Re: Question regarding cast

From:
SG <sgesemann@gmail.invalid>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++
Date:
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:14:57 +0200
Message-ID:
<kprsq7$hh0$1@news.albasani.net>
Am 19.06.2013 10:58, schrieb somenath:

On Wednesday, June 19, 2013 11:23:07 AM UTC+5:30, Ike Naar wrote:

/* begin code */
#include <iostream>
class Base1 { char i; };
class Base2 { char j; };
class Derived : public Base1, public Base2 {};
int main()
{
  Derived d;
  Base1 *b1 = &d;
  Base2 *b2 = &d;
  std::cout << "&d=" << &d << " b1=" << b1 << " b2=" << b2 << "\n";
  return 0;
}
/* end code */

/* begin output /*
&d=0x7f7fffffdb40 b1=0x7f7fffffdb40 b2=0x7f7fffffdb41
/* end output */


But I am not getting why it needs to be different?


Think about the memory layout. In this case, we obviously have
something like this:

              Derived object
                    |
                    V
                   ,-- --.
  0x7f7fffffdb40 | i | <-- Base1 object
                   | --?
                   | --.
  0x7f7fffffdb41 | j | <-- Base2 object
                   `-- --'

where the address you see is the object's starting address.

What you should keep in mind is the following: If you have a Base1 or
Base2 pointer and you know already that it points to a subobject of a
Derived object, you need a static_cast to get to a Derived pointer
because a static cast will include a pointer adjustment if necessary:

   Derived d;
   Base1* p = &d;
   Base2* q = &d;
   Derived* x = static_cast<Derived*>(p);
   Derived* y = static_cast<Derived*>(q);
   assert(&d == x);
   assert(&d == y);

(A reinterpret_cast would not work here)

Of course, if your classes are polymorphic, then you could also use a
dynamic_cast for this.

Cheers!
SG

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