problem with friend template function in separate header file

[bgx90]

I am trying to place a friend function of a template class named sort in its own header file. I keep getting errors when compiling my test program. I have tried different things to fix it, but nothing works. My experience with template classes is limited as is my knowledge about the finer points of header files. Can anyone see what the problem is? Thanks in advance.

Here are the errors from g++:

In file included from UList.h:15,
from test.cpp:1:
sortBS.h:15: error: variable or field âsortâ declared void
sortBS.h:15: error: âUListâ was not declared in this scope
sortBS.h:15: error: expected primary-expression before â>â token
sortBS.h:15: error: â::UListâ has not been declared
sortBS.h:15: error: expected primary-expression before â>â token
sortBS.h:15: error: âobjâ was not declared in this scope

The code below is what I currently have after trying to fix the problem.

Here is the code from the header file, UList.h, for the template class:

#include <vector>
#include <iostream>
#include "sortBS.h"
template <class T>
class UList{

  public:

    template <class U>
    friend std::ostream& operator << (std::ostream&, const UList<U>&);

    template <class U>
    friend void sort (UList<U>&);

    UList (size_t=10);
    virtual ~UList();
    void insert (const T&);
    bool erase (const T&);
    bool find (const T&) const;
    size_t size() const;
    bool empty() const;

  protected:

    std::vector<T> items;  //list of items
};

Here is the code from the header file, sortBS.h, that contains the definition of sort:

#include "UList.h"

template <class U>
void sort (UList<U>::UList<U>& obj){
  U temp;
  for (int i = 1; i < obj.items.size(); ++i){
    for (int index = 0; index < obj.items.size() - i; ++index){
      if (obj[index] > obj[index +1]){
        temp = obj[index];
        obj[index] = obj[index +1];
        obj[index +1] = temp;
      }
    }
  }
}

[chary8088]

declare of sort (UList<U>&) don't match it's define
parameters are not agreement

[vijayan121]

1. Declare each template friend function before the definition of template class. (#include of the header, as you have will do).

2. Add <> in the friend declarations.

template <class T> class UList ;

template <typename T > void sort( UList<T>& ) ;

template <typename T >
std::ostream& operator << ( std::ostream&, const UList<T>& ) ;


template < typename T >  class UList
{
  public:

    friend std::ostream& operator << [b]<>[/b] ( std::ostream&, const UList<T>& ) ;

    friend void sort [b]<>[/b] ( UList<T>& ) ;
    
    // ...
} ;

See http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite/templates.html#faq-35.16

[bgx90]

Thanks for the replies. I found out that I needed to remove the scope resolution in the parameter list in the friend function's definition. Also, the header file containing the definition of the friend function should not have been included in the template class header file.