Question

When I try to use my iterator class

template<class T>
class list
{
public:
class iterator;
};

template<class T>
class list<T>::iterator
{
//stuff
};

as a return type in an operator overloading,

template<class T>
class list<T>::iterator
{
public:
iterator& operator++();
protected:
list* lstptr;
};

template<class T>
iterator& list<T>::iterator::operator++()
{
(this->lstptr)->current = ((this->lstptr)->current)->next;
return this;
}

I get these errors:

s:\jeffrey_\my_freeware_games\o\resources\container class\container(spec- o)\container_def.h(213) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '&'
s:\jeffrey_\my_freeware_games\o\resources\container class\container(spec- o)\container_def.h(213) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
s:\jeffrey_\my_freeware_games\o\resources\container class\container(spec- o)\container_def.h(213) : error C2065: 'T' : undeclared identifier
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(235) : error C2039: 'Yes' : is not a member of 'vc_attributes'
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(235) : error C2065: 'Yes' : undeclared identifier
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(236) : error C2039: 'No' : is not a member of 'vc_attributes'
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(236) : error C2065: 'No' : undeclared identifier
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(237) : error C2039: 'Maybe' : is not a member of 'vc_attributes'
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(237) : error C2065: 'Maybe' : undeclared identifier
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(240) : error C2039: 'NoAccess' : is not a member of 'vc_attributes'
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(240) : error C2065: 'NoAccess' : undeclared identifier
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(241) : error C2039: 'Read' : is not a member of 'vc_attributes'
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(241) : error C2065: 'Read' : undeclared identifier
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(242) : error C2039: 'Write' : is not a member of 'vc_attributes'
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(242) : error C2065: 'Write' : undeclared identifier
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(243) : error C2039: 'ReadWrite' : is not a member of 'vc_attributes'
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\codeanalysis\sourceannotations.h(243) : error C2065: 'ReadWrite' : undeclared identifier
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\crtdefs.h(582) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'time_t'
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\crtdefs.h(2047) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before 'identifier'
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\crtdefs.h(2047) : warning C4091: 'typedef ' : ignored on left of 'localeinfo_struct' when no variable is declared
c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\crtdefs.h(2047) : fatal error C1075: end of file found before the left brace '{' at 'c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\crtdefs.h(174)' was matched

NB: container_def.h is the header file for my list and iterator classes, I have no idea what souceannotations or crtdefs are.

Answer 1

iterator is not yet known at that point. You need to tell it it’s in the list<T> class:

template<class T>
typename list<T>::iterator& list<T>::iterator::operator++() {
    (this->lstptr)->current = ((this->lstptr)->current)->next;
    return *this; // *this here, since this is a pointer only
}

Notice the typename is required, since list<T>::iterator is a type prefixed with a template specialization, and you need to tell the compiler about that – in spite of the fact that Visual C++ probably will accept code not putting typename before it. Omitting the typename, the compiler should assume it’s not a type and should sort of produce the same error message.

You could safe yourself that hassle by putting the code straight into the class:

template<class T>
class list<T>::iterator
{
public:
iterator& operator++() {
    (this->lstptr)->current = ((this->lstptr)->current)->next;
    return *this; // *this here, since this is a pointer only
}
protected:
    list* lstptr;
};