expected class-name before '{' token - with header files and cpp files - c++

Like many people asking this question, I am very new to C++ and I can't wrap my head around this error:
Dollar.h:4:31: error: expected class-name before '{' token
class Dollar: public Currency {
These are my files
main.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include "Dollar.h"
using namespace std;
int main() {
Dollar * d = new Dollar();
d->printStatement();
return 0;
}
Currency.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include "Currency.h"
using namespace std;
class Currency {
public:
virtual void printStatement() {
cout << "I am parent";
}
};
Currency.h
#ifndef CURRENCY_H
#define CURRENCY_H
class Currency {
public:
virtual void printStatement();
};
#endif
Dollar.cpp
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
void printStatement() {
cout << "I am dollar";
}
Dollar.h
#ifndef DOLLAR_H
#ifndef DOLLAR_H
class Dollar : public Currency {
public:
void printStatement();
};
#endif
Thank you so much for your time and any help is much appreciated.

The error says that the name of a class was expected between : public and { here:
class Dollar : public Currency {
^^^^^^^^
Currency is not a name of a class, because you haven't defined such class. Yes, you have defined such class in files Currency.cpp and Currency.h, but not in the file Dollar.h where that error occurs.
Solution: The class Currency has to be defined first before it can be used as a base class. Like so:
// class is defined first
class Currency {
public:
virtual void printStatement();
};
// now Currency is a class and it can be used as a base
class Dollar : public Currency {
public:
void printStatement();
};
Since a class must be defined in all source files where it is used, and the definition must be identical across all source files, it is often useful to define the class in a separate "header" file, such as you have done. In such case you can simply include that header in stead of writing the definition repeatedly in each source file:
#include "Currency.h"
Currency.cpp contains two definitions for the class Currency. Once in the header that is included, and then second time after that. You may not have multiple definitions for the same class in a single source file.
Solution: Remove the class definition from Currency.cpp. Instead only define the member function:
void Currency::printStatement() {
//...
}
Finally, you haven't defined Dollar::printStatement. You've defined printStatement, which is not the same thing.

In my case, I had two classes with same name but in two different namespaces.
So, changing the base class to something different solved the problem.

Related

C++ - 'class' type redefinition

I made a smaller reproducible version of the code that gave me these errosr: 'MyNamespace::MySecondClass': 'class' type redefinition, 'print': is not a member of 'MyNamespace::MySecondClass'. Is there any way of working around this problem?
// MyClass.h
#pragma once
namespace MyNamespace {
class MySecondClass {};
}
// MyClass.cpp
#include "MyClass.h"
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class MyNamespace::MySecondClass
{
public:
void print(const char* msg)
{
cout << msg << endl;
}
};
The problem is that in MyClass.h you define a class MySecondClass as an empty class. When you the define your class in MyClass.cpp you give a different definition, which contains some new members. This infringes the One Definition Rule (ODR).
Solution 1
remove {} in the header. This will tell the compiler that you declare that such a class exists but that it will be defined later. Your code would compile. Unfortunately if you’d include the header in other cpp, these could make only a very very limited use of MySecondClass.
Solution 2
define in the header the class with all its members (but without providing the implementation of the member functions:the signature is sufficient). This would allow the class to be used in whichever cpp that
would include it:
// MyClass.h
#pragma once
namespace MyNamespace {
class MySecondClass {
public:
void print(const char* msg);
};
}
You’d then define the members of the class in its cpp in the appropriate namespace:
// MyClass.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include "MyClass.h"
using namespace std;
namespace MyNamespace {
// member functions
void MySecondClass::print(const char* msg)
{
cout << msg << endl;
}
}
Remark: the include sequence in the cpp should first include the standard library headers, then only your own headers. It makes no difference in your simple example, but better get used the good practices immediately.

