C++11 introduced the concept of perfect forwarding, which uses universal references forwarding references to capture the value category of a passed-in parameter, so that it can be passed to another function as the same kind of reference.
Forwarding references are used in many places, but the trap I’m looking at today is when the forwarding reference causes a conversion to be delayed to a point where it is no longer possible.
class Base
{
/* ... */
};
class BaseAcceptor
{
public:
BaseAcceptor(Base* base);
/* ... */
};
class Derived : Base
{
void DoSomething()
{
auto p1 = std::unique_ptr<BaseAcceptor>(new BaseAcceptor(this));
auto p2 = std::shared_ptr<BaseAcceptor>(new BaseAcceptor(this));
std::vector<BaseAcceptor> v;
v.push_back(BaseAcceptor(this));
}
/* ... */
};
But then you realize that you should be using the make_ functions, so that you can avoid having to write the new keyword, and you can use the emplace alternative to construct the vector element in place.
class Derived : Base
{
void DoSomething()
{
auto p1 = std::make_unique<BaseAcceptor>(this);
auto p2 = std::make_shared<BaseAcceptor>(this);
std::vector<BaseAcceptor> v;
v.emplace_back(this);
}
};
And then everything explodes into tiny little pieces.
// clang
In file included from memory:76:
unique_ptr.h:1072:38: error: cannot cast 'Derived' to its private base class 'Base'
{ return unique_ptr<_Tp>(new _Tp(std::forward<_Args>(__args)...)); }
^
test.cpp:19:24: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::make_unique<BaseAcceptor, Derived *>' requested here
auto p1 = std::make_unique<BaseAcceptor>(this);
^
test.cpp:14:17: note: implicitly declared private here
class Derived : Base
^~~~
In file included from vector:62:
stl_construct.h:119:29: error: cannot cast 'Derived' to its private base class 'Base'
::new((void*)__p) _Tp(std::forward<_Args>(__args)...);
^
alloc_traits.h:635:9: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::_Construct<BaseAcceptor, Derived *>' requested here
{ std::_Construct(__p, std::forward<_Args>(__args)...); }
^
shared_ptr_base.h:604:30: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::allocator_traits<std::allocator<void>>::construct<BaseAcceptor, Derived *>' requested here
allocator_traits<_Alloc>::construct(__a, _M_ptr(),
^
shared_ptr_base.h:972:6: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::_Sp_counted_ptr_inplace<BaseAcceptor, std::allocator<void>, __gnu_cxx::_S_atomic>::_Sp_counted_ptr_inplace<Derived *>' requested here
_Sp_cp_type(__a._M_a, std::forward<_Args>(__args)...);
^
shared_ptr_base.h:1712:14: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::__shared_count<__gnu_cxx::_S_atomic>::__shared_count<BaseAcceptor, std::allocator<void>, Derived *>' requested here
: _M_ptr(), _M_refcount(_M_ptr, __tag, std::forward<_Args>(__args)...)
^
shared_ptr.h:464:4: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::__shared_ptr<BaseAcceptor, __gnu_cxx::_S_atomic>::__shared_ptr<std::allocator<void>, Derived *>' requested here
: __shared_ptr<_Tp>(__tag, std::forward<_Args>(__args)...)
^
shared_ptr.h:1009:14: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::shared_ptr<BaseAcceptor>::shared_ptr<std::allocator<void>, Derived *>' requested here
return shared_ptr<_Tp>(_Sp_alloc_shared_tag<_Alloc>{__a},
^
test.cpp:20:24: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::make_shared<BaseAcceptor, Derived *>' requested here
auto p2 = std::make_shared<BaseAcceptor>(this);
^
test.cpp:14:17: note: implicitly declared private here
class Derived : Base
^~~~
In file included from vector:61:
In file included from allocator.h:46:
In file included from c++allocator.h:33:
new_allocator.h:182:27: error: cannot cast 'Derived' to its private base class 'Base'
{ ::new((void *)__p) _Up(std::forward<_Args>(__args)...); }
^
alloc_traits.h:516:8: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::__new_allocator<BaseAcceptor>::construct<BaseAcceptor, Derived *>' requested here
__a.construct(__p, std::forward<_Args>(__args)...);
^
vector.tcc:117:21: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::allocator_traits<std::allocator<BaseAcceptor>>::construct<BaseAcceptor, Derived *>' requested here
_Alloc_traits::construct(this->_M_impl, this->_M_impl._M_finish,
^
test.cpp:23:11: note: in instantiation of function template specialization 'std::vector<BaseAcceptor>::emplace_back<Derived *>' requested here
