Using typedefs within classes.

I'm adding a function to a template class which returns a type that is defined by the class. Now the function is getting a little long so I want to declare it in the class declaration but define it outside. Here is what I'm talking about

Code:

 //here is where the type is defined
template <class T> class Vec {
public:
	typedef T* iterator;
	typedef const T* const_iterator;
...

other member functions that return iterators are defined and declared at the same time like this...

Code:

 
iterator begin() { return data; }
...
const_iterator end() const { return avail; }

and here is the function declaration and definition I created for this class

Code:

//declared within the class scope
const_iterator end() const { return avail; }
...


//defined outside the scope, but in same header file of course
template <class T>
iterator Vec<T>::erase(const T que)
{
	iterator result = std::find(data, avail, que);
	alloc.destroy(result);
	if (result == avail && avail == limit)
	{
		avail = limit = avail - 1;
	}
	if (result == avail && avail != limit)
		avail --;
	else
	{
		iterator before = result;
		result++;
		std::copy(result, avail, before);
		avail--;
	}
	return result;
}

But I'm getting the error

Code:

Vec.h:142: error: expected constructor, destructor, or type conversion before "Vec"
Vec.h:142: error: expected `;' before "Vec"

both errors highlight "iterator Vec<T>::erase(const T que)"

now of course when I change iterator to T* it eliminates errors. Is there a workaround so that I can put user defined types in the header outside of the class scope, or is that just hte way it is?

template <class T>
Vec<T>::iterator Vec<T>::erase(const T que)

yeah I tried that before and it doesn't work.

then perhaps:

template <class T>
typename Vec<T>::iterator Vec<T>::erase(const T que)

I forgot all about that keyword. but I never understood it all too much when I first read about it.