Inheritance allows a new class to be based on an existing class. The new class inherits all the member variables and functions, except for the constructors and destructor.

//Vehicle.h
#ifndef VEHICLE_H
#define VEHICLE_H
#include <iostream>
#include <string>

class Vehicle
{
	private:
		std::string producer;
	public:
		//constructor
		Vehicle(std::string s);

		std::string getProducer() const {return producer;}
		void setProducer(std::string producer);

		std::string toString();

		~Vehicle();
};
#endif
			

//Vehicle.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include "Vehicle.h"

//constructor
Vehicle::Vehicle(std::string s):producer(s)
{
	std::cout<<"Vehicle Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
}

void Vehicle::setProducer(std::string producer)
{
	this->producer = producer;
}

std::string Vehicle::toString()
{
	std::string temp;
	temp = "Vehicle Producer: "+producer;
	return temp;
}

Vehicle::~Vehicle()
{
	std::cout<<"Vehicle Destructor ..."<<std::endl;
}
			

//Car.h
#ifndef CAR_H
#define CAR_H
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include "Vehicle.h"

class Car : public Vehicle
{
	private:
		std::string model;
	public:
		//constructor
		Car(std::string p, std::string m);

		std::string getModel() const {return model;}
		void setModel(std::string model);

		std::string toString();

		~Car();
};
#endif
			

//Car.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include "Vehicle.h"
#include "Car.h"

//constructor
Car::Car(std::string p, std::string m):Vehicle(p), model(m)
{
	std::cout<<"Car Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
}

void Car::setModel(std::string model)
{
	this->model = model;
}

std::string Car::toString()
{
	std::string temp;
	temp = "Car Producer: "+getProducer()+" Model: "+model;
	return temp;
}

Car::~Car()
{
	std::cout<<"Car Destructor ..."<<std::endl;
}
			

//Bicycle.h
#ifndef BICYCLE_H
#define BICYCLE_H
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include "Vehicle.h"

class Bicycle : public Vehicle
{
	private:
		int size;
	public:
		//constructor
		Bicycle(std::string p, int s);

		int getSize() const {return size;}
		void setSize(int s);

		std::string toString();

		~Bicycle();
};
#endif
			

//Bicycle.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include "Vehicle.h"
#include "Bicycle.h"

//constructor
Bicycle::Bicycle(std::string p, int s) : Vehicle(p), size(s)
{
	std::cout<<"Bicycle Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
}

void Bicycle::setSize(int s)
{
	size = s;
}

std::string Bicycle::toString()
{
	std::string temp;
	temp = "Bicycle Producer: "+getProducer()+" Size: "+std::to_string(size);
	return temp;
}

Bicycle::~Bicycle()
{
	std::cout<<"Bicycle Destructor ..."<<std::endl;
}
			

• Although the private members are inherited, they are invisible to child. They can be accessed by the member functions of the parent class
• Inheritance does not work in reverse. It is impossible for a parent class to call a member funciton of a child class
• Pass arguments to the parent class by calling the constructor of the parent
• Car(std::string p, std::string m):Vehicle(std::string p), in the definition of a constructor, not in a prototype
• Creating a child object, the constructor of parent will be called first, then the constructor of child will be called; when the object is deleted, the destructor of child will be called first, then the destructor of parent will be called

The default access specification is private, class Parent : Grand equals to class Parent : private Grand

//Grand.h
#ifndef GRAND_H
#define GRAND_H
#include <iostream>
class Grand
{
	private: 
		int gx;
	protected:
		int gy;
	public:
		int gz;

		Grand()
		{
			gx = 1;
			gy = 2;
			gz = 3;
		}

		int getX() const {return gx;}
		int getY() const {return gy;}
		int getZ() const {return gz;}

		void display()
		{
			std::cout<<gx<<" "<<gy<<" "<<gz<<std::endl;
		}
};
#endif
			

//Parent.h
#ifndef PARENT_H
#define PARENT_H
#include <iostream>
#include "Grand.h"

class Parent : public Grand
{
	private: 
		int px;
	protected:
		int py;
	public:
		int pz;

