new types may not be defined in a return type - C++

c++ class-design compilation
jDOG picture jDOG · Jul 7, 2010 · Viewed 51.9k times · Source

I am confused I think on C++ class structure.

I have a .h called FxMathFunctions.h and a .cpp called FxMathFunctions.cpp

the .h starts like:

class  FxMathFunctions
{
    public:
        FxMathFunctions();
        ~FxMathFunctions();

and in the .cpp

I have: 

#include "FxBasicTypes.h"
#include "FxMathFunctions.h"

FxMathFunctions::FxMathFunctions() {}

FxMathFunctions::~FxMathFunctions() {}

I am getting errors like:

error: new types may not be defined in a return type
error: return type specification for constructor invalid

This must be something to do with definition someplace, but I just dont see where this might occur.

Answer

Chris Pitman picture Chris Pitman · Jul 7, 2010

What does your .h file end with? I'm guessing that the end of your class defnition does not have a ";". The class is being interpreted as the return type of the first function in your cpp file.

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