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A study of the fragile base class problem

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ECOOP’98 — Object-Oriented Programming (ECOOP 1998)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1445))

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Abstract

In this paper we study the fragile base class problem. This problem occurs in open object-oriented systems employing code inheritance as an implementation reuse mechanism. System developers unaware of extensions to the system developed by its users may produce a seemingly acceptable revision of a base class which may damage its extensions. The fragile base class problem becomes apparent during maintenance of open object-oriented systems, but requires consideration during design. We express the fragile base class problem in terms of a flexibility property. By means of five orthogonal examples, violating the flexibility property, we demonstrate different aspects of the problem. We formulate requirements for disciplining inheritance, and extend the refinement calculus to accommodate for classes, objects, class-based inheritance, and class refinement. We formulate and formally prove a flexibility theorem demonstrating that the restrictions we impose on inheritance are sufficient to permit safe substitution of a base class with its revision in presence of extension classes.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Turku Centre for Computer Science, Lemminkäisenkatu 14A, 20520, Turku, Finland

    Leonid Mikhajlov

  2. McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, L8S4K1, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Emil Sekerinski

Authors
  1. Leonid Mikhajlov
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  2. Emil Sekerinski
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Eric Jul

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© 1998 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Mikhajlov, L., Sekerinski, E. (1998). A study of the fragile base class problem. In: Jul, E. (eds) ECOOP’98 — Object-Oriented Programming. ECOOP 1998. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1445. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0054099

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0054099

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-64737-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-69064-1

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