Polymorphism Problem

I was writing this simple polymorphism program:

Shape.h

Code:

---

#ifndef SHAPE_H
#define SHAPE_H
#include <string>

using namespace std;

class Shape
{
public:
        virtual double getArea() const;
        virtual double getVolume() const;
        virtual string getName() const = 0;
        virtual void print() const = 0;
};

#endif

---

Shape.cpp

Code:

---

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

using namespace std;

double getArea() const
{
        return 0.0;
}

double getVolume() const
{
        return 0.0;
}

---

When I compile Shape.cpp using Visual C++ 6.0 it come out with errors message:
Shape.cpp(7) : error C2270: 'getArea' : modifiers not allowed on nonmember functions
Shape.cpp(12) : error C2270: 'getVolume' : modifiers not allowed on nonmember functions

>> double getArea() const

In Shape.cpp

Code:

---

double Shape::getArea() const { ... }

---

Same with getVolume()

twomers already answered your question, but might also consider these pointers:

1. Fully qualify all names used in header files. For example, use std::string instead of string. The reason is that someone who includes your header file might have say, a class named string (for guitar strings?), and consequently there will be a name collision.

2. Since Shape is a base class, it should have a virtual destructor. I am not entirely sure if this matters when you do not have any member variables, but it is good practice anyway.

It matters. Functions with virtual member functions always have state. (Typically the vptr, but that's an implementation detail.) Deleting an object through a base pointer is always undefined behaviour if the base doesn't have a virtual destructor. That's just how it is. Just because one implementation might not crash is no reason to omit it.