Thread: problem with friends

hey there, im having some trouble with the "friends". When i compile this piece of code on msvc++ it gives me errors, when it really shouldnt. Is there something that has to be done to correct it?

Code:

#ifndef H_videoType
#define H_videoType

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

using namespace std;

class videoType 
{     
	friend ostream& operator<<(ostream&, const videoType&);

public:
    void setVideoInfo(string title, string star1, 
                      string star2, string producer, 
                      string director, string productionCo, 
                      int setInStock);
	    //Function to set the details of a video. 
		//Private data members are set according to the parameters.
		//Postcondition: videoTitle = title; movieStar1 = star1;  
		//               movieStar2 = star2; movieProducer = 
		//               producer; movieDirector = director; 
		//               movieProductionCo = productionCo; 
		//               copiesInStock = setInStock

    int getNoOfCopiesInStock() const;
	    //Function to check the number of copies in stock. 
	    //Postcondition: The value of the data member 
 	    //               copiesInStock is returned.     

	void checkOut();
	    //Function to rent a video. 
	    //Postcondition: The number of copies in stock is 
        //               decremented by one.

    void checkIn();
	    //Function to check in a video. 
	    //Postcondition: The number of copies in stock is 
 	    //               incremented by one.     

	void printTitle() const;
	    //Function to print the title of a movie.   

	void printInfo() const;
	    //Function to print the details of a video.
	    //The title of the movie, stars, director, and so on are
	    //displayed on the screen.

     bool checkTitle(string title);
	     //Function to check whether the title is the same as the
		//title of the video.
	    //Postcondition: Returns true if the title is the same as 
 	    //               the title of the video; 
		//                otherwise, returns false.   

	 void updateInStock(int num);
	    //Function to increment the number of copies in stock by 
	    //adding the value of the parameter num.
	    //Postcondition: copiesInStock = copiesInStock  + num     

	 void setCopiesInStock(int num);
	    //Function to set the number of copies in stock.
	    //Postcondition: copiesInStock = num

    string getTitle() const;
	    //Function to return the title of the video.
 	    //Postcondition: The title of the video is returned.

     videoType(string title = "", string star1 = "", 
              string star2 = "", string producer = "", 
              string director = "", string productionCo = "", 
      	      int setInStock = 0);
	     //constructor
	     //Private data members are set according to the 
 	     //incoming parameters. If no values are specified, the 
 	     //default values are assigned.
		//Postcondition: videoTitle = title; movieStar1 = star1; 
		//               movieStar2 = star2; movieProducer = producer;
		//               movieDirector = director;
		//               movieProductionCo = productionCo;
		//               copiesInStock = setInStock

	    //Overloads the relational operators.
    bool operator==(const videoType&) const;
    bool operator!=(const videoType&) const;
    bool operator<(const videoType&) const;
        //operator< must be defined for videos in order for 
        //the sort function to work

private:
    string videoTitle;		//variable to store the name 
  							//of the movie
    string movieStar1;		//variable to store the name 
 							//of the star
    string movieStar2;		//variable to store the name 
 							//of the star 
    string movieProducer;   //variable to store the name 
  							//of the producer 
    string movieDirector;   //variable to store the name 
                            //of the director 
    string movieProductionCo;  //variable to store the name 
                               //of the production company 
    int copiesInStock; 		//variable to store the number of 
 							//copies in stock
};

#endif

.cpp file

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <cctype>
#include "videoType.h"

using namespace std;

void videoType::setVideoInfo(string title, string star1,  				    
							 string star2, string producer,  				    
							 string director, string productionCo, 				    
							 int setInStock) 
{ 	     
	videoTitle = title; 	     
	movieStar1 = star1;
	movieStar2 = star2;
	movieProducer = producer;
	movieDirector = director;
	movieProductionCo = productionCo;
	copiesInStock = setInStock;
}

void videoType::checkOut()
{
	if(copiesInStock > 0)
	   copiesInStock--;
	else
	   cout<<"Currently out of stock"<<endl;
}

void videoType::checkIn()
{
	copiesInStock++;
}

int videoType::getNoOfCopiesInStock() const
{
	return copiesInStock;
}

void videoType::printTitle() const
{
    cout<<"Video Title: "<<videoTitle<<endl;
}

void videoType::printInfo() const
{
	cout<<"Video Title: "<<videoTitle<<endl;
	cout<<"Stars: "<<movieStar1<<" and "<<movieStar2<<endl;
	cout<<"Producer: "<<movieProducer<<endl;
	cout<<"Director: "<<movieDirector<<endl;
	cout<<"Production Company: "<<movieProductionCo<<endl;
	cout<<"Copies in stock: "<<copiesInStock<<endl;
}

bool videoType::checkTitle(string title)
{
	return(videoTitle == title);
}

void videoType::updateInStock(int num)
{
	copiesInStock += num;
}

void videoType::setCopiesInStock(int num)
{
	 copiesInStock = num;
}

string videoType::getTitle() const
{
	 return videoTitle;
}

videoType::videoType(string title, string star1, 
     	             string star2, string producer, 
       	             string director,
	                 string productionCo, int setInStock)
{
	setVideoInfo(title, star1, star2, producer, director,
			     productionCo, setInStock);
}

bool videoType::operator==(const videoType& other) const
{
    return (videoTitle == other.videoTitle);
}

bool videoType::operator!=(const videoType& other) const
{
	return (videoTitle != other.videoTitle);
}

bool videoType::operator<(const videoType& other) const
{
	return (videoTitle < other.videoTitle);
}

ostream& operator<<(ostream& os, const videoType& video)
{
	os<<endl;
	os<<"Video Title: "<<video.videoTitle<<endl;
	os<<"Stars: "<<video.movieStar1<<" and "
	  <<video.movieStar2<<endl;
	os<<"Producer: "<<video.movieProducer<<endl;
	os<<"Director: "<<video.movieDirector<<endl;
	os<<"Production Company: "<<video.movieProductionCo<<endl;
	os<<"Copies in stock: "<<video.copiesInStock<<endl;
	os<<"_____________________________________"<<endl;
	return os;
}

There is no prototype for the function in your header file.

what do u mean by no prototype??

bump, what do u mean by no prototype?

sorry abt that, but i have declared the function in the header file, msvc++ complains, gives errors, while linux doesnt......why???

Put the declaration in header file under "public"

since it is friends, it shouldnt be public, the whole reason for friends is that it can access private members.

well i did my own research and found that there is bug in microsoft visual c++. The last service pack for this can be downloaded from their website which cures the problem.