Include cycles

[Drogin]

Hi!
I'm making a state-machine for my game.
Let's say I got a Intro-state, a Game-state, and a End-state.
They are implemented as classes, and they inherit from a abstract state class.
Like this(Psuedo code):

In class Intro:
-if User pressed a button:
    State.nextState(new Game());


In class Game:
-if User pressed a button:
    State.nextState(new End());

In class End:
-if User pressed a button:
    State.nextState(new Intro());

So you see, thease classes start up each other in a cycle.
The above works fine.

But here's the problem:
When I try to split each class into a own file, I have to include Intro in the "End" file, include "End" in the "Game" file, and include "Game" in the "Intro" file.
So when I try to compile and link this stuff, the header-files will start going bananas, cuz they link to each other in cycle.

I've tried to put the include-statements inside #ifndef SOMECLASS #define SOMECLASS #endif, stuff, but that didnt work either.
Anyone know how to deal with this?

[laserlight]

Use forward declarations when you can, e.g., the Intro class header file could have:

class Game;

instead of:

#include "game.h";

You can this forward declaration when the Intro class definition only requires pointers and/or references to the Game class.

I've tried to put the include-statements inside #ifndef SOMECLASS #define SOMECLASS #endif, stuff, but that didnt work either.

You should continue to use header inclusion guards, but they prevent duplicate inclusion, not a cycle. An example:

#ifndef INTRO_CLASS_H_
#define INTRO_CLASS_H_

class Game;

class Intro
{
public:
    void nextState(Game* game);
    // ...
private:
    // ...
};

#endif

[Daved]

You only have to include Intro.h in End.cpp, End.h in Game.cpp and Game.h in Intro.cpp. You don't have to include each header in the other headers.

[Drogin]

Hmm..I'm sorry laserlight, I didn't get your point..

EDIT:
Ah, I see, I know what you mean now, laserlight! Thanks!
But Daved do got a more "clean" solution, don't you think?

Daved:
Yeah, you're right.
But you see, I've just put the whole thing into the headers, even the implementations of the classes.

I guess this is what I get for being lazy

[laserlight]

But Daved do got a more "clean" solution, don't you think?

Daved's solution completes my solution. You cannot use the name of another class before it is declared, hence you need the forward declaration in the header. But then you include the header of the other class in the implementation file.

[Daved]

>> But Daved do got a more "clean" solution, don't you think?
Yes, sorry if I wasn't clear, I was adding to laserlight's post.

>> But you see, I've just put the whole thing into the headers, even the implementations of the classes.
That's not lazy so much as incorrect. Technically it might work in some cases, but then if you ever #include your header in more than one source file you will get multiple definition errors. Define the class in the header and define its member functions in the source file and you'll have an easier time.