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From: gkean@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz (Graham Kean;;g_kean)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Static initialization
Summary: Problem with statically initializing instance with virtual funcs
Keywords: static initialize virtual
Message-ID: <1991May10.063358.15955@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz>
Date: 10 May 91 06:33:58 GMT
Organization: University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Lines: 19

Can anyone tell me why it is not possible to statically
initialize an instance of a class containing virtual functions?

Both Zortech C++ and Borland C++ give an error at the
'{1,2,3}' in the following example:

class TESTCLASS
    {
    public:
	int a,b,c;
	virtual void testfunc();
    };
void TESTCLASS::testfunc() {}
TESTCLASS test = {1,2,3};

I realize that there will be a 'hidden' instance variable, being
a pointer to the virtual function table, but I can't quite grasp
why the compiler can't generate it.  (The example works fine when
testfunc() is not virtual).