BCA easy C# Concept Tutorials UNIT-III

Inheritance and Polymorphism

 Inheritance
C# is pure object-oriented language.
C# has the ability to create new classes from the existing classes.
Reusability is achieved by designing new classes, reusing all or some of the
properties of existing ones.
When we want to add more properties to an existing class without
actually modifying it, we use inheritance and for that we define derived class.

Mechanism of designing or constructing a class from another class is called

inheritance.

A class that is inherited is called base class. ( or superclass or parent class).

The class that does the inheriting is called derived class ( or subclass or child
class).
Derived class is specified version of base class. Derived class inherits all of
the members defined by the base class and add its own unique elements.

( Existing class from which new class is derived is called base class.
Newly derived class from existing class is called derived class. )

Inheritance may be achieved in two different forms:

• Classical form
• Containment form

Classical inheritance may be implemented in different combinations such as:

single inheritance, multiple inheritance( C# does not provide this type),
Hierarchical inheritance, multilevel inheritance.

C# does not directly implement multiple inheritance.

Multiple inheritance can be implemented using concept of interface.

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Types of Inheritance:
1) Single inheritance or Single level inheritance:
When class derived from single base class such type of inheritance is
called single level inheritance.

2) Multilevel inheritance: IMP ***

When class derived from another derived class such type of inheritance is
called multilevel inheritance.

3) Hierarchical inheritance:
When multiple (i.e. two or more) classes derived from same base class
such type of inheritance is called hierarchical inheritance.

4) Multiple inheritance:
When class derived from more than one base classes such type of
inheritance called multiple inheritance.
C# does not directly implement multiple inheritance.
Multiple inheritance can be implemented using concept of interface.

Figure: types of Inheritance

Characteristics of inheritance are:

1. A derived class extends its direct base class. It can add new members to those
it inherits. It cannot change or remove the definition of an inherited member.

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2. Constructors and destructors are not inherited. All other members are
inherited. Their accessibility in the derived class depends on their declared
accessibility in the base class.
3. An instance of a derived class contains a copy of all instance fields (i.e. data
members) declared in the class and its base classes.
4. A derived class can hide an inherited member.
5. A derived class can override an inherited member.
========================================================

Defining a subclass (or derived class): VIMP ***

General form for defining a subclass:
class subclassname : baseclassname
{
variables declaration;
-----
methods declaration;
------
}
Here,
class - is keyword used to define class
subclassname - name of subclass
baseclassname - name of baseclass
subclassname and baseclassname are valid C# identifiers.
colon ( : ) signifies that properties of baseclass are extended to subclassname.

When implemented the subclass will contain its own members as well those of
the baseclass.

You can specify only one base class for any derived class that you create.
C# does not support the inheritance of multiple base classes into a single derived
class.
Derived class inherits (or includes) all of the members of base class.
A private member of a base class is not accessible to a derived class.
Derived class cannot access private members of the base class.

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A protected member is created by using the protected access modifier.

When member are declared as protected then such a member are accessible
in all derived classes.

When a derived class is used as a base class for another derived class, any
protected member of the initial base class that is inherited by the first derived
class is also inherited as protected by a second derived class.

/* Program to explain single level inheritance */

/* program to explain superclass (base class) and subclass */

using System;
class Data
{
protected int a;
public void Setdata(int x)
{
a = x;
}
public void Showdata()
{ [Link]("a=" + a);
}
}
class SData : Data
{
public void Square()
{ int s = a * a;
[Link]("square=" + s);
}
}
class Test
{
public static void Main( )

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{
SData s1 = new SData( );
[Link](4);
[Link]( );
[Link]();
}
}
Output:
a=4
square=16
===========================================================

Multilevel Inheritance or Multilevel hierarchy: VIMP***

When class derived from another derived class such type of inheritance is
called multilevel inheritance.

The class A serves as a base class for the derived class B which in turn
serves as a base class for the derived class C. The chain ABC is known as
inheritance path.

Derived class with multilevel base classes is declared as follows:

class A
{
-----
}
class B : A // first level derivation

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{
-----
}
class C : B // second level derivation
{
-----
}

The class C can inherit the members of both A and B.

The constructors are executed from top downwards, with the bottom
most class constructor being executed last.
In a class hierarchy, the constructors are called in order of derivation,
from base class to derived class.
That is, the constructors are executed in order of derivation.

/* Program to explain Multilevel inheritance */

using System;
class Data
{
protected int a;
public void Setdata(int x)
{ a = x;
}
public void Showdata()

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{ [Link]("a=" + a);
}
}
class SData : Data
{
public void Square()
{ int s = a * a;
[Link]("square=" + s);
}
}
class CData : SData
{
public void Cube()
{ int c = a * a * a;
[Link]("cube=" + c);
}
}
class Test
{
public static void Main()
{
CData c1 = new CData();
[Link](4);
[Link]();
[Link]();
[Link]();
}
}
Output:
a=4
square=16
cube=64

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Hierarchical Inheritance:
When multiple (i.e. two or more) classes derived from same base class
such type of inheritance is called hierarchical inheritance.
Inheritance is used for hierarchical classification.

/* Program to explain hierarchical inheritance */

using System;
class Data
{
protected int a;
public void Setdata(int x)
{ a = x;
}
public void Showdata()
{ [Link]("a=" + a);
}
}
class SData : Data
{
public void Square()
{ int s = a * a;
[Link]("square=" + s);
}
}
class CData : Data

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{
public void Cube()
{ int c = a * a * a;
[Link]("cube=" + c);
}
}
class ITest
{
public static void Main()
{
SData s1 = new SData();
[Link](4);
[Link]();
[Link]();
[Link]("----------------");
CData c1 = new CData();
[Link](4);
[Link]();
[Link]();
}
}

Output:
a=4
square=16
----------------
a=4
cube=64
=======================================

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Constructor and Inheritance:

Calling base class constructor
A derived class can call a constructor defined in its base class by using an
explanded form of derived class constructor declaration and its base keyword.
General form is:
derivedconstructor(parameter-list) : base (arg-list)
{
// body of constructor
}
Here, arg-list specifies any arguments needed by constructor in the base class.

Any form of constructor defined by the base class can be called by base.
The constructor executed will be the one that matches the arguments.
When a derived class specifies a base clause, it is calling the constructor
of its immediate base class. The base always refers to a base class immediately
above the calling class. If no base clause is present, then the base class default
constructor is called automatically.

/* Program to explain constructor and inheritance */

using System;
class Data
{
protected int a;
public Data(int x)
{ a = x;
[Link]("inside base class constructor");
}
public void Showdata()
{ [Link]("a=" + a);
}
}
class SData : Data
{

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public SData(int x): base(x)

{ [Link]("inside derived class constructor");
}
}
class Test
{
public static void Main()
{
SData s1 = new SData(4);
[Link]();
}
}
Output:
inside base class constructor
inside derived class constructor
a=4

Base always refers to the constructor in the closest base class. In a class
hierarchy, if a base class constructor requires parameters, then all derived
classes must pass those parameters “up the line”. This is true whether or not a
derived class needs parameters of its own.
In a class hierarchy, the constructors are called in order of derivation, from
base class to derived class.
That is, the constructors are executed in order of derivation.
If base is not used, then the default (parameterless) constructor of each base
class will be executed.

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