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From: rfg@NCD.COM (Ron Guilmette)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++,comp.std.c++
Subject: Re: scope of friend identifiers
Message-ID: <1085@lupine.NCD.COM>
Date: 4 Aug 90 18:18:01 GMT
References: <5708@darkstar.ucsc.edu>
Followup-To: comp.lang.c++
Organization: Network Computing Devices, Inc., Mt. View, CA
Lines: 53

In article <5708@darkstar.ucsc.edu> daniel@terra.ucsc.edu (Daniel Edelson) writes:
>The rules governing names introduced in friend
>declarations appear somewhat ambiguous according
>to [E&S 90], section 11.4. It says 
>
>	``If a class or function mentioned as a 
>	friend has not been declared its name is 
>	entered in the same scope as the name of 
>	the class containing the declaration.''
>
>
>Does this imply that a friend declaration in a nested
>class declares a member function of the enclosing class?
>E.g.,

This is an excellent question.  This is just the kind of question that ought
to be posted directly to comp.std.c++ (where it may get a more definitive
response).

>Then again, in section 3.2 the discussion of class scope says that
>``A name first declared by a friend declaration belongs to the 
>global scope;'' which, if true, contradicts the 11.4 statement and
>renders this discussion moot. Is there a diffinitive answer as to
>which section is correct?

If you find "bugs" (e.g. contradictions) in the C++ Reference Manual,
this should be noted over in comp.std.c++.  That will increase the
probability that such problems will come to the attention of the folks
who are currently drafting the C++ standard.

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-- 
// Ron Guilmette
// C++ Entomologist
// Internet: rfg@ncd.com      uucp: ...uunet!lupine!rfg
// Motto:  If it sticks, force it.  If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway.