calling a class method within different class method

Hi,

How do you call a class method inside a different class method? Here's what I have:

Code:

void cMenu::mission1()
{
	cInventory.printInventory();
}

Code:

void cInventory::printInventory()
{
       mItems = mBlade + mRope + mStick + mPole + mString + mKnife + mStars +
		mBo + mSword + mBowArrow;
	cout << "Total Items: " << mItems << endl << endl;

	cout << "Loose inventory: "  << endl;
	cout << "---------------- "  << endl;
	cout << "Blade:  " << mBlade  << endl;
	cout << "Rope:   " << mRope   << endl;
	cout << "Stick:  " << mStick  << endl;
	cout << "Pole:   " << mPole   << endl;
	cout << "String: " << mString << endl;
	
	cout << endl;
	cout << "Finished Weapons: " << endl;
	cout << "----------------- " << endl;
	cout << "Knife:         " << mKnife    << endl;
	cout << "Stars:         " << mStars    << endl;
	cout << "Bo:            " << mBo       << endl;
	cout << "Sword:         " << mSword    << endl;
	cout << "Bow and Arrow: " << mBowArrow << endl << endl;
}

Here's my error. I think it's because I have declared the variables in cInventory private but I am not sure if that's what it is. I have included cInventory's header file in cMenu.

Code:

1>g:\exercises\village warrior\cmenu.cpp(59) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '.'

Thanks so much.

You call a function by name. In this case, the name is "printInventory". (Notice that if you're already in a member function, you don't need to somehow specify which object you want to call the function with; it will automatically use the object you're currently a member of.)

Hi tabstop,

I am calling it though from a completely different class. Is that what you meant?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by alyeska

Hi tabstop,

I am calling it though from a completely different class. Is that what you meant?

Thanks!

Sorry, I read that but it didn't register.

If you want to call a member function, you must have an object of type cInventory to call it with. (Unless it's a static function. Then you would need the scope resolution with cInventory:: -- but all the member variables would have to be static too, et cetera.)

So I now see what you meant.

Thanks, tabstop. I got it working now..

Then you would need the scope resolution with cInventory:: -- but all the member variables would have to be static too, et cetera.)

For me this is always an indication that I haven't well-designed my class structure or that your function takes the wrong arguments (or that you should move functionalities from one class to the other).

Should you call a member function (operating on member data) from outside the class, probably you can pass an object of that class to the function? Then it will look like this:

Code:

void cMenu::mission1(cInventory const& inv) const // if argument is to be constant
{
	inv.printInventory();
}

edit: if this is the functionality of "cMenu::mission1" , then you might want to consider making it a free function. Minimalising class functionality is always a good choice!