C++ Multiple classes with same name - c++

Say I have two different cpp files. Both declare classes with the same name, but perhaps a totally different structure (or perhaps the same structure, different implementation). The classes do not appear in the header files. (As an example, suppose they are Node classes for different list classes.)
I've seen these classes conflict. Is this expected by the standard? What solutions are there to this problem?
UPDATE:
As suggested by answers/comments, anonymous namespaces are what I was looking for.

The standard way around this problem is to wrap the classes in different namespaces.

It violates One Definition Rule. It's hard for compiler to detect the error, because they are in different compilation units. And even linker cannot detect all errors.
See an example in http://www.cplusplus.com/forum/general/32010/ . My compiler and linker (g++ 4.2.1) can build the final executable without any error, but the output is wrong.
If I change the example a bit, I get segmentation fault.
// main.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include <list>
using namespace std;
struct Handler
{
Handler() : d(10, 1.234) {}
list<double> d;
};
extern void test_func();
int main(void)
{
Handler h;
cout << h.d.back() << endl;
test_func();
return 0;
}
// test.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
struct Handler
{
Handler() : d("test Handler") {}
string d;
};
void test_func()
{
Handler h;
cout << h.d << endl;
}
It's recommended to differentiate you class by namespace. For example of Node, you can use nest class and define the Node in the parent list class. Or you can add you class in anonymous namespace. See How can a type that is used only in one compilation unit, violate the One Definition Rule?

I'm not sure if I'm missing some detail here, but you wrap each class in a namespace.
namespace A {
class Node { };
}
namespace B {
class Node { };
}
Then you can use A::Node or B::Node.

You can use namespace to have multiple classes with same name by sub-scoping them in different namespaces. See: http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/namespaces/

I've seen these classes conflict. Is this expected by the standard?
The standard says you can't do that. It would violate the one definition rule. (How to fix this has already been covered in other answers)

Related

Why is it common to not include the word 'class' in C++ .cpp files?

Most classes appear to be separated between declaration and definition in the following form using namespace qualifier to define the class:
// test.h
class test
{
public:
void func1(void);
private:
void func2(void);
};
// test.cpp
void test::func1(void)
{
//whatever
}
void test::func2(void)
{
//whatever
}
Why don't we typically see people use the keyword class in the .cpp file? Like in the following form:
// test.cpp
class test {
void func1(void)
{
//whatever
}
void func2(void)
{
//whatever
}
};
Is it just convention to use the namespace qualifiers? Or because it make more sense when you starting implementing a class via multiple source files?
Let's view this question from another angle...
It is possible to use the same syntax for both, but it's "the other one"; the following is perfectly valid:
namespace ns
{
int foo();
}
int ns::foo() { return 0; }
Looked at like this, it's the opposite question that's interesting, "why is it common to include the word 'namespace' in .cpp files?"
There's one substantial difference between namespaces and classes that makes namespace {} necessary in so many places: namespaces are open to extension, but classes are defined entirely by their (one and only) definition.
Like with classes, you can't add anything to a namespace using the syntax above; you can't add a function bar above with only int ns::bar() { return 9; }, the only way to add names to a namespace is "from within".
And, as many have discovered, it's convenient to wrap an entire file in a namespace and not use the qualified names, even if you're not adding any names to it.
Hence the popularity of "namespace": it's a convenience enabled by the extensibility of namespaces.
Another issue is that the meaning of your "test.cpp" would depend on whether the class definition has already been seen by the compiler – without it, that's a valid and complete definition of a class with two private functions.
This kind of "action from a distance" depending on possibly very distant code is painful to work with.
It's also worth noting that namespaces were added some twenty years after "C with classes" was created, when C++ was a well established language, and changing the meaning of a construct that literally hasn't changed in decades is pretty much unthinkable.
Partularly if all it does is save a few keystrokes.

Why namespace is needed in a header file?

