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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-06-17T22:25:42+00:00

I understand why I am getting the error I am getting (pure virtual function

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I understand why I am getting the error I am getting (pure virtual function called). I am trying to call pure virtual functions from within the destructor of my base class shown below. However, I do not know how to rework my code to prevent this from happening. Here are the base and derived classes (the relevant portions anyway):

Base class:

TailFileManager::TailFileManager(const std::string &filename, const int fileOpenPeriod_ms)
: m_Stop(false)
{
    m_WorkerThread.reset(new boost::thread(boost::bind(&TailFileManager::TailFile, this, filename, fileOpenPeriod_ms)));
}

TailFileManager::~TailFileManager()
{
    m_Stop = true;
    m_WorkerThread->join();
}

void TailFileManager::TailFile(const std::string &filename, const int fileOpenPeriod_ms)
{
    std::ifstream ifs(filename.c_str());

    while (! ifs.is_open())
    {
        boost::this_thread::sleep(boost::posix_time::milliseconds(fileOpenPeriod_ms));
    ifs.open(filename.c_str());
    }

    ifs.seekg(0, std::ios::end);

    while (! m_Stop)
    {
        ifs.clear();

        std::string line;

        while (std::getline(ifs, line))
        {
            OnLineAdded(line);
        }

        OnEndOfFile();
    }

    ifs.close();
}

Derived class:

ETSLogTailFileManager::ETSLogTailFileManager(const std::string &filename, const int heartbeatPeriod_ms)
: TailFileManager(filename, heartbeatPeriod_ms),
  m_HeartbeatPeriod_ms(heartbeatPeriod_ms),
  m_FoundInboundMessage(false),
  m_TimeOfLastActivity(0)
{
}

ETSLogTailFileManager::~ETSLogTailFileManager()
{
}

void ETSLogTailFileManager::OnLineAdded(const std::string &line)
{
    // do stuff...
}

void ETSLogTailFileManager::OnEndOfFile()
{
    // do stuff...
}
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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    You shouldn’t call virtual functions during construction or destruction, because the calls won’t do what you think, and if they did, you’d still be unhappy. If you’re a recovering Java or C# programmer, pay close attention to this Item, because this is a place where those languages zig, while C++ zags.

    Re-work your design i.e you may call some cleanup function before object get destroyed, idea is just avoid virtual function during const/dest (if there are any!), if you are working with C++…

    The rules for virtual invocation are different. C++ 2003, section 12.7 “Construction and Destruction”, says:

    Lets refresh some old memories …

    Member functions, including virtual functions (10.3), can be called during construction or destruction (12.6.2). When a virtual function is called directly or indirectly from a constructor (including from the mem-initializer for a data member) or from a destructor, and the object to which the call applies is the object under construction or destruction, the function called is the one defined in the constructor or destructorâs own class or in one of its bases, but not a function overriding it in a class derived from the constructor or destructorâs class, or overriding it in one of the other base classes of the most derived object (1.8). If the virtual function call uses an explicit class member access (5.2.5) and the object-expression refers to the object under construction or destruction but its type is neither the constructor or destructorâs own class or one of its bases, the result of the call is undefined.

    Because of this difference in behavior, it is recommended that you never invoke an object’s virtual function while it is being constructed or destroyed.

    Never Call Virtual Functions during Construction or Destruction
    An Excerpt from Effective C++, Third Edition
    by Scott Meyers
    June 6, 2005

    http://www.artima.com/cppsource/nevercall.html

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