Strange compile errors

I get some errors i can't interpret..

Code:

// Class CONTRACT: Handles the rental contract details

#include <string>
#include <iosfwd>

class Date;

class Contract
{
public:
	
	Contract();

	void SetContractDetails(Date i, unsigned carR, const std::string& kms, float ratePD,
		unsigned lndrID, const::std string& contID, int days); // First 3 errors points to this declaration 

	void SetContractPeriod(Date i_dt, Date r_dt, int d, bool isLtd);
	void SetReturnDate();
	void DisplayContract();
	void Read(std::istream&, Contract&, bool);
	void Write(std::ostream&, bool);
	const std::string& getContractID() const;
	int getContractPeriod() const;
	float getRatePerDay() const;
	const std::string& getKmType() const;
	Date getIssueDate() const;
	Date getReturnDate() const;
	unsigned getLenderID() const;
	unsigned getCarReg() const;

private:
	std::string contractID;
	Date issued, returned;
	unsigned lenderID;
	unsigned carRegistration;
	int contractDays;
	std::string kmType;
	float dailyRate;
};
std::istream& operator >> (std::istream& in, Contract& rental);

Code:

[errors]
: error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
: error C2751: 'std' : the name of a function parameter cannot be qualified
: error C2146: syntax error : missing ',' before identifier 'string'
: error C2079: 'Contract::issued' uses undefined class 'Date'
: error C2079: 'Contract::returned' uses undefined class 'Date'
: error C2228: left of '.getDay' must have class/struct/union
etc..

Here's my Date Class

Code:

// Class DATE : Handles the car return and issue dates
#include <time.h>

#ifndef DATE_H
#define DATE_H

class Date						
{
public:

	Date() {
		SetDate( getCurrentTime() );
	}

	void SetDate(tm curr_tm)
	{
		day = curr_tm.tm_mday;
		month = curr_tm.tm_mon;
		year = curr_tm.tm_year;
		hour = curr_tm.tm_hour;
		minute = curr_tm.tm_min;
		local_dt = curr_tm;
	}

	int getDay(){return day;}
	int getMonth(){return month;}
	int getYear(){return year;}
	int getHour(){return hour;}
	int getMinute(){return minute;}
	tm getLocalDT(){return local_dt;}

private:

	int day;
	int month;
	int year;
	int hour;
	int minute;
	tm local_dt;
};

// Get the local date and time of system
std::tm getCurrentTime()
{
	std::time_t rawtime;
	std::tm* timeinfo;

	std::time( &rawtime );
	timeinfo = std::localtime ( &rawtime );

	return *timeinfo;
}

#endif

Code:

const::std string&

There's your typo for the first three errors.

Originally Posted by rags_to_riches

Code:

const::std string&

There's your typo for the first three errors.

Thanks, any ideas why Contract can't see Date?

A forward declaration of Date is not enough since Contract stores a Date object.

Originally Posted by laserlight

A forward declaration of Date is not enough since Contract stores a Date object.

If that's the case why is the following code compiling?

Code:

// Class menu
#ifndef MENU_H
#define MENU_H

#include <string>
#include <vector>

class Fleet;

class Menu 
{
private:
	typedef void (Menu::*Func)();

	struct Item  {
		std::string	descr;
		char        choice;
		Func		func;
	};

public:
	Menu(Fleet&);
	~Menu();

	void Create();
	void addItem(const std::string& s, char c, Func f);
	void Menu::printItem(const Item& item) const; 
	std::string Menu::whiteSpace(const Item& item, int slenght, char space) const;

	void choose();

	// Menu operation functions
	void Exit();
	void Pause();
	void Clrscr();
	void StartScreen();
	void AddCarOption();
	void EditCarOption();
	void ListCarsOption();
	void ReadFileOption();
	void SearchCarOption();
	void UpdateCarOption();
	void DeleteCarOption();
	void TitleDescription();
	bool done() { return finished; }

private:
	Fleet& fleet;  // <-- HERE ... This compiles
	typedef std::vector<Item> ItemVector;
	ItemVector items;
	typedef ItemVector::iterator itemIterator;
	bool finished;
};
#endif

Originally Posted by csonx_p

If that's the case why is the following code compiling?

What source file includes that header and what do the includes portion of that source file look like? If any source file that includes that header also includes the Fleet header before this one, then it's likely that things will compile. The header file by itself isn't really compiled, it is cut and pasted into the relevant source file(s) which is then compiled so asking why a header file (by itself) is (un)successfully compiled or not doesn't mean much in that context.

Originally Posted by csonx_p

If that's the case why is the following code compiling?

Fleet& fleet; // <-- HERE ... This compiles

Right - it's a reference you're storing, not a Fleet object. A forward declaration is enough in this case.

Originally Posted by hk_mp5kpdw

What source file includes that header and what do the includes portion of that source file look like? If any source file that includes that header also includes the Fleet header before this one, then it's likely that things will compile. The header file by itself isn't really compiled, it is cut and pasted into the relevant source file(s) which is then compiled so asking why a header file (by itself) is (un)successfully compiled or not doesn't mean much in that context.

The answer to the question i had is that forward declaration are for pointers or references to objects... Date issued VS Fleet& fleet... Hence the latter compiles compared to the other

The thing is that when you are using non-references and non-pointers, then the compiler must see the definition of the class, so it can determine such things as if there's an appropriate constructor, and such.
If you use references or pointers, however, the compiler can compile the code without knowing the contents of them.

Most of all it needs to know the size of the instance, whereas I suppose the size of pointers/references is always the same/known to compiler.

True, a pointer and reference are always fixed size, whereas a class is not.