need ; before using namespace std

I can't seem to figure out why but I get a compile time error with some of my files if I don't put a ; before using namespace std eg)
;using namespace std;
If I place the semicolon at the end of the line above or omit it altogether I will get an error. This is only with some files though and I can't seem to figoure out why. Below are two of my header files, one which needs the semi-colon and the other doesn't. If someone could point out why this is necessary it would be greatly appreciated.

Here is one that requires it:

Code:

---

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Include Directive
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#ifndef AUTOMOBILE_H
#define AUTOMOBILE_H

#include <string>
;using namespace std;

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// A class that holds information about an automobilie including the Id, Make, Model, Mileage
// and cost.  Contains methods to get and set each of these parameters as well as a toString()
// method that will return these parameters in a readable string
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
class Automobile
{
        public:

                // Returns a string with column headings that match up with the string returned from
                // toString()
                string formatHeader();

                // Returns the cost of the car
                float getCost();

                // Returns the Id of the car
                string getId();

                // Returns the make of the car
                string getMake();

                // Returns the mileage of the car
                int getMileage();

                // Returns the model of the car
                string getModel();

                // Sets the car's unique Id number
                void setId(string argId);

                // Sets the make of the car
                void setMake(string argMake);

                // Sets the model of the car
                void setModel(string argModel);

                // Sets the mileage of the car
                void setMileage(int argMileage);
               
                // Sets the cost of the car
                void setCost(float argCost);

                // Converts the car's parameters into a readable string
                string toString();

        private:

                // The unique identification number for the car
                string mId;

                // The make of the car
                string mMake;

                // The model of the car
                string mModel;

                // The mileage of the car
                int mMileage;

                // The cost of the car
                float mCost;
}

#endif

---

This one doesn't require it:

Code:

---

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Include Directive
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#ifndef TOKENIZER_H
#define TOKENIZER_H

#include <string>
using namespace std;

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// A class that will take strings and tokenize them
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
class Tokenizer
{
        public:

                // Tokenizes the passed string into an array of strings using the passed character as the
                // delimiter between tokens
                int tokenize(string str, string tokens[], char delim);
}

#endif

---

I picked two header files whose include directives are as similar as possible because this is what has baffled me the most. The include directives are nearly identical in these files as you can see.

That seems like an odd problem. You should probably avoid the using directive an header files, so maybe try putting std:: before everything that requires it instead of using namespace std.

Code:

---

class Automobile
{
public:

// Returns a string with column headings that match up with the string returned from
// toString()
std::string formatHeader();

//...

---

Whats the error that you get if you do not put the ; in front of using?

Your classes must end with a semi-colon. Yours do not.

Code:

---

class FooBar
{
  // blah blah
}; // <--- Right there buddy...

---

Heh I didn't even look for that. My advice still stands, though.

When you use #define, aren't you required to use two parms?

For instance...

#define macro mylongfunctionname();

No you don't have to

MrWizard: I've added the semicolon at the end of each class in my project and it fixed the error.

JaWib: Is there any particular reason that I shouldn't have an include directive in my header files? Just curious as to your thought pattern behind this advice.

I'd like to thank everyone for the quick and informative feedback that they gave me. I came primarily from a Java background so I have a tendency to forget some of the slight variations in the c++ syntax from Java.