assigning derived class pointer to base class pointer in C++

Question

I have following ``` class base { }; class derived : public base { public: derived() {} void myFunc() { cout << "My derived function" << std::endl; } }; ``` now I have ``` base* pbase = new derived(); pbase->myFunc(); ``` I am getting error myFunc is not a member function of base. How to avoid this? and how to make myFunc get called? Note I should have base class contain no function as it is part of design and above code is part of big function

Accepted Answer

If you are adamant that this function should NOT be a part of base, you have but 2 options to do it.

Either use a pointer to derived class

```
derived* pDerived = new derived();
pDerived->myFunc();
```

Or (uglier & vehemently discouraged) static_cast the pointer up to derived class type and then call the function NOTE: To be used with caution. Only use when you are SURE of the type of the pointer you are casting, i.e. you are sure that `pbase` is a `derived` or a type derived from `derived`. In this particular case its ok, but im guessing this is only an example of the actual code.

```
base* pbase = new derived();
static_cast<derived*>(pbase)->myFunc();
```

assigning derived class pointer to base class pointer in C++

Solution

Problem