A question about private virtual function

[sun1991]

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Base{
public:
void ToString(){
ToStringCore();
}
private:
virtual void ToStringCore(){
cout << "this is Base" << endl;
}
};

class Derived: public Base{};

int main(){
Derived d;
d.ToString();
}

-------
It printed "this is Base", but I can't understand why "d" can call the
private function of class Base?

Thanks in advance.

[Thomas Tutone]

sun1991 wrote:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Base{
public:
void ToString(){
ToStringCore();
}
private:
virtual void ToStringCore(){
cout << "this is Base" << endl;
}
};

class Derived: public Base{};

int main(){
Derived d;
d.ToString();
}

-------
It printed "this is Base", but I can't understand why "d" can call the
private function of class Base?

d didn't call a private member function. d called Base::toString( ),
which is a public member function. Base:toString() called
Base::ToStringC ore(), which it is entitled to do because
Base::ToString( ) is a Base member function, and Base member functions
may call private Base member functions. Private member functions
wouldn't serve much purpose if they couldn't be called indirectly in
this way.

Best regards,

Tom

[mlimber]

Thomas Tutone wrote:

sun1991 wrote:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Base{
public:
void ToString(){
ToStringCore();
}
private:
virtual void ToStringCore(){
cout << "this is Base" << endl;
}
};

class Derived: public Base{};

int main(){
Derived d;
d.ToString();
}

-------
It printed "this is Base", but I can't understand why "d" can call the
private function of class Base?

d didn't call a private member function. d called Base::toString( ),
which is a public member function. Base:toString() called
Base::ToStringC ore(), which it is entitled to do because
Base::ToString( ) is a Base member function, and Base member functions
may call private Base member functions. Private member functions
wouldn't serve much purpose if they couldn't be called indirectly in
this way.

Compare also the guidelines for access to virtual functions given by
Guru Sutter:

http://www.gotw.ca/publications/mill18.htm

Cheers! --M

[sun1991]

Well, I should read more. Thanks!

[Default User]

sun1991 wrote:

Well, I should read more. Thanks!

You should quote more too.


Brian