what's the necessity of the implementation of a pure virtual function - c++

Pure virtual functions are a must-have property for abstract base classes. So no implementations should be made, which is very intuitive to understand. But Recently I came to know that pure virtual functions can still be defined later and be invoked statically(not by object instances). I can't think up a reason for this. If one virtual function is defined as pure, then what's the reason to implement it?
class A{
public:
...
virtual void interface() = 0; //Pure Virtual functions
...
}
void A::interface() //Implementation
{
cout<<"This the implementation for A interface";
}
I am curious about the logic behind this. Why is c++ designed like this way?

It might make sense to have a "default" implementation, which concrete classes can use if it's useful to them. They still need to override it, but can call the base-class version non-virtually:
struct B : A {
void interface() {
A::interface(); // call the default implementation
// and maybe do some B-specific things too
}
};

I can't think up a reason for this. If one virtual function is defined as pure, then what's the reason to implement it?
The purpose of a pure virtual function is not to prohibit definitions. It is to mark the class as uninstantiable.
Providing a definition may be useful for deriving classes:
struct A
{
virtual void foo() = 0;
};
void A::foo()
{
/* some common logic here */
}
struct B : A
{
virtual void foo() overrides
{
bar();
A::foo();
}
void bar();
};
struct C : A
{
virtual void foo() overrides
{
baz();
A::foo();
}
void baz();
};

A pure virtual function simply means that the function must be overidden by all derived classes it does not mean that the function cannot/should not have a implementation of its own. Two most obvious cases for such a pure virtual function having implementation are:
A Derived class implementation can call Base class implementation
Sometimes you would want a base class to be made abstract but there is no method which you can mark as pure virtual in such a case a destructor is most obvious choice but in such a destructor still needs a implementation.

interface() = 0 means derived classes must provide an implementation, so the definition effects derived classes, but the base class is permitted to have an implementation of the method so that derived classes can always call base::interface().

You apparently completely misunderstood the meaning of the term "statically" in this context.
Yes, pure virtual functions can still have bodies, i.e. they can still be defined.
And no, you cannot invoke such function "without an object instance", as you seem to incorrectly believe. A pure virtual function with a body is still a non-static member function. It still requires an object instance to be invoked.
When someone says that such function can be invoked "statically", it means that it can be called directly, without using virtual dispatch mechanism. Function calls that go through virtual dispatch are sometimes called "virtual calls" or "dynamic calls", while direct function calls are sometimes called "static calls". The term "static" in this context assumes a completely different meaning, not connected in any way to static member functions.
In C++ language a direct non-virtual (i.e. "static") call can be performed explicitly by specifying a qualified member name in the call. For example, if class B derives from your class A, then inside some method B::foo() you can use the following syntax
void B::foo() {
A::interface(); // <- qualified method name
}
which performs a direct call to the implementation of A::interface() you provided. For an object b of type B the same kind of call can be performed as
B b;
b.A::interface(); // <- qualified method name
In both cases the call is performed for a specific object (*this in the first example, and b in the second).
Pretty much the same thing happens implicitly when destructors of derived classes call destructors of base class, which is why you will often encounter this situation with pure virtual destructors (i.e. they are declared as pure virtual, yet have a body).

Related

Calling Pure Virtual Function From Abstract Base Class Member Function?

So, based on a cursory search, I already know that calling a virtual function (pure or otherwise) from a constructor is a no go. I have restructured my code to ensure that I am not doing that. While this causes the user of my classes to add an extra function call in their code, this is really not that big of a deal. Namely, instead of calling the constructor in a loop, they now call the function which (in fact!) increases performance of the code since we don't have the housekeeping of building and destroying the object in question every time.
However, I have stumbled across something interesting...
In the abstract class I have something like this:
// in AbstractClass.h:
class AbstractClass {
public:
AbstractClass() {}
virtual int Func(); //user can override
protected:
// Func broken up, derived class must define these
virtual int Step1() = 0;
virtual int Step2() = 0;
virtual int Step3() = 0;
// in AbstractClass.cpp:
int AbstractClass::Func() {
Step1();
// Error checking goes here
Step2();
// More error checking...
// etc...
}
Basically, there is a common structure that the pure virtual functions follow most of the time, but if they don't Func() is virtual and allows the derived class to specify the order. However, each step must be implemented in derived classes.
I just wanted to be sure that there's nothing that I necessarily am doing wrong here since the Func() function calls the pure virtual ones. That is, using the base class, if you call StepX(), bad things will happen. However, the class is utilized by creating a derived object and then calling Func() (e.g. MyDerivedObject.Func();) on that derived object, which should have all the pure virtual functions overloaded properly.
Is there anything that I'm missing or doing incorrectly by following this method? Thanks for the help!
Func is calling the virtual ones, not the pure virtual ones. You would have to qualify the calls with a scope operator, i.e. AbstractClass::Step1() to call THAT (virtual pure) function. Since you are not, you will always get an implementation by a derived class.
A virtual function in a base class makes the derived classes able to override it. But it seems things stop there.
But if the base class virtual function is pure, that forces the derived classes to implement the function.
As a side comment you can make the Step1, Step2, Step3 methods private so that you'll be prevented by the compiler from directly calling them.

