C++ abstract class cannot be instantiated - c++

Question

I have this abstract class
class ImageIO {
protected:
ImageIO() {}
public:
virtual bool load(const std::string & filename, const std::string & format) = 0;
virtual bool save(const std::string & filename, const std::string & format) = 0;
}
And the implementation
class Image : public Array2D<Color>, public ImageIO {
private:
static int case_insensitive(string s) {
transform(s.begin(), s.end(), s.begin(), tolower);
if (s.compare("ppm") == 0) {
return 1;
}
return 0;
}
public:
bool load(const std::string& filename, const std::string& format) {
if (case_insensitive(format)) {
float* data = ReadPPM(filename.c_str(), (int*)width, (int*)height);
for (int i = 0, j = 0; i < width * height; i++, j += 3) {
buffer[i] = Color(data[j], data[j + 1], data[j + 2]);
}
delete[] data;
return true;
}
return false;
}
bool save(const std::string& filename, const std::string& format) {
if (case_insensitive(format)) {
float* data = new float[width * height * 3];
for (int i = 0, j = 0; i < width * height; i++, j += 3) {
data[j] = buffer[i].x;
data[j + 1] = buffer[i].y;
data[j + 2] = buffer[i].z;
}
bool write_check = WritePPM(data, width, height, filename.c_str());
delete[] data;
return write_check;
}
return false;
}
};
And I keep getting an abstract class cannot be instantiated error if I try this
Image test = Image();
in my main.
I've also tried declaring t=those two methods in a header file
class Image : public Array2D<Color>, public ImageIO {
private:
static int case_insensitive(std::string);
public:
bool ImageIO::load(const std::string& filename, const std::string& format);
bool ImageIO::save(const std::string& filename, const std::string& format);
};
but then I get unresolved external symbol errors. Is there a problem in the way I'm implementing the two functions or in how my declaring the class?
EDIT: If I declare those two methods in the header file then the error is:
error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: virtual bool __thiscall image::Image::[image::ImageIO]::load(class std::basic_string<char,struct std::char_traits<char>,class std::allocator<char> > const &,class std::basic_string<char,struct std::char_traits<char>,class std::allocator<char> > const &)" (?load#?QImageIO#image##Image#2#UAE_NABV?$basic_string#DU?$char_traits#D#std##V?$allocator#D#2##std##0#Z) referenced in function _main
error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: virtual bool __thiscall image::Image::[image::ImageIO]::save(class std::basic_string<char,struct std::char_traits<char>,class std::allocator<char> > const &,class std::basic_string<char,struct std::char_traits<char>,class std::allocator<char> > const &)" (?save#?QImageIO#image##Image#2#UAE_NABV?$basic_string#DU?$char_traits#D#std##V?$allocator#D#2##std##0#Z) referenced in function _main
If I don't the error is
error C2259: 'image::Image': cannot instantiate abstract class
I also added override and nothing changes.

Answer 1

To specifically answer the question about unresolved external symbols, you don't need the ImageIO parent specifier on the save/load functions. You are declaring that Image itself has those functions, which override the abstract functions on the parent. You will then need to specify Image when implementing them in the cpp file.
Image.hpp
class Image : public Array2D<Color>, public ImageIO {
private:
static int case_insensitive(std::string);
public:
bool load(const std::string& filename, const std::string& format) override;
bool save(const std::string& filename, const std::string& format) override;
};
Image.cpp
bool Image::load(const std::string& filename, const std::string& format) {
if (case_insensitive(format)) {
//etc.
}
return false;
}
bool Image::save(const std::string& filename, const std::string& format) {
if (case_insensitive(format)) {
//etc.
}
return false;
}