Re: dynamic cast

Quite a few advantages:
- dynamic_cast returns null if the object is not of the given type. So
that at all times you know if the object is really what think it is ;)

- dynamic_cast works across multiple inheritance, even from virtual
base classes. Forced C-cast will generate a compile-error, like this:

struct A { virtual ~A() {} };
struct B : virtual A {};
struct C : B {};
struct D : C, B {};

A * a = ...;
B * b = (B*)a; // compile error

So basically if you're not sure if you can downcast or not, use
dynamic_cast - as long as you have at least one virtual function,
which can be the destructor.
And even if you are sure, it's still safer to use dynamic_cast :)

--
http://John.Torjo.com -- C++ expert
.... call me only if you want things done right

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