I am familiar with the following use of namespaces.
In the header file (for example people.h) I describe interface of a name space. For example:
namespace people{
int getAge(str Name);
void setName(str Name);
}
Then in people.cpp I define the methods from the space name:
#include "people.h"
int people::getAge(str Name) {
something_1;
something_2;
}
void people::setName(str Name) {
something_1;
}
However, in a header file that I have I see that in addition to the namespace people there are also interfaces of other namespaces (for example namespace dogs). And these name spaces are not defined in the people.cpp file.
So, I assumed that (because of some strange reason) the interface for the namespace dogs is put into the people.h and then then the name space dog is defined in the "dogs.cpp" file. So, in other words I assumed that two different name spaces are defined in two different cpp files but their interface is described in one header file. However, this assumption seems to be wrong because I found that there are many header files that declare "namespace dogs".
So, I assume that namespace dogs in the 2people.h" file has another function but I cannot figure out what function it is. Could anybody please help me with that?
ADDED
The code that I try to understand is written not by me and it works fine. So, it should make sense. May be I was not clear enough. So, I try to give an example:
In the header file (people.h) I have:
namespace etet
{
class date;
}
namespace xsystem{
class estimation_module;
}
namespace people {
a_lot_of_different_stuff;
}
Then the people.cpp defines all the methods that belong to the people name space.
The "namespace interface" is a misleading concept. A namespace is just a bounch of names grouped together under a surname (like you and your brothers and sisters). It has no "interface" because there is no namespace "obejct".
The
#include "people.h"
int people::getAge(str Name) {
something_1;
something_2;
}
void people::setName(str Name) {
something_1;
}
is perfectly equivalent to
#include "people.h"
namespace people
{
int getAge(str Name) {
something_1;
something_2;
}
void setName(str Name) {
something_1;
}
}
may be this is more familiar, or may be not.
The fact an header declares functions not present in a cpp, just means they are probably present in another one.
About the fact that the namespace name { ..... } declaration can be repeated in many files, each containing various function is perfectly normal, since the namespace keyword does not declare an object. It just group names. And -in fact- sayning a namespace is "declared" is a common language abuse. What is declared is the name of the namespace.
And different names declare in different places can belong to a same group. there is nothing mysterious in that.
You lexicon makes me thinking you are confusing namespaces with classes and structs
ADDED:
After your clarification, it looks like the a_lot_of_different_stuff contains declarations that use etet::date and xsystem::estimation_module;
This names (and only the names) must be known to the compiler, but the header cannot recursively include ther respective headers because they most likely already included people.h.
A typical "curculare reference" problem, like in here, but involving different namespaces.
You're confusing namespaces and classes. Typically, a class definition occurs in a header file (.h) and the implementation of its member functions appear in the corresponding implementation file (.cpp).
A namespace works differently to a class. If a class is defined in multiple translation units, it must have precisely the same tokens in all of them. You can't even reorder members, even if it would result in the exact same class. It's easy to meet this requirement by using the above described header files. Each translation unit that needs a class foo contains the contents of foo.h because they do #include "foo.h" when they need it. Of course they all contain precisely the same definition of foo bceause they all included foo.h.
However, this is very different to namespaces. A namespace can be introduced multiple times across the same and different translation units without it being the same tokens every time. Something like this is totally fine:
namespace bar {
void baz();
struct x;
}
// some stuff
namespace bar {
void do_something(x);
}
Each occurence of namespace bar introduces some declarations to that namespace.
You will often have many classes defined in the same namespace. Each header for those classes will do namespace whatever { ... } and introduce the class definition into that namespace.
Sometimes you will even want to introduce things to multiple namespaces or nested namespaces in a single header file. There's nothing to stop you doing that. A possible situation for doing that is if you want to forward declare something from another namespace. Let's say you have a class defined in people.h like so:
namespace people {
class person {
dogs::dog* pet_dog;
};
}
Now, this class needs to know about the type dog in the dogs namespace. One way to do his would be to #include "dogs.h". However, since pet_dog is only a pointer, we can do with an incomplete type, so we can forward declare dog like so:
namespace dogs {
class dog;
}
namespace people {
class person {
dogs::dog* pet_dog;
};
}

