When overriding a class in C++ (with a virtual destructor) I am implementing the destructor again as virtual on the inheriting class, but do I need to call the base destructor?
If so I imagine it's something like this...
MyChildClass::~MyChildClass() // virtual in header
{
// Call to base destructor...
this->MyBaseClass::~MyBaseClass();
// Some destructing specific to MyChildClass
}
Am I right?
No, destructors are called automatically in the reverse order of construction. (Base classes last). Do not call base class destructors.
No you don't need to call the base destructor, a base destructor is always called for you by the derived destructor. Please see my related answer here for order of destruction.
To understand why you want a virtual destructor in the base class, please see the code below:
class B
{
public:
virtual ~B()
{
cout<<"B destructor"<<endl;
}
};
class D : public B
{
public:
virtual ~D()
{
cout<<"D destructor"<<endl;
}
};
When you do:
B *pD = new D();
delete pD;
Then if you did not have a virtual destructor in B, only ~B() would be called. But since you have a virtual destructor, first ~D() will be called, then ~B().