C++ error message

[daniel1977]

Dear Friends:

I need some help to identify the error.
When I compile my application I get the following error message:

Error   1   error C2678: binary '==' : no operator found which takes a left-hand operand of type 'extPersonType' (or there is no acceptable conversion) f:\college material\cs270\sourcecode\addressbook\addressbook\arrayListType.h    251 1   AddressBook

Any help will be greatly appreciated,

Dani

[JameB]

What's the code at that line?

[vmanes]

You will need to write an override for == for your extPersonType, or revise your code to compare members of that type which are basic data types.

[rubberman]

Both of the above replies are basically correct.

1. Provide your code.
2. If you are trying to use the comparison operator (==) on a non-trivial class, you need to write an '==' operator to deal with it.

[daniel1977]

Thanks , here is the code:

My addressBookType Class:
#ifndef H_addressBookType
#define H_addressBookType

#include "arrayListType.h"

using namespace std;

template <class extPersonType>
class addressBookType : public arrayListType<elemType>
{
public:
addressBookType(int size = 500);    //Increase the default size from 100 to 500
const arrayListType<extPersonType>& operator= (const arrayListType<extPersonType>&);

/*int searchByLastName(string lname) const;
void print() const;
void printNameBetweenDate(int startMonth, int startDay, int startYear, int endMonth, int endDay, int endYear) const;
void printNameInAGroup(string grp) const;
void printNameBetweenNames(string startName, string endName) const;*/

private:

};


template <class extPersonType>
addressBookType<extPersonType>::addressBookType(int size):arrayListType(size)
{
    if (size < 0)
    {
        cerr << "The array size must be positive. Creating "
             << "an array of size 500. " << endl;

        maxSize = 500;
    }
    else
        maxSize = size;

    length = 0;

    list = new extPersonType[maxSize];
    assert(list != NULL);
}

template <class extPersonType>
const addressBookType<extPersonType>& addressBookType<extPersonType>::operator= (const addressBookType<extPersonType>& otherList)
{
    if (this != &otherList)   //avoid self-assignment
    {
        delete [] list; 
        maxSize = otherList.maxSize; 
        length = otherList.length; 

        list = new extPersonType[maxSize];  //create the array
        assert(list != NULL);   //if unable to allocate memory 
                                //space, terminate the program 
        for (int i = 0; i < length; i++)
            list[i] = otherList.list[i]; 
    }

    return *this; 
}

#endif

[Nimerion]

I guess you overwrite the '=', but you don't overwrite the '=='.
As I can see in your code, you're comparing them classes.
You can't compare if the tomato is a melon.
But you can compare if the tomato has as many seeds inside of it as the melon.
You're using '!=', so you need to overwrite the '==' comparison operator.
!= is just the NOT operator of equality.
Then you can just do:

if( !(tomato == melon) ) { 
    // stuff happens here..
}

Just to be sure..
But I guess you already know that, especially after rubberman's answer. :)
Good luck!

[daniel1977]

Thank you all for your assisntance.

I understand that I need to overwrite the == function. I understand that I can't compare the class as a whole to another class because they aren't the same type, so I have to go deeper and compare elements within the class. The problem comes from understanding the syntax for identifying the two object types that I want to compare. If I first define the function as such:

const arrayListType<extPersonType>& operator==(const arrayListType<extPersonType>&) const;

The class that I am placing the overwrite function is in the addressBookType, which is overwriting the arrayListType. The book doesn't provide clarification on exactly what class I am adding. I am assuming that it should be the class name where the overwrite is being performed, but since I want to use many of the functions that are available within the arrayListType function then I figured that I must somehow switch the object types so that is understands what it is reading.

This is where I am getting lost. In my addressBookType, what should be within the override operator== function, and how does this allow the arrayListType class to understand the object and perform the various tasks that will be asked.

I'm hoping I am explaining this correctly. I would still like to successfully complete the task as well as the following task that goes with it. I just need some sample code to clear up what I am missing.

Again, thank you so much for all your help.

Dani

[rubberman]

Comparison of non-identical types is not simple. You need to know which elements of each should be compared. In truth, this is an equivalence function. Create a class::compare(const otherclass& other) function and then iterate through the instances (this and other) until they don't compare equal, and return 1 or -1 as appropriate, otherwise at the end return 0. Use this compare function in the operator== and operator!= functions, and return true/false as appropriate.

[daniel1977]

Thank ypu so much.

I don’t know which way is correct with class templates:

#include <iostream>
#include <cassert>

using namespace std;

//Definition of a node
template <class Type>
struct nodeType
{
    Type info;
    nodeType<Type> *link;
};

template <class Type>
class linkedListHeadTrail
{
public:
    linkedListHeadTrail();          //Constructor - link = NULL
    void clearAll();                //Clear all items in the list
    void print();               //Print the content of the linked list
    void listLength();          //Print the number of items stored in the list 
    void insertAt(int position, const Type& value); //Insert an item at the designated position
    void removeAt(int position);            //Remove an item at the designated position

protected:
    nodeType<Type> *head;                //Points to the first item in the list
    nodeType<Type> *trail;               //Points to the last item in the list
    //nodeType* current;                //Contains the current item within the list
    int listLen;                    //Number of items within the list
};

template <class nodeType>
linkedListHeadTrail<nodeType>::linkedListHeadTrail() //Default Constructor
{
    head = NULL;
    trail = NULL;
    listLen = 0;
}

template <class nodeType>
linkedListHeadTrail<nodeType>::clearAll()                    
{
    //Move all elements from the list
    nodeType<Type>* prog;            ------- Error with TYPE

}

OR:

#include <iostream>
#include <cassert>

using namespace std;

//Definition of a node
template <class Type>
struct nodeType
{
    Type info;
    nodeType<Type> *link;
};

template <class Type>
class linkedListHeadTrail
{
public:
    linkedListHeadTrail();              //Constructor - link = NULL
    void clearAll();                    //Clear all items in the list
    void print();                   //Print the content of the linked list
    void listLength();              //Print the number of items stored in the list 
    void insertAt(int position, const Type& value); //Insert an item at the designated position
    void removeAt(int position);            //Remove an item at the designated position

protected:
    nodeType<Type> *head;                //Points to the first item in the list
    nodeType<Type> *trail;               //Points to the last item in the list
    //nodeType* current;                //Contains the current item within the list
    int listLen;                    //Number of items within the list
};

template <class Type>
linkedListHeadTrail<Type>::linkedListHeadTrail()     //Default Constructor
{
    head = NULL;
    trail = NULL;
    listLen = 0;
}

template <class Type>
linkedListHeadTrail<Type>::clearAll()                    
{
    //Move all elements from the list
    nodeType<Type>* prog;            ------------ Error with TYPE
}

Doesn’t seem to matter which way I use, neither are working. I initially wrote it using the second method, but have an error which is stopping me from moving on. I get the same error at the same line. Can you please enlighten me?

Best Wishes,

Dani