Declaring an instance of a class inside a class

Here's the code:

stats.h

Code:

---

class Stats
{
      public:
            Stats();
            ~Stats();
           
            void power (int pow);
            void vitality (int vit);
            void magic (int mag);
            void maxhealth (int maxh);
            void health (int hea);
            void maxmana (int maxm);
            void mana (int man);
            int displaypower();
            int displayvitality();
            int displaymagic();
            int displaymaxhealth();
            int displayhealth();
            int displaymaxmana();
            int displaymana();
      protected:
                unsigned int strength;
                unsigned int defense;
                unsigned int intelligence;
                unsigned int maxhp;
                signed int hp;
                unsigned int maxmp;
                unsigned int mp;
};

class Hero :public Stats
{
      public:
            Hero();
            ~Hero();
           
            void level_up();
            void level_stats();
            void char_class_stats();
            //1-human 2-dwarf 3-elf
           
            //character
            Hero character;
            character.power(pow);
            character.vitality(vit);
            character.magic(mag);
            character.maxhealth(maxh);
            character.health(hea);
            character.maxmana(maxm);
            character.mana(man);
           
            //human
            Hero human;
            human.power(10);
            human.vitality(10);
            human.magic(10);
            human.maxhealth(100);
            human.health(100);
            human.maxmana(10);
            human.mana(10);
           
            //dwarf
            Hero dwarf;
            dwarf.power(15);
            dwarf.vitality(15);
            dwarf.magic(5);
            dwarf.maxhealth(150);
            dwarf.health(150);
            dwarf.maxmana(5);
            dwarf.mana(5);
           
            //elf
            Hero elf;
            elf.power(5);
            elf.vitality(10);
            elf.magic(15);
            elf.maxhealth(50);
            elf.health(50);
            elf.maxmana(15);
            elf.mana(15);
      protected:
                unsigned int char_level;
                unsigned int char_exp;
                unsigned int char_class;
};

//stat function declarations start
Stats::Stats()
{}
Stats::~Stats()
{}
Hero::Hero()
{}
Hero::~Hero()
{}
void Stats::power (int pow)
{
    strength=pow;
}
void Stats::vitality (int vit)
{
    defense=vit;
}
void Stats::magic (int mag)
{
    intelligence=mag;
}
void Stats::maxhealth (int maxh)
{
    maxhp=maxh;
}
void Stats::health (int hea)
{
    hp=hea;
}
void Stats::maxmana (int maxm)
{
    maxmp=maxm;
}
void Stats::mana (int man)
{
    mp=man;
}
int Stats::displaypower()
{
    return strength;
}
int Stats::displayvitality()
{
    return defense;
}
int Stats::displaymagic()
{
    return intelligence;
}
int Stats::displaymaxhealth()
{
    return maxhp;
}
int Stats::displayhealth()
{
    return hp;
}
int Stats::displaymaxmana()
{
    return maxmp;
}
int Stats::displaymana()
{
    return mp;
}
//stat function declarations end

//character class start

void Hero::char_class_stats()
{
    switch (char_class)
    {
            case 1:
                character.power(pow) = human.power(pow);
                character.vitality(vit) = human.vitality(vit);
                character.magic(mag) = human.magic(mag);
                character.maxhealth(maxh) = human.maxhealth(maxh);
                character.health(hea) = human.health(hea);
                character.maxmana(maxm) = human.maxmana(maxm);
                character.mana(man) = human.mana(man);
                break;
            case 2:
                character.power(pow) = dwarf.power(pow);
                character.vitality(vit) = dwarf.vitality(vit);
                character.magic(mag) = dwarf.magic(mag);
                character.maxhealth(maxh) = dwarf.maxhealth(maxh);
                character.health(hea) = dwarf.health(hea);
                character.maxmana(maxm) = dwarf.maxmana(maxm);
                character.mana(man) = dwarf.mana(man);
                break;
            case 3:
                character.power(pow) = elf.power(pow);
                character.vitality(vit) = elf.vitality(vit);
                character.magic(mag) = elf.magic(mag);
                character.maxhealth(maxh) = elf.maxhealth(maxh);
                character.health(hea) = elf.health(hea);
                character.maxmana(maxm) = elf.maxmana(maxm);
                character.mana(man) = elf.mana(man);
                break;
    }
}