v.emplace_back(this);
^
test.cpp:14:17: note: implicitly declared private here
class Derived : Base
^~~~
// gcc
In file included from memory:76,
from test.cpp:2:
test.cpp std::make_unique(_Args&& ...) [with _Tp = BaseAcceptor; _Args = {Derived*}; __detail::__unique_ptr_t<_Tp> = __detail::__unique_ptr_t<BaseAcceptor>]':
test.cpp:19:49: required from here
unique_ptr.h:1072:30: error: 'Base' is an inaccessible base of 'Derived'
1072 | { return unique_ptr<_Tp>(new _Tp(std::forward<_Args>(__args)...)); }
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In file included from c++allocator.h:33,
from allocator.h:46,
from vector:61,
from test.cpp:1:
new_allocator.h: In instantiation of 'void std::__new_allocator<_Tp>::construct(_Up*, _Args&& ...) [with _Up = BaseAcceptor; _Args = {Derived*}; _Tp = BaseAcceptor]':
alloc_traits.h:516:17: required from 'static void std::allocator_traits<std::allocator<_Tp1> >::construct(allocator_type&, _Up*, _Args&& ...) [with _Up = BaseAcceptor; _Args = {Derived*}; _Tp = BaseAcceptor; allocator_type = std::allocator<BaseAcceptor>]'
vector.tcc:117:30: required from 'std::vector<_Tp, _Alloc>::reference std::vector<_Tp, _Alloc>::emplace_back(_Args&& ...) [with _Args = {Derived*}; _Tp = BaseAcceptor; _Alloc = std::allocator<BaseAcceptor>; reference = BaseAcceptor&]'
required from here
new_allocator.h:182:11: error: 'Base' is an inaccessible base of 'Derived'
182 | { ::new((void *)__p) _Up(std::forward<_Args>(__args)...); }
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In file included from vector:62:
stl_construct.h: In instantiation of 'void std::_Construct(_Tp*, _Args&& ...) [with _Tp = BaseAcceptor; _Args = {Derived*}]':
alloc_traits.h:635:19: required from 'static void std::allocator_traits<std::allocator<void> >::construct(allocator_type&, _Up*, _Args&& ...) [with _Up = BaseAcceptor; _Args = {Derived*}; allocator_type = std::allocator<void>]'
shared_ptr_base.h:604:39: required from 'std::_Sp_counted_ptr_inplace<_Tp, _Alloc, _Lp>::_Sp_counted_ptr_inplace(_Alloc, _Args&& ...) [with _Args = {Derived*}; _Tp = BaseAcceptor; _Alloc = std::allocator<void>; __gnu_cxx::_Lock_policy _Lp = __gnu_cxx::_S_atomic]'
shared_ptr_base.h:971:16: required from 'std::__shared_count<_Lp>::__shared_count(_Tp*&, std::_Sp_alloc_shared_tag<_Alloc>, _Args&& ...) [with _Tp = BaseAcceptor; _Alloc = std::allocator<void>; _Args = {Derived*}; __gnu_cxx::_Lock_policy _Lp = __gnu_cxx::_S_atomic]'
shared_ptr_base.h:1712:14: required from 'std::__shared_ptr<_Tp, _Lp>::__shared_ptr(std::_Sp_alloc_shared_tag<_Tp>, _Args&& ...) [with _Alloc = std::allocator<void>; _Args = {Derived*}; _Tp = BaseAcceptor; __gnu_cxx::_Lock_policy _Lp = __gnu_cxx::_S_atomic]'
shared_ptr.h:464:59: required from 'std::shared_ptr<_Tp>::shared_ptr(std::_Sp_alloc_shared_tag<_Tp>, _Args&& ...) [with _Alloc = std::allocator<void>; _Args = {Derived*}; _Tp = BaseAcceptor]'
shared_ptr.h:1009:14: required from 'std::shared_ptr<typename std::enable_if<(! std::is_array< <template-parameter-1-1> >::value), _Tp>::type> std::make_shared(_Args&& ...) [with _Tp = BaseAcceptor; _Args = {Derived*}; typename enable_if<(! is_array< <template-parameter-1-1> >::value), _Tp>::type = BaseAcceptor]'
test.cpp:20:49: required from here
stl_construct.h:119:7: error: 'Base' is an inaccessible base of 'Derived'
119 | ::new((void*)__p) _Tp(std::forward<_Args>(__args)...);
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
// msvc
memory(1630): error C2243: 'type cast': conversion from 'Derived *const ' to 'Base *' exists, but is inaccessible
test.cpp(19): note: see reference to function template instantiation 'std::unique_ptr<BaseAcceptor,std::default_delete<_Ty>> std::make_unique<BaseAcceptor,Derived*const >(Derived *const &&)' being compiled
with
[
_Ty=BaseAcceptor
]
vector(1604): warning C4530: C++ exception handler used, but unwind semantics are not enabled. Specify /EHsc
vector(1601): note: while compiling class template member function 'void std::vector<BaseAcceptor,std::allocator<_Ty>>::_Reallocate(unsigned __int64)'
with
[
_Ty=BaseAcceptor
]
vector(1631): note: see reference to function template instantiation 'void std::vector<BaseAcceptor,std::allocator<_Ty>>::_Reallocate(unsigned __int64)' being compiled
with
[
_Ty=BaseAcceptor
]
