member template explicit qualification in VC6

[Attila]

Hi All,

 

Consider the following C++ class definition:

 

class A

{

public:

            template <class T> T& getT();

};

 

Now, how do users of class A call getT()? The general problem is that the template member function presents its template parameter only as its return type, so T cannot be deduced:

 

            A a;

            typedef int T;

            T t= a.getT();  // return types are not used in template parameter deduction

 

This would be the first idea I could come up with, but it is a syntax error:

 

            A a;

            a.getT<int>();            // does not compile

 

Stroustrup tells in his “The C++ Language”, that the explicit qualification can be written like this:

 

            A a;

            a.template getT<int>();

 

But this does not compile in VC6 on my machine. 

 

Anyone knows the solution for calling template members of this kind?

 

Thanks,

Attila