Microsoft KB Archive/154112

= You receive a "Cannot find the definition of this function" error message when you try to go to definition in ClassView in Visual C++ =

Article ID: 154112

Article Last Modified on 9/1/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Visual C++ 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Visual C++ 4.1 Subscription
 * Microsoft Visual C++ 4.2 Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft Visual C++ 4.2 Professional Edition

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This article was previously published under Q154112



SYMPTOMS
ClassView pops up the message "Cannot find the definition for this function" for some member functions of a template class. This happens for those member functions that return a template class, or a reference or pointer to a template class. The function must also be defined outside of the class. The sample code in the More Information section below demonstrates this problem.

In Visual C++, version 4.x, ClassView cannot find any template member function or variable defined outside of the class. The error message reads:

Cannot find the definition (implementation) of this function.



RESOLUTION
The only workaround is to define the function inline by moving its body inside the class declaration. Note that defining the function outside the class declaration with the inline keyword will not solve the problem. Also note that projects with this problem will still build and run correctly; only the convenience of finding a function's definition via the ClassView is lost.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This bug was corrected in Visual C++ version 5.0.



MORE INFORMATION
The following sample code will reproduce the problem. To reproduce, right click on "mult_by_scalar" while in the class view and select Go To Definition.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

179012 ClassView Lacks "Go to Declaration" for Static Data Members

Sample Code
/* Compile options needed:none */

template  class SimpleArray {

public:

SimpleArray; ~SimpleArray;

SimpleArray& mult_by_scalar(T);// Cannot find the definition

int Numelem;

private: int num_elts; T* ptr_to_data;

};

template   SimpleArray::SimpleArray { num_elts=0; ptr_to_data = 0; }

template   SimpleArray::~SimpleArray { delete [] ptr_to_data; }

template   SimpleArray& SimpleArray::mult_by_scalar(T rm) {

return *this; }

template   int SimpleArray::Numelem{

return num_elts; }

Keywords: kberrmsg kbbug kbfix kbnoupdate kbui kbvc500fix kbcpponly kbcompiler KB154112

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