Missing specialized method in object file

["Craig S. Kaplan" <csk at cs dot washington dot edu>]

I'm posting this here first because I'm not 100% certain
it's a bug.  I'd like some feedback.  If necessary, I'll
submit it to GNATS as appropriate.  Thanks.

Here's a test file:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#include <iostream>

template<typename T>
class A
{
public:
    void func()
    {
        std::cout << "A<T>::func()" << std::endl;
    }
};

void A<int>::func()
{
    std::cout << "A<int>::func()" << std::endl;
}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When this file is compiled with -c, the resulting object file doesn't
contain the specialized definition of A<int>::func().  Shouldn't it?
My understanding is that a specialized method of a templated class can
live in a separately-compiled object.  But this test case shows that
this doesn't work, because the specialized method is thrown out.  But
append the following to the file:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
static void x()
{
    A<int> a;
    a.func();
}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The new object _does_ include A<int>::func, along with x.  Thus, my
temporary workaround is to include such static functions that exercise
the specialized methods; this makes separate compilation work.

I welcome comments, better workarounds, confirmation of bugness, etc.

--
Craig.              http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/csk/
Counterfactuals: what would the world be like without them?