Multiple inheritance in C++

Hello everyone, in this tutorial we learn about MULTIPLE INHERITANCE in C++. Before we start I expected that you all are aware of inheritance,
INHERITANCE means, the mechanism of deriving a new class from an old class. The old class is called the base class and the new one is called Subclass or Derived class. 

Multiple Inheritance

Multiple inheritance means a class can be derived from more than one parents. It allows us to combine the features of several existing classes into a single class.

Syntax:

class A
{
properties;
methods;
};

class B
{
properties;
methods;
};

class C :Access_specifier  A ,Access_specifier B
{
properties;
methods;
};

In real life, there are many examples of Multiple inheritances. A child has a character of both his/her father and mother.

Code snippet: Multiple Inheritance in C++

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class Father {
  public:
    Father()
    {
      cout << "He is a father." << endl;
    }
};
class Mother {
  public:
    Mother()
    {
      cout << "She is a mother." << endl;
    }
};
class Son: public Father, public Mother {
};
int main()
{
    Son b1;
    return 0;
}

OUTPUT:

He is a Father.
She is a Mother.

In this code, Class Son is derived from base classes Father and Mother. It makes sense because Son is a child of a father as well as the mother, So the public features of both Father and Mother are inherited to Son.

Ambiguity in Multiple Inheritance in C++:

In multiple inheritances, a single class is derived from two or more parent classes. So, there will be a possibility that two or more parents have the same-named member function. If the object of child class needs to access one of the same-named member function then it results in ambiguity. The compiler is confused as a method of which class to call on executing the call statement.

For example:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class A {
  public:
    Father()
    {
      cout << "He is a father." << endl;
    }
};
class B {
  public:
    Mother()
    {
      cout << "She is a mother." << endl;
    }
};
class Son: public A, public B {
};
int main()
{
    Son b1;
    b1.Father();   /*Causes ambiguity*/
    return 0;
}

Ambiguity Resolution:

This problem can be solved using scope resolution function to specify which function to class either Class A or Class B.

int main()
{
    Son b;
    b.A::Father();
    b.B::Father();
    return 0;
}

OUTPUT:

He is a father.
She is a mother.

Do let me know in the comment section if you have any doubt.

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