polymorphism prblm

Her. is an example of a progpam that is supposed to use function overloading. Why doesn't it work.

Code:

// display string prblm #1 pg368 c++ primer plus
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

//prototype (overloading, polymorphism)
void sho_str(const char * str);
void sho_str(const char * str, int n=0);

int main()
{
	char dog[10]="Dakota";

	sho_str(dog);
	sho_str(dog,10);
	sho_str(dog,10);
	sho_str(dog,10);

	return 0;
}

void sho_str(const char * str)
{
	cout << str;
}

void sho_str(const char * str, int n)
{
	n++;

	// number of times function has been executed
	static int times=0;
	times++;
	for (int i=0;i<times;i++)
		{
			cout << str;
		}
}

Borland C++ 5.5.1 for Win32 Copyright (c) 1993, 2000 Borland
poly.cpp:
Error E2015 poly.cpp 13: Ambiguity between 'sho_str(const char *)' and 'sho_str(
const char *,int)' in function main()
*** 1 errors in Compile ***

don't you need the .h in iostream.h?

>void sho_str(const char * str, int n=0);
The overloaded function has a default value for the second parameter. If you don't include a value for that parameter then the compiler will use the default value, thus the ambiguity. When you call sho_str(dog), the compiler uses the default value and ends up with sho_str(dog, 0).

-Prelude

thanks, thats a little info the book doesn't mention
c++ primer plus is an excellent book though
next chptr oop and classes i can hardly wait

>thats a little info the book doesn't mention
Because it's a book on basic syntax, those authors have to assume that you know nothing about programming. How are they going to explain the rules of function overloading without causing some people to have a brain hemorrhage?

>c++ primer plus is an excellent book though
Yes it is

-Prelude