[fpc-devel] "Friend" classes?

[DrDiettrich]

Michael Van Canneyt wrote:

> > type TFriendClass = class(TNotMyClass);
> 
> This is a simple descendent.

Yes and no. The only purpose of this declaration is to get access to the
protected members of the class, not to extend the class in any way.

> > 3) What alternatives could be used, so that not all class members must
> > be made public, when they shall be used only in specific related units?
> 
> ? Please explain.

"protected" members of a class are for internal use only, not for public
use. IMO it's against the spirit of visibility levels, when the
protected and even private members of a class become accessible from
outside the class, throughout the whole unit in which a class is
defined. But sometimes multiple classes are designed for cooperation,
where one class needs access to not normally accessible methods or
properties of another class. When now the required methods are made
public, they become available for abuse by everybody. With the above
trick instead it's possible to gain access to the internals of a class,
without making everything public. Such a backdoor does not prevent
abuse, but as the (C++) term "friend" class suggests, it exists only for
the sake of cooperation, and at the responsibility of the implementor.

That's why I would like to know how such cooperative functionality can
be implemented, by perhaps less tricky means.

DoDi