Method and system for accessing virtual base classes

Details Method and system for accessing virtual base classes Method and system for accessing virtual base classes

1995-01-09

1998-05-19

Kriess, Kevin A.

Boots, shoes, and leggings

395683, 3642557, 3642804, 364DIG1, G06F 944, G06F 1206

Patent

active

057548625

ABSTRACT:
A method for a computer compiler for an object-oriented programming language for implementing virtual functions and virtual base classes is provided. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the data structure layout of an object includes a virtual function table pointer, a virtual base table pointer, occurrences of each non-virtual base class, the data members of the class, and occurrences of each virtual base class. If a class introduces a virtual function member and the class has a non-virtual base class with a virtual function table pointer, then the class shares the virtual function table pointer of the non-virtual base class that is first visited in a depth-first, left-to-right traversal of the inheritance tree. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, each instance of a given class shares a set of virtual function tables and virtual base tables for that class. In preferred embodiments, adjusters are used when a function member in a derived class overrides a function member that is defined in more than one base class, and when a derived class has a base class that overrides a function member in a virtual base class of that class and the derived class itself does not override the function member.

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