How to solve expected class-name before '{' in QT c++ - c++

Question

I am implementing a library management system using Qt C++. I have a Material class which is a QMainwindow and when I click Fiction Section in menu bar Fiction form should be opened which is a QDialogbox. But although I implemented this concept I get the error which is "expected class-name before '{'". Please help to find the error. Thank You in advance.
This is material.h
#ifndef MATERIALS_H
#define MATERIALS_H
#include <QMainWindow>
#include "materialinner.h"
#include "fictionsection.h"
namespace Ui {
class Materials;
}
class Materials : public QMainWindow, public MaterialInner
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
explicit Materials(QWidget *parent = 0);
~Materials();
private slots:
void on_btnAdd_clicked();
void on_btnLoad_clicked();
void on_btnEdit_clicked();
void on_tblMaterial_clicked(const QModelIndex &index);
void on_btnSearch_clicked();
void on_actionClear_triggered();
void createAction();
void on_actionEdit_triggered();
void on_actionDelete_Records_triggered();
void on_actionFiction_section_triggered();
private:
Ui::Materials *ui;
FictionSection *fic;
};
#endif // MATERIALS_H
This is material.cpp
#include "materials.h"
#include "ui_materials.h"
#include <QDebug>
#include <QMessageBox>
Materials::Materials(QWidget *parent) :
QMainWindow(parent),
ui(new Ui::Materials)
{
ui->setupUi(this);
// QObject ::connect(ui->lneditSearch,SIGNAL(textChanged(const QString &)),this,SLOT(displaySearch()));
}
Materials::~Materials()
{
delete ui;
}
void Materials::on_actionFiction_section_triggered()
{
/* this->hide();
fiction = new FictionSection();
fiction->show();*/
this->hide();
fic = new FictionSection();
fic->show();
}
This is fictionsection.h
#ifndef FICTIONSECTION_H
#define FICTIONSECTION_H
#include <QDialog>
#include "materials.h"
#include "materialinner.h"
namespace Ui {
class FictionSection;
}
class FictionSection : public QDialog, public Materials
**{**
Q_OBJECT
public:
explicit FictionSection(QWidget *parent = 0);
~FictionSection();
private:
Ui::FictionSection *ui;
};
#endif // FICTIONSECTION_H
Error occurs in functionsection.cpp class. And the curly brace where the error occured is bold.
With the following code snippet it gives the error of "request for memeber 'show' is ambiguous"
Material.cpp
#include "materials.h"
#include "ui_materials.h"
#include "fictionsection.h"
#include <QDebug>
#include <QMessageBox>
Materials::Materials(QWidget *parent) :
QMainWindow(parent),
ui(new Ui::Materials)
{
ui->setupUi(this);
// QObject ::connect(ui->lneditSearch,SIGNAL(textChanged(const QString &)),this,SLOT(displaySearch()));
}
void Materials::on_actionFiction_section_triggered()
{
this->hide();
fiction = new FictionSection();
fiction->show();
}
How to solve this?

Answer 1

You have a circular dependency: materials.h includes fictionsection.h and fictionsection.h includes materials.h.
As your header files has routines to prevent multiple inclusion (#ifndef FICTIONSECTION_H and #ifndef MATERIALS_H, which are good), when material.h includes fictionsection.h, this one includes material.h again but this has absolutely no effect due to your multiple inclusion protection....consequence is that fictionsection.h does not get Materials declaration in the end and refuses to declare FictionSection deriving from it!
You need to use a forward declaration to solve that:
In materials.h, replace:
#include "fictionsection.h"
by
class FictionSection;
And add #include "fictionsection.h" in materials.cpp only.
Forward declaration is a common practice to resolve this problem. But, even without this problem occuring, forward declaration remains a good practice because it will speed up your compilation.