Re: ambiguous superclass functions when specializing STL class

From:
"Victor Bazarov" <v.Abazarov@comAcast.net>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++
Date:
Fri, 4 May 2007 11:54:34 -0400
Message-ID:
<f1fkvr$ms1$1@news.datemas.de>
pvl_google@yahoo.com wrote:

I'm trying to extend an STL class with additional iterator
functionality. In the simplified example below I added an extra
iterator class with a dereferencing operator. This operator
internally relies on the at function of the superclass.


I think you're relying on some kind of special relationship
between an instance of a class and an instance of its nested
class. There isn't any.

#include <vector>

class LongVector: vector< long >
{
   class extraiterator
   {
       int pos;

       long& operator*() { return vector< long >::at( pos ); }


'extraiterator' has no relation to 'vector<long>'. In order to call
a non-static member of 'vector<long>' class, you need an instance
of 'vector<long>'. The const-ness of that instance will determine
the correct overloaded function to use.

       /* other functions removed */
   };
};

When I try to compile (with Visual C++ 2005 Express) I get following
ambiguous call error on the at() call, apparently between a const and
a non-const variant of the at() method:

error C2668: 'std::vector<_Ty>::at' : ambiguous call to overloaded
function
1> with
1> [
1> _Ty=long
1> ]
1> C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\include
\vector(728): could be 'long &std::vector<_Ty>::at(unsigned int)'
1> with
1> [
1> _Ty=long
1> ]
1> C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\include
\vector(721): or 'const long &std::vector<_Ty>::at(unsigned int)
const'
1> with
1> [
1> _Ty=long
1> ]
1> while trying to match the argument list '(int)'

I get similar error for any other function I try to use. Anyone an
idea what I'm doing wrong ?


Here is a short example:

    struct B { void foo(); };

    struct A : B {
        struct nested {
            void bar() { B::foo(); /* error here */ }
        };
    };

Since 'B::foo' is non-static, you cannot call it like that inside
the 'A::nested::bar'. You have to have an instance of A. You can
either pass it as an argument to 'bar' or have it a member of the
'nested' class:

    ...
        struct nested {
            void bar(A &a) { a->B::foo(); }
        };

or

    ...
        struct nested {
            A a;
            void bar() { a->B::foo(); }
        };

 Or how I can force the compiler to take a
specific variant ?


No need to force anything. Just make sure it knows what object
to call the member for.

V
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