access specifier of base virtual function

[Muthuveerappan]

Hi,

A is the base class
B is the derived from class A

A has a public virtual function f1()
B has a private virtual function f1()

B::f1() not accessible using an object of class B however it is accessible through A* (base pointer)

Questions:
1) Is this because determining the access specifiers (public, protected, private) are checked by the compiler at compile time and which virtual function is to be invoked is decided runtime ?
2) Is this a bug ? (I am using gcc 4.2.1)

Pasted below is the code:

#include <iostream>

class A
{
    public:
        virtual void f1() { std :: cout << "A::f1()\n"; }
};

class B : public A
{
    private:
        virtual void f1() { std :: cout << "B::f1()\n"; }
};

int main()
{
    A a1;
    B b1;

    a1.f1();
    //b1.f1(); //Can't access through the object - As expected, this line throws compilation error

    //Accessing f1() through base pointer
    A* aPtr = &b1;
    aPtr -> f1(); //Able to access B::f1() though B::f1() is private

    return(0);
}