C ++ error: a expected initializer before [function name] [closed]

Question

I am refreshing my self on C++ (have not did it since school) and I wrote a simple program just to mess around. My problem is when I compile the program it chokes stating "error: expected initializer before 'stringThing'" is there a reason why this is doing this? I know this may be a noob question so I checked stackoverflow and could not find any relevant questions that gave me a answer.

*I am using GNU GCC compiler

Code:

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

void string stringThing (string shiftdir, string &teststring)
    {
        if (shiftdir == "right")
        {
           teststring = teststring >> " " >> "Bit Shifted right";
        }
        else
        {
           teststring = teststring << " " << "Bit Shifted left";
        }
    }
int main()
{

    string test;

    cout << stringThing("right", "I have done a ") << endl;

    return 0;
}

Answer 1

The return type for stringThing must be either void or string, not both. You also must include <string>, if you want to use string.

Since you want to output the return value of stringThing() in main, I guess it should be

std::string stringThing (std::string shiftdir, const std::string &teststring)

But then, you must also return a string from your function

if (shiftdir == "right")
    return teststring + " " + "Bit Shifted right";
else
    return teststring + " " + "Bit Shifted left";

for example.

Your parameter std::string &teststring won't work with your const char* argument. So either declare it as a copy by value string only, or better const string&.