Calling a Function From A Class

Hello :-D

I havnt worked much with classes, and i have stumbled onto a problem calling a function from a class.

Here is what my class looks like:

Code:

typedef class TILES
{
public:
	void DrawTiles(HWND hwnd);
	bool bTiles[10][10];

private:
	int		tY;
	int		tX;

	BITMAP		bm;
	PAINTSTRUCT	ps;
	HDC		hdc;
	HDC		hdcMem;
	HBITMAP		hbmOld;
	HBITMAP		hTile;
}Tiles;

please do not flame me about the typedef, i think it looks purdy :)

and my Function calling:

Code:

Tiles::DrawTiles(hwnd);

and my error:

Code:

D:\CPP\RPGGAME\main.cpp(80) : error C2352: 'TILES::DrawTiles' : illegal call of non-static member function
        d:\cpp\rpggame\classes.h(6) : see declaration of 'DrawTiles'

now, i tried to make the function in the class static, but then i had to make all the variables static, then i got 10 link errors (one for each of the variables i used)

This code has been formatted from its original version to fit your screen

[EDIT]
.....Darn Smilies >=[
/EDIT]

1) There is never a need to typedef classes in C++. Well, ok, I suppose you could need to, but really you don't:

class Something {
};

Something myInstance;

So you don't really need to typedef.

2) Where do you actually define the function?

3) Calling a function is like:

myInstance.myFunction( );

Quzah.

You dont need to make an instance of the class, do you?

it works fine when i dont, (compiles fine)

when i changed :: to a . i get 2 errors:

Code:

D:\CPP\RPGGAME\main.cpp(80) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '.'
D:\CPP\RPGGAME\main.cpp(80) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '.'

>> There is never a need to typedef classes in C++.
Cant u see my line?
please do not flame me about the typedef, i think it looks purdy

There are 2 ways to call a member function.......from an instance (or a pointer to an instance) or calling static functions.....

You can call statics without having to create an instance of an object ....These functions are callable simply by doing this... "MyClass::MyStaticFunc()"..........

The gotcha is that the variables accessed by a static function must also be static........Just imagine this stuff as a "skeleton staff" that operate when the object isnt instantized - the rest of the object isnt around......so the variables that are accessed must be static too!

Usually you assign static default values outside of the class declaration like so...."int MyClass::MyStatVar = 10;".........

Look at this as an example;

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

class MYCLASS{
public:
	static void statHello(){cout << statstr << endl;}
protected:
	static string statstr;	
};

string MYCLASS::statstr = "Hello from static";

int main()
{
	MYCLASS::statHello();

	return 0;
}

Remember!!....your nonstatic methods can alter your static variables.......but not the other way around.......static methods need static variables.....

Ok, well im gonna leave it without an instance i think, so can someone please help me fix these linker errors?

Originally posted by Okiesmokie
Ok, well im gonna leave it without an instance i think, so can someone please help me fix these linker errors?

Did you just not pay attention here? Make it static. Make your variables static. Now you can use it without an instance. That's all. The end.

Quzah.

Did you not listen to me?

look in the first question:

>> now, i tried to make the function in the class static, but then i had to make all the variables static, then i got 10 link errors (one for each of the variables i used) <<

Originally posted by Okiesmokie
Did you not listen to me?

look in the first question:

Don't try to be witty. It doesn't suit you.

What exactly is the linker error? With this tiny fragment of code, and no real linker messags, I'm supposed to guess what's wrong in all of your functions and function calls?

So then, what is the "10 linker errors" that you get when everything is static? Since you insist on using the function with a non instanced version of the class, you have to use static variables.

So how about posting one of the linker errors related to that?

Furthermore, how about posting some of the code which the linker errors refer to? There's a novel idea.

Quzah.

nevermind i got it fixed, with the help of RPG n METS, i ended up using the instance way