constant in nested class in template class

[kedaman]

I want to put constants in a nested class of a parameterized class like this:

template<class x> class borka {
public:
    class borkb {
    public:
        static const int a;
    };

    static const a;
};

template<class x> const int borka<x>::a = 44; 
template<class x> const int borka<x>::borkb::a = 44;

int main(){
    cout << borka<int>::borkb::a << endl;
    cout << borka<int>::a << endl;
return 0;
}; 

And I get a link error in the nested class constant:
LNK2001: unresolved external symbol "public: static int const borka<int>::borkb::a" (?a@borkb@?$borka@H@@2HB)
Help anyone?

[Zaei]

it works until you try:

cout << borka<int>::borkb::a << endl;

I dunno.

Z.

[kedaman]

Yep, the reason i have that inner constant is to show that it works within a template class but not in one nested in such, constants in nested classes in regular classes works too, this is just the special case MSVC6 doesn't like

[CornedBee]

doesn't work with functions wither unless they are inline...
I'm sure it works somehow but the syntax is just too complicated.
I first thought it could be that classes nested in template classes automatically are templates too, but this doesn't work:

template<class x> const int borka<x>::borkb<x>::a = 44;

I get a lot of syntax errors. But maybe that helps you somehow. I'll continue my tries...

[CornedBee]

Have you tried on other compilers?

[kedaman]

Nope, and I really want it to work with MSVC6, no matter how complicated the syntax gets.

Thanks

[CornedBee]

I give up ftm. I have a good book on such things which could help me, but I lent it to my cousin...

[kedaman]

oh, no similar online stuff? When do you think you get your book back?

[CornedBee]

2-3 days after asking.
But to be honest, he needs it more than I do. He takes a programming class and has a bad teacher. It is a very thick book describing everything from the basics of both C and C++ to the most complicated things like nested templates.

[CornedBee]

Using typedef you can realize it for specializations:

typedef borka<int>::borkb bbint;
const int bbint::a = 44;

int main() {
    cout << borka<int>::borkb::a << endl;
    return 0;
}

[CornedBee]

doesn't work with unspecialized versions though...

[kedaman]

Thank you so much! that will do unspecialized versions would be greater of course, but for the current case i'm on, I don't need it. If someone want's to extend my library then they'd had to specialize themselve

Thanks again!

[CornedBee]

You're welcome. It's always fun to try to solve those.

[kedaman]

Even more breaking news!

I made a class outside templated class with all the constants, and let the nested one inherited that one and guess what It works without specialisation

[CornedBee]

Dirty trick. But COOL!