How do I check if an object's type is a particular subclass in C++?

Solution 1:

class Base
{
  public: virtual ~Base() {}
};

class D1: public Base {};

class D2: public Base {};

int main(int argc,char* argv[]);
{
  D1   d1;
  D2   d2;

  Base*  x = (argc > 2)?&d1:&d2;

  if (dynamic_cast<D2*>(x) == nullptr)
  {
    std::cout << "NOT A D2" << std::endl;
  }
  if (dynamic_cast<D1*>(x) == nullptr)
  {
    std::cout << "NOT A D1" << std::endl;
  }
}

Solution 2:

You really shouldn't. If your program needs to know what class an object is, that usually indicates a design flaw. See if you can get the behavior you want using virtual functions. Also, more information about what you are trying to do would help.

I am assuming you have a situation like this:

class Base;
class A : public Base {...};
class B : public Base {...};

void foo(Base *p)
{
  if(/* p is A */) /* do X */
  else /* do Y */
}

If this is what you have, then try to do something like this:

class Base
{
  virtual void bar() = 0;
};

class A : public Base
{
  void bar() {/* do X */}
};

class B : public Base
{
  void bar() {/* do Y */}
};

void foo(Base *p)
{
  p->bar();
}

Edit: Since the debate about this answer still goes on after so many years, I thought I should throw in some references. If you have a pointer or reference to a base class, and your code needs to know the derived class of the object, then it violates Liskov substitution principle. Uncle Bob calls this an "anathema to Object Oriented Design".

Solution 3:

You can do it with dynamic_cast (at least for polymorphic types).

Actually, on second thought--you can't tell if it is SPECIFICALLY a particular type with dynamic_cast--but you can tell if it is that type or any subclass thereof.

template <class DstType, class SrcType>
bool IsType(const SrcType* src)
{
  return dynamic_cast<const DstType*>(src) != nullptr;
}

Solution 4:

The code below demonstrates 3 different ways of doing it:

• virtual function
• typeid
• dynamic_cast

#include <iostream>
#include <typeinfo>
#include <typeindex>

enum class Type {Base, A, B};

class Base {
public:
    virtual ~Base() = default;
    virtual Type type() const {
        return Type::Base;
    }
};

class A : public Base {
    Type type() const override {
        return Type::A;
    }
};

class B : public Base {
    Type type() const override {
        return Type::B;
    }
};

int main()
{
    const char *typemsg;
    A a;
    B b;
    Base *base = &a;             // = &b;    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Base &bbb = *base;

    // below you can replace    base    with  &bbb    and get the same results

    // USING virtual function
    // ======================
    // classes need to be in your control
    switch(base->type()) {
    case Type::A:
        typemsg = "type A";
        break;
    case Type::B:
        typemsg = "type B";
        break;
    default:
        typemsg = "unknown";
    }
    std::cout << typemsg << std::endl;

    // USING typeid
    // ======================
    // needs RTTI. under gcc, avoid -fno-rtti
    std::type_index ti(typeid(*base));
    if (ti == std::type_index(typeid(A))) {
        typemsg = "type A";
    } else if (ti == std::type_index(typeid(B))) {
        typemsg = "type B";
    } else {
        typemsg = "unknown";
    }
    std::cout << typemsg << std::endl;

    // USING dynamic_cast
    // ======================
    // needs RTTI. under gcc, avoid -fno-rtti
    if (dynamic_cast</*const*/ A*>(base)) {
        typemsg = "type A";
    } else if (dynamic_cast</*const*/ B*>(base)) {
        typemsg = "type B";
    } else {
        typemsg = "unknown";
    }
    std::cout << typemsg << std::endl;
}

The program above prints this:

type A
type A
type A

Solution 5:

dynamic_cast can determine if the type contains the target type anywhere in the inheritance hierarchy (yes, it's a little-known feature that if B inherits from A and C, it can turn an A* directly into a C*). typeid() can determine the exact type of the object. However, these should both be used extremely sparingly. As has been mentioned already, you should always be avoiding dynamic type identification, because it indicates a design flaw. (also, if you know the object is for sure of the target type, you can do a downcast with a static_cast. Boost offers a polymorphic_downcast that will do a downcast with dynamic_cast and assert in debug mode, and in release mode it will just use a static_cast).