Error with dynamic_cast

I'm having problems with my code with dynamic_cast. I have spent many hours trying to find a solution for this, but I still don't find the answer. I read that the problem could be because I didn't write forward declarations but I have already done that and still with the same problem.
Abstract class
#include "CRoute.h"
class CScreen
{
protected:
CRoute* m_pRoute;
public:
virtual ~CScreen();
virtual void connecToRoute(CRoute* route) = 0;
virtual void drawRoute() = 0;
};
Derived class
#include "CScreen.h"
class CGUIScreen : public CScreen
{
public:
void drawRoute();
void connecToRoute(CRoute* route);
};
Derived class
#include "CScreen.h"
class CCRTScreen : public CScreen
{
public:
void drawRoute();
void connecToRoute(CRoute* route);
};
Base Class
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class CScreen;
class CCRTScreen;
class CGUIScreen;
class CWaypoint
{
public:
CWaypoint();
void print(int format, CScreen* screenType);
};
Derived class
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include "CWaypoint.h"
using namespace std;
class CScreen;
class CCRTScreen;
class CGUIScreen;
class CPOI : public CWaypoint
{
public:
void print(int format, CScreen* screenType);
};
Method of CPOI
void CPOI::print(int format, CScreen* screenType)
{
if(dynamic_cast<CGUIScreen*>(screenType)) ---> Here is the error <<----
{
cout << "printing POI GUI " << endl;
}
else if(dynamic_cast<CCRTScreen*>(screenType)) ---> Here is the error <<----
{
cout << "printing POI CRT " << endl;
}
}
And the error I'm getting is the next one
..\myCode\CWaypoint.cpp:184:41: error: cannot dynamic_cast 'screenType' (of type 'struct CScreen*') to type 'struct CGUIScreen*' (target is not pointer or reference to complete type)
..\myCode\CWaypoint.cpp:184:44: error: expected unqualified-id before ')' token
..\myCode\CWaypoint.cpp:188:46: error: cannot dynamic_cast 'screenType' (of type 'struct CScreen*') to type 'struct CCRTScreen*' (target is not pointer or reference to complete type)
I read that the problem could be because I didn't write forward
declarations but I have already done that and still with the same
problem.
Quite the contrary; your forward declarations are what causes the errors.
A forward declaration, such as your class CScreen; line, simply tells the compiler: "There is a class called 'CScreen'. I'll give you more details later, but for now just keep in mind that this is a valid class name, OK?"
The compiler can then do very basic things with that class name; for example, it will accept pointer or reference declarations with it. That's why your print(int format, CScreen* screenType) line works. You don't need to know anything about CScreen other than its name to declare a pointer to it.
But how is the compiler supposed to accept a dynamic_cast with the class name? It does not really know anything about the class. In particular, it does not know that CGUIScreen or CCRTScreen are derived from CScreen. That's why at the point where you use dynamic_cast, the full class definitions are needed.
The header files for CWaypoint and CPOI (possible called waypoint.h and point.h?), can thus safely use forward declarations. As you correctly did:
waypoint.h:
class CScreen;
class CCRTScreen;
class CGUIScreen;
class CWaypoint
{
public:
CWaypoint();
void print(int format, CScreen* screenType);
};
point.h:
class CScreen;
class CCRTScreen; // not necessary but not invalid
class CGUIScreen; // not necessary but not invalid
class CPOI : public CWaypoint
{
public:
void print(int format, CScreen* screenType);
};
The implementation files, however, (possible called waypoint.cpp and point.cpp?), require the full definitions when you use a dynamic_cast:
point.cpp:
#include "point.h"
#include "screen.h"
#include "gui_screen.h"
#include "crt_screen.h"
#include <iostream>
using std::cout;
using std::endl;
void CPOI::print(int format, CScreen* screenType)
{
if(dynamic_cast<CGUIScreen*>(screenType))
{
cout << "printing POI GUI " << endl;
}
else if(dynamic_cast<CCRTScreen*>(screenType))
{
cout << "printing POI CRT " << endl;
}
}
By the way, it seems that CWaypoint should actually be an abstract base class, and that it possibly doesn't need an implementation file at all:
point.h:
class CScreen;
class CWaypoint
{
public:
virtual ~CWaypoint() {}
virtual void print(int format, CScreen* screenType) = 0;
};
P.S: If I may say so, I think your class names are confusing. A "Point" is definitely something more general than a "Waypoint", yet the inheritance relationship is exactly vice versa. Also, consider getting rid of Hungarian Notation. Just call your classes Screen instead of CScreen etc.
What the error message is telling you is that it does not know what the definition of CScreen or any of the derived classes are because you have forward declared them but not included their definitions.
Instead of
class CScreen;
class CCRTScreen;
class CGUIScreen;
Use
#include "CCRTScreen.h"
#include "CGUIScreen.h"

Puzzle about virtual function inheritance in C++

I'm noob in C++, and I have the following header file (Header.h)
#ifndef HEADER_H
#define HEADER_H
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class Predicate
{
public:
virtual void print() = 0;
};
class UnaryIntegerPredicate : public Predicate
{
public:
virtual void print();
};
class BiaryIntegerPredicate : public Predicate
{
public:
virtual void print();
};
#endif
and in another separate .cpp file (Source.cpp), I tried to implement the print method, but got an "expected an expression" error.
#include "stdafx.h"
#include "Header.h"
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
UnaryIntegerPredicate::UnaryIntegerPredicate() : Predicate()
{
virtual void print()
{
cout << "int : boolean" << endl;
}
}
what is wrong here, thanks!
I see you are probably coming from a Java background. What you need is
void UnaryIntegerPredicate::print()
{
cout << "int : boolean" << endl;
}
You don't need the stuff surrounding that. Since you have already declared in your header that UnaryIntegerPredicate derives from Predicate, you don't mention that again in the implementation file. You show that the print method that you are writing is the print method of the UnaryIntegerPredicate class by prefixing the name of the method with the name of the class as I have shown above.
You also don't need the virtual keyword in the cpp file because that is already specified in the header file.

