Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.lang.c++ > #11772

Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class?

Show all headers | View raw

The full question:
Any portable and standard way to detect the absence of virtual
destructor in base class?

Boost has some type traits for that, but they are intrinsic and rely
on the compilers internal implementation.

Here is some sample code,

class A {
// no virtual destructor
};

class B : public A {
// some data here, whatever
};

A * a = new B;
delete a;

If B has virtual destructor, the behavior of "delete a" is UB. (I
spent half an hour on this issue).
If B has no virtual dtor, memory leak!

So the ideal way is, whenever newing a B like that, a static assert
failure or runtime failure is thrown to indicate A needs a virtual dtor.

Is it possible?
I doubt that, but it's quite annoying to debug that problem in case
I forget to give A a virtual dtor.

If it's impossible, any suggestion on how to avoid forgetting give
base class a virtual dtor?


Thanks


-- 
WQ

Back to comp.lang.c++ | Previous | Next — Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Qi <no@no.no> - 2011-11-24 17:20 +0800
  Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? "Alf P. Steinbach" <alf.p.steinbach+usenet@gmail.com> - 2011-11-24 10:35 +0100
    Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Qi <no@no.com> - 2011-11-24 21:05 +0800
    Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2011-11-25 18:30 +0000
      Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? "Alf P. Steinbach" <alf.p.steinbach+usenet@gmail.com> - 2011-11-25 22:25 +0100
        Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? "Alf P. Steinbach" <alf.p.steinbach+usenet@gmail.com> - 2011-11-25 22:40 +0100
        Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2011-11-25 22:30 +0000
          Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? "Alf P. Steinbach" <alf.p.steinbach+usenet@gmail.com> - 2011-11-26 01:36 +0100
            Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2011-11-26 12:16 +0000
  Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Vladimir Jovic <vladaspams@gmail.com> - 2011-11-24 10:45 +0100
    Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Qi <no@no.com> - 2011-11-24 21:07 +0800
  Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? SG <s.gesemann@gmail.com> - 2011-11-24 04:50 -0800
    Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Qi <no@no.com> - 2011-11-24 21:04 +0800
      Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Marc <marc.glisse@gmail.com> - 2011-11-24 16:12 +0000
  Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Lee Steven <steven.mtl@gmail.com> - 2011-11-25 06:55 -0800
  Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? jgk@panix.com (Joe keane) - 2011-11-25 22:21 +0000
    Re: Any way to detect the absense of virtual destructor in base class? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-26 11:32 +1300

csiph-web