Confused about non pure virtual classes in C++, what are they for?

I have a class declared as follow:
class TestFoo {
public:
TestFoo();
virtual void virtualFunction();
void nonVirtualFunction();
};
that I try to implement this way
TestFoo::TestFoo(){}
void TestFoo::nonVirtualFunction(){}
which on compilation returns the error:
undefined reference to vtable for TestFoo
I tried :
TestFoo::TestFoo(){}
void TestFoo::nonVirtualFunction(){}
void TestFoo::virtualFunction(){}
which compiles ok which is consistent to the answers to these posts:
Undefined reference to vtable
undefined reference to vtable
What confuses me is that I thought the whole point of declaring a virtual function is that I would not need to define it. In this example, I am not planning to create any instance of TestFoo, but to create instances of (concrete) classes inheriting from TestFoo. But still, I want to define the function nonVirtualFunction for every subclasses of TestFoo.
Something I did not get right ?
Thanks !
the whole point of declaring a virtual function is that I would not
need to define it
Not quite, it says "I may want to replace the implementation of this function by something else in a derived class."
I may have misunderstood your question, but you seem to imply that you don't think you can define pure virtual member function in C++, which you can. You can declare one as follows.
virtual void virtualFunction() = 0;
Normally, a pure virtual function won't be defined, but of course you can. That says "There is no default implementation of this function because it won't always make sense, but I'll provide you with an implementation that you can opt into."
By the way, if a class has any virtual functions, you should also define a virtual destructor, as it is perfectly legal (and often recommended) to have a base class (smart) pointer to a derived class - without a virtual destructor, the object may not be deleted correctly.
... I thought the whole point of declaring a
virtual function is that I would not need to define it ...
For that facility you have a feature called pure virtual methods:
virtual void virtualFunction() = 0; // no linking error now
Note that, a virtual method cannot remain unimplemented. The reason is that for every virtual method declared inside a class body there has to be a vtable entry. Failing to find its body results in linking error.
Purpose of this restriction:
Unless a class is abstract - that is it has at least one virtual function - there is no way you can guarantee to the compiler that you are not going to declare an object of TestFoo. What happens when you do following:
DerivedOfTestFoo obj1;
TestFoo obj2 = obj1, *p = &obj2; // object slicing
p->virtualFunction(); // where is the body?
Other situation; in constructor there is no virtual mechanism:
TestFoo::TestFoo () {
this->virtualFunction(); // where is the body?
}
We can conclude that, compilers follow the rule, "Better to be safe than sorry". :)
Your description matches perfectly with the case of an abstract class. Declare your virtual function as:
virtual void VirtualFunction () = 0;
This means that you are not implementing the function in this class. As a result, the class becomes abstract. That is, no bare objects of this class can be instantiated.
Also, you should provide a virtual destructor.
Update: Some clarifications...
The language allows you to redefine a non-virtual function. Though, the wrong version might be called in some cases:
derived D; // rB is a reference to base class but it
base & rB=D; // points to an object of the derived class
rB.NonVirtualFunction (); // The base-class version is called
For this reason, redefining a non-virtual function is strongly discouraged nowadays. See Scott Meyers' "Effective C++, Third Edition: 55 Specific Ways to Improve Your Programs and Designs", item 36: "Never redefine an inherited non-virtual function."
See also item 7: "Declare destructors virtual in polymorphic base classes". An example:
base * pB = new derived;
delete pB; // If base's destructor is not virtual,
// ~derived() will not be called.
In case you wonder why isn't everything virtual by default, the reason is that calling a virtual function is slightly slower than calling a non-virtual one. Oh, and objects of classes with virtual functions occupy a few more bytes each.
If you want make this virtual function as pure virtual function,do not want to define it then, virtual void virtualFunction() = 0;

Why does it make sense to give definition for a pure virtual function?

