declare extern class c++ in hpp file and use it cpp file - c++

Question

I have two classes : Individu and Cite and as u can see Individu is defined before
//file.hpp
#include <iostream>
#include <stdexcept>
#include <vector>
extern Cite CITE;
class Individu {
protected:
static int id;
TYPE t;
public:
Individu();
virtual ~Individu();
static int & getCompteur();
virtual void afficher(std::ostream& ) const;
virtual TYPE getType() const;
};
class Cite {
std::vector<const Individu *> tab;
public:
Cite();
~Cite();
void addPersonne(const Individu *);
int size() const;
};
std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream&, const Individu& );
#endif
I need to add an Individu one it's instanciated to the tab vector of Cite and sisnce there is just one Cite I declared Exctern CITE Cite to work with just like that :
// file.cpp
#include <algorithm>
#include "file.hpp"
int Individu::id = 0;
Individu::Individu() {
CITE.addPersonne(*this);
id++;
}
Individu::~Individu(){
}
int& Individu::getCompteur() {
return id;
}
void Individu::afficher(std::ostream& o) const{
o << id;
}
void Personne::afficher(std::ostream& o) const {
o << nom << " " << id;
}
std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Individu& i ){
i.afficher(o);
return o;
}
TYPE Individu::getType() const {
throw IllegalException();
}
Cite::Cite(){
}
Cite::~Cite() {
}
void Cite::addPersonne(const Individu * i){
tab.push_back(i);
}
int Cite::size() const {
return tab.size();
}
and when I compile I got this error :
file.hpp:13:8: error: ‘Cite’ does not name a type
13 | extern Cite CITE;
| ^~~~
file.cpp: In constructor ‘Individu::Individu()’:
file.cpp:30:5: error: ‘CITE’ was not declared in this scope
30 | CITE.addPerconne(*this);
| ^~~~
make: *** [makefile:15 : build/deviant.o] Erreur 1
I understand that Cite is not yet defined so that's why I got that error , so hwo can I fix it ?

Answer 1

You have two issues in your code:
extern Cite CITE is declared before the class Cite is defined, so the compiler doesn't know what a Cite is at that point. You should move this declaration after the definition of Cite.
You never define CITE. An extern variable declaration is a promise to the compiler that you will define that variable later. You're essentially saying "I promise a Cite object named CITE exists even though you can't see it right now". You broke that promise by never actually creating that object. You need to define a Cite CITE somewhere (most likely in file.cpp).