Entry
C#: Class: Inheritance: What is inheritance?
Sep 29th, 2003 09:55
Knud van Eeden,
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--- Knud van Eeden --- 27 September 2003 - 06:17 pm ------------------
C#: Class: Inheritance: What is inheritance?
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The basic idea is that you can 'copy' information (=variables,
functions and procedures) from another class to your current class.
After which you can 'add' or 'insert' extra information (=variables,
functions and procedures) to your current class, to further adapt it to
your needs (e.g. reuse, creating classification, creating hierarchy,
...).
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There are times when you need to define a class based on another -
existing - class.
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For example you may need to define a class to represent a Savings
account for a bank.
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But we may already have a class named 'BankAccount' which has most of
the
functionality you need.
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Instead of creating a class from scratch you can define your class
based on the existing 'BankAccount' class.
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Your new class inherits all the public methods, properties and fields
of the existing class, while adding to them all the methods, properties
and fields it defines.
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The class you are starting from is called the 'base' class.
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Your new class is called a 'derived' class.
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Each 'base' class can have many 'derived' classes.
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And each 'derived' class - in turn - can be extended further creating a
hierarchy of class definitions.
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It is important to know that each 'derived' class can only have one
'base' class.
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That is, you can inherit from only a single, parent class.
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[Internet: source: http://www.joegrip.com]
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Note: here 'base' class can also be read as 'parent' class and
'derived' class can also be read as 'child' class.
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So the hierarchy that is created is basically a 'tree' (and not
a 'graph).
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Internet: see also:
C#: Class: Inheritance: Create: Simple: Can you give an example of
inheritance?
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/24889/fid/791
C++: Class: Inheritance: What is inheritance?
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/24866
Delphi: Class: Inheritance: What is inheritance?
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/24869
Java: Class: Inheritance: What is inheritance?
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/24864
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