Hello, I am facing a very strange error with this code:

{
int s;
explicit a(int s_):s(s_){}
};

class a_wrapper
{
a m_a;
public:
explicit a_wrapper(const a& a_)
:m_a(a_){}

int get(){return m_a.s;}
};

int main()
{
int nb_act=30;

a_wrapper s1(a(nb_act));//seen as function definition
s1.get(); //error C2228: left of '.begin' must have class/struct/union
//type is 'overloaded-function'


a_wrapper s2(a(30)); //seen as object creation
s2.get(); //no error!!

return 0;
}

For me, the line "a_wrapper s1(a(nb_act));" is seen as a function definition, but I don't understand why...
VC 7.1 and 8 generate the same thing.

Any idea

Thank you very much,

Charles Brossollet

Since the compiler allows parenthesis for parameters -- e.g. "void f(int (x));" -- then s1 is interpreted as a local prototype for "a_wrapper s1(a nb_act)" function.

To achieve the desired meaning, try this:

a const tmp(nb_act);

a_wrapper s1(tmp);

s1.get();

or this:

a_wrapper s1((a)nb_act);

s1.get();

I hope this makes sense.

Viorel. wrote:

Since the compiler allows parenthesis for parameters -- e.g. "void f(int (x));" -- then s1 is interpreted as a local prototype for "a_wrapper s1(a nb_act)" function.

That's what Scott Meyers describes as "C++'s most vexing parse" in Effective STL. A must-read IHMO

einaros wrote:

By the way, "a_wrapper s1( (a(nb_act)) );" should also fix the problem -- added parenthesis, that is.