Creating a C++ namespace in header and source (cpp)

Is there any difference between wrapping both header and cpp file contents in a namespace or wrapping just the header contents and then doing using namespace in the cpp file?
By difference I mean any sort performance penalty or slightly different semantics that can cause problems or anything I need to be aware of.
Example:
// header
namespace X
{
class Foo
{
public:
void TheFunc();
};
}
// cpp
namespace X
{
void Foo::TheFunc()
{
return;
}
}
VS
// header
namespace X
{
class Foo
{
public:
void TheFunc();
};
}
// cpp
using namespace X;
{
void Foo::TheFunc()
{
return;
}
}
If there is no difference what is the preferred form and why?
The difference in "namespace X" to "using namespace X" is in the first one any new declarations will be under the name space while in the second one it won't.
In your example there are no new declaration - so no difference hence no preferred way.
Namespace is just a way to mangle function signature so that they will not conflict. Some prefer the first way and other prefer the second version. Both versions do not have any effect on compile time performance. Note that namespaces are just a compile time entity.
The only problem that arises with using namespace is when we have same nested namespace names (i.e) X::X::Foo. Doing that creates more confusion with or without using keyword.
There's no performance penalties, since the resulting could would be the same, but putting your Foo into namespace implicitly introduces ambiguity in case you have Foos in different namespaces. You can get your code fubar, indeed. I'd recommend avoiding using using for this purpose.
And you have a stray { after using namespace ;-)
If you're attempting to use variables from one to the other, then I'd recommend externalizing them, then initializing them in the source file like so:
// [.hh]
namespace example
{
extern int a, b, c;
}
// [.cc]
// Include your header, then init the vars:
namespace example
{
int a, b, c;
}
// Then in the function below, you can init them as what you want:
void reference
{
example::a = 0;
}
If the second one compiles as well, there should be no differences. Namespaces are processed in compile-time and should not affect the runtime actions.
But for design issues, second is horrible. Even if it compiles (not sure), it makes no sense at all.
The Foo::TheFunc() is not in the correct namespacein the VS-case. Use 'void X::Foo::TheFunc() {}' to implement the function in the correct namespace (X).
In case if you do wrap only the .h content you have to write using namespace ... in cpp file otherwise you every time working on the valid namespace. Normally you wrap both .cpp and .h files otherwise you are in risk to use objects from another namespace which may generate a lot of problems.
I think right thing to do here is to use namespace for scoping.
namespace catagory
{
enum status
{
none,
active,
paused
}
};
void func()
{
catagory::status status;
status = category::active;
}
Or you can do the following:
// asdf.h
namespace X
{
class Foo
{
public:
void TheFunc();
};
}
Then
// asdf.cpp
#include "asdf.h"
void X::Foo::TheFunc()
{
return;
}

Accessing variables outside the program in C++

id.cpp
#include "stdafx.h"
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class A
{
public:
static int a;
};
int A::a=20;
class b
{
public:
b()
{
cout<<A::a<<endl;
}
};
int main()
{
b *b1 = new b();
return 0;
}
id1.cpp
#include "stdafx.h"
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class c
{
public:
int get()
{
cout<<A::a<<endl;
}
};
int main()
{
c c1;
c1.get();
return 0;
}
This is the way they have declared and got the output in one program but when I'm trying it I'm getting errors as the class is not a namespace or the program id is not included in the id1 file... How to get the variable that is stored in one file into the other file without using namespace and including the header file is there any option for it?
Two separate programs as shown (they're separate because they both define main()) cannot share variables in any simple way.
If the two separate files were to be integrated into a single program, so one of the main() programs was replaced, then you would fall back on the standard techniques of declaring the variable A::a in a header and using that header in both modules. The header would also define class A. This is the only sane way to do it.
You could write the definition of the class twice, once in each file, and declare the variable as an extern in one file and define it in the other, but that is not particularly sensible even in this simple case and rapidly degenerates into unmaintainable disaster if the code gets any more complex and there are more shared variables.
Of course, you might want to consider not using a global variable at all, but provide instead an accessor function. However, you still end up with a header declaring the services provided by the class A and the code implementing those services, and the code consuming those services.

