Pure Virtual Function
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Runtime Polymorphism
• Definition
– Ability to take more than one form
• An essential feature of an OO Language
• It builds upon Inheritance
• Allows run-time interpretation of object type for a
given class hierarchy
– Also Known as “Late Binding”
• Implemented in C++ using virtual functions
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Dynamic Binding
• Is the run-time determination of which function to call
for a particular object of a derived class based on the
type of the argument
• Declaring a member function to be virtual instructs
the compiler to generate code that guarantees
dynamic binding
• Dynamic binding requires pass-by-reference
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Whether constructors and
destructors can be virtual??
• Virtual constructors not allowed
• But virtual destructors are allowed
• Because when a pointer is deleted only the of
the class type is called
• Static binding is done
• To do dynamic binding make destructors as
virtual
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Employee Class
• Different types of employees based on the
way in which salary is calculated
• All employees has salary but that cannot
be determined in base class
• Force any derived class to implement it
• Make it as pure virtual functions
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Pure Virtual Function
• A pure virtual function is a function that has the
notation "= 0" in the declaration of that function. Why
we would want a pure virtual function and what a pure
virtual function looks like is explored in more detail
below.
• Simple Example of a pure virtual function in C++
• class SomeClass
{ public: virtual void pure_virtual() = 0; // a pure virtual
function // note that there is no function body
};
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The pure specifier
• The "= 0" portion of a pure virtual function is also known
as the pure specifier, because it’s what makes a pure
virtual function “pure”.
• Pure specifier appended to the end of the virtual function
definition may look like the function is being assigned a
value of 0, that is not true.
• The notation "= 0" is just there to indicate that the virtual
function is a pure virtual function, and that the function
has no body or definition.
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Abstract Classes
• A class with one or more pure virtual functions is
an Abstract Class
• Objects of abstract class can’t be created
• Abstract Class is a class which contains atl east
one Pure Virtual function in it.
• Abstract classes are used to provide an Interface
for its sub classes.
• Classes inheriting an Abstract Class must provide
definition to the pure virtual function, otherwise
they will also become abstract class.
• But pointer of abstract class can hold address of
derived class 15
Simple Example
Math Symbol Problem
• Create an abstract class MathSymbol may provide
a pure virtual function doOperation(), and create two
more classes Plus and Minus implement
doOperation() to provide concrete implementations
of addition in Plus class and subtraction in Minus
class.
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Algorithm for Math Symbol Problem
• Create Mathsymbol abstract class with
doOperation() pure virtual function.
• Create plus class derived from Mathsymbol.
• Create minus class dervied from
Mathsymbol.
• Perform addition in plus class using
doOperation() pure virtual function.
• Perform subtraction in minus class using
doOperation() pure virtual function.
• Print each values in respective classes.
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Implementation in C++
• Already learnt creating classes
• Learnt about Inheritance
• Define Pure virtual function in Abstract(base)
class.
• Inherit virtual function for distinct operations.
• Already learnt about how to display the
output.
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Class Diagram using Dia
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Example
• Some classes exist logically but not physically.
• Example : Mathsymbol
– Mathsymbol M;
– Mathssymbol makes sense only as a base of some
classes derived from it. Serves as a “category”
– Hence instantiation of such a class must be prevented
class Mathsymbol //Abstract
{
public :
//Pure virtual Function
virtual void doOperation() = 0;
}
Mathsymbol M; // error : variable of an abstract class
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• A pure virtual function not defined in the
derived class remains a pure virtual function.
• Hence derived class also becomes abstract
class Plus : public Mathsymbol{ //No doOperation() -
Abstract
public :
void print(){
cout << “Doing Addition” << endl;
}
class Minus : public Mathsymbol {
public :
void doOperation(){ // Override Mathsymbol:: doOperation()
int a=10,b=5;
cout << “Subtration is = ” <<a-b<< endl;
}
Minus m; // Valid
Plus p; // error : variable of an abstract class
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• It is still possible to provide definition of a pure
virtual function in the base class
• The class still remains abstract and functions
must be redefined in the derived classes, but a
common piece of code can be kept there to
facilitate reuse
• In this case, they can not be declared inline
class Mathsymbol { //Abstract
public : class Minus : public Mathsymbol
virtual void doOperation() = 0; {
}; public :
void doOperation(){
// OK, not defined inline Mathsymbol::doOperation(); //Reuse
void Mathsymbol::doOperation(){ cout <<“Subtraction”<< endl;
cout << “Arithmetic" << endl; }
} 22
Example: Pure Virtual Functions
class A { • A is an abstract (base) class
public:
virtual void x() = 0;
– Similar to an interface in Java
virtual void y() = 0; – Declares pure virtual functions (=0)
}; – May also have non-virtual methods, as well
as virtual methods that are not pure virtual
class B : public A {
public:
virtual void x(); • Derived classes override pure virtual
}; methods
– B overrides x(), C overrides y()
class C : public B {
public:
virtual void y(); • Can’t instantiate an abstract class
}; – class that declares pure virtual functions
int main () {
– or inherits ones that are not overridden
A * ap = new C; – A and B are abstract, can create a C
ap->x ();
ap->y ();
delete ap;
• Can still have a pointer or reference to
return 0; an abstract class type
}; – Useful for polymorphism 23
Pure Virtual Functions: Summary
• Pure virtual functions are useful because they
make explicit the abstractness of a class
• Tell both the user and the compiler how it was
intended to be used
• Note : It is a good idea to keep the common code
as close as possible to the root of you hierarchy
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Difference b/w Virtual and Pure
Virtual Function
• A pure virtual function makes the class it
is defined for abstract. Abstract classes
cannot be instantiated. Derived classes
need to override/implement all inherited
pure virtual functions. If they do not,
they too will become abstract. In C++, a
class can define a pure virtual function
that has an implementation.
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