protected: C++ access control works on per-class basis, not on per-object basis

一个很简单的问题：

//为什么BASE：：foo()中可以直接通过p访问val? 看本记录标题，这个问题困扰了很长一段时间，终于解决
class BASE
{
      private:
           int val;
      public:void foo(BASE *p)
      {
            int w = p->val;
      }
};

同学参加一场笔试，抛出个问题，丫凡和我讨论了下，丫凡在stackoverflow上找到了答案……

如下内容引述自：http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6986798/subtle-c-inheritance-error-with-protected-fields

==========================================================================

Below is a subtle example of accessing an instance's protected field x. B is a subclass of A so any variable of type B is also of type A. Why can B::foo() access b's x field, but not a's x field?

class A
{
    protected:
          int x;
};

class B : public A
{
    protected:
      A *a;
      B *b;
    public:
      void foo()
      {
          int u = x;     // OK : accessing inherited protected field x
          int v = b->x;  // OK : accessing b's protected field x
          int w = a->x;  // ERROR : accessing a's protected field x
      }
};

Why can the B::foo() access the members of the contained class B pointer b?

The rule is:
In C++ access control works on per-class basis, not on per-object basis.
So an instance of class B will always have access to all the members of another instance of class B.

class A
{
    protected:
        int x;
};

class B : public A
{
    public:
        void foo()
        {
            int u = x;     // OK : accessing inherited protected field
        }
};

Since child is inheriting parent, child gets x. Hence you can access x directly in foo() method of child. This is the concept of protected variables. You can access protected variables of parent in child directly. Note : Here I am saying you can access x directly but not through A's object! Whats the difference ? Since, x is protected, you cannot access A's protected objects outside A. Doesnt matter where it is - If its main or Child . That's why you are not able to access in the following way.

Here comes an interesting concept. You can access a private variable of a class using its object with in the class!

class dummy
{
    private :
      int x;
    public:
      void foo()
      {
          dummy *d;
          int y = d->x; // Even though x is private, still you can access x from object of d - But only with in this class. You cannot do the same outside the class.
      }
};