Scott said on Effective C++, 3rd Edition, pg. 43 that to make an abstract class, we just need to give it a pure virtual destructor:
class AWOV { // AWOV = "Abstract w/o Virtuals"
public:
virtual ~AWOV() = 0; // declare pure virtual destructor
};
Then, he went on said that there is one twist: we must provide a definition for the pure virtual destructor:
AWOV::~AWOW() {} // definition of pure virtual dtor
My question is, by specifiying = 0, for pure virtual functions, we are saying that the function cannot have any definition for the class where this pure virtual function is declared.
Why is it OK to provide a definition (even it is empty) for the pure virtual destructor here?
"we are saying that the function cannot have any definition for the class where this pure virtual function is declared."
That's not what pure virtual means. Pure virtual only means that the containing class cannot be instantiated (is abstract), so it has to be subclassed, and subclasses must override the method. E.g.,
struct A {
virtual ~A() = 0;
};
A::~A() {}
struct B : A {};
int main()
{
A a; // error
B b; // ok
}
Here, the B destructor is implicitly defined. If it was another method that is pure virtual, you'd have to explicitly override it:
struct A {
virtual void foo() = 0;
};
void A::foo() {}
struct B : A {};
int main()
{
B b; // error
}
Providing a definition for a pure virtual method is desirable when the base class must be abstract but still provide some default behavior.
In the specific case of a destructor, it has to be provided because it will be called automatically when subclass instances are destroyed. A program that tries to instantiate a subclass of a class with a pure virtual destructor without a definition will not pass the linker.
Making it pure forces derived (non-abstract) classes to implement their own.
Providing an implementation allows derived classes to invoke base class behavior (which destructors do by default).
There are 2 cases.
Pure virtual destructor
This case is specifically treated by the standard.
12.4 Destructors [class.dtor]
9) A destructor can be declared virtual (10.3) or pure virtual (10.4); if any objects of that class or any
derived class are created in the program, the destructor shall be defined. If a class has a base class with a
virtual destructor, its destructor (whether user- or implicitly-declared) is virtual.
The case of the destructor is different because all destructors are called in an inheritance hierearchy (assuming correct deletion) in reverse order of construction, even if not explicitly. So the base class destructor is called when the object gets deleted - that's why it needs an implementation.
Pure virtual method
These differ from destructors in that they're not required to be implemented, nor do they need an implementation. The difference for the missing requirement is that when a Derived::foo() gets called, it doesn't automatically call Base::foo() (not that it could, since it can or can not be implemented).
Why you would want to implement a pure virtual method depends on the case. I look at the pure specifier as a hint to the programmer, as opposed to related to the logic. It tells you - the programmer - that you should implement that method. It doesn't really matter if the base class has an implementation or not.
by specifiying = 0, for pure virtual functions, we are saying that the function cannot have any definition for the class where this pure virtual function is declared.
Not really. You're saying derived non-abstract classes have to override that function. This doesn't prevent you from implementing it yourself.
This is not necessary for all pure virtual functions. Not at all.
This way, the derived classes will still be forced to override the implementation, but there will be a default implementation in the base class, in case you need to call it. And that's the case here - because you're dealing with a destructor: when a derived object is being destroyed, its destructor is called and its base classes destructors are called as well. That's why you need an implementation for A::~A.
By making a function pure virtual we force the user of the class to replace the function with another in the derived class.
The base class function can still be called with BaseClass::myfunction(...)
Now the base class might want to provide some core functionality that the derived class may use if it chooses to do so.
Correct answer:
Suppose there are 2 pure virtual functions in class. Now assume that both have implementation. The reason for providing implementation for PVF is that the Base class method can act as default behavior if Base class is derived by child by implementing these PVF methods(to make class as concrete)

Do ALL virtual functions need to be implemented in derived classes?

