operator<<(ostream&, X) for class X nested in a class template

Question

This one compiles and works like it should (non-nested template):

#include <iostream>

template<typename T> class Z;

template <typename T> 
std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream& os, const Z<T>&) {
    return (os << "Z");
}

template<typename T> class Z {
    friend std::ostream& operator<< <> (std::ostream& os, const Z&);
};

int main () {
    Z<int> z;
    std::cout << z << std::endl;
}

This one doesn't compile (gcc 4.4 and gcc 4.6, in both 03 and 0x mode):

#include <iostream>

template<typename T> class Z;

template<typename T> 
std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream& os, const typename Z<T>::ZZ&) {
    return (os << "ZZ!");
}

template <typename T> class Z {
  public:
    class ZZ {
        friend std::ostream& operator<< <> (std::ostream& os, const ZZ&);
    };
};


int main () {
    Z<int>::ZZ zz;
    std::cout << zz << std::endl;
}

The error message looks like this:

error: template-id ‘operator<< <>’ for ‘std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream&,
const Z<int>::ZZ&)’ does not match any template declaration
error: no match for ‘operator<<’ in ‘std::cout << zz’

In the 0x mode the second error message is different, but the meaning is the same.

Is it possible to do what I want to do?

EDIT Apparently, there's an instance of non-deduced context here, which explains the error messages. The question, however, still stands: can I have a working operator<< for a class nested in a class template?

Answer 1

This is a general problem for functions:

template <typename C>
void func(typename C::iterator i);

Now, if I call func(int*), which value of C should I use ?

In general, you cannot work backward ! Many different C could have defined an internal type iterator that happens to be a int* for some set of parameters.

In your case, you are complicating the situation a bit:

template <typename T>
void func(typename Z<T>::ZZ const&);

But fundamentally this is the same issue, Z<T> is a template, not a full class, and you are asking to create a function for the inner type ZZ of this template.

Suppose I do:

template <typename T>
struct Z { typedef T ZZ; };

template <typename T>
struct Z<T const> { typedef T ZZ; };

Note: typical of iterators, the value_type is not const-qualified

Then, when invoking func(int), should I use Z<int> or Z<int const> ?

It is non-deducible.

And thus the whole thing is referred to as a non-deducible context, and the Standard forbids it because there is no sensible answer.

Rule of Thumb: be suspicious of typename in the parameters of a function.

Note: they are OK if another argument already pinned down the type, example typename C::iterator find(C&, typename C::const_reference); because once C is deduced, then C::const_reference may be used without trouble

Answer 2

Apart from the problem that the friend declaration doesn't match the operator template (perhaps fixable as)

class ZZ {
    template<class U>
    friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const ZZ&);
};

you also have a problem with a "non-deduced context", which is what Matthieu links to.

In this template

template<typename T> 
std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream& os, const typename Z<T>::ZZ&) {
    return (os << "ZZ!");
}

the compiler isn't able to figure out for what T's you parameter will match. There could be several matches, if you specialize for some types

template<>
class Z<long>
{
public:
    typedef double   ZZ;
};

template<>
class Z<bool>
{
 public:
    typedef double   ZZ;
};

Now if I try to print a double, T could be either bool or long.

The compiler cannot know this for sure without checking for all possible T's, and it doesn't have to do that. It just skips your operator instead.

Answer 3

Matthieu explained the problem very well, but a simple work-around can be used in this case. You can implement the friend function inside the class with the friend declaration:

#include <iostream>

template <typename T> class Z {
public:
  class ZZ {
    friend std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream& os, const ZZ&) {
      return os << "ZZ!";
    }
  };
};


int main () {
  Z<int>::ZZ zz;
  std::cout << zz << std::endl;
}