Explicit Overrides

This topic discusses how to explicitly override a base class or interface member. A named (explicit) override should only be used to override a method with a derived method that has a different name.

function-declarator = type::function[,type::function] {
/* function definition */ 
}
function-declarator = function { /* function definition */ }

Parameters

• function
  The function you want to override. It is possible to specify more than one function; separate function names with a comma.

• function-declarator
  The return type, name, and argument list of the overriding function. Note that the overriding function does not have to have the same name as the function being overridden. It is possible to specify more than one function; separate function names with a comma.

• type
  The base type that contains the function you want to override.

Remarks

For information related to modifying the behavior of inherited types and inherited type members, see Override Specifiers.

For information about explicit overrides in native code or code compiled with /clr:oldSyntax, see Explicit Overrides (C++).

Example

The following sample shows a simple, implicit override and implementation of a member in a base interface, not using explicit overrides.

// explicit_override_1.cpp
// compile with: /clr
interface struct I1 {
   virtual void f();
};

ref class X : public I1 {
public:
   virtual void f() {
      System::Console::WriteLine("X::f override of I1::f");
   }
};

int main() {
   I1 ^ MyI = gcnew X;
   MyI -> f();
}

X::f override of I1::f

The following sample shows how to implement all interface members with a common signature, using explicit override syntax.

// explicit_override_2.cpp
// compile with: /clr
interface struct I1 {
   virtual void f();
};

interface struct I2 {
   virtual void f();
};

ref struct X : public I1, I2 {
   virtual void f() = I1::f, I2::f {
      System::Console::WriteLine("X::f override of I1::f and I2::f");
   }
};

int main() {
   I1 ^ MyI = gcnew X;
   I2 ^ MyI2 = gcnew X;
   MyI -> f();
   MyI2 -> f();
}

X::f override of I1::f and I2::f
X::f override of I1::f and I2::f

The following sample shows how a function override can have a different name from the function it is implementing.

// explicit_override_3.cpp
// compile with: /clr
interface struct I1 {
   virtual void f();
};

ref class X : public I1 {
public:
   virtual void g() = I1::f {
      System::Console::WriteLine("X::g");
   }
};

int main() {
   I1 ^ a = gcnew X;
   a->f();
}

X::g

The following sample shows an explicit interface implementation that implements a type safe collection.

// explicit_override_4.cpp
// compile with: /clr /LD
using namespace System;
ref class R : ICloneable {
   int X;

   virtual Object^ C() sealed = ICloneable::Clone {
      return this->Clone();
   }

public:
   R() : X(0) {}
   R(int x) : X(x) {}

   virtual R^ Clone() {
      R^ r = gcnew R;
      r->X = this->X;
      return r;
   }
};

Requirements

Compiler option: /clr

See Also

Concepts

Language Features for Targeting the CLR