DOCUMENT:Q139458  30-JUL-2001  [visualc]
TITLE   :FIX: Ambiguous C2966 Error with Nested Template Classes
PRODUCT :Microsoft C Compiler
PROD/VER::
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:kbLangCPP kbVC kbVC500fix

======================================================================
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The information in this article applies to:

 - The Compiler included with Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition 
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SYMPTOMS
========

An ambiguous C2966 error is generated if any members of a nested template class
are defined externally. The sample code shown in the "More Information" section
of this article reproduces this problem and gives the following error message:

   error C2966: '<Unknown>' : adding member function of same name as
   existing static data member for template class 'Outer'

RESOLUTION
==========

Define members of a nested template class inline only.

NOTE: external definitions with the inline keyword will still generate the
ambiguous C2966 error.

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
================

Sample Code to Reproduce Problem
--------------------------------

      // Compile option needed: none

      template<class T> class Outer {
        public:
            class Inner {
            public:
                static T sobj;
                static T smfunc(T arg);
       };

        };

        //Initialize nested class static object

        template <class T> T Outer<T>::Inner::sobj = T();

        // Out-of-line definition of nested class static member function
        // Moving this definition inside class resolves the error
       template <class T> T Outer<T>::Inner::smfunc(T arg)
       {
          return arg + sobj;
       }

Additional query words: kbVC400bug 10.00 10.10 10.20

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbLangCPP kbVC kbVC500fix 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper
Version           : :
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

=============================================================================

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