Thread: Help On Objects, Classes, and separate Compilation.

I'm hoping someone here can help me with this situation:

Code:

class A
{
public:
A(int a, int b);
};

I need to have an object of class A that doesn't have a default constructor in another class, B:

Code:

class A; //This is in a separate header file

class B
{
private:
A a;
};

The problem is that it won't compile without a default constructor. I'm not allowed to define a default constructor, and the A object in class B has to be private so I can't initialize A a in public.

I also can't change the prototype in the interface to something like
A(int a = 0, int b = 0);
since one of the requirements is that if an object of class A is declared in main, it must not compile due to not having a default constructor.

So what can I do to make class B work and compile?

Another question I have is why is this valid:

Code:

class A; //#include "A.h" is in the implementation file so it compiles.
class B
{
private:
A* a;
};

But not this:

Code:

class A;

class B
{
private:
A a;
};

This is for a project that I probably won't be able to turn in on time, but I care more about how to do this right than turning it in for full points. I'll be thankful for any help given.

Originally Posted by Rex Imperator

So what can I do to make class B work and compile?

Use the initialiser list of B's constructor, e.g.,

Code:

class B
{
public:
    B() : a(1, 2) {}
private:
    A a;
};

Originally Posted by Rex Imperator

Another question I have is why is this valid:
(...)
But not this:

You don't need the class definition to declare a pointer to an object of that class, hence a forward declaration will do. However, if you want to actually have an object of that class, then you need to know how it is defined.

On why it works if you declare a pointer, but not an object - when it invokes B's constructor (even the default one), it needs to know how to create each member of B. It can create an A* easily (it creates the pointer only, which points to nothing). It can't create an A, because it doesn't know which constructor to use.

You can create a constructor and pass an initialization list:

Code:

class A; //This is in a separate header file

class B
{
public:
    B: a(0, 0)
    {
        // You can do any other constructor-related things here.
    }
private:
    A a;
};

Drat, beaten to the punch! I agree with what laserlight said