c++ headers keeping sane

The biggest problem I seem to run into when coding in c++ is the fact that you must declare a class before you can reference it. Say I have two header file like this...
Header1.h
#include "Header2.h"
#include <deque>
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class HelloPackage;
class Hello
{
public:
string Message;
HelloPackage * Package;
Hello():Message("")
{
}
Hello(string message, HelloPackage * pack)
{
Message = message;
Package = pack;
}
void Execute()
{
cout << Message << endl;
//HelloPackage->NothingReally doesn't exist.
//this is the issue essentially
Package->NothingReally(8);
}
};
Header2.h
#include "Header1.h"
#include <deque>
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class HelloPackage
{
public:
deque<Hello> Hellos;
HelloPackage()
{
Hellos = deque<Hello>();
}
int AddHello(string Message)
{
Hellos.push_back(Hello(Message,this));
}
void ExecuteAll()
{
for each(Hello h in Hellos)
h.Execute();
}
int NothingReally(int y)
{
int a = 0;
a += 1;
return a + y;
}
}
What I'm wondering is, is there any elegant solution for dealing with these issues? In say c#, and java, you're not restricted by this "linear" compiling.
Use header include guards, either "#ifndef / #define / #endif", or "#pragma once"
Put your code in a .cpp, not inline in the header
???
Profit
The reason this will work for you is because you can then use forward declarations of the class you want to reference without including the file if you so wish.
You are missing include guards
why define methods in the header?
Besides these problems with your code, to answer your question : normal way is to forward declare classes - not to include headers in headers (unless you have to).
If you follow a few basic rules, it is not awkward at all. But in comparison to e.g. Java or C#, you have to follow these rules by yourself, the compiler and/or language spec does not enforce it.
Other answers already noted that, but I will recap here so you have it in one place:
Use include guards. They make sure that your header (and thus your class definition) is only included once.
Normally, you will want to separate the declaration and implementation of your methods. This makes the header files more reusable and will reduce compilation time, because the header requires normally fewer #includes than the CPP (i.e. implementation) file.
In the header, use forward declarations instead of includes. This is possible only if you just use the name of the respective type, but don't need to know any "internals". The reason for this is that the forward declaration just tells the compiler that a certain name exists, but not what it contains.
This is a forward declaration of class Bar:
class Bar;
class Foo {
void foooh(Bar * b);
};
Here, the compiler will know that there is a Bar somewhere, but it does not know what members it has.
Use "using namespace xyz" only in CPP files, not in headers.
Allright, here comes your example code, modified to meet these rules. I only show the Hello class, the HelloPackage is to be separated into header and CPP file accordingly.
Hello.h (was Header1.h in your example)
#include <string>
class HelloPackage;
class Hello
{
public:
Hello();
Hello(std::string message, HelloPackage * pack);
void Execute();
private:
string Message;
HelloPackage * Package;
};
Hello.cpp
#include "Hello.h"
#include "HelloPackage.h"
using namespace std;
Hello::Hello() : Message("")
{}
Hello::Hello(string message, HelloPackage * pack)
{
Message = message;
Package = pack;
}
void Hello::Execute()
{
cout << Message << endl;
// Now accessing NothingReally works!
Package->NothingReally(8);
}
One question that may arise is why is the include for string is needed. Couldn't you just forward declare the string class, too?
The difference is that you use the string as embedded member, you don't use a pointer to string. This is ok, but it forces you to use #include, because the compiler must know how much space a string instance needs inside your Hello class.