What is Name Mangling in C++? Write an example for the same?

1.	What is Name Mangling in C++? Write an example for the same?
Answer» Name mangling is the process through which the C++ compilers give each FUNCTION a in program a unique name. In C++, all programs have at-least a few functions with the same name. Name mangling is a concession to the FACT that LINKER always INSISTS on all function names being unique. In C++, generally programs have at-least a few functions with the same name. Example: In general, member names are made unique by concatenating the name of the member with that of the class given the declaration: class Bar { public: int ival; ... }; ival becomes something like: // a possible member name mangling ival__3Bar Consider this derivation: class Foo : public Bar { public: int ival; ... } The internal representation of a Foo object is the concatenation of its base and derived class members. // Pseudo C++ code // Internal representation of Foo class Foo { public: int ival__3Bar; int ival__3Foo; ... }; Unambiguous ACCESS of either ival members is achieved through name mangling. Member functions, because they can be overloaded, require an extensive mangling to provide each with a unique name. Here the compiler generates the same name for the two overloaded instances(Their argument lists make their instances unique).

Answer»

Name mangling is the process through which the C++ compilers give each FUNCTION a in program a unique name. In C++, all programs have at-least a few functions with the same name. Name mangling is a concession to the FACT that LINKER always INSISTS on all function names being unique. In C++, generally programs have at-least a few functions with the same name.

Example:

In general, member names are made unique by concatenating the name of the member with that of the class given the declaration:

class Bar

{ public: int ival; ... };

ival becomes something like:

// a possible member name mangling ival__3Bar

Consider this derivation:

class Foo : public Bar { public: int ival; ... }

The internal representation of a Foo object is the concatenation of its base and derived class members.

// Pseudo C++ code // Internal representation of Foo class Foo { public: int ival__3Bar; int ival__3Foo; ... };

Unambiguous ACCESS of either ival members is achieved through name mangling. Member functions, because they can be overloaded, require an extensive mangling to provide each with a unique name. Here the compiler generates the same name for the two overloaded instances(Their argument lists make their instances unique).

What is Name Mangling in C++? Write an example for the same?

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