Compiler Ignoring Default Arguments?

[zb0S216C]

It seems as though my default argument for my function is being ignored by my compiler. It's quite confusing. Here's my function + definition:

Prototype: type_spec &acquire( const Index );

Note that Index is a type-defined unsigned int.

Definition:

template < typename type_spec >
type_spec &Group< type_spec >::acquire( const Index index = 0U )
{
    // Body omitted.
}

The default value for the index parameter is being ignored. The compiler says:

"error C2660: Group<type_spec>::acquire' : function does not take 0 arguments"

Ideas?

_Wazzak

[zb0S216C]

Never mind. It turns out that the prototype needs the default argument as well.

_Wazzak

[rapidcoder]

This is caused by the fact that C++ uses default arguments at the client side, instead of compiling them into the function body. This leads to some paradoxes like this:

class Base {
  virtual void print(lang: string = "C++") {  cout << lang << " rocks"; }
};

class Derived: public Base {
  virtual void print(lang: string = "PHP") {  cout << lang << " sucks"; }
};

Base* object = new Derived();
object->print();  // guess what it prints?