Re: [boost] throw_exception rev. 44954 -> g++ warnings

From: Steven Watanabe (watanabesj_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-05-03 16:26:47

AMDG

Stefan Seefeld wrote:
> Simonson, Lucanus J wrote:
>   
>> This is not true.  In this case, the destructor is a no-op.  Virtual
>> functions incur significant overhead over non-virtual functions in the
>> case that the non-virtual would be inlined, where-as the virtual must
>> have a symbol for the pointer in the virtual function table to point to,
>> and cannot be called inline unless the exact type is known at compile
>> time (defeating the purpose of polymorphism.)
>>     
>
> Do you realize that you just made an argument why it is important for 
> the destructor to be virtual ?
>
> If the compiler doesn't know the exact type (and thus can't inline the 
> call), there is a serious risk that any derived destructor might need to 
> be executed, but the compiler doesn't know that (and neither does the 
> runtime, as there is no entry for the destructor in the vtable).
>
> It doesn't matter whether the base-class destructor is a no-op. What 
> matters is what is in the derived class destructor, which you (or the 
> base class implementor) does not have any control over.
>   

In this case, the author knows that when the object is deleted,
its dynamic type is the same as its static type.  The compiler may
not be able to figure this out.

In Christ,
Steven Watanabe