Re: pass address of data member to base class ctor?

From:
"Jim Langston" <tazmaster@rocketmail.com>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++.moderated
Date:
Sat, 17 May 2008 02:28:43 CST
Message-ID:
<m7qXj.54$U54.2@newsfe05.lga>
Ralf Fassel wrote:

Is it possible to pass the *address* of a non-pod data member to a
base-class-ctor?

    class bar {
    public:
      bar(base *x) : x_(x) {}
      // goal: avoid defining docall virtual and having to repeat
      // it in all derived classes
      docall() { x->method(); }
    private:
      base *x_;
    };

    class foo1 : public bar {
    public:
// HERE
      foo() : bar(&x_){ };
      // alternative, assumes a protected set_base() in base class
      // foo() : bar(){ set_base(&x_); };
    private:
      derived1 x_;
    };

I know I could delay the assignment into the CTOR of foo1, but by
having a mandatory argument in the base-CTOR I cannot forget to assign
the data member...

R'


So, basically you are attemping to call a member of a derived class from a
base class.

Wouldn't it be simpler to make x_ a base pointer in bar (as you already
have) and having foo's constructor create it?

class base
{
public:
     virtual method() = 0;
};

class derived: public base
{
     virtual method() { };
};

class bar
{
public:
     bar(): x_( 0 ) {}
     ~bar() { delete x_; }
     // goal: avoid defining docall virtual and having to repeat
     // it in all derived classes
     void docall() { x_->method(); }
protected:
     base *x_;
};

class foo : public bar
{
public:
     // HERE
     foo() { bar:x_ = new derived; }
};

int main()
{
}

I'm not saying this is a good way to do it, only that it is a possible way.
You may notice that I am having base delete the instance instead of derived,
even though derived created the instance. Some may not think this is a good
thing, that derived should do it, but my thinking is it will be easier for
someone creating a new derived not to forget the deletion.

--
Jim Langston
tazmaster@rocketmail.com

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