template< typename Y >
class x
{
friend class Y;
};

Is an error, but compiles in DM.  Comeau on-line compiler says:

"ComeauTest.c", line 4: error: template parameter "Y" may not be used in an
elaborated type specifier
friend class Y;
^
Cheers!

> template< typename Y >
> class x
> {
> friend class Y;
> };
>
> Is an error, but compiles in DM.  Comeau on-line compiler says:
>
> "ComeauTest.c", line 4: error: template parameter "Y" may not be used in
an
> elaborated type specifier
> friend class Y;
> ^
> Cheers!

This is about the least valid error in the business. Check out
http://www.cuj.com/documents/s=8942/cujweb0312wilson/, and also note that
Comeau have recently added a --friendT option to v4.3.3 to specifically
legalise it when compiling in --strict mode. This behaviour is one of the
one's most likely to
be legalised in the next version of the standard, and is profoundly useful,
so it'd be crazy for any vendor to attempt to change their support for it.

Cheers


-- 
Matthew Wilson

STLSoft moderator (http://www.stlsoft.org)
Contributing editor, C/C++ Users Journal
(www.synesis.com.au/articles.html#columns)

"If I'm curt with you it's because time is a factor. I think fast, I talk fast, and I need you guys to act fast" -- Mr Wolf

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---

"Matthew" <matthew.hat@stlsoft.dot.org> wrote in message:
> > template< typename Y >
> > class x
> > {
> > friend class Y;
> > };
> >
> > Is an error, but compiles in DM.  Comeau on-line compiler says:
> >
> > "ComeauTest.c", line 4: error: template parameter "Y" may not be
used in
> an
> > elaborated type specifier
> > friend class Y;
> > ^
> > Cheers!
>
> This is about the least valid error in the business. Check out http://www.cuj.com/documents/s=8942/cujweb0312wilson/, and also note
that
> Comeau have recently added a --friendT option to v4.3.3 to
specifically
> legalise it when compiling in --strict mode. This behaviour is one
of the
> one's most likely to
> be legalised in the next version of the standard, and is profoundly
useful,
> so it'd be crazy for any vendor to attempt to change their support
for it.
>
> Cheers
>

You probably noticed a recent post by Andrei Alexandrescu on
comp.lang.c++.moderated refering to your article. (See
http://www.talkaboutprogramming.com/group/comp.lang.c++.moderated/messages/153854.html.)
He asked "are friend template arguments a de facto feature ready to
make it into the standard?" I was hoping some standards committee
members would respond, but none did.

What is your evidence that this will likely be legalized? I certainly hope you are right.

Jonathan