Question

This is kind of a specific question that I had not been able to find a solution to for quite a while. I have this code:

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

class Mammal
{
  public:
  Mammal() {cout << "Mammal Constructor\n";}
  virtual ~Mammal() {cout << "Mammal Destructor\n";}
  virtual void Run() {cout << "Mammal Ran One Space\n";}

  protected:
  int mammalDistance;
};

class Horse : public Mammal
{
    public:
    Horse() {cout << "Horse Constructor\n";}
    ~Horse() {cout << "Horse Destructor\n";}
    void Run() {cout << "Horse Ran One Space\n";}
    void Run(int distance) {horseDistance = distance;
                            cout << "Horse Ran " << horseDistance << " Spaces\n";}

    protected:
    int horseDistance;
};

int main()
{
    Mammal *pHorse = new Horse;
    pHorse->Run(5);
    delete pHorse;
    return 0;
}

Now this code works if I take the void Run(int horseDistance) and move it up into Mammal but I wanted to know if there was a way to keep it in horse without it remaining hidden.

Edit: I mean it compiles and works as intended if I take the function that accepts input and move it up into Mammal instead of having it within the Horse class like it is currently.
Yes I would like it if it could change the value of horseDistance when it is being passed in.
Edit: O I get what your saying. I edited the code.

Answer 1

You have two options. One is to keep track of the fact that your pointer is a horse:

int main()
{
    Horse *pHorse = new Horse;
    pHorse->Run(5);
    delete pHorse;
    return 0;
}

The other is to declare a virtual function in Mammal:

virtual void Run(int mammalDistance) = 0;

I’d pick option #1 if horses were the only things running specific distances, option #2 otherwise.