C++ Programming :: Calling protected base class function on other (same typed) object


	Calling protected base class function on other (same typed) object Hi, Can anyone explain to me why the below fails to compile - seeing otherA->f(); as a call to a inaccessible function, while otherB->f(); is ok? It seems you can happily access protected functions of another (same type) - but not via a base class pointer.... I've checked the FAQs, Meyers etc but nothing obvious I can find explains it. I wanted to implement a recursion down a tree (via parent/child base class pointers) and keep the virtual functions protected - but this behaviour seems to force me to make them public. Any info would be very helpful. Thanks Rick class A { protected: virtual void f() const {}; }; class B : public A { protected: virtual void f() const { A::f(); // OK // OK B * otherB = new B(); otherB->f(); // Not OK - f() protected.... A * otherA = new B(); otherA->f(); }; - Hide quoted text - }; Rick wrote: > Can anyone explain to me why the below fails to compile - seeing > otherA->f(); as a call to a inaccessible function, while otherB->f(); > is ok? > It seems you can happily access protected functions of another (same > type) - but not via a base class pointer.... I've checked the FAQs, > Meyers etc but nothing obvious I can find explains it. Access to protected members is allowed only through the object of the same type. It's a limitation imposed by the language. > I wanted to implement a recursion down a tree (via parent/child base > class pointers) and keep the virtual functions protected - but this > behaviour seems to force me to make them public. Consider the Visitor pattern. Keep virtual functions private and have a public non-virtual function in the base class which will call your virtual function. Or, make the visiting type a friend and keep everything private. > [..] V -- Please remove capital 'A's when replying by e-mail I do not respond to top-posted replies, please don't ask On Feb 6, 3:56 pm, "Victor Bazarov" <v.Abaza@comAcast.net> wrote: > Rick wrote: > > Can anyone explain to me why the below fails to compile - seeing > > otherA->f(); as a call to a inaccessible function, while otherB->f(); > > is ok? > > It seems you can happily access protected functions of another (same > > type) - but not via a base class pointer.... I've checked the FAQs, > > Meyers etc but nothing obvious I can find explains it. > Access to protected members is allowed only through the object of > the same type. It's a limitation imposed by the language. I guess this is a static versus dynamic binding issue? The access specifiers having to be checked at compile time...? > > I wanted to implement a recursion down a tree (via parent/child base > > class pointers) and keep the virtual functions protected - but this > > behaviour seems to force me to make them public. > Consider the Visitor pattern. Keep virtual functions private and > have a public non-virtual function in the base class which will call > your virtual function. Or, make the visiting type a friend and keep > everything private. Looks like a good solution. Thanks for the advice. Rick - Hide quoted text - Rick wrote: > On Feb 6, 3:56 pm, "Victor Bazarov" <v.Abaza@comAcast.net> wrote: >> Rick wrote: >>> Can anyone explain to me why the below fails to compile - seeing >>> otherA->f(); as a call to a inaccessible function, while >>> otherB->f(); is ok? >>> It seems you can happily access protected functions of another (same >>> type) - but not via a base class pointer.... I've checked the FAQs, >>> Meyers etc but nothing obvious I can find explains it. >> Access to protected members is allowed only through the object of >> the same type. It's a limitation imposed by the language. > I guess this is a static versus dynamic binding issue? The access > specifiers having to be checked at compile time...? I know that the rule of allowing access to protected functions only through an object of the same type stems from the fact that you're not supposed to be able to use it across a hierarchy. Example: class A { protected: void foo(); }; class B : public A { public: void bar(B& b) { b.foo(); // OK } }; class C : public A { public: void bar(A& a) { a.foo(); // NOT OK! Line 42 } }; int main() { B b; C c; c.bar(b); } If a call on line 42 were allowed, then you could call a protected member function for an object (b) which has no relation to you (C). I am not sure why it is bad, nothing immediately comes to mind. [..] V -- Please remove capital 'A's when replying by e-mail I do not respond to top-posted replies, please don't ask * Victor Bazarov: > I am not sure why it is bad, nothing immediately comes to mind. If it were allowed you could access any protected member of any class simply by deriving from that class. As it is, you need at least a cast when using the derive-from-it method. -- A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is it such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing on usenet and in e-mail? Rick wrote: >> > It seems you can happily access protected functions of another (same >> > type) - but not via a base class pointer.... I've checked the FAQs, >> > Meyers etc but nothing obvious I can find explains it. >> Access to protected members is allowed only through the object of >> the same type. It's a limitation imposed by the language. > I guess this is a static versus dynamic binding issue? The access > specifiers having to be checked at compile time...? The "protected" keyword allows to access to base class members of own object, not base class members of other objects. Other objects of the same class is exception due to copy and assign wants the access, but the protected access to members of other objects of the same class is better to use only for copy and assign purpose. If you want to access to protected for other objects, use "friend". -- Maksim A. Polyanin "In thi world of fairy tales rolls are liked olso" /Gnume/