vector of own objects

[tis99]

Hello,

Im trying to create a vector of objects of a class that I defined:

std::vector <element*> elementList;

within the element class I have a member function called checkNames which I try to use thus:

std::vector <element*>::iterator listIter;

for (listIter = this->elementList.begin( ); listIter < this->elementList.end( ); listIter++)
if (listIter->checkName (elementName))
..

The problem I am getting is that the compiler gives back the following message for the last line:

error C2839: invalid return type 'std::vector<_Ty>::_Tptr' for overloaded 'operator ->'

Does anybody know what I am doing wrong please?

Mark

[Valmont]

listiter->

is not defined by the standard. Do...

(*listiter).

offtopic tip

Don't do...

listIter < this->elementList.end( )

...in the for-loop. At every iteration, end() needs to be recalculated.
Do:

std::vector<element*>::iterator ItEnd;
ItEnd = elementList.end( );
for (listIter = elementList.begin( ); listiter != ItEnd; ++listIter)
{ }

- Observe !=.
Any iterator it < vector::end() is undefined since end() is a pointer *past* the last element. So this comparison makes technically no sense.
- Observe ++listiter
Your element object *may* create an internal temporary object and therefore *may* add runtime overhead due to copy constructor calls and destructor calls. Using the pre-increment operator prevents this.