C++: How to create 2 classes which use each other

Question

This question gives answer only when the classes use each other as the member types, but not when they use the functions of each other. How to do it in the following example? Bar is a singleton container which handles the operations done on all Bars.

// Foo.h

#include "Bar.h"

class Foo {
public:
    Foo() { Bar::get_instance()->push_back(this); }

    void do_something() {}
};

// Bar.h

#include "Foo.h"
#include <vector>

class Bar {
public:
    Bar(const Bar &other) = delete;

    void operator=(const Bar &) = delete;

    static Bar *get_instance()
    {
        static Bar bar;
        return &bar;
    }

    void push_back(Foo *foo) { foos_.push_back(foo); }

    void do_something_all() { for (Foo *f : foos_) f->do_something(); }

private:
    Bar() = default;

    std::vector<Foo *> foos_;
};

Ted Lyngmo · Accepted Answer · 2021-02-11 14:13:08Z

3

You split it up. Define the classes but put the implementation part after the class definition.

class Foo {
public:
    Foo(); // declare but do not implement

    // this can be implemented here since it doesn't need Bar:
    void do_something() { std::cout << "Foo::do_something()\n"; }
};

class Bar {
public:
    Bar(const Bar&) = delete;
    void operator=(const Bar&) = delete;

    static Bar& get_instance() { // return a reference instead
        static Bar bar;
        return bar;
    }

    // you can store a pointer - but require a reference:
    void push_back(Foo& foo) { foos_.push_back(&foo); }

    // or else you need to check for nullptr in here:
    void do_something_all() { for(Foo* f : foos_) f->do_something(); }

private:
    Bar() = default;

    std::vector<Foo*> foos_;
};

// Implementation part:
// Here Foo can use Bar

Foo::Foo() {
    Bar::get_instance().push_back(*this);
}

Demo

edited Feb 11, 2021 at 14:13

answered Feb 11, 2021 at 13:46

Ted Lyngmo

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1 Comment

i spin and then i lock Over a year ago

Thanks, upvoted as this is also the answer to my question.

Moia · Accepted Answer · 2021-02-11 13:45:40Z

1

Forward declaration will do the trick, forward decalre in .h and include the header in cpp.

// Bar.h

//#include "Foo.h"
#include <vector>

class Foo; // <---- this one

class Bar {
public:
    Bar(const Bar &other) = delete;

    void operator=(const Bar &) = delete;

    static Bar *get_instance();

    // move definition in cpp
    void push_back(Foo *foo);

    // move definition in cpp
    void do_something_all();

private:
    Bar() = default;

    std::vector<Foo *> foos_;
};

// Bar.cpp

#include "Foo.h"

Bar* Bar::get_instance()
{
    static Bar bar;
    return &bar;
}

void Bar::push_back(Foo *foo) 
{ 
   foos_.push_back(foo); 
}
    
void Bar::do_something_all() 
{ 
   for (Foo *f : foos_) f->do_something();
}

edited Feb 11, 2021 at 13:45

answered Feb 11, 2021 at 13:43

Moia

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2 Comments

i spin and then i lock Over a year ago

I've tried to do this, this is exactly what's suggested in the answer I was referring to. But the compiler (or at least IDE) doesn't see the Foo's do_something() function.

Moia Over a year ago

@kenticent move definition in .cpp. you can freely include bar.h there.

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