Trouble joining class's at compile time..

[(Slith++)]

Hi guys, Im not sure what to do to join class's at compile time.

Ive got 3 class's:

CheckAccount.cpp
SavingsAccount.cpp
Main.cpp

Im not sure how to get them to be one binary file... Do I include the class's as headers? Use make? Or use a flag in g++?

BTW, Im using gcc (g++)

Just a point in the right direction is all im asking for. Thanks

[karas]

g++ CheckAccount.cpp SavingsAccount.cpp Main.cpp

to get executable a.out.

g++ CheckAccount.cpp SavingsAccount.cpp Main.cpp -omyexe

to get executable myexe. Don't put headers, they are already included within your .cpp files. For other examples see man g++.

[ZuK]

I agree with what karas said. But I would still like to add some comment about what is really going when you execute this command

g++ CheckAccount.cpp SavingsAccount.cpp Main.cpp -omyexe

This is actually just a shortcut that calls the c++ compiler 3 times to produce 3 object files CheckAccount.o SavingsAccount.o Main.o.
That would be the same as if you would compile the 3 sourcefiles separately

g++ -c CheckAccount.cpp 
g++ -c SavingsAccount.cpp 
g++ -c Main.cpp

and then run the linker to produce the executable

ld CheckAccount.o SavingsAccount.o Main.o -omyexe

Kurt

[dwks]

If you already have Main.cpp compiled, it would be more efficient to use

g++ CheckAccount.cpp SavingsAccount.cpp Main.o -omyexe

so that you don't have to compile Main.cpp again.

It becomes very difficult to keep track of what needs to be compiled, and that's why make was written.

[Mario F.]

This is a good source to understand how make works.

Also if you are using the Win32 port of gcc (MinGW), remember to use mingw32-make.exe instead of make.exe when working on a windows environment outside of MSYS.

[(Slith++)]

Thanks for the help all.

Although when I try to complie seperatly...

CheckAccount.cpp and SavingsAccount.cpp say they want a main function. I dont want a main function in these as its provided in Main.cpp.

Am I missing a key word?

-----------------------------------------------------------

Also

When I do:
g++ CheckAccount.cpp SavingsAccount.cpp Main.cpp -o mybin

I get:

/home/jason/tmp/ccgq13Vx.o(.text+0x104): In function `SavingsAccount::withdrawal(float)':
: multiple definition of `SavingsAccount::withdrawal(float)'
/home/jason/tmp/ccmEJrJH.o(.text+0x104): first defined here
/home/jason/tmp/ccgq13Vx.o(.text+0x19a): In function `CheckAccount::withdrawal(float)':
: multiple definition of `CheckAccount::withdrawal(float)'
/home/jason/tmp/cc1NdcK5.o(.text+0x104): first defined here
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status

--------------------------------------------------------------

Mario F. Does Dev-C++ use MinGW?

[Daved]

>> Am I missing a key word?
Did you specify -c as ZuK showed??

>> multiple definition of `SavingsAccount::withdrawal(float)
That means it is defined twice. This could be caused by a couple things. Perhaps you defined that function outside the class definition but inside the header file (it should be in the source or inside the class). Or maybe you #include'd a cpp file in another cpp file.

[Mario F.]

Yes, it uses MinGW.

gcc.exe and g++.exe are part of the GNU Compiler Collection (also known as GCC) for Linux. MinGW can be thought of as a port of the GCC for windows. When you see gcc.exe and g++.exe you are seeing GCC tools. When you see them under windows, you are seeing MinGW tools.

[(Slith++)]

>> Am I missing a key word?
Did you specify -c as ZuK showed??

Opps. Neglected to notice that.

Thats fine now

-------------------------------------

Im really not sure what im doing.. Headers confuse me ATM.

SavingAccounts.cpp

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class SavingAccounts{
             public:
                   void withdrawal(float amount);
};

void SavingAccounts::withdrawal(float amount){
    if (balance < amount){
        cout << "Insuffucent funds in saving account: balance " << balance
             << ", withdrawal "
             << "\n";
    }
}

CheckAccount.cpp

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class CheckAccount.{
             public:
                   void withdrawal(float amount);
};

void CheckAccount.::withdrawal(float amount){
    if (balance < amount){
        cout << "Insuffucent funds in check account: balance " << balance
             << ", withdrawal "
             << "\n";
    }
}

Main.cpp

#include <iostream>
#include "Savings.cpp"
#include "Checking.cpp"
using namespace std;

It would surprise me if this is totally wrong

[Daved]

You need two new files: Savings.h and Checking.h. Move the class definitions into those header files, and leave the withdrawal definition, #include, and using directive in the cpp files. You will also need to #include the matching header file in the cpp file. Then change Main.cpp to #include "Checking.h" and "Savings.h". Finally, compile/link as before.

You should never #include cpp files since they are designed to hold the function definitions, and you will end up getting multiple definition errors. Always put class declarations and function prototypes in headers, and function definitions in source files.

You will need include guards in your header files as well. Add these to the top and bottom of the header files, changing CHECKING_H for the Savings.h file:

#ifndef CHECKING_H
#define CHECKING_H

... class code here ...

#endif

[(Slith++)]

God this is so confusing why didnt my book cover this? Grrr

Ok let me get this straight....

A function prototype is this?

void withdrawal(float amount);

And how do I say its public?
-----------------------------------------
Whats a class declaration look like?
-----------------------------------------
Now that I have declarations and function prototypes in headers. I just say in Savings.cpp

#import  "Savings.h"

and in #include "Checking.cpp"

#import  "Checking.h"

And in Main.cpp..

#import  "Checking.h"
#import  "Savings.h"

If some one could give me a should explanation of why this is done it would be greatly appreciated.
It must be something to do with C. Java dosnt have it

[Daved]

Correct, Java doesn't have it. I believe there might be a FAQ on this subject on this site for further reading.

You are correct about that being a function prototype, although you don't have to worry about it in this simple case because it is part of the class and the entire class definition is going into the header anyway.

The class definition is everything between the braces that come after "class Checking" (including the braces and semicolon of course).

It should be #include, not #import, but otherwise that part is correct.

[(Slith++)]

Ahh right you are...

My Java comming back again

*Edit*

Thanks every one it compiles and runs. Although Im not to sure what the header files for yet. But ill read up.

Thanks again

One more question (hopfully the last)

Where is the best place to put inline functions. In the .h or .cpp?

[CornedBee]

The .h - just to be confusing

The real reason is that the compiler needs to know the full definition when compiling code referring to an inline function.