Using “super” in C++

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My style of coding includes the following idiom:

class Derived : public Base
{
   public :
      typedef Base super; // note that it could be hidden in
                          // protected/private section, instead

      // Etc.
} ;

This enables me to use “super” as an alias to Base, for example, in constructors:

Derived(int i, int j)
   : super(i), J(j)
{
}

Or even when calling the method from the base class inside its overridden version:

void Derived::foo()
{
   super::foo() ;

   // ... And then, do something else
}

It can even be chained (I have still to find the use for that, though):

class DerivedDerived : public Derived
{
   public :
      typedef Derived super; // note that it could be hidden in
                             // protected/private section, instead

      // Etc.
} ;

void DerivedDerived::bar()
{
   super::bar() ; // will call Derived::bar
   super::super::bar ; // will call Base::bar

   // ... And then, do something else
}

Anyway, I find the use of “typedef super” very useful, for example, when Base is either verbose and/or templated.

The fact is that super is implemented in Java, as well as in C# (where it is called “base”, unless I’m wrong). But C++ lacks this keyword.

So, my questions:

  • is this use of typedef super common/rare/never seen in the code you work with?
  • is this use of typedef super Ok (i.e. do you see strong or not so strong reasons to not use it)?
  • should “super” be a good thing, should it be somewhat standardized in C++, or is this use through a typedef enough already?

Edit: Roddy mentionned the fact the typedef should be private. This would mean any derived class would not be able to use it without redeclaring it. But I guess it would also prevent the super::super chaining (but who’s gonna cry for that?).

Edit 2: Now, some months after massively using “super”, I wholeheartedly agree with Roddy’s viewpoint: “super” should be private. I would upvote his answer twice, but I guess I can’t.

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