C++ Templated Friend Classes - c++

Question

I am working in c++. I'm attempting to make my own iterator for a templated linked list class (without using the STL), but I seem to have trouble using "friends." I want to OListIterator to have access to the "Node" struct within the list class. If anyone could help it would be greatly appreciated!
OListIterator:
#ifndef pg6ec_OListIterator_h
#define pg6ec_OListIterator_h
#include "OList.h"
template <typename T>
class OListIterator
{
private:
T * value;
T * next;
public:
OListIterator()
{}
void setValue(T & val, T & n)
{
value = &val;
next = &n;
}
int operator*()
{
return *value;
}
bool operator==(OListIterator<T> other)
{
return value == other.value && next == other.next;
}
bool operator!=(OListIterator<T> other)
{
return value != other.value && next != other.next;
}
void operator+=(int x)
{
}
};
#endif
List:
#ifndef pg6OList_OListBlah_h
#define pg6OList_OListBlah_h
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include "OListIterator.h"
template <typename T>
class list
{
private:
typedef struct node
{
T value;
struct node * next;
}Node;
Node * root;
public:
list()
{
root = NULL;
}
list(const list & other)
{
Node * temp = other.returnRoot();
Node * currSpot = NULL;
root = new Node;
root->value = temp->value;
currSpot = root;
temp = temp->next;
while (temp)
{
currSpot->next = new Node;
currSpot = currSpot->next;
currSpot->value = temp->value;
temp = temp->next;
}
}
~list()
{
clear();
};
void clear()
{
Node * delNode = root;
while (delNode)
{
root = root->next;
delete delNode;
delNode = root;
}
delete root;
};
Node * returnRoot() const
{
return this->root;
}
int size()
{
int ans = 0;
if (root == NULL)
{
return ans;
}
Node * top = root;
while (top)
{
ans++;
top = top->next;
}
return ans;
}
bool insert(T & item)
{
if (root == NULL)
{
root = new Node;
root->value = item;
return true;
}
else
{
Node * curr = root;
Node * prev = NULL;
while (curr)
{
if ( curr->value > item )
{
Node * insertion = new Node;
insertion->value = item;
if (prev)
{
insertion->next = curr;
prev->next = insertion;
}
else
{
root = insertion;
root->next = curr;
}
return true;
}
else if ( curr->value == item )
{
Node * insertion = new Node;
insertion->value = item;
insertion->next = curr->next;
curr->next = insertion;
return true;
}
prev = curr;
if (curr->next)
{
curr = curr->next;
}
else if ( curr->next == NULL )
{
curr->next = new Node;
curr->next->next = NULL;
curr->next->value = item;
return true;
}
}
}
return false;
}
T get(int x)
{
T ans = root->value;
if (x > size() || x < 0)
{
return ans;
}
Node * curr = root;
for (int i = 0; i < size(); i++)
{
if (i == x)
{
ans = curr->value;
break;
}
curr = curr->next;
}
return ans;
}
int count(T base)
{
int num = 0;
Node * curr = root;
while (curr)
{
if (curr->value == base)
{
num++;
}
curr = curr->next;
}
return num;
}
bool remove(T base)
{
Node * curr = root;
Node * prev = NULL;
if (root->value == base)
{
delete this->root;
root = root->next;
return true;
}
while (curr)
{
if (curr->value == base)
{
Node * temp = new Node;
if (curr->next)
{
T val = curr->next->value;
temp->value = val;
temp->next = curr->next->next;
}
delete curr;
delete curr->next;
prev->next = temp;
return true;
}
prev = curr;
curr = curr->next;
}
return false;
}
void uniquify()
{
Node * curr = root;
Node * next = root->next;
while (curr)
{
while (next && curr->value == next->value)
{
Node * temp = new Node;
if (next->next)
{
T val = next->next->value;
temp->value = val;
temp->next = next->next->next;
delete next;
delete next->next;
curr->next = temp;
next = curr->next;
}
else
{
delete temp;
delete temp->next;
curr->next = NULL;
delete next;
delete next->next;
break;
}
}
curr = curr->next;
if (curr)
next = curr->next;
}
}
OListIterator<T> begin()
{
OListIterator<T> it;
it.setValue(root->value, root->next->value);
return it;
}
OListIterator<T> end()
{
Node * curr = root;
for (int i = 0; i < size(); i++)
{
curr = curr->next;
}
OListIterator<T> it;
it.setValue(curr->value);
return it;
}
};
#endif

Answer 1

I want to OListIterator to have access to the "Node" struct within the list class.
For this, you need to forward-declare the iterator class:
template<typename T> OListIterator;
template <typename T>
class list
{
friend class OListIterator<T>;
//... the rest
}
Alternatively, you can use a template friend declaration, but then any OListIterator type has access to any list type:
template <typename T>
class list
{
template<typename U> friend class OListIterator;
//... the rest
}
Here is a more verbose but unrelated-to-your-code example:
template<typename T> struct Iterator;
template<typename T>
struct List
{
friend struct Iterator<T>;
List(T i) : somePrivateMember(i) {}
private:
T somePrivateMember;
};
template<typename T>
struct Iterator
{
Iterator(List<T> const& list) {std::cout<<list.somePrivateMember<<std::endl;}
};
int main()
{
List<int> list(1);
Iterator<int> iterator(list);
}
The constructor of the Iterator class prints the private member somePrivateMember, whose value is 1.