Disable copy constructor

If you don't mind multiple inheritance (it is not that bad, after all), you may write simple class with private copy constructor and assignment operator and additionally subclass it:

class NonAssignable {
private:
    NonAssignable(NonAssignable const&);
    NonAssignable& operator=(NonAssignable const&);
public:
    NonAssignable() {}
};

class SymbolIndexer: public Indexer, public NonAssignable {
};

For GCC this gives the following error message:

test.h: In copy constructor ‘SymbolIndexer::SymbolIndexer(const SymbolIndexer&)’:
test.h: error: ‘NonAssignable::NonAssignable(const NonAssignable&)’ is private

I'm not very sure for this to work in every compiler, though. There is a related question, but with no answer yet.

UPD:

In C++11 you may also write NonAssignable class as follows:

class NonAssignable {
public:
    NonAssignable(NonAssignable const&) = delete;
    NonAssignable& operator=(NonAssignable const&) = delete;
    NonAssignable() {}
};

The delete keyword prevents members from being default-constructed, so they cannot be used further in a derived class's default-constructed members. Trying to assign gives the following error in GCC:

test.cpp: error: use of deleted function
          ‘SymbolIndexer& SymbolIndexer::operator=(const SymbolIndexer&)’
test.cpp: note: ‘SymbolIndexer& SymbolIndexer::operator=(const SymbolIndexer&)’
          is implicitly deleted because the default definition would
          be ill-formed:

UPD:

Boost already has a class just for the same purpose, I guess it's even implemented in similar way. The class is called boost::noncopyable and is meant to be used as in the following:

#include <boost/core/noncopyable.hpp>

class SymbolIndexer: public Indexer, private boost::noncopyable {
};

I'd recommend sticking to the Boost's solution if your project policy allows it. See also another boost::noncopyable-related question for more information.

You can make the copy constructor private and provide no implementation:

private:
    SymbolIndexer(const SymbolIndexer&);

Or in C++11, explicitly forbid it:

SymbolIndexer(const SymbolIndexer&) = delete;

Make SymbolIndexer( const SymbolIndexer& ) private. If you're assigning to a reference, you're not copying.