Is it possible to use forward declaration with a template class?

[AlwaysLearning]

Is possible to foward declare a template?
Testing says I couldn't, but maybe I didn't write the code right (which is what is included below)

class aFriend<int>;
class ABase
{
public: friend AFriend<int>;
protected: ABase(){}
};

template <class A>
class AFriend
{
public: AFriend(){ ABase Test; }
};

int main()
{
	AFriend<int> Val;
	return 0;
}

Thanks in advance.

[Disch]

Forward declaring looks just like the class definition (including the template<> part). So you'd forward declare it like so:

template <typename T> class AFriend;

Although you don't need to forward declare friends.

Obligatory link: http://cplusplus.com/forum/articles/10627/#msg49682 see section 8

EDIT:

actually... maybe you do have to forward declare them when they're templates! Interesting!

Anyway the solution here:

template <class A> class AFriend;  // <- forward declare template

class ABase
{
public: friend class AFriend<int>;  // <- friend class.  don't forget the class
protected: ABase(){}
};

[AlwaysLearning]

Although you don't need to forward declare friends.

It looks like vs2008 wants me to forward declare them. I used the same example as above except removed the template parts and I get this error:

"error c2433: 'AFriend' : 'friend' no permitted on data declarations"

While adding class AFriend; to forward declare it passes.

Nm, I added 'class' in front of AFriend and now compiles fine.

Thanks for your help!