Trouble With Template Classes in C++

Nick

Sage

Posts: 1,066
Joined: 2004.07

Post: #1

Nov 14, 2006 — 02:28 PM

I'm trying to use a template class for a 2D vector but I'm having trouble with a few linker errors:

Code:

/usr/bin/ld: Undefined symbols:

SimEngine::Vector2D<int>::Vector2D(SimEngine::Vector2D<int> const&)

SimEngine::Vector2D<int>::operator=(SimEngine::Vector2D<int> const&)

/Users/nickgravelyn/Documents/Xcode/Spyscroller/build/Spyscroller.build/Debug/Spyscroller.build/Objects-normal/ppc/Widget.o reference to undefined SimEngine::Vector2D<int>::Vector2D(SimEngine::Vector2D<int> const&)

/Users/nickgravelyn/Documents/Xcode/Spyscroller/build/Spyscroller.build/Debug/Spyscroller.build/Objects-normal/ppc/Widget.o reference to undefined SimEngine::Vector2D<int>::operator=(SimEngine::Vector2D<int> const&)

collect2: ld returned 1 exit status

So I checked and sure enough I have those methods defined:

Code:

template<class E>

Vector2D<E>::Vector2D( const Vector2D<E> &v ) : x( v.x ), y( v.y ) {

}

template<class E>

Vector2D<E>& Vector2D<E>::operator = ( const Vector2D<E> &v ) {

    x = v.x;

    y = v.y;

    return ( *this );

}

Am I doing something incorrectly? I can easily put more code up if necessary, but I figured this was all that would be needed.

OneSadCookie

Luminary

Posts: 5,125
Joined: 2002.04

Post: #2

Nov 14, 2006 — 02:45 PM

Due to the way templates work in C++, all the code must be in or included from the header file. It's usual just to put it all inline in the class declaration, but it's possible (if weird) to #include the .cpp file at the bottom of the header.

Nick

Sage

Posts: 1,066
Joined: 2004.07

Post: #3

Nov 14, 2006 — 02:46 PM

Hm. I don't want to put all of it in the header, but I think I will just because including a cpp file seems wrong.

JeroMiya

Member

Posts: 45
Joined: 2006.11

Post: #4

Nov 21, 2006 — 09:57 AM

One convention I've seen (not sure if it is "correct" or not) is to put the implementation of a template class in a .hpp file, and include it in the header, rather than include a .cpp file, which someone may confuse as a file that needs to be compiled and linked, which it wouldn't.

DoG

Moderator

Posts: 869
Joined: 2003.01

Post: #5

Nov 21, 2006 — 10:25 AM

Template implementations belong in a header file, be it .h or .hpp to your liking.

Don't panic.

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