//character class end

//levels start

void Hero::level_stats()
{
    unsigned int char_level=1;
    switch (char_level)
    {
            case 1:
                character.power(pow) = character.power(pow);
                character.vitality(vit) = character.vitality(vit);
                character.magic(mag) = character.magic(mag);
                character.maxhealth(maxh) = character.maxhealth(maxh);
                character.health(hea) = character.health(hea);
                character.maxmana(maxm) = character.maxmana(maxm);
                character.mana(man) = character.mana(man);
                break;
            case 2:
                character.power(pow) = character.power(pow) + 2;
                character.vitality(vit) = character.vitality(vit) + 2;
                character.magic(mag) = character.magic(mag) + 2;
                character.maxhealth(maxh) = character.maxhealth(maxh) + 20;
                character.health(hea) = character.health(hea) + 20;
                character.maxmana(maxm) = character.maxmana(maxm)+ 5;
                character.mana(man) = character.mana(man) + 5;
                break;
            case 3:
                character.power(pow) = character.power(pow) + 4;
                character.vitality(vit) = character.vitality(vit) + 4;
                character.magic(mag) = character.magic(mag) + 4;
                character.maxhealth(maxh) = character.maxhealth(maxh) + 40;
                character.health(hea) = character.health(hea) + 40;
                character.maxmana(maxm) = character.maxmana(maxm)+ 10;
                character.mana(man) = character.mana(man) + 10;
                break;
    }
}

void Hero::level_up()
{
    if ((char_exp > 50) && (char_level==1))
    {
                  char_level++;
                  cout<<"\nYou are now level"<<char_level<<"!\n\n";
    }
    else if ((char_exp > 100) && (char_level==2))
    {
                  char_level++;
                  cout<<"\nYou are now level"<<char_level<<"!\n\n";
    }
}

//levels end

---

main.cpp

Code:

---

#include <string>
#include <iostream>
#include "stats.h"

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    cin.get();
}

---

It won't compile for the same reason about 50 times: ISO C++ forbids declaration of 'character' with no type.

What I tried to do in the inherited class Hero was declare an instance of Hero as each race (or char_class). Why won't it work? Should I change it to, let's say, Stats character, character.power(int pow), etc...? What could I do to make this work? Help is extremely appreciated.

You shouldnt (or cant) initialize things inside of the class declarations.

Code:

---

class Hero : public Stats
{
      public:
            Hero();
            ~Hero();

            void level_up();
            void level_stats();
            void char_class_stats();

      protected:
            unsigned int char_level;
            unsigned int char_exp;
            unsigned int char_class;
      private:
            Hero* character;
            Hero* human;
            Hero* dwarf;
            Hero* elf;
};

Hero::Hero()
{
            //1-human 2-dwarf 3-elf

            //character
            character = new Hero;
            character->power(pow);
            character->vitality(vit);
            character->magic(mag);
            character->maxhealth(maxh);
            character->health(hea);
            character->maxmana(maxm);
            character->mana(man);
           
            //human
            human = new Hero;
            human->power(10);
            human->vitality(10);
            human->magic(10);
            human->maxhealth(100);
            human->health(100);
            human->maxmana(10);
            human->mana(10);
           
            //dwarf
            dwarf = new Hero;
            dwarf->power(15);
            dwarf->vitality(15);
            dwarf->magic(5);
            dwarf->maxhealth(150);
            dwarf->health(150);
            dwarf->maxmana(5);
            dwarf->mana(5);
           
            //elf
            elf = new Hero;
            elf->power(5);
            elf->vitality(10);
            elf->magic(15);
            elf->maxhealth(50);
            elf->health(50);
            elf->maxmana(15);
            elf->mana(15);
}

void Hero::char_class_stats()
{
    switch (char_class)
    {
            case 1:
                character->power(pow) = human->power(pow);
                character->vitality(vit) = human->vitality(vit);
                character->magic(mag) = human->magic(mag);
                character->maxhealth(maxh) = human->maxhealth(maxh);
                character->health(hea) = human->health(hea);
                character->maxmana(maxm) = human->maxmana(maxm);
                character->mana(man) = human->mana(man);
                break;
            case 2:
                character->power(pow) = dwarf->power(pow);
                character->vitality(vit) = dwarf->vitality(vit);
                character->magic(mag) = dwarf->magic(mag);
                character->maxhealth(maxh) = dwarf->maxhealth(maxh);
                character->health(hea) = dwarf->health(hea);
                character->maxmana(maxm) = dwarf->maxmana(maxm);
                character->mana(man) = dwarf->mana(man);
                break;
            case 3:
                character->power(pow) = elf->power(pow);
                character->vitality(vit) = elf->vitality(vit);
                character->magic(mag) = elf->magic(mag);
                character->maxhealth(maxh) = elf->maxhealth(maxh);
                character->health(hea) = elf->health(hea);
                character->maxmana(maxm) = elf->maxmana(maxm);
                character->mana(man) = elf->mana(man);
                break;
    }
}

---

Might want to consider making the Stats constructor take values so setting up the stats would be a lot easier. You would have to overwrite the constructor in Hero so it worked though.

I dont think you can do this either:
character->power(pow) = human->power(pow);

Unless you overloaded the Hero class somehow to take assignment operations. The correct way would be:

character->power(human->displaypower());

Whoa... it's late and my brain hurts. Thanks, though. I'll try to fix it.

The member variables of the same type as the class should be either pointers or references as well.

Alrighty, I'll get the rest posted when I get it done. Thanks for the help so far.