When is Using 'this->' Strictly Necessary in C ?

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When to Utilize "this->" in C

Despite years of C programming experience, the use of "this->" often raises questions. While code using "this->" may function properly without it, a specific scenario warrants its use: templated class hierarchies.

Consider the following example:

<code class="cpp">template<typename T>
class A {
protected:
  T x;
};

template<typename T>
class B : A<T> {
public:
  T get() {
    return this->x;
  }
};</code>

In templated class hierarchies, "this->" is necessary to explicitly specify that "x" is an inherited member of the class, particularly with template inheritance. Without "this->", compilers may encounter ambiguities during name lookup.

Other Than Scenarios with Templating

In non-templated class hierarchies and other contexts, using "this->" to access member functions or variables is generally not necessary and can be omitted without any functional or side effects.

Conclusion

While "this->" is generally not required, its use is important in templated class hierarchies to resolve ambiguities during name lookup. For all other scenarios, using "this->" is optional and does not affect the functionality of the code in most cases.

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