test.cpp(22): note: see reference to class template instantiation 'std::vector<BaseAcceptor,std::allocator<_Ty>>' being compiled
with
[
_Ty=BaseAcceptor
]
memory(901): error C2243: 'type cast': conversion from 'Derived *const ' to 'Base *' exists, but is inaccessible
memory(971): note: see reference to function template instantiation 'std::_Ref_count_obj<_Ty>::_Ref_count_obj<Derived*const >(Derived *const &&)' being compiled
with
[
_Ty=BaseAcceptor
]
memory(971): note: see reference to function template instantiation 'std::_Ref_count_obj<_Ty>::_Ref_count_obj<Derived*const >(Derived *const &&)' being compiled
with
[
_Ty=BaseAcceptor
]
test.cpp(20): note: see reference to function template instantiation 'std::shared_ptr<BaseAcceptor> std::make_shared<BaseAcceptor,Derived*const >(Derived *const &&)' being compiled
What does all this mean?
The error boils down to this:
// clang error: cannot cast 'Derived' to its private base class 'Base' // gcc error: 'Base' is an inaccessible base of 'Derived' // msvc error C2243: 'type cast': conversion from 'Derived *const ' to 'Base *' exists, but is inaccessible
When Derived:: constructs the BaseAcceptor class, it passes its own this as the constructor parameter. Inside that class’s own method, this gives you a Derived*.¹ However, the constructor of BaseAcceptor takes a Base*. Fortunately, there is a conversion from Derived* to Base* available to Derived, and the compiler performs that conversion in order to construct the BaseAcceptor.
On the other hand, if you use make_, make_, emplace_*, or other functions that perfect-forward their parameters, the parameter is passed as a Derived*. That Derived* is then forwarded perfectly to the BaseAcceptor constructor, and the compiler realizes, “Oh, wait, BaseAcceptor‘s constructor doesn’t accept a Derived*. Let me see if I can convert it.” And it can’t because the Derived*-to-Base* conversion is not available to make_.
The conversion is not available because Base is a private base class of Derived. Only Derived itself is allowed to access the Base portion of Derived, and that includes producing a pointer to it.
The goal of perfect forwarding is to keep all the parameters in their original form, so that they reach their destination in their original form, without triggering a decay or copy or conversion or any other nonsense along the way.
That’s great, but it also means that the conversion is deferred. What leaves the friendly confines of the Derived class is a Derived*, and when it is finally used to construct a BaseAcceptor, the desired conversion is no longer available.
Okay, now that we understand the problem, how do we fix it?
One way is to force the conversion while still inside the Derived class. That way, the conversion happens while it is still accessible.
class Derived : Base
{
void DoSomething()
{
auto p1 = std::make_unique<BaseAcceptor>(static_cast<Base*>(this));
auto p2 = std::make_shared<BaseAcceptor>(static_cast<Base*>(this));
std::vector<BaseAcceptor> v;
v.emplace_back(static_cast<Base*>(this));
}
};
Another way is to make the conversion public.
class Derived : public Base
{
void DoSomething()
{
auto p1 = std::make_unique<BaseAcceptor>(this);
auto p2 = std::make_shared<BaseAcceptor>(this);
std::vector<BaseAcceptor> v;
v.emplace_back(this);
}
};
In this specific case, the private-ness of the Base class was an accident, and it was intended to be public all along. Adding the public keyword was the correct solution.
¹ I’m ignoring cv qualifiers here. You can put down your pitchforks.
And this highlights why private inheritance was a mistake.
From the API user's point of view, private base classes are indistinguishable from private member variables. Having private base classes in addition to member variables is still useful not only because it allows more concise and modular code (like using to selectively expose base class members as public), but also because of properties like empty base optimization (EBO) that was not available to member variables prior to the introduction of .
That’s nice, but maybe it shouldn’t be the default if it’s not what you want most of the time? I wonder how many hours of effort was wasted on issues like this where someone forgot to add the “public” modifier to get the kind of inheritance you usually want.
If you use
structinstead ofclassto declare your class, everything will be public by default including the base classes.