C++ – static array class variable “multiple definition” C++

cmultiple-definition-errorstatic-arraystatic-members

I'm writing some code where I need to have a class variable that's a static int array. I understand that I can do this with something like this in the header file, A.h:

#ifndef A_H_
#define A_H_

class A
{
public:
  static const int a[];
};

const int A::a[] = {1,2};

#endif

This works just fine if I'm then including this header in only one other file, something like the following, main.cpp:

#include "A.h"

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{

  A myA;  
  cout << "0: " << myA.a[0] << endl;
  cout << "1: " << myA.a[1] << endl;
}

But suppose I need my class A to be a bit more complicated, and I want to have an A.cpp file as well. I'll keep my main.cpp file the same, but then change A.h as follows (I've just added a function, printA):

#ifndef A_H_
#define A_H_

class A
{
public:
  void printA() const;
  static const int a[];
};

const int A::a[] = {1,2};

#endif

And then in file A.cpp:

#include "A.h"

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

void A::printA() const
{

  cout << "Printing in A.cpp." << endl;
  cout << "A.0: " << a[0] << endl;
  cout << "A.1: " << a[1] << endl;

}

Compiling A.o with gcc -o A.o -c A.cpp is fine. But linking this when compiling main.cpp (gcc -o atest main.cpp A.o) fails with "multiple definition of `A::a'".

I've been scouring the internet for solutions, and found people who have variables declared in their headers who get the "multiple definition" error when they include the header in multiple places, and the solution seems to be to declare the variable extern in the header, then define it in only one source (non-header) source file. But I can't declare a class variable both static and extern, can I? If I try, or if I just declare it extern, I get a warning about the variable not being static (also a "conflicting specifiers" error when I try both).

So, my question: is it possible to have static array class variables in the case that the header file needs to be included in more than one source file? If so, how?

Best Answer

You're violating the one definition rule. Move the definition inside an implementation file:

//A.cpp
#include "A.h"
const int A::a[] = {1,2};

The solution you are reffering to, with extern, applies to non-member variables. In your case a is a class member.

Related Solutions

C++ – What are the differences between a pointer variable and a reference variable in C++

A pointer can be re-assigned:

int x = 5;
int y = 6;
int *p;
p = &x;
p = &y;
*p = 10;
assert(x == 5);
assert(y == 10);

A reference cannot be re-bound, and must be bound at initialization:

int x = 5;
int y = 6;
int &q; // error
int &r = x;

A pointer variable has its own identity: a distinct, visible memory address that can be taken with the unary & operator and a certain amount of space that can be measured with the sizeof operator. Using those operators on a reference returns a value corresponding to whatever the reference is bound to; the reference’s own address and size are invisible. Since the reference assumes the identity of the original variable in this way, it is convenient to think of a reference as another name for the same variable.
```
int x = 0;
int &r = x;
int *p = &x;
int *p2 = &r;

assert(p == p2); // &x == &r
assert(&p != &p2);
```

You can have arbitrarily nested pointers to pointers offering extra levels of indirection. References only offer one level of indirection.

int x = 0;
int y = 0;
int *p = &x;
int *q = &y;
int **pp = &p;

**pp = 2;
pp = &q; // *pp is now q
**pp = 4;

assert(y == 4);
assert(x == 2);

A pointer can be assigned nullptr, whereas a reference must be bound to an existing object. If you try hard enough, you can bind a reference to nullptr, but this is undefined and will not behave consistently.

/* the code below is undefined; your compiler may optimise it
 * differently, emit warnings, or outright refuse to compile it */

int &r = *static_cast<int *>(nullptr);

// prints "null" under GCC 10
std::cout
    << (&r != nullptr
        ? "not null" : "null")
    << std::endl;

bool f(int &r) { return &r != nullptr; }

// prints "not null" under GCC 10
std::cout
    << (f(*static_cast<int *>(nullptr))
        ? "not null" : "null")
    << std::endl;

You can, however, have a reference to a pointer whose value is nullptr.

Pointers can iterate over an array; you can use ++ to go to the next item that a pointer is pointing to, and + 4 to go to the 5th element. This is no matter what size the object is that the pointer points to.
A pointer needs to be dereferenced with * to access the memory location it points to, whereas a reference can be used directly. A pointer to a class/struct uses -> to access its members whereas a reference uses a ..
References cannot be put into an array, whereas pointers can be (Mentioned by user @litb)
Const references can be bound to temporaries. Pointers cannot (not without some indirection):
```
const int &x = int(12); // legal C++
int *y = &int(12); // illegal to take the address of a temporary.
```
This makes const & more convenient to use in argument lists and so forth.

C++ – How to initialize private static members in C++

The class declaration should be in the header file (Or in the source file if not shared).
File: foo.h

class foo
{
    private:
        static int i;
};

But the initialization should be in source file.
File: foo.cpp

int foo::i = 0;

If the initialization is in the header file then each file that includes the header file will have a definition of the static member. Thus during the link phase you will get linker errors as the code to initialize the variable will be defined in multiple source files. The initialisation of the static int i must be done outside of any function.

Note: Matt Curtis: points out that C++ allows the simplification of the above if the static member variable is of const int type (e.g. int, bool, char). You can then declare and initialize the member variable directly inside the class declaration in the header file:

class foo
{
    private:
        static int const i = 42;
};

Best Answer

Related Solutions

C++ – What are the differences between a pointer variable and a reference variable in C++

C++ – How to initialize private static members in C++

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