Does C++ have a keyword which allows to refer to a base type from a derived class?

Question

For an example:

class some_base
{
 ... // some valid code
};

class derived : public some_base
{
  ...

  derived& operator=( const derived& that )
  {
    some_base::operator=( that );

    ...

    return *this;
};

It'd be good if we were able to use some keyword in a derived's assign operator instead of a some_base qualifier. Compiler knows a type we inherit from so it's not a problem, in my opinion.

So the question is does С++ provides an auxiliary keyword to simplify the coder's life ?

Historically - It didn't exist. That's why I got used to writing `typedef some_base Parent;` at the top of the class. I am unaware if anything changed with newer standards of C++, though. — Algirdas Preidžius, Apr 26 '18 at 13:53
if you are using a microsoft's compiler you can use [__super](https://msdn.microsoft.com/pt-br/library/94dw1w7x.aspx) — Penachia, Apr 26 '18 at 13:54
Kind of similar: https://stackoverflow.com/q/21143835/560648 — Lightness Races in Orbit, Apr 26 '18 at 14:21

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 26 '18 at 13:53

3

Compiler knows a type we inherit from so it's not a problem

Unless you derive from multiple base classes - in such case, how would compiler decide which one it is?

So no, there is no such keyword, all you can do is put one into your coding standard.

answered Apr 26 '18 at 13:53

Jaa-c

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The proposal that almost got accepted, let the keyword be ambiguous for multiple base classes. That's not the reason why it's not in the standard. – Cheers and hth. - Alf Apr 26 '18 at 15:53

Cheers and hth. - Alf · Answer 2 · 2018-04-26T14:23:10.717

Some compilers provide a base class keyword as an extension. It seems that variants of the name super are common, e.g. Visual C++'s __super (I would expect that as an intended plug-in replacement, Intel's compiler also supports __super). But standard C++ provides no such thing, although there was once a proposal.

To achieve about the same, simply define a type alias Base in every class.

In another thread, user Roddy argues that such an alias should be private “to avoid the problem when the 'inherited' is erroneously omitted from a class but a subclass tries to use it”.

Does C++ have a keyword which allows to refer to a base type from a derived class?

2 Answers2