This may seem like a simple question, but I can't find the answer anywhere else.
Suppose I have the following:
class Abstract {
public:
virtual void foo() = 0;
virtual void bar();
}
class Derived : Abstract {
public:
virtual void foo();
}
Is it ok that class Derived does not implement the bar() function?
What if not ALL of my derived classes need the bar() function, but some do.
Do all of the virtual functions of an abstract base class need to be implemented in the derived classes, or just the ones that are pure virtual?
Thanks
Derived classes do not have to implement all virtual functions themselves. They only need to implement the pure ones.1 That means the Derived class in the question is correct. It inherits the bar implementation from its ancestor class, Abstract. (This assumes that Abstract::bar is implemented somewhere. The code in the question declares the method, but doesn't define it. You can define it inline as Trenki's answer shows, or you can define it separately.)
1 And even then, only if the derived class is going to be instantiated. If a derived class is not instantiated directly, but only exists as a base class of more derived classes, then it's those classes that are responsible for having all their pure virtual methods implemented. The "middle" class in the hierarchy is allowed to leave some pure virtual methods unimplemented, just like the base class. If the "middle" class does implement a pure virtual method, then its descendants will inherit that implementation, so they don't have to re-implement it themselves.
Only the pure virtual methods have to be implemented in derived classes, but you still need a definition (and not just a declaration) of the other virtual methods. If you don't supply one, the linker might very well complain.
So, just putting {} after your optional virtual method gives you an empty default implementation:
class Abstract {
public:
virtual void foo() = 0; // pure virtual must be overridden
virtual void bar() {} // virtual with empty default implementation
};
class Derived : Abstract {
public:
virtual void foo();
};
A more involved default implementation would go into a separate source file though.
The ISO C++ Standard specifies that all virtual methods of a class that are not pure-virtual must be defined.
Simply put the rule is:
If your derived class overiddes the Base class virtual method then it should provide a definition as well, If not then the Base class should provide the definition of that method.
As per the above rule in your code example, virtual void bar(); needs a definition in the Base class.
Reference:
C++03 Standard: 10.3 Virtual functions [class.virtual]
A virtual function declared in a class shall be defined, or declared pure (10.4) in that class, or both; but no diagnostic is required (3.2).
So either you should make the function pure virtual or provide a definition for it.
The gcc faq doccuments it as well:
The ISO C++ Standard specifies that all virtual methods of a class that are not pure-virtual must be defined, but does not require any diagnostic for violations of this rule [class.virtual]/8. Based on this assumption, GCC will only emit the implicitly defined constructors, the assignment operator, the destructor and the virtual table of a class in the translation unit that defines its first such non-inline method.
Therefore, if you fail to define this particular method, the linker may complain about the lack of definitions for apparently unrelated symbols. Unfortunately, in order to improve this error message, it might be necessary to change the linker, and this can't always be done.
The solution is to ensure that all virtual methods that are not pure are defined. Note that a destructor must be defined even if it is declared pure-virtual [class.dtor]/7.
Yes, that's fine ... you only need to implement any pure virtual functions in order to instantiate a class derived from an abstract base class.
Yes, Its correct that a Derived class has to OVERRIDE the function which is Pure Virtual in the Parent Class. Parent class having a Pure Virtual Function is called Abstract Class only because it's Child class must give their own body of the Pure Virtual Function.
For the Normal Virtual Functions:-
Its not necessary to override them further, as some child class may have that function, some may not have.
Main purpose of Virtual Function mechanism is Run Time Polymorphism, whether main purpose of Pure Virtual Function(Abstract Class) is to make it mandatory to have the same name Function with own's body.

C++ "virtual" keyword for functions in derived classes. Is it necessary?

