Virtual class

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In object-oriented programming, a virtual

class is a nested inner class whose
functions and member variables can be
overridden and redefined by subclasses of
an outer class.[1] Virtual classes are
analogous to virtual functions.

The run time type of a virtual class

depends on the run time type of an object
of the outer class. (Just like the run time
type of an object decides which virtual
function should be used.)

A run time instance type of the outer class

object not only decides on the
polymorphic type of its own type object,
but also on a whole family tree of virtual
class members.

Purpose
Virtual classes solve the extensibility
problem of extending data abstraction
with new functions and representations.
Like virtual functions, virtual classes
follow the same rules of definition,
overriding, and reference.[2]

When a derived class inherits from a base

class, it must define or override the virtual
inner classes it inherited from the base
class. An object of the child class may be
referred to by a reference or pointer of the
parent class type or the child class type.
When the reference or pointer invoke the
virtual inner classes, the derived class's
implementation will be called if the object
is of the derived class type. The type of the
outer class determines the run time of the
inner virtual class.......................
A method with an object argument has
access to the object's virtual classes. The
method can use the virtual classes of its
arguments to create instances and declare
variables. Virtual classes of different
instances are not compatible.

Example
For example, a base class Machine
could have a virtual class Parts .
Subclass Car would implement
Parts differently than the subclass
Bicycle , but the programmer can call
any methods in the virtual inner class
Parts on any class Machine object,
and get the Parts implementation of
that specific derived class.

#include <iostream>

class Machine {
public:
public
void run() { }

class Parts {
public:
public
virtual int
get_wheels() = 0;

virtual std::string
get_fuel_type() = 0;
};
};

// The inner class "Parts"

of the class "Machine" may
return the number of wheels
the machine has.
class Car
Car: Machine {
public:
public
void run() {
std::cout << "The
car is running." <<
std::endl;
}
 class Parts
Parts:
Machine::Parts {
public:
public
int get_wheels()
override {
std::cout << "A
car has 4 wheels." <<
std::endl;
return 4;
}

std::string
get_fuel_type() override {
std::cout << "A
car uses gasoline for
fuel." << std::endl;
 return
"gasoline";
}
};
};

Any object of class type Machine can

be accessed the same way. The
programmer can ask for the number of
wheels (by calling get_Wheels() ),
without needing to know what kind of
machine it is, how many wheels that
machine has, or all the possible types of
machines there are. Functions like
get_Fuel_Type() can be added to
the virtual class Parts by the derived
class Car .

See also
Inheritance
Superclass
Virtual inheritance
Virtual function

References
1. "Virtual Classes" . CaesarJ
Programming Guide. Technische
Universität Darmstadt. 2006-02-10.
Retrieved 2007-07-30.
 2. "Overview of Virtual Classes" (PDF). A
Virtual Class Calculus. University of
Aarhus, Denmark. 2006. Retrieved
2014-04-30.

External links
Altherr, Philippe; Cremet, Vincent (2005).
"Inner Classes and Virtual Types" (PDF).
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de
Lausanne (EPFL) Switzerland. Retrieved
2014-04-30.
Ernst, Erik; Ostermann, Klaus; Cook,
William R. (2006). "A Virtual Class
Calculus" (PDF). University of Aarhus.
Retrieved 2007-07-30.
Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Virtual_class&oldid=895489661"

Last edited 4 days ago by Diaspomod

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