Two the same class/function templates in two different files

[Quentin026]

Hi there,

I've got two exactly the same class templates in two different files but linker (from MS Visual 2008 Express and DevC++ 4.9.9.2) doesn't show any errors. The question is: why ? It just deletes one of them (and two of them if I've got three templates etc.). A strict linkage doesn't applicable class/function templates ?

Thank you,
Quentin.

[_Superman_]

They are probably inside different namespaces.

namespace one
{
   template<typename T>
   class A
   {
   };
}

namespace two
{
   template<typename T>
   class A
   {
   };
}

This will compile.

[D_Drmmr]

I've got two exactly the same class templates in two different files but linker (from MS Visual 2008 Express and DevC++ 4.9.9.2) doesn't show any errors. The question is: why ?

Because the template class is only defined once you use it with a specific template argument. The same goes for template functions.

It just deletes one of them (and two of them if I've got three templates etc.). A strict linkage doesn't applicable class/function templates ?

It's probably not deleted, just ignored. Can you explain how you include the header files with the template class definitions in various cpp files?