Nested class forwarded definition: Not supported.

[Markus Schutz]

I found the following unsuported feature in EGCS-1.1.1:
Nested class forwarded definition is not supported.

I quote Stroustrup:
"Like other members, a member class (often called a nested class) can be
declared in the class itself and defined later:"
It's in Chapter 11, Section 11.12, p. 293 of:
"C++ Programming Language (Third Edition)", Bjarne Stroustrup, Addison
Wesley, 1998, ISBN 0-201-88954-4.

I know it is possible to put the definition of the nested class in the
class itself, but this reduces readability. I think there is some type
checking that should be a little bit relaxed when in class definition.

EGCS-1.1.1
gcc version egcs-2.91.60 19981201 (egcs-1.1.1 release)
GNU CPP version egcs-2.91.60 19981201 (egcs-1.1.1 release) (i386
Linux/ELF)

System: Linux-2.1.125 (not important)

g++ -v --save-temps forward.C
forward.C:12: field `n' has incomplete type

forward.C: (attached)
The example source file for "later define of nested class".

forward.ii: (attached)
The preprocessed output.

Regards,
Markus

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Markus Schütz                                               R&D Engineer
a2i SA                                                  axsNOW® Division
3, Ch. de Mornex                                 Phone: ++41 21 311 5634
1003 Lausanne                                      Fax: ++41 21 311 5660
Switzerland                                  mailto:markus.schutz@a2i.ch
                                                   http://www.axsnow.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
class Base
{
public:
  class Nested;

public:
  ~Base ();
  Base ();
  Base (const Base& b);

private:
  Nested n;
};


class Base::Nested
{
public:
  ~Nested ();
  Nested ();
  Nested (const Nested& n);
};


main ()
{
  Base mb;
}