Re: Why dynamic_cast/static_cast?

K?r?at wrote:


A C-style cast performs all possible kinds of conversions like integer to
pointer, removal of const or volatile qualifiers, pointer or reference type
changes, conversions between function pointers and object pointers. This
much power allows you to shoot yourself into the foot when you are
accidentally doing a conversion that you didn't really intend to. Further,
it makes it harder for the next one to maintain your code, because they
will not know what conversion you intended.

Further, dynamic_cast strikes out partially:
1. If applied to a polymorphic type, it checks if the type actually matches
and throws a std::bad_cast or returns a null pointer.
2. It is the only way to get from a virtual baseclass to a derived class.
Actually go and try the same using a static_cast or a C-style cast. Compare
the resulting pointers.

Uli

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