Re: Am I using NVI?

From:
"Martin T." <0xCDCDCDCD@gmx.at>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++.moderated
Date:
Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:55:18 CST
Message-ID:
<h1cvak$m7r$1@news.eternal-september.org>
DeMarcus wrote:

In The C++ Programming Language 3rd ed. by Stroustrup, p.314 it explains
the use of pure virtual interfaces.

In C++ Coding Standards by Sutter & Alexandrescu it says:
Item 39: Consider making virtual functions nonpublic, and public
functions nonvirtual.

Usually I code something like this:

class Module
{
public:
   virtual ~Module() {}
   virtual void doThis() = 0;
   virtual void doThat() = 0;
};

class BasicModule : public Module
{
public:
   virtual void doThis() { /* ... */ }
   virtual void doThat() { /* ... */ }
};

class SpecialModule : public BasicModule
{
public:
   virtual void doThat() { /* ... */ }
};

NVI seems to be widely used and I just want to see if I need to abandon
my coding style for NVI.

If I consistently use BasicModule through out my application to define
the behavior, then what's the difference between my approach and NVI
except that I let subclasses override also the interface?


I think Item 39 explains it very well.
Benefits:
* The public interface is separated from the customization interface
* The base class is in control of when exactly the customization is
called and what should come before and after.
* Robust in the face of change

But not the Summary, they write: "In base classes with a high cost of
change: Prefer to ..."

So it all depends if you consider the overhead (more in code maintenance
terms and reading the code than in performance) worth the benefits.

Personally I have used it when it comes naturally (i.e. the Base class
need to do work before and after the virtual function anyway) and if I
just have an interface like the one you have above, I'll leave it at that.

br,
Martin

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