C# Inheritance and Calling Functions

Unity Engine
1

Haven’t used inheritance much before so I’m confused by the following C# scenario:

Parent object has method:

void OnTriggerEnter() {
MyFunction();
}

void MyFunction() {
DoSomething;
}

Child object has method:

voi MyFunction() {
DoAnotherThing;
}

But the child’s MyFunction never gets called! The parent’s MyFunction is called instead on trigger enter. I though a child’s functions were supposed to override the parent’s? Am I missing a qualifier of some kind, like “protected”, or “extends”?

2

virtual and override?

3

Could you elaborate please? Where should virtual be placed? What’s the reasoning behind it?

4

In your example it would most likely be:

void OnTriggerEnter() { 
MyFunction(); 
} 

virtual void MyFunction() { 
DoSomething; 
} 

Child object has method: 

override void MyFunction() { 
DoAnotherThing; 
}

You may also need to change the protection level (i.e. private, protected, or public) of the functions.

As for the reasoning, your best bet would probably be to Google/search for ‘c# polymorphism’ (you should be able to find some good references on the topic).

5

If I’m not mistaken the keyword virtual tells the compiler that this function may be overriten so keep an eye out!

6

Yup, thanks! Those two did the trick. Applied virtual to the function I’m overriding and set it to Protected too.

7

Sorry for the brevity, I had just returned home at 20 before midnight and was a little tired and wanted to point you in the right direction. Trust me, at that point it would have been a rambling mess of an answer, probably with a dirty joke thrown in there.