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digitalmars.D.learn - Implementing interface in the class hierarchy

reply Arek <arychlinski gmail.com> writes:
According to language reference (part 'Interfaces') this code 
will not compile:

interface D
{
     int foo();
}

class A : D
{
     int foo() { return 1; }
}

class B : A, D <- Error: class B interface function 'foo' is not 
implemented
{
}

Because: 'A reimplemented interface must implement all the 
interface functions, it does not inherit them from a super class'.

Why?

Each B object 'is an' A object (and each cat 'is an' animal) so 
if A implements D, then B implements D too. Implementing D second 
time doesn't change the nature of A and B.

More over, another example (more practical because here, the D 
interface is going to be implemented only once):

interface D
{
     int foo();
}

class A
{
     int foo() { return 1; }
}

class B : A, D <- Error: class B interface function 'foo' is not 
implemented
{
}

Class A doesn't implement D, but it has the method satisfied the 
D interface.

Why I have to provide the explicit implementation of 'foo' in B 
class?

I cannot logically explain this property of Dlang's OOP. Anyone 
could?

Thanks in advance.
Arek
Jul 14 2017
parent reply Steven Schveighoffer <schveiguy yahoo.com> writes:
On 7/14/17 7:04 AM, Arek wrote:
 According to language reference (part 'Interfaces') this code will not 
 compile:
 
 interface D
 {
      int foo();
 }
 
 class A : D
 {
      int foo() { return 1; }
 }
 
 class B : A, D <- Error: class B interface function 'foo' is not 
 implemented
 {
 }
 
 Because: 'A reimplemented interface must implement all the interface 
 functions, it does not inherit them from a super class'.
 
 Why?
Not sure what the use case is. Effectively, this is the same: class B : A {} D d = new B; // works
 Each B object 'is an' A object (and each cat 'is an' animal) so if A 
 implements D, then B implements D too. Implementing D second time 
 doesn't change the nature of A and B.
 
 More over, another example (more practical because here, the D interface 
 is going to be implemented only once):
 
 interface D
 {
      int foo();
 }
 
 class A
 {
      int foo() { return 1; }
 }
 
 class B : A, D <- Error: class B interface function 'foo' is not 
 implemented
 {
 }
This is a different story. I think it is technically possible for the compiler to make this connection (it needs to populate the I vtable with the right call w/ thunk), but I don't think there's a way to do it. This doesn't work: class B : A, D { alias A.foo foo; } Relevant enhancement request: https://issues.dlang.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2565 -Steve
Jul 14 2017
parent Arek <arychlinski gmail.com> writes:
On Friday, 14 July 2017 at 12:31:49 UTC, Steven Schveighoffer 
wrote:
<cut>
 Relevant enhancement request:
 https://issues.dlang.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2565

 -Steve
So it looks like there are no rational arguments for such a language specification, and this behavior is derived from some aspect of the compiler implementation. Thanks Arek
Jul 15 2017