c++ - Is this there a defined behavior for this code that deletes a derived class through a base class pointer?

Question

Does this code result in defined behavior?

class A {
    int x;
};
class B {
    short y;
};
class C {
    double z;
};

class D : public A, public B, public C {
    float bouncy;
};

void deleteB(B *b) {
    delete b;
}

void is_it_defined() {
    D *d = new D;
    deleteB(d);

    B *b = new D;  // Is this any different?
    delete b;
}

If it's not defined, why not? And if it is, what's it defined to do and why? Lastly, if it's implementation defined, could you give an example of what a common implementation might define the behavior to be?

Answer 1

Quoting Herb Sutter :

If deletion can be performed polymorphically through the base class interface, then it must behave virtually and must be virtual. Indeed, the language requires it - if you delete polymorphically without a virtual destructor, you summon the dreaded specter of "undefined behavior".

In your example, both delete are performed through base class pointers and yield undefined behavior. Standard 5.3.5 (Delete) :

In the first alternative (delete object), if the static type of the operand is different from its dynamic type, the static type shall be a base class of the operand’s dynamic type and the static type shall have a virtual destructor or the behavior is undefined.

Here, both delete act on static type B while the operand's dynamic type is D.