVF should not be there. In either case, your design is at fault and needs to be re-thought.

And no, there is no way of deleting a PVF.