error: expected class-name before ‘{’ token-CSDN博客

I know there are a couple of similar questions(circular include) out stackoverflow and other websites. But I still can't figure it out and no solutions pop out. So I would like to post my specific one.

I have a Event class who has 2 and actually more subclass, which are Arrival and Landing. The compiler(g++) complains:

g++ -c -Wall -g -DDEBUG Event.cpp -o Event.o
In file included from Event.h:15,
                 from Event.cpp:8:
Landing.h:13: error: expected class-name before ‘{’ token
make: *** [Event.o] Error 1

People said that it's a circular include. The 3 header files(Event.h Arrival.h Landing.h) are as follows:

the Event.h:

#ifndef EVENT_H_
#define EVENT_H_

#include "common.h"
#include "Item.h"
#include "Flight.h"

#include "Landing.h"

class Arrival;

class Event : public Item {
public:
    Event(Flight* flight, int time);
    virtual ~Event();

    virtual void occur() = 0;
    virtual string extraInfo() = 0; // extra info for each concrete event

    // @implement
    int compareTo(Comparable* b);
    void print();

protected:
    /************** this is why I wanna include Landing.h *******************/
    Landing* createNewLanding(Arrival* arrival); // return a Landing obj based on arrival's info

private:
    Flight* flight;
    int time; // when this event occurs

};

#endif /* EVENT_H_ */

Arrival.h:

#ifndef ARRIVAL_H_
#define ARRIVAL_H_

#include "Event.h"

class Arrival: public Event {
public:
    Arrival(Flight* flight, int time);
    virtual ~Arrival();

    void occur();
    string extraInfo();
};

#endif /* ARRIVAL_H_ */

Landing.h

#ifndef LANDING_H_
#define LANDING_H_

#include "Event.h"

class Landing: public Event {/************** g++ complains here ****************/
public:
    static const int PERMISSION_TIME;

    Landing(Flight* flight, int time);
    virtual ~Landing();

    void occur();
    string extraInfo();
};

#endif /* LANDING_H_ */

UPDATE:

I included Landing.h due to Landing's constructor is called in the Event::createNewLanding method:

Landing* Event::createNewLanding(Arrival* arrival) {
    return new Landing(flight, time + Landing::PERMISSION_TIME);
}

edited Mar 16 '11 at 1:20

asked Mar 16 '11 at 1:08

draw
388 1 5 15

78% accept rate

According to the compiler output, your error is in Landing.h (on line 13). Why did you put a comment inEvent.h saying the error was there? – Ben Voigt Mar 16 '11 at 1:13

@Ben Voigt sorry, I've changed it – draw Mar 16 '11 at 1:21

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3 Answers

active oldest votes

up vote 8 down vote accepted

Replace

#include "Landing.h"

with

class Landing;

If you still get errors, also post Item.h, Flight.h and common.h

EDIT: In response to comment.

You will need to e.g. #include "Landing.h" from Event.cpp in order to actually use the class. You just cannot include it from Event.h

edited Mar 16 '11 at 1:25

answered Mar 16 '11 at 1:10

Erik
28.3k 1 43 84

because I called Landing's constructor: Landing* Event::createNewLanding(Arrival* arrival) { return new Landing(flight, time + Landing::PERMISSION_TIME); } – draw Mar 16 '11 at 1:22

#include the needed header files in your .cpp not your .h – Erik Mar 16 '11 at 1:23

that works. Thank you so much. Another question: does that implies that it's a good practice to always make foreword reference in you header file? – draw Mar 16 '11 at 1:30

@draw: It's good practice to forward declare when forward declaration is enough (you only need Type * orType &)- in addition to avoiding such circular include problems, this reduces interdependencies in between files, which a.o. reduces compile time. – Erik Mar 16 '11 at 1:34

thanks a lot! – draw Mar 16 '11 at 3:21

feedback

up vote 0 down vote

If you forward-declare Flight and Landing in Event.h, then you should be fixed.

Remember to #include "Flight.h" and #include "Landing.h" in your implementation file forEvent.

The general rule of thumb is: if you derive from it, or compose from it, or use it by value, the compiler must know its full definition at the time of declaration. If you compose from a pointer-to-it, the compiler will know how big a pointer is. Similarly, if you pass a reference to it, the compiler will know how big the reference is, too.

edited Mar 16 '11 at 2:28

answered Mar 16 '11 at 1:13