For some reason I get a linking error when compiling my program. ------ Build started: Project: BreadthFirstSearch, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------ Linking... State.obj : error LNK2005: "public: __thiscall State::State(int *,int)" (??0State@@QAE@PAHH@Z) already defined in main.obj State.obj : error LNK2005: "public: __thiscall State::State(int *,int,class State)" (??0State@@QAE@PAHHV0@@Z) already defined in main.obj State.obj : error LNK2005: "public: void __thiscall State::printState(void)" (?printState@State@@QAEXXZ) already defined in main.obj State.obj : error LNK2005: "public: bool __thiscall State::isValidState(void)" (?isValidState@State@@QAE_NXZ) already defined in main.obj C:\Documents and Settings\JYT\My Documents\Visual Studio 2005\Projects\BreadthFirstSearch\Debug\BreadthFirstSearch.exe : fatal error LNK1169: one or more multiply defined symbols found Build log was saved at "file://c:\Documents and Settings\JYT\My Documents\Visual Studio 2005\Projects\BreadthFirstSearch\BreadthFirstSearch\Debug\BuildLog.htm" I do not know what this error occurs. I have installed platform sdk. I have openGL and Glut installed (although this shouldnt have anything to do with the problem.) and here is my code (sorry I dont know the commands for postin code yet) main.cpp #include "State.cpp" int start[] = {3,3,0,0,0}; int startSize = 5; void main ( void ) { State MandC(start, startSize); system("pause"); //used to keep comand prompt open } State.cpp #include <iostream> /*** *The state class * stores the state of the search ****/ class State { private: int *problem; //pointer to the array of the problem State *previous; //points to previous int size; //size of the array public: State(int *prob, int length); //constructor State(int *prob, int length, State PrevState); //constructor overloading used to create a new State with previous void printState(); //prints the state bool isValidState(); //checks if state is valid //~State(); //destructor }; State::State(int *prob, int length) { problem = prob; size = length; previous = NULL; } State::State(int *prob, int length, State PrevState) { problem = prob; size = length; this -> previous = &PrevState } void State::printState() { for(int i=0; i<size; i++) printf("%d, ",problem++); } and thank you for helping

The tags for posting source are [ source ] [ /source ] (Minus the spaces).

Your code gives linker errors because you're including a source file to another source file. That's usually a bad idea [smile]. You should only really be including header files, which should contain the prototypes for any functions, and a seperate source file should have the implementation of the files. Think of #include as a copy and paste, in your case you have two files, and with the #include expanded, you have the implementation of your State class in two files.

The correct way would be to use a header file:

Main.cpp:


State.h:


State.cpp:


EDIT: Added sentinals to the header - that stops problems occuring where a header is included into a .cpp twice (Usually by one header including another).

You are compiling "state.cpp" twice, once in "main.cpp" and then again as itself - hence the multiple symbol definitions. You need to use header files, that is, a file that usually has the extension ".h". Unfortunately, the "#include" directive does allow you to include any file.

To fix your project:
main.cpp

state.cpp

state.h


There are articles on this site that describe how to set up projects and use header files and source files. Look at the Resources/Features menu option at the top of this page.

Skizz

Thanks it worked.

although its odd I never got the errors before. My hashset, queue, and stack classes are all in the same format. Oh well looks Like I will be redoing some code.