Question

If I have a C++ function/method, for example:

getSound(Animal a){
  a.printSound();
}

and then pass it a Dog object that extends the class Animal but overrides Animal’s printSound() method, is there a way of using Dog’s printSound() within getSound()?

I have tried making printSound() in the Animal class definition virtual, but I am still getting the output of the original printSound().

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Making printSound virtual was correct. Change the signature of getSound to take a Animal& or const Animal&. By taking an Animal by value you are constructing a new Animal from your Dog, and that’s just an Animal, not a Dog.