A class that contains a pure virtual function is called an abstract base class and cannot be instantiated. It serves as an interface that defines common behavior for derived classes to implement. The document provides examples of an area abstract base class with a pure virtual getarea() function, and rectangle and triangle derived classes that override getarea() and provide class-specific implementations.

1. Inheritance
The mechanism by which one class can
inherit the properties of another.
It allows a hierarchy of classes to be built,
moving from the most general to the most
specific.

2. Base Class, Derived Class
Base Class
Defines all qualities common to any derived
classes.
Derived Class
Inherits those general properties and adds
new properties that are specific to that class.

3. Example: Base Class
class base {
int x;
public:
void setx(int n) { x = n; }
void showx() { cout << x << ‘n’ }
};

4. Example: Derived Class
// Inherit as public
class derived : public base {
int y;
public:
void sety(int n) { y = n; }
void showy() { cout << y << ‘n’;}
};

5. Access Specifier: public
The keyword public tells the compiler that
base will be inherited such that:
all public members of the base class will
also be public members of derived.
However, all private elements of base will
remain private to it and are not directly
accessible by derived.

6. Example: main()
int main() {
derived ob;
ob.setx(10);
ob.sety(20);
ob.showx();
ob.showy();
}

7. An incorrect example
class derived : public base {
int y;
public:
void sety(int n) { y = n; }
/* Error ! Cannot access x, which is
private member of base. */
void show_sum() {cout << x+y; }
};

8. Access Specifier: private
If the access specifier is private:
public members of base become private
members of derived.
these members are still accessible by
member functions of derived.

9. Example: Derived Class
// Inherit as private
class derived : private base {
int y;
public:
void sety(int n) { y = n; }
void showy() { cout << y << ‘n’;}
};

10. Example: main()
int main() {
derived ob;
ob.setx(10); // Error! setx() is private.
ob.sety(20); // OK!
ob.showx(); // Error! showx() is private.
ob.showy(); // OK!
}

11. Example: Derived Class
class derived : private base {
int y;
public:
// setx is accessible from within derived
void setxy(int n, int m) { setx(n); y = m; }
// showx is also accessible
void showxy() { showx(); cout<<y<< ‘n’;}
};

12. Protected Members
Sometimes you want to do the following:
keep a member of a base class private
allow a derived class access to it
Use protected members!
If no derived class, protected
members is the same as private
members.

13. Protected Members
The full general form of a class
declaration:
class class-name {
// private members
protected:
// protected members
public:
// public members
};

14. 3 Types of Access Specifiers
Type 1: inherit as private
Base Derived
private members inaccessible
protected members private members
public members private members

15. 3 Types of Access Specifiers
Type 2: inherit as protected
Base Derived
private members inaccessible
protected members protected members
public members protected members

16. 3 Types of Access Specifiers
Type 3: inherit as public
Base Derived
private members inaccessible
protected members protected members
public members public members

17. Constructor and Destructor
It is possible for both the base class and
the derived class to have constructor
and/or destructor functions.
The constructor functions are executed in
order of derivation.
i.e.the base class constructor is executed
first.
The destructor functions are executed in
reverse order.

18. Passing arguments
What if the constructor functions of both
the base class and derived class take
arguments?
1. Pass all necessary arguments to the
derived class’s constructor.
2. Then pass the appropriate arguments
along to the base class.

19. Example: Constructor of base
class base {
int i;
public:
base(int n) {
cout << “constructing base n”;
i = n; }
~base() { cout << “destructing base n”; }
};

20. Example: Constructor of derived
class derived : public base {
int j;
public:
derived (int n, int m) : base (m) {
cout << “constructing derivedn”;
j = n; }
~derived() { cout << “destructing derivedn”;}
};

21. Example: main()
int main() {
derived o(10,20);
return 0;
}
constructing base
constructing derived
destructing derived
destructing base

22. Multiple Inheritance
Type 1:
base 1
derived 1
derived 2

23. Multiple Inheritance
• Type 2:
base 1 base 2
derived

24. Example: Type 2
// Create first base class
class B1 {
int a;
public:
B1(int x) { a = x; }
int geta() { return a; }
};

25. Example: Type 2
// Create second base class
class B2 {
int b;
public:
B2(int x) { b = x; }
int getb() { return b; }
};

26. // Directly inherit two base classes.
class D : public B1, public B2 {
int c;
public:
D(int x, int y, int z) : B1(z), B2(y) {
c = x; }
void show() {
cout << geta() << getb() << c;}
} ;
Example: Type 2

27. Potential Problem
Base is inherited twice by Derived 3!
Base Base
Derived 1 Derived 2
Derived 3

28. Virtual Base Class
To resolve this problem, virtual base class
can be used.
class base {
public:
int i;
};

29. Virtual Base Class
// Inherit base as virtual
class D1 : virtual public base {
public:
int j;
};
class D2 : virtual public base {
public:
int k;
};

30. Virtual Base Class
/* Here, D3 inherits both D1 and D2.
However, only one copy of base is
present */
class D3 : public D1, public D2 {
public:
int product () { return i * j * k; }
};

31. Pointers to Derived Classes
A pointer declared as a pointer to base
class can also be used to point to any
class derived from that base.
However, only those members of the
derived object that were inherited from the
base can be accessed.

32. Example
base *p; // base class pointer
base B_obj;
derived D_obj;
p = &B_obj; // p can point to base object
p = &D_obj; // p can also point to derived
// object

33. Virtual Function
A virtual function is a member function
declared within a base class
redefined by a derived class (i.e. overriding)
It can be used to support run-time
polymorphism.

34. Example
class base {
public:
int i;
base (int x) { i = x; }
virtual void func() {cout << i; }
};

35. Example
class derived : public base {
public:
derived (int x) : base (x) {}
// The keyword virtual is not needed.
void func() {cout << i * i; }
};

36. Example
int main() {
base ob(10), *p;
derived d_ob(10);
p = &ob;
p->func(); // use base’s func()
p = &d_ob;
p->func(); // use derived’s func()
}

37. Pure Virtual Functions
A pure virtual function has no definition
relative to the base class.
Only the function’s prototype is included.
General form:
virtual type func-name(paremeter-list) = 0

38. Example: area
class area {
public:
double dim1, dim2;
area(double x, double y)
{dim1 = x; dim2 = y;}
// pure virtual function
virtual double getarea() = 0;
};

39. Example: rectangle
class rectangle : public area {
public:
// function overriding
double getarea() {
return dim1 * dim2;
}
};

40. Example: triangle
class triangle : public area {
public:
// function overriding
double getarea() {
return 0.5 * dim1 * dim2;
}
};