Abstract base classes - Polymorphism

[VelMurugan]

Abstract base classes

Abstract base classes are something very similar to our CPolygon class of our previous example. The only difference is that in our previous example we have defined a valid area() function with a minimal functionality for objects that were of class CPolygon (like the object poly), whereas in an abstract base classes we could leave that area() member function without implementation at all. This is done by appending =0 (equal to zero) to the function declaration.

An abstract base CPolygon class could look like this:

Code Select Expand


// abstract class CPolygon
class CPolygon {
  protected:
    int width, height;
  public:
    void set_values (int a, int b)
      { width=a; height=b; }
    virtual int area () =0;
};

Notice how we appended =0 to virtual int area () instead of specifying an implementation for the function. This type of function is called a pure virtual function, and all classes that contain at least one pure virtual function are abstract base classes.

The main difference between an abstract base class and a regular polymorphic class is that because in abstract base classes at least one of its members lacks implementation we cannot create instances (objects) of it.

But a class that cannot instantiate objects is not totally useless. We can create pointers to it and take advantage of all its polymorphic abilities. Therefore a declaration like:

CPolygon poly;

would not be valid for the abstract base class we have just declared, because tries to instantiate an object. Nevertheless, the following pointers:

CPolygon * ppoly1;
CPolygon * ppoly2;

would be perfectly valid.

This is so for as long as CPolygon includes a pure virtual function and therefore it's an abstract base class. However, pointers to this abstract base class can be used to point to objects of derived classes.

Here you have the complete example:

Code Select Expand

// abstract base class
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class CPolygon {
  protected:
    int width, height;
  public:
    void set_values (int a, int b)
      { width=a; height=b; }
    virtual int area (void) =0;
  };

class CRectangle: public CPolygon {
  public:
    int area (void)
      { return (width * height); }
  };

class CTriangle: public CPolygon {
  public:
    int area (void)
      { return (width * height / 2); }
  };

int main () {
  CRectangle rect;
  CTriangle trgl;
  CPolygon * ppoly1 = &rect;
  CPolygon * ppoly2 = &trgl;
  ppoly1->set_values (4,5);
  ppoly2->set_values (4,5);
  cout << ppoly1->area() << endl;
  cout << ppoly2->area() << endl;
  return 0;
}

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Source : cplus