FIX: C2227 & C2653 on Explicit Destructor Call in Template

• The Microsoft C/C++ Compiler (CL.EXE) included with: - Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, versions 2.0, 2.1

SYMPTOMS

Compiling a program that includes a class template that makes an explicit reference to the destructor of the template argument <type_name> generates the following errors if the class template is instantiated with a simple type:

   error C2227: left of '->type_name' must point to class/struct/union
   error C2653: 'type_name' : is not a class name

RESOLUTION

The Annotated C++ Reference Manual (Jan '94), section 12.4 contains the following example:

   int* p;
   / ...
   p->int::~int();

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This bug was corrected in Visual C++ version 4.0.

MORE INFORMATION

Sample Code to Demonstrate Problem

   // Compile options needed: none
   template<class Item>
   class classX {
      public:
      void funcX();
      Item* cpR;
   };

   template<class Item>
   void classX<Item>::funcX() {
      cpR->Item::~Item();
   };

   template classX<int>;

For more information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q129132
   TITLE     : BUG: Can't Use Simple Type in Explicit Call of a Destructor

   ARTICLE-ID: Q130547
   TITLE     : BUG: C2300 on Explicit Destructor Call in Class Template