Accessing members of parent class

If I have two different classes that are both derived from the same parent class, is it possible for one class to access the parent members of the other class? Example:

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Parent
{
    protected:
        int value;
};



class Child_A : public Parent
{
    public:
        void Foobar(Parent &other) { cout << other.value << endl; }
};



class Child_B : public Parent
{
   
};



int main()
{
    Child_A a;
    Child_B b;

    a.Foobar(b);
    return 0;
}

---

This gives me "int Parent::value is protected". Is it possible in another way?

>> void Foobar(Parent &other) { cout << other.value << endl; }

change to:

Code:

---

void Foobar() { cout << value << endl; }

---

the protected values are now variables in the Child_A class, Loosly speaking, so there's no need to pass anything into it. Also, Cild_B isnot a parent type, so:

Code:

---

int main()
{
    Child_A a;
    Child_B b;

    a.Foobar(b);
    return 0;
}

---

that won't work, unless b is declared as:

Code:

---

Parent b;

---

But I want to access Child_B's value from within a method of Child_A (both are derived from Parent)

access value public or via public function inside Parent

public static member

Kuphryn

then use:

Code:

---

class Child_A : public Child_B
{
};

---

i guess, or use a public getter in Child_B to get Child_A's variables.

Pass in a const reference to Child_B and access the value.

You cannot do what you are trying to do. Child_A has the same access to Child_B's data as any other class that isn't related. You have to provide public accessor methods that anybody can use, or make Child_A a friend of Parent or pass a Child_B and make Child_A a friend of Child_B.

Bad design in any case.