With the struct definition given below...
struct A {
virtual void hello() = 0;
};
Approach #1:
struct B : public A {
virtual void hello() { ... }
};
Approach #2:
struct B : public A {
void hello() { ... }
};
Is there any difference between these two ways to override the hello function?
They are exactly the same. There is no difference between them other than that the first approach requires more typing and is potentially clearer.
The 'virtualness' of a function is propagated implicitly, however at least one compiler I use will generate a warning if the virtual keyword is not used explicitly, so you may want to use it if only to keep the compiler quiet.
From a purely stylistic point-of-view, including the virtual keyword clearly 'advertises' the fact to the user that the function is virtual. This will be important to anyone further sub-classing B without having to check A's definition. For deep class hierarchies, this becomes especially important.
The virtual keyword is not necessary in the derived class. Here's the supporting documentation, from the C++ Draft Standard (N3337) (emphasis mine):
10.3 Virtual functions
2 If a virtual member function vf is declared in a class Base and in a class Derived, derived directly or indirectly from Base, a member function vf with the same name, parameter-type-list (8.3.5), cv-qualification, and ref-qualifier (or absence of same) as Base::vf is declared, then Derived::vf is also virtual (whether or not it is so declared) and it overrides Base::vf.
No, the virtual keyword on derived classes' virtual function overrides is not required. But it is worth mentioning a related pitfall: a failure to override a virtual function.
The failure to override occurs if you intend to override a virtual function in a derived class, but make an error in the signature so that it declares a new and different virtual function. This function may be an overload of the base class function, or it might differ in name. Whether or not you use the virtual keyword in the derived class function declaration, the compiler would not be able to tell that you intended to override a function from a base class.
This pitfall is, however, thankfully addressed by the C++11 explicit override language feature, which allows the source code to clearly specify that a member function is intended to override a base class function:
struct Base {
virtual void some_func(float);
};
struct Derived : Base {
virtual void some_func(int) override; // ill-formed - doesn't override a base class method
};
The compiler will issue a compile-time error and the programming error will be immediately obvious (perhaps the function in Derived should have taken a float as the argument).
Refer to WP:C++11.
Adding the "virtual" keyword is good practice as it improves readability , but it is not necessary. Functions declared virtual in the base class, and having the same signature in the derived classes are considered "virtual" by default.
There is no difference for the compiler, when you write the virtual in the derived class or omit it.
But you need to look at the base class to get this information. Therfore I would recommend to add the virtual keyword also in the derived class, if you want to show to the human that this function is virtual.
The virtual keyword should be added to functions of a base class to make them overridable. In your example, struct A is the base class. virtual means nothing for using those functions in a derived class. However, it you want your derived class to also be a base class itself, and you want that function to be overridable, then you would have to put the virtual there.
struct B : public A {
virtual void hello() { ... }
};
struct C : public B {
void hello() { ... }
};
Here C inherits from B, so B is not the base class (it is also a derived class), and C is the derived class.
The inheritance diagram looks like this:
A
^
|
B
^
|
C
So you should put the virtual in front of functions inside of potential base classes which may have children. virtual allows your children to override your functions. There is nothing wrong with putting the virtual in front of functions inside of the derived classes, but it is not required. It is recommended though, because if someone would want to inherit from your derived class, they would not be pleased that the method overriding doesn't work as expected.
So put virtual in front of functions in all classes involved in inheritance, unless you know for sure that the class will not have any children who would need to override the functions of the base class. It is good practice.
There's a considerable difference when you have templates and start taking base class(es) as template parameter(s):
struct None {};
template<typename... Interfaces>
struct B : public Interfaces
{
void hello() { ... }
};
struct A {
virtual void hello() = 0;
};
template<typename... Interfaces>
void t_hello(const B<Interfaces...>& b) // different code generated for each set of interfaces (a vtable-based clever compiler might reduce this to 2); both t_hello and b.hello() might be inlined properly
{
b.hello(); // indirect, non-virtual call
}
void hello(const A& a)
{
a.hello(); // Indirect virtual call, inlining is impossible in general
}
int main()
{
B<None> b; // Ok, no vtable generated, empty base class optimization works, sizeof(b) == 1 usually
B<None>* pb = &b;
B<None>& rb = b;
b.hello(); // direct call
pb->hello(); // pb-relative non-virtual call (1 redirection)
rb->hello(); // non-virtual call (1 redirection unless optimized out)
t_hello(b); // works as expected, one redirection
// hello(b); // compile-time error
B<A> ba; // Ok, vtable generated, sizeof(b) >= sizeof(void*)
B<None>* pba = &ba;
B<None>& rba = ba;
ba.hello(); // still can be a direct call, exact type of ba is deducible
pba->hello(); // pba-relative virtual call (usually 3 redirections)
rba->hello(); // rba-relative virtual call (usually 3 redirections unless optimized out to 2)
//t_hello(b); // compile-time error (unless you add support for const A& in t_hello as well)
hello(ba);
}
The fun part of it is that you can now define interface and non-interface functions later to defining classes. That is useful for interworking interfaces between libraries (don't rely on this as a standard design process of a single library). It costs you nothing to allow this for all of your classes - you might even typedef B to something if you'd like.
Note that, if you do this, you might want to declare copy / move constructors as templates, too: allowing to construct from different interfaces allows you to 'cast' between different B<> types.
It's questionable whether you should add support for const A& in t_hello(). The usual reason for this rewrite is to move away from inheritance-based specialization to template-based one, mostly for performance reasons. If you continue to support the old interface, you can hardly detect (or deter from) old usage.
I will certainly include the Virtual keyword for the child class, because
i. Readability.
ii. This child class my be derived further down, you don't want the constructor of the further derived class to call this virtual function.