Noob question: Copied functions to header file, now tons of errors

[PresFox]

Hello,

Im a n00b with c++ and was building my entire program in the main.cpp, including all function defenitions.

This gave troubles though, because i couldnt call functions from functions that were declared below that line. Eg:

string dosomething() {
 dothis(); // errors because dothis isnt declared yet
}
void dothis() {
//do stuff
}

I tried to fix this by copying all my functions / includes / variable declarations to a header file, and include that in my .cpp file, but now i have hundreds of strange errors, like:
string not declared,
all the function names are suddenly unindentified

What did i do wrong? Its probably some really big n00b mistake, but still

[PresFox]

nvm, the header file should only include declarations, not the actual function contents

[wolle]

nvm, the header file should only include declarations, not the actual function contents

My programs have header files only (and just one .cpp file holding the program entry point). It works fine. This is a typical example of a .h file (called hasher.h) holding free functions (what they do doesn't matter),

#ifndef HASHER_XYZ_ONCE
#define HASHER_XYZ_ONCE

#include <cstddef>
#include <initializer_list>
#include <functional>

namespace maux {

		// combines the hash values of seed and value (modified from Boost)
	inline std::size_t hash_combine(const std::size_t seed, const std::size_t value) {
		return seed ^ (value + 0x9e3779b9 + (seed<<6) + (seed>>2));
	}

		// combines all hash values in the initializer list
	inline std::size_t hash_combine(const std::initializer_list<std::size_t> ilst) {
		std::size_t seed = 0;
		for (std::size_t value : ilst) seed = hash_combine(seed, value);
		return seed;
	}
}

#endif

The important components are:

1. The include guard.

#ifndef HASHER_XYZ_ONCE
#define HASHER_XYZ_ONCE
.....
#endif

This ensures this .h file is included once only. The identifier HASHER_XYZ_ONCE must be unique for one .h file and not appear anywhere else in the whole of the program. Define an include guard in every .h file.

2. Necessary includes.

#include <cstddef>
#include <initializer_list>
#include <functional>

This makes sure the functions of this particular .h file have access to everything they need to work.

3. A namespace

namespace maux {
.....
}

Not strictly necessary but it's a good idea to subdivide a program into a number (not too many) of namespaces in order to avoid name clashes. maux:: works and is used just like std::. It represents a collection of language elements (like functions, classes, enums, constants, etcetera) that naturally belong together. One can use the same namespace in several .h files. I use the maux:: namespace for all auxiliary/utility functions.

4. Functions are declared inline.

inline std::size_t hash_combine(const std::size_t seed, const std::size_t value)

This is probably the main reason your code didn't work. If you have many translation units (essentially .cpp files) and don't declare a free function inline then the compiler may generate code for it in several translation units and the linker will complain about name clashes. So declare free functions inline.

[2kaud]

Hello,

Im a n00b with c++ and was building my entire program in the main.cpp, including all function defenitions.

This gave troubles though, because i couldnt call functions from functions that were declared below that line. Eg:

string dosomething() {
 dothis(); // errors because dothis isnt declared yet
}
void dothis() {
//do stuff
}

I tried to fix this by copying all my functions / includes / variable declarations to a header file, and include that in my .cpp file, but now i have hundreds of strange errors, like:
string not declared,
all the function names are suddenly unindentified

What did i do wrong? Its probably some really big n00b mistake, but still

The 'easy' fix for this is to forward declare functions at the start of the program before their use and define them where required. Consider

void dothis();
string dosomething();
...

string dosomething() {
 dothis(); // errors because dothis isnt declared yet
}
void dothis() {
//do stuff
}

Now dothis() and dosomething() can be used before they are defined. It is common practice to produce such function forward declarations for every function defined and put these declarations into a header file which is then included. The function definitions can now be placed where required - in the header (but see Wolle's post), in the main .cpp file (either before or after main()) or in a different compilation unit (.cpp file).

See 1.9 and other sections of http://www.learncpp.com/