		Parent() : Grand()
		{
			px = 10;
			py = 20;
			pz = 30;
		}

		int getX() const {return px;}
		int getY() const {return py;}
		int getZ() const {return pz;}

		void display()
		{
			std::cout<<px<<" "<<py<<" "<<pz<<std::endl;
			std::cout<<Grand::getX()<<" "<<gy<<" "<<gz<<std::endl;
		}
};
#endif
			

//Child.h
#ifndef CHILD_H
#define CHILD_H
#include <iostream>
#include "Grand.h"
#include "Parent.h"

class Child : public Parent
{
	private: 
		int cx;
	protected:
		int cy;
	public:
		int cz;

		Child() : Parent()
		{
			cx = 100;
			cy = 200;
			cz = 300;
		}

		int getX() const {return cx;}
		int getY() const {return cy;}
		int getZ() const {return cz;}

		void display()
		{
			std::cout<<cx<<" "<<cy<<" "<<cz<<std::endl;
			std::cout<<Parent::getX()<<" "<<py<<" "<<pz<<std::endl;
			std::cout<<Grand::getX()<<" "<<gy<<" "<<gz<<std::endl;
		}
};
#endif
			

• Protected members of a base class can be accessed by functions in a derived class
• Call Grand::getX() from Parent
• Call Grand::getX() and Parent::getX() from Child

//Faculty.h
#ifndef FACULTY_H
#define FACULTY_H
#include <iostream>
#include <string>

class Faculty
{
	private:
		std::string title;
	public:
		Faculty(std::string t):title(t)
		{
			std::cout<<"Faculty Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}

		std::string getTitle() const {return title;}

		std::string toString()
		{
			std::string temp;
			temp = "Faculty Title: "+title;
			return temp;
		}

		~Faculty()
		{
			std::cout<<"Faculty Destructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}
};
#endif
			

//Student.h
#ifndef STUDENT_H
#define STUDENT_H
#include <iostream>
#include <string>

class Student
{
	private:
		std::string major;
	public:
		Student(std::string m)
		{
			major = m;
			std::cout<<"Student Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}

		std::string getMajor() const {return major;}

		std::string toString()
		{
			std::string temp;
			temp = "Student Major: "+major;
			return temp;
		}

		~Student()
		{
			std::cout<<"Student Destructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}
};
#endif
			

//TA.h
#ifndef TA_H
#define TA_H
#include <iostream>
#include "Faculty.h"
#include "Student.h"

class TA : public Faculty, Student
{
	private:
		std::string course;
	public:
		TA(std::string t, std::string m, std::string c):Faculty(t), Student(m), course(c)
		{
			std::cout<<"TA Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}

		std::string getCourse() const {return course;}

		std::string toString()
		{
			std::string temp;
			temp = "TA Title: "+getTitle()+" Major: "+getMajor()+" Course: "+course;
			return temp;
		}

		~TA()
		{
			std::cout<<"TA Destructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}
};
#endif
			

//main.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include "TA.h"

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
	TA ta("GA", "CS", "CSC115");

	std::cout<<ta.toString()<<std::endl;

	return 0;
}
			

The diamond problem

//V.h
#ifndef V_H
#define V_H
#include <iostream>
#include <string>

class V
{
	private:
		int size;
		int *array;
	public:
		//constructor
		V(int s):size(s)
		{
			std::cout<<"Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
			array = new int[size];
			for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
				array[i] = 10*i;
			std::cout<<"----End Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}

		//copy constructor
		V(const V &right):size(right.size), array(size?new int [size]:nullptr)
		{
			std::cout<<"Copy Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
			std::copy(right.array, right.array+size, array);
			std::cout<<"----End Copy Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}

