If not possible, what would be a good work around?

Yes it's possible to write something like :class vectorReturn{public: vectorReturn(); virtual std::vector<int> getFilledVector(); virtual void getFilledVectorNoCopy(std::vector<int>& vec); virtual void fillTheVector();private: std::vector<int> m_toFill;};vectorReturn::vectorReturn(){ }std::vector<int> vectorReturn::getFilledVector(){ return m_toFill;}void vectorReturn::fillTheVector(){ m_toFill.push_back(45); m_toFill.push_back(99); m_toFill.push_back(123);}void vectorReturn::getFilledVectorNoCopy(std::vector<int>& vec){ //Fill the vector with your data}If the vector is small returning a vector can be fine but if you want to be sure to stay away from any copy on return I think it would be better to pass the vector you want to fill getFilledVectorNoCopy(std::vector<int>& vec)cheers

I think the OP was asking whether you can write something liketemplate <class T> virtual std::vector<T> foo();but it's hard to tell from the question. Horacio, can you elaborate a bit?

Yes maybe sharing more information would be more useful

you mean something like this ?

QuoteOriginally posted by: lballabioI think the OP was asking whether you can write something liketemplate <class T> virtual std::vector<T> foo();but it's hard to tell from the question. Horacio, can you elaborate a bit?I think he meant this.You can't have template virtual member methods for the simple reason that a template member is not really a member. Its instances are. Methods of a template class can be virtual though, so maybe you could:1. make the original class a template2. use a nested template classYou can find a workaround here.

QuoteOriginally posted by: horacioaliagaIf not possible, what would be a good work around?Whatever, It will be very inefficient (virtual and return by value (copy)). Specification is not unambiguous. //Vaguely remember trying template Visitor one .. did not work. I suspect this won't work either (vtabl and templates don't mix well).

Horacio,I think it's a kind of factory you want??