Passing objects by reference in C++

I am trying to pass an object (of class Stock) by const reference to a function of another class (called Algorithms).
//Algorithms.h
#pragma once
class Algorithms
{
public:
Algorithms(void);
~Algorithms(void);
int Algorithms::doAnalysis(const Stock&);
};
The implementation of doAnalysis is
#include "StdAfx.h"
#include "Algorithms.h"
#include "Stock.h"
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
Algorithms::Algorithms(void)
{
}
Algorithms::~Algorithms(void)
{
}
int Algorithms::doAnalysis(const Stock &S)
{
//Do Something
return 0;
}
The class Stock has the following constructors
public:
Stock(std::string market, std::string symbol);
Stock(std::string market, std::string symbol, std::string start_date, std::string end_date);
I am getting the following error:
Error: declaration is imcompatible with "int Algorithms::doAnalysis(const<error-type> &)" declared at line 8 of Algorithms.h
I understand that the class Stock is not being found. How should I declare the doAnalysis method in Algorithms.h so that it is found? Stock is not a derived class.
Thanks for your help. I am new to C++.
You have to add a forward declaration of the class Stock:
// Forward declaration
class Stock;
class Algorithms
{
public:
Algorithms(void);
~Algorithms(void);
int doAnalysis(const Stock&);
// ^^ <- Remove the Algorithms::
};
You can see here why a forward declaration is necessary in C++.
Put a forward declaration outside your class declaration:
class Stock;
class Algorithms
{
// ...
You could also just add #include "Stock.h" in Algorithms.h file and remove the include from the cpp file. Also you don't need Algorithms:: in the declaration of doAnalysis in Algorithms.h

C++ Method declaration using another class

I'm starting to learn C++ (coming from Java), so bear with me.
I can't seem to get my method declaration to accept a class I've made.
'Context' has not been declared
I think I'm not understanding a fundamental concept, but I don't know what.
Expression.h
#include "Context.h"
class Expression {
public:
void interpret(Context *); // This line has the error
Expression();
virtual ~Expression();
};
Context.h
#include <stack>
#include <vector>
#include "Expression.h"
class Context {
private:
std::stack<Expression*,std::vector<Expression*> > theStack;
public:
Context();
virtual ~Context();
};
You have to forward declare Expression in Context or vice versa (or both), otherwise you have a cyclic dependency. For example,
Expression.h:
class Context; // no include, we only have Context*.
class Expression {
public:
void interpret(Context *); // This line has the error
Expression();
virtual ~Expression();
};
Context.h:
#include <stack>
#include <vector>
class Expression; // No include, we only have Expression*
class Context {
private:
std::stack<Expression*,std::vector<Expression*> > theStack;
public:
Context();
virtual ~Context();
};
You can perform the forward declarations because the full definition of the classes isn't needed, since you are only referring to pointers to the other class in each case. It is likely that you will need the includes in the implementation files (that is, #include "Context.h" in Expression.cpp and #include Expression.h in Context.cpp).
Finally, remember to put include guards in your header files.
In C++, class definitions always have to end with a semi-colon ;
so example:
class foo {};
Java and C# doesn't require that, so I can see your confusion.
Also it looks like both your header files include each other. Thus it's kind of like a snake eating it's tail: Where does it start? Thus in your Expression.h you can replace the 'include' with a forward declaration instead:
class Context;
class Expression {
public:
void interpret(Context *); // This line has the error
Expression();
virtual ~Expression();
}
And last but not least, you should put a compiler guard to prevent the header from getting included more than once into a .cpp file. You can put a #pragma once in the top of the header file. That is useful if you are using visual studio and the microsoft compiler. I don't know if GCC supports it or not. Or you can wrap your header file like this:
#ifndef EXPRESSION_H_
#define EXPRESSION_H_
class Context;
class Expression {
public:
void interpret(Context *); // This line has the error
Expression();
virtual ~Expression();
}
#endif
you might need to forward declare the classes Context and Expression in the header files before the #include
e.g.
#include <stack>
#include <vector>
// forward declaration
class Context;
class Expression;
#include "Expression.h"
class Context {
private:
std::stack<Expression*,std::vector<Expression*> > theStack;
public:
Context();
virtual ~Context();
}