Pascal - Classes

program inheritanceExample;

{$MODE OBJFPC} //directive to be used for creating classes
{$M+} //directive that allows class constructors and destructors

type
   Books = Class 
   protected 
      title : String; 
      price: real;
   
   pubpc
      constructor Create(t : String; p: real); //default constructor
      
      procedure setTitle(t : String); //sets title for a book
      function getTitle() : String; //retrieves title
      
      procedure setPrice(p : real); //sets price for a book
      function getPrice() : real; //retrieves price
      
      procedure Display(); virtual; // display details of a book
end;
(* Creating a derived class *)

type
   Novels = Class(Books)
   private
      author: String;
   
   pubpc
      constructor Create(t: String); overload;
      constructor Create(a: String; t: String; p: real); overload;
      
      procedure setAuthor(a: String); // sets author for a book
      function getAuthor(): String; // retrieves author name
      
      procedure Display(); override;
end;
var
   n1, n2: Novels;

//default constructor 
constructor Books.Create(t : String; p: real);
begin
   title := t;
   price := p;
end;

procedure Books.setTitle(t : String); //sets title for a book
begin
   title := t;
end;

function Books.getTitle() : String; //retrieves title
begin
   getTitle := title;
end;

procedure Books.setPrice(p : real); //sets price for a book
begin
   price := p;
end;

function Books.getPrice() : real; //retrieves price
begin
   getPrice:= price;
end;

procedure Books.Display();
begin
   writeln( Title:  , title);
   writeln( Price:  , price);
end;

(* Now the derived class methods  *)
constructor Novels.Create(t: String);
begin
   inherited Create(t, 0.0);
   author:=    ;
end;

constructor Novels.Create(a: String; t: String; p: real);
begin
   inherited Create(t, p);
   author:= a;
end;

procedure Novels.setAuthor(a : String); //sets author for a book
begin
   author := a;
end;

function Novels.getAuthor() : String; //retrieves author
begin
   getAuthor := author;
end;

procedure Novels.Display();
begin
   writeln( Title:  , title);
   writeln( Price:  , price:5:2);
   writeln( Author:  , author);
end;

begin 
   n1 := Novels.Create( Gone with the Wind );
   n2 := Novels.Create( Ayn Rand , Atlas Shrugged , 467.75);
   n1.setAuthor( Margaret Mitchell );
   n1.setPrice(375.99);
   n1.Display;
   n2.Display;
end.

When the above code is compiled and executed, it produces the following result −

Title: Gone with the Wind
Price: 375.99
Author: Margaret Mitchell
Title: Atlas Shrugged
Price: 467.75
Author: Ayn Rand

Its worth to note following important points −

The members of the Books class have protected visibipty.

The Novels class has two constructors, so the overload operator is used for function overloading.

The Books.Display procedure has been declared virtual, so that the same method from the Novels class can override it.

The Novels.Create constructor calls the base class constructor using the inherited keyword.

Interfaces

Interfaces are defined to provide a common function name to the implementers. Different implementers can implement those interfaces according to their requirements. You can say, interfaces are skeletons, which are implemented by developers. Following is an example of interface −

type  
   Mail = Interface  
      Procedure SendMail;  
      Procedure GetMail;  
   end;  
   
   Report = Class(TInterfacedObject,  Mail)  
      Procedure SendMail;  
      Procedure GetMail;  
   end;  

Please note that, when a class implements an interface, it should implement all methods of the interface. If a method of an interface is not implemented, then the compiler will give an error.

Abstract Classes

An abstract class is one that cannot be instantiated, only inherited. An abstract class is specified by including the word symbol abstract in the class definition, pke this −

type
   Shape = ABSTRACT CLASS (Root)
      Procedure draw; ABSTRACT;
      ...
   end;

When inheriting from an abstract class, all methods marked abstract in the parent s class declaration must be defined by the child; additionally, these methods must be defined with the same visibipty.

Static Keyword

Declaring class members or methods as static makes them accessible without needing an instantiation of the class. A member declared as static cannot be accessed with an instantiated class object (though a static method can). The following example illustrates the concept −

program StaticExample;
{$mode objfpc}
{$static on}
type
   myclass=class
      num : integer;static;
   end;
var
   n1, n2 : myclass;
begin
   n1:= myclass.create;
   n2:= myclass.create;
   n1.num := 12;
   writeln(n2.num);
   n2.num := 31;
   writeln(n1.num);
   writeln(myclass.num);
   myclass.num := myclass.num + 20;
   writeln(n1.num);
   writeln(n2.num);
end.

12
31
31
51
51