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C++ Primer Plus, Fourth Edition
book

C++ Primer Plus, Fourth Edition

by Stephen Prata
November 2001
Beginner content levelBeginner
1128 pages
29h 12m
English
Sams
Content preview from C++ Primer Plus, Fourth Edition

Abstract Base Classes

So far you've seen simple inheritance and the more intricate polymorphic inheritance. The next step in increasing sophistication is the abstract base class, or ABC. Let's look at some programming situations that provide the background for the ABC.

Sometimes the application of the is-a rule is not as simple as it might appear. Suppose, for example, you are developing a graphics program that is supposed to represent, among other things, circles and ellipses. A circle is a special case of an ellipse; it's an ellipse whose long axis is the same as its short axis. Therefore, all circles are ellipses, and it is tempting to derive a Circle class from an Ellipse class. But once you get to the details, you may find problems.

To see ...

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Publisher Resources

ISBN: 0672322234Purchase book