Re: some questions about multiple inheritance

From:
"Victor Bazarov" <v.Abazarov@comAcast.net>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++
Date:
Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:02:17 -0400
Message-ID:
<f5r2or$8k8$1@news.datemas.de>
Jess wrote:

I've been reading Effective C++ about multiple inheritance, but I
still have a few questions. Can someone give me some help please?


We can try...

First, it is said that if virtual inheritance is used, then "the
responsibility for initializing a virtual base is borne by the most
derived class in the hierarchy". What does it mean?


It means that the compiler generates code such that the virtual base
class' constructor is invoked *not* by the constructor of the class
that directly inherits the virtual base but the most derived one.

 Initializing
base class is usually done automatically by the compiler, but a
derived class can invoke the base class' constructor. What special
initialization work has to be done by the most derived class?


Here is an example:

    struct vbase {
        int i;
        vbase(int ii) : i(ii) {}
    };

    struct a : virtual vbase {
        a() : vbase(1) {}
    };

    struct b : virtual vbase {
        b() : vbase(2) {}
    };

    struct mostderived : a, b {
        mostderived() : vbase(42) {} // note 'vbase' initialisation
    };

    #include <iostream>
    int main() {
        mostderived m;
        std::cout << m.i << std::endl;
    }

What do you expect the program to output? The default c-tor of 'a'
makes the 'i' member of 'vbase' 1, 'b' makes it 2. But when the 'm'
object is created in the 'main' function, the 'i' member will be
initialised to 42 because the most derived class is responsible for
initialising the virtual base class.

 What
about the intermediate classes (those derived classes that aren't at
the end of the hierarchy)?


What about them? Do you expect to instantiate them independently?

Do they need to do anything to init the
virtual base class and does the most derived class need to do anything
to init the intermediate classes?


Yes, in case you _do_ instantiate them.

Second, it is said that we should try to avoid putting data in a
virtual base class.


Is it said, why?

 If we use non-virtual inheritance then there will
be duplicated data members if the base class has data members.


Yes.

However, once we declare virtual inheritance, then the compiler will
ensure no duplication, is this right?


The merging happens between two branches in which *both* base classes
are derived from virtually, like in my example above. Had 'b' not
derived virtually from 'vbase', the duplication would still occur.

 Therefore, it seems ok to me to
put data members into virtual base class. I guess the reason why we
should avoid putting data into a virtual base class is to make
compiler's life easier. In addition, the book also says if we don't
put data into virtual base class, then we "won't have to worry about
oddities in the initialization and assignment rules for such classes".
Could someone tell me what the author means exactly?


I believe you could ask the author directly. Isn't there an e-mail
address which you could use?

Anyway, if the hierarchy is more complex, it is generally possible that
somebody makes a mistake and doesn't derive virtually, which means the
duplication can still occur, and have very unpleasant effects. To avoid
the unpleasantness, the author recommends not having any data at all in
the class intended to be the very virtual base.

Third, if a class D privately inherits from class A and B, do we still
need to use virtual inheritance?


To accomplish what?

 If we use non-virtual inheritance,
would there be any data duplication?


Data duplication of what?

Finally, I'm still not sure when multiple inheritance should be used,
any insight will be highly appreciated!


Get a hold of a copy of "Modern C++ Design" by Andrei Alexandrescu.
Multiple inheritance is the cornerstone of the "policy-based design".

V
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