How are vtables implemented in c++ and c#?

Question

Lets have this situation (in c++, in c# classes A,B are interfaces):

class A { virtual void func() = 0; };
class B { virtual void func() = 0; };
class X: public A, public B { virtual void func(){ var = 1; } int var;};

X * x = new X; // from what I know, x have 2 vtables, is this the same in c#?
A * a = (A*)x; // a == x
B * b = (B*)x; // here b != x, so when calling b->func(), how is the address of var correct?

Does the c# compiler create always one vtable? Does it make any pointer fixups when casting?

Answer 1

Not to be overly pedantic, but the C# compiler does not get involved at this level. The Entire type model, inheritance, interface implementation etc. is actually handled by the CLR more specifically the CTS (Common Type System). .NET compilers mostly just generate IL code that represents intent which is later executed by the CLR where all Vtable handling etc. is taken care of.

For some detail on how the CLR creates and manages runtime types the following link will be a good starting point. Towards the end the MethodTable and Interface Maps are explained.

http://web.archive.org/web/20150515023057/https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc163791.aspx