gcc 3.4, explicit template instantiations and STL

[Alain Roy <roy at cs dot wisc dot edu>]

I'm not sure what to do. Code that used to work in gcc has apparently been 
outlawed by the C++ standard, and I don't know how to get my code to 
compile with the gcc 3.4.

===== Setup =====
I'm writing a library that I would like to be able to compile with multiple 
versions of gcc on multiple platforms. The library is used by a larger 
project, and we need portability. Using the latest gcc is not always an 
option, so we live with multiple versions. I can't change this.

My library contains STL.

To avoid code bloat, it uses explicit template instantiation.

===== The offending code =====

There is lots of offending code, but it is all similar. I have code that 
looks like this:

template map<string, void*, CaseIgnLTStr>;
template map<string, void*, CaseIgnLTStr>::iterator;

This doesn't compile with gcc 3.4. Line #1 is no problem: I just have to 
add "class", like so:

template class map<string, void*, CaseIgnLTStr>;

The second line--the one with the iterator--is the real problem. It is 
needed or I get linking error. However, it is apparently no longer 
acceptable code because iterator is a typdef. The gcc 3.4 release notes state:

> # Using a name introduced by a typedef in a friend declaration or in an 
> explicit instantiation is now rejected, as specified by the ISO C++ standard.

(From http://gcc.gnu.org/gcc-3.4/changes.html#cplusplus )

====== The resolution? =====

I'm trying to figure out my options.

1) Give up and use implict template instantiation.

2) Unwind the typedefs and instantiate what I need. This is pain, it's 
ugly, and it may not be portable across versions of the compiler.

3) Rewrite my code to not use STL.

4) Whine loudly and see if I can get someone to listen.

#3 is probably a bad idea and #4 doesn't seem likely to help. I'm not 
terribly happy with #1 or #2, but I would listen to arguments for them. Is 
there anything else I can do?

Thanks,
-alain