		//move constructor
		V(V && right):size(0), array(nullptr)
		{
			std::cout<<"Move Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
			size = right.size;
			array = right.array;
			right.size = 0;
			right.array =  nullptr;
			std::cout<<"----End Move Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}

		int *getAddress() const {return array;}
		int getSize() const {return size;}

		void display() const
		{
			for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
				std::cout<<array[i]<<" ";
			std::cout<<std::endl;
		}

		std::string toString() const
		{
			std::string str = "V: ";
			for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
				str += std::to_string(array[i])+" ";
			return str;
		}

		V & time(int n)
		{
			for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
				array[i] *= n;
			return *this;
		}

		//copy assignment
		const V& operator=(const V &right)
		{
			std::cout<<"Copy Assignment ..."<<size<<std::endl;
			if(this != &right)
			{
				V temp(right);
				//std::swap(size, temp.size);
				//std::swap(array, temp.array);
				std::swap(*this, temp);
			}
			std::cout<<"----End Assignment ..."<<std::endl;

			return *this;
		}

		//move assignment
		V & operator=(V&& right)
		{
			std::cout<<"Move Assignment ..."<<std::endl;
			if(this != &right)
			{
				delete [] array;
				array = 0;
				size = 0;

				size = right.size;
				array = right.array;

				right.size = 0;
				right.array = nullptr;
			}
			std::cout<<"----End Move Assignment ..."<<std::endl;

			return *this;
		}

		~V()
		{
			std::cout<<"Destructor ..."<<size<<std::endl;
			delete array;
			array = 0;
			size = 0;
		}
};
#endif

//VV.h
#ifndef VV_H
#define VV_H
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include "V.h"

class VV : public V
{
	private:
		int  type;
	public:
		//constructor inheritance
		VV(int t, int s):type(t), V(s)
		{
			std::cout<<"WW Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
			std::cout<<"----End WW Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}

		//copy constructor inheritance
		VV(const VV &right):type(right.type), V(right)
		{
			std::cout<<"VV Copy Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
			std::cout<<"----End VV Copy Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}

		//move constructor
		VV(VV && right):type(right.type), V(std::move(right))
		{
			std::cout<<"VV Move Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
			std::cout<<"----End VV Move Constructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}

		void display() const
		{
			std::cout<<"Type: "<<type<<" -- ";
			V::display();
		}

		//copy assignment
		const VV& operator=(const VV &right)
		{
			std::cout<<"VV Copy Assignment ..."<<std::endl;
			type = right.type;
			V::operator=(right);
			std::cout<<"----End VV Assignment ..."<<std::endl;

			return *this;
		}

		//move assignment
		VV & operator=(VV&& right)
		{
			std::cout<<"VV Move Assignment ..."<<std::endl;
			type = right.type;
			V::operator=(std::move(right));
			std::cout<<"----End VV Move Assignment ..."<<std::endl;

			return *this;
		}

		~VV()
		{
			std::cout<<"VV Destructor ..."<<std::endl;
		}
};
#endif

//main.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include "VV.h"

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
	//V constructor
	//VV constructor
	VV vv(1, 2);
	vv.display();//0 10

	//V copy constructor
	//VV copy constructor
	VV vv2(vv);
	vv.display();//0 10
	vv2.display();//0 10

	//V move constructor
	//VV move constructor
	VV vv3(std::move(vv));
	vv.display();//empty
	vv3.display();//0 10

	//VV copy assignment
	//V copy assignment
	//V copy constructor, temp(right)
	//V move assignment, swap
	//V move assignment
	//V move assignment
	VV vv4(2, 4);
	vv4.display();//0 10 20 30
	vv4 = vv3;
	vv3.display();//0 10
	vv4.display();//0 10

	//VV move assignment
	//V move assignment
	VV vv5(3, 8);
	vv5.display();//0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
	vv4 = std::move(vv5);
	vv5.display();//empty
	vv4.display();//0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

	return 0;
}
			

• Starting out with C++, Tony Gaddis
• isocpp.org