只要类是多态的，就将析构函数设为虚拟。

关于virtual的一个基本定义是它确定类的成员函数是否可以在其派生类中被覆盖。

类的D-tor基本上在作用域的末尾被调用，但存在一个问题，例如，当我们在堆（动态分配）上定义一个实例时，我们应该手动删除它。

一旦指令被执行，就会调用基类析构函数，但不会调用派生的析构函数。

一个实际的例子是，在控制场中，你必须操纵效应器和致动器。

在范围结束时，如果没有调用其中一个动力元件（执行器）的析构函数，将产生致命的后果。

#include <iostream>

class Mother{

public:

    Mother(){

          std::cout<<"Mother Ctor"<<std::endl;
    }

    virtual~Mother(){

        std::cout<<"Mother D-tor"<<std::endl;
    }


};

class Child: public Mother{

    public:

    Child(){

        std::cout<<"Child C-tor"<<std::endl;
    }

    ~Child(){

         std::cout<<"Child D-tor"<<std::endl;
    }
};

int main()
{

    Mother *c = new Child();
    delete c;

    return 0;
}

虚拟基类析构函数是“最佳实践”——您应该始终使用它们来避免（难以检测）内存泄漏。使用它们，可以确保类的继承链中的所有析构函数都被调用（按正确的顺序）。使用虚拟析构函数从基类继承也会使继承类的析构函数自动虚拟化（因此不必在继承类析构函数声明中重新键入“virtual”）。

什么是虚拟析构函数或如何使用虚拟析构器

类析构函数是一个与~前面的类同名的函数，它将重新分配该类分配的内存。为什么我们需要虚拟析构函数

请参见以下示例中的一些虚拟函数

该示例还说明了如何将字母转换为大写或小写

#include "stdafx.h"
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
// program to convert the lower to upper orlower
class convertch
{
public:
  //void convertch(){};
  virtual char* convertChar() = 0;
  ~convertch(){};
};

class MakeLower :public convertch
{
public:
  MakeLower(char *passLetter)
  {
    tolower = true;
    Letter = new char[30];
    strcpy(Letter, passLetter);
  }

  virtual ~MakeLower()
  {
    cout<< "called ~MakeLower()"<<"\n";
    delete[] Letter;
  }

  char* convertChar()
  {
    size_t len = strlen(Letter);
    for(int i= 0;i<len;i++)
      Letter[i] = Letter[i] + 32;
    return Letter;
  }

private:
  char *Letter;
  bool tolower;
};

class MakeUpper : public convertch
{
public:
  MakeUpper(char *passLetter)
  {
    Letter = new char[30];
    toupper = true;
    strcpy(Letter, passLetter);
  }

  char* convertChar()
  {   
    size_t len = strlen(Letter);
    for(int i= 0;i<len;i++)
      Letter[i] = Letter[i] - 32;
    return Letter;
  }

  virtual ~MakeUpper()
  {
    cout<< "called ~MakeUpper()"<<"\n";
    delete Letter;
  }

private:
  char *Letter;
  bool toupper;
};


int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
  convertch *makeupper = new MakeUpper("hai"); 
  cout<< "Eneterd : hai = " <<makeupper->convertChar()<<" ";     
  delete makeupper;
  convertch *makelower = new MakeLower("HAI");;
  cout<<"Eneterd : HAI = " <<makelower->convertChar()<<" "; 
  delete makelower;
  return 0;
}

从上面的示例中可以看到，没有调用MakeUpper和MakeLower类的析构函数。

查看下一个带有虚拟析构函数的示例

#include "stdafx.h"
#include<iostream>

using namespace std;
// program to convert the lower to upper orlower
class convertch
{
public:
//void convertch(){};
virtual char* convertChar() = 0;
virtual ~convertch(){}; // defined the virtual destructor

};
class MakeLower :public convertch
{
public:
MakeLower(char *passLetter)
{
tolower = true;
Letter = new char[30];
strcpy(Letter, passLetter);
}
virtual ~MakeLower()
{
cout<< "called ~MakeLower()"<<"\n";
      delete[] Letter;
}
char* convertChar()
{
size_t len = strlen(Letter);
for(int i= 0;i<len;i++)
{
Letter[i] = Letter[i] + 32;

}

return Letter;
}

private:
char *Letter;
bool tolower;

};
class MakeUpper : public convertch
{
public:
MakeUpper(char *passLetter)
{
Letter = new char[30];
toupper = true;
strcpy(Letter, passLetter);
}
char* convertChar()
{

size_t len = strlen(Letter);
for(int i= 0;i<len;i++)
{
Letter[i] = Letter[i] - 32;
}
return Letter;
}
virtual ~MakeUpper()
{
      cout<< "called ~MakeUpper()"<<"\n";
delete Letter;
}
private:
char *Letter;
bool toupper;
};


int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{

convertch *makeupper = new MakeUpper("hai");

cout<< "Eneterd : hai = " <<makeupper->convertChar()<<" \n";

delete makeupper;
convertch *makelower = new MakeLower("HAI");;
cout<<"Eneterd : HAI = " <<makelower->convertChar()<<"\n ";


delete makelower;
return 0;
}

虚拟析构函数将显式调用类的最派生的运行时析构函数，以便能够以正确的方式清除对象。

或访问链接

https://web.archive.org/web/20130822173509/http://www.programminggallery.com/article_details.php?article_id=138

将所有析构函数都设为虚拟，除非你有充分的理由不这样做。

否则会发生这样的邪恶：

假设您有一个包含Apple和Orange对象的Fruit指针数组。

从Fruit对象集合中删除时，除非~Fruit（）是虚拟的，否则无法调用~Apple（）和~Orange（）。

正确完成示例：

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
struct Fruit { // good
  virtual ~Fruit() { cout << "peel or core should have been tossed" << endl; } 
};
struct Apple:  Fruit { virtual ~Apple()  {cout << "toss core" << endl; } };
struct Orange: Fruit { virtual ~Orange() {cout << "toss peel" << endl; } };

int main() { 
  Fruit *basket[]={ new Apple(), new Orange() };
  for (auto fruit: basket) delete fruit;
};

正品产出量

toss core
peel or core should have been tossed
toss peel
peel or core should have been tossed

错误示例：

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
struct Fruit { // bad 
  ~Fruit() { cout << "peel or core should have been tossed" << endl; } 
};
struct Apple:  Fruit { virtual ~Apple()  {cout << "toss core" << endl; } };
struct Orange: Fruit { virtual ~Orange() {cout << "toss peel" << endl; } };

int main() { 
  Fruit *basket[]={ new Apple(), new Orange() };
  for (auto fruit: basket) delete fruit;
};

不良输出

peel or core should have been tossed
peel or core should have been tossed

（注意：为了简洁起见，我使用了struct，通常使用class并指定public）

简单地说，当您删除指向派生类对象的基类指针时，虚拟析构函数将以正确的顺序析构函数资源。

 #include<iostream>
 using namespace std;
 class B{
    public:
       B(){
          cout<<"B()\n";
       }
       virtual ~B(){ 
          cout<<"~B()\n";
       }
 };
 class D: public B{
    public:
       D(){
          cout<<"D()\n";
       }
       ~D(){
          cout<<"~D()\n";
       }
 };
 int main(){
    B *b = new D();
    delete b;
    return 0;
 }

OUTPUT:
B()
D()
~D()
~B()

==============
If you don't give ~B()  as virtual. then output would be 
B()
D()
~B()
where destruction of ~D() is not done which leads to leak