C++ Nested classes driving me crazy

Question

i am trying to compile this very simple piece of code

class myList
{
public:
    std::vector<std::string> vec;
    class Items
    {
    public:
        void Add(std::string str)
        {
            myList::vec.push_back(str);
        };
    }items;
};

int main()
{
    myList newList;
    newList.items.Add("A");
}

what can i do to make this work without creating more objects that needed or overcomplicating stuff...

Answer 1

Add a couple of constructors and a pointer to the parent class.

#include <string>
#include <vector>
class myList
{
public:
    std::vector<std::string> vec;
    myList(): items(this) {} // Added
    class Items
    {
    public:
        Items(myList *ml): self(ml) {}  // Added
        void Add(std::string str)
        {
                self->vec.push_back(str); // Changed
        };
        myList *self; //Added
    }items;
};

int main()
{
    myList newList;
    newList.items.Add("A");
}

You need the myList() constructor, so it registers instances of itself with the instance of the inner class member variable. Then you need the Items constructor to store the pointer to the outer myList class instance. Finally in the Add method, you need to reference vec in the stored myList instance.

As Catskul points out, the Item constructor mustn't actually do anything with the myList pointer it receives. I'd also like to say that though this answer is closer to the original intent, steveth45's answer is closer to what you would want to do in a real program.