c++/7359: Global FIle Streams Broken

[cda at freshsources dot com]

>Number:         7359
>Category:       c++
>Synopsis:       Global FIle Streams Broken
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       serious
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    unassigned
>State:          open
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Fri Jul 19 09:26:00 PDT 2002
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     Chuck Allison
>Release:        3.1 and 3.1.1
>Organization:
>Environment:
Cygwin/Windows XP
Cygwin/Windows 2000
>Description:
Global file streams don't compile. Here's the code:

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
using namespace std;

ofstream out("trace.out");

int main() {
  out << "A test line\n";
  out << "one more" << endl;
}

It works on Microsoft VC .NET, but g++ chokes. The error output for 3.1 is in the file attachment. A friend tried it on 3.1.1-3 and it also failed. According to the standard, it should work (although I realize library initialization is tricky - but if MS can do it, anyone can, right? :-). I passed this by Bjarne Stroustrup and a couple other standards committee members just to double check and they all agree it is conforming code. Thanks.
>How-To-Repeat:
Attempt to compile the code in the description field above.
>Fix:

>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted: