Comments on: Covariant Return Types http://www.tolchz.net/?p=33 Random Stuff from a Random Software Developer Mon, 09 Jun 2008 05:32:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: tolchz http://www.tolchz.net/?p=33#comment-4421 tolchz Sat, 05 Jan 2008 03:15:16 +0000 http://www.tolchz.net/2008/01/04/covariant-return-types/#comment-4421 I look at casts as a pretty good indicator of <a href="http://www.c2.com/xp/CodeSmell.html" rel="nofollow">code smell</a>; many casts, especially dynamic, usually indicate that a redesign is in order. This probably causes me to avoid them more then necessary :) This could also be one of those nice features of the language that is obscure enough that using a dynamic_cast is less likely to cause someone to waste an hour scratching their head. If you don't come up with "covariant return type" as a search term, it may take you a while to Google it. I look at casts as a pretty good indicator of code smell; many casts, especially dynamic, usually indicate that a redesign is in order. This probably causes me to avoid them more then necessary :)

This could also be one of those nice features of the language that is obscure enough that using a dynamic_cast is less likely to cause someone to waste an hour scratching their head. If you don’t come up with “covariant return type” as a search term, it may take you a while to Google it.

]]> By: Uzair http://www.tolchz.net/?p=33#comment-4420 Uzair Sat, 05 Jan 2008 02:37:58 +0000 http://www.tolchz.net/2008/01/04/covariant-return-types/#comment-4420 This is one of those things that everyone knows but no one uses because either (a) its usefulness never occurred to them or (b) they decide covariant types are too confusing. A slightly cleaner way to do the same basic thing is to set up your OO hierarchy correctly, return the base object and then dynamic_cast it to the derived object. Still, good post. This is one of those things that everyone knows but no one uses because either (a) its usefulness never occurred to them or (b) they decide covariant types are too confusing.

A slightly cleaner way to do the same basic thing is to set up your OO hierarchy correctly, return the base object and then dynamic_cast it to the derived object.

Still, good post.

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