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Arduino C++ code: can you use virtual functions and exceptions?

Following up on this comment from the question Writing firmware: assembly or high level?:

When compiling C++ code for the Arduino platform, can you use virtual functions, exceptions, etc? Or would you want to (have to) use a subset of C++ (as described in the comment)?

Any other caveats when programming for the Arduino platform?

Solution

  • The Arduino environment uses the AVR version of the GCC toolchain. The code is compiled as C++, so you can use classes. Virtual functions are possible; the vtables will be stored in the .data section and have the correct addresses. In fact, the Print base class uses virtual functions to adapt the various "print" methods to the different output types.

    Exceptions are not supported because of code space reasons. The Arduino environment passes "-fno-exceptions" to the compiler command line. See the source for verification of this.

    Templates are supported. For example, this no-cost stream insertion operator technique works fine using a simple template and inline operator.