Re: How to write output function for template classes?

From:
Victor Bazarov <v.bazarov@comcast.invalid>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++
Date:
Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:19:49 -0500
Message-ID:
<ja0us6$fgq$1@dont-email.me>
On 11/16/2011 12:54 PM, Jayden Shui wrote:

Hello All,

I have a code like:

template<class T, char open, char close>
class Enclosed
{
public:
     Enclosed(T& t) : mT(t) {}

     friend ostream& operator<<(ostream& os, Enclosed const& e);

private:
     T& mT;
};

template<class T, char open, char close>
ostream& operator<<(ostream& os, Enclosed<T, open, close> const& e)
{
     os<< open<< e.mT<< close;
     return os;
}

When I test it by

cout<< Enclosed<int, '[', ']'>(5);

The compiler said they can not find the operator<< function. Would
you please help me to look into it?


-------------------------------------------- >8 cut here
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

template<class T, char open, char close>
class Enclosed
{
public:
     Enclosed(T& t) : mT(t) {}

     friend ostream& operator<<(ostream& os, Enclosed const& e);

private:
     T& mT;
};

template<class T, char open, char close>
ostream& operator<<(ostream& os, Enclosed<T, open, close> const& e)
{
     os << open << e.mT << close;
     return os;
}

int main()
{
    cout << Enclosed<int, '[', ']'>(5);
}
-------------------------------------------- >8 cut here

Comeau says

"ComeauTest.c", line 11: warning: "std::ostream &operator<<(std::ostream
&, const
           Enclosed<T, open, close> &)" declares a non-template function
-- add
           <> to refer to a template instance
       friend ostream& operator<<(ostream& os, Enclosed const& e);
                       ^

"ComeauTest.c", line 26: error: no instance of constructor "Enclosed<T,
open,
           close>::Enclosed [with T=int, open='[', close=']']" matches the
           argument list
             The argument types that you used are: (int)
      cout << Enclosed<int, '[', ']'>(5);
              ^

You declare a non-template operator<< as the friend of your class
template and then you define a template function... See FAQ 35.16.

BTW, you need to make your Enclosed take a 'const T&' if you want to use
it with the literal like '5'.

V
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