Preventing an Unused Function from Compiling

[thetinman]

Let's say I have the following program called test.cpp:

#include <iostream>
#include "my_header.h"

using namespace std;


void swap(int &a, int &b);

		
int main()
{
	int a, b;
	
	a = 1;
	b = 2;
		
	swap( a, b);

	cout <<"After calling swap:"<< endl;
	cout << "a = " << a << endl;
	cout << "b = " << b << endl;
	
	return 0;
}

It calls a function called swap, which is defined in the file my_header.h.

This is all dandy, but the file my_header.h defines another function called square. This is shown below:

void swap(int &a, int &b)
{
	int temp;
	
	temp = a;
	a = b;
	b = temp;
}

void square(int &a, int &b)
{
	int temp;
	
	square_var(a, b, temp);
}

The function square calls another function, square_var, which is defined in a header file called my_other_header.h. Let's say that I want to compile the main program on my friends computer. Is there a way I can modify my_header.h so that my friend can compile test.cpp on his computer with out having to have the file my_other_header.h??

[l2u]

You shouldnt put the whole functions in headers, only prototypes.

[swgh]

Further to l2u's comment, any code that you would place in a header file should be placed in a connecting .cpp file like so:

example.h

#ifndef EXAMPLE_H
#define EXAMPLE_H
class MyClass
{
public:
   MyClass();
   ~MyClass();

   void swap ( int, int );

private:
   short a;
   short b;
};
#endif

example.cpp

#include "example.h"

MyClass::MyClass(){}
MyClass::~MyClass() {}

void MyClass::swap (   // code  )
{
   // swap function code here
}

[thetinman]

Is there a reason I should be using classes?

[vart]

there are several reasons to use classes... but they have nothing to do with the original question.

header files should contain only function prototypes
function bodies should be put into c-files.

in this case - you bring all h-files with you, and only the c-file(s), containing functions that are to be linked with the main

[thetinman]

Would I put a class definition in a .h file and all of its member function in .cpp file?

If one of my member functions calls a c++ function, is there a way that the c++ function can be included in the class?

[hk_mp5kpdw]

Would I put a class definition in a .h file and all of its member function in .cpp file?

Yes you usually put the description for the class in the header file and the actual source for the member functions in a separate source file; unless it's a templated class in which case all the code would likely need to be in the header.

If one of my member functions calls a c++ function, is there a way that the c++ function can be included in the class?

Yes, there should be no problems simply calling the desired function from within the class as appropriate. As long as the appropriate header is included by that source file, then the compiler should not complain during the compilation step. It is the linkers job to actually bring in the code for the called function into the final executable and unless the function exists in an odd library file somewhere then you shouldn't have to do anything special to tell the linker where the function's code exists since most of the basic library files are likely included in the default linkage settings.