I'm trying to learn the STL library and I'm having a weird problem. This code compiles perfectly:
void Show(vector<int> myvec)
{
vector<int>::iterator it;
cout << "Vector contains:";
for( it = myvec.begin(); it < myvec.end(); it++)
{
cout << " " << *it;
}
cout << endl;
}
while this one gives me an error message at compile time:
template <class T>
void Show2(vector<T> myvec)
{
vector<T>::iterator it;
cout << "Vector contains:";
for( it = myvec.begin(); it < myvec.end(); it++)
{
cout << " " << *it;
}
cout << endl;
}
The error is:
$ g++ hello.cpp
hello.cpp: In function ‘void Show2(std::vector<T, std::allocator<_Tp1> >)’:
hello.cpp:19: error: expected ‘;’ before ‘it’
hello.cpp:21: error: ‘it’ was not declared in this scope
It seems a very simple mistake, but I couldn't find it.
You need to say typename vector<T>::iterator it
.
On another note, you're passing vector
s by value. That means the entire vector
gets copied in the function call. void Show(vector<T> const &myvec)
and using const_iterator
would be wiser.
You need this:
typename vector<T>::iterator it;
This tells the compiler that vector<T>::iterator
should be treated as a type, something it can't assume since iterator
is dependent on what T
is.
Some compilers have problems detecting what is a member name and what is a type name, when inside templates. Try writing something like this in the first line of your template function body.
typename vector<T>::iterator it;
Maybe it works using typename vector<T>::iterator it;
Your compiler cannot know that there is an inner class iterator.
In the first instance the parameter, although it uses a template, is not a template, it is a fully defined class (vector<int>
)
In the latter instance the parameter is a template on type T and thus requires typename