Q167749: FIX: Access to Nested Base Class Member Functions Blocked

Article: Q167749
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): 5.0,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbProgramming kbLangCPP kbVC kbVC500bug kbVC600bug kbNoUpdatekbbuglist
Last Modified: 10-FEB-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Learning Edition, version 6.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When a class derived from a nested class calls a base class member function
explicitly, the compiler generates error C2352 (relative to the sample code
below):

  main.cpp(13) : error C2352: 'A::B::f' : illegal call of non-static member
  function

RESOLUTION
==========

In the definition of the derived class, use typedef to define an alias for the
base class (see the sample code), and use this alias to qualify calls to the
base class methods.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products that are
listed at the beginning of this article.

This problem was corrected in Microsoft Visual C++ .NET.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Sample Code
-----------

  /* Compile Options: None */ 
     class A {
     public:
       class B {
       public:
            void f();
       };
     };

     class C : public A::B {
     public:
       void g() { A::B::f(); } // <== C2352 at this line
     };

  Workaround
  Use a typedef for class A::B as follows:

  class C : public A::B 
  {
     public:
        typedef A::B BaseClass;
        void f() { BaseClass::f(); } // <== No Error Any More
  };

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbProgramming kbLangCPP kbVC kbVC500bug kbVC600bug kbNoUpdate kbbuglist
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbVC500 kbVC600 kbVC32bitSearch kbVC500Search
Version           : :5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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