971201-g++ parse error (with member templates)

[Mark Mitchell]

>>>>> "Dirk" == Dirk Herrmann <dirk@ida.ing.tu-bs.de> writes:

    Dirk> Hello everybody!

    Dirk> The following code gives a parse error:



    >> cat test.cc
    Dirk> struct X { template <class Y> Y& f(); };

    Dirk> int main(int, char**) { X x; int i = x.f<int>(); }
    >> g++ test.cc
    Dirk> test.cc: In function `int main(int, char **)': test.cc:9:
    Dirk> parse error before `>'

That's because you have to say:

  int i = x.template f<int>();

This is the usage mandated in the standard.  I agree that the error
message could be more helpful.

    Dirk> Nevertheless, changing the line 9 to int i = x.f(); and
    Dirk> compiling again correctly gives:

    >> g++ test.cc
    Dirk> test.cc: In function `int main(int, char **)': test.cc:9:
    Dirk> incomplete type unification test.cc:9: no matching function
    Dirk> for call to `X::f ()'

That's because there's no way here to know what version of f() you
want.  This, too is correct behavior.

    Dirk> Best regards, Dirk Herrmann

-- 
Mark Mitchell		mmitchell@usa.net
Stanford University	http://www.stanford.edu