template namespace

[thephysicsguru]

The following questions are from a purely pedagogical view: When a class or function is created using a template and this template is such that it can be used to handle strings, should you add #include <string> at the top of the header file? Also, should you add a 'using std::string'?

// foo.h
#ifndef SOMECLASS_H_
#define SOMECLASS_H_

// FOLLOWING NECESSARY?
//#include <string>
//using std::string;  

template <typename T>
class foo
{
public;
foo(T item);
~foo();
T someFunc();
private:
T m_item;
}; /* end class foo */

template <typename T>
foo::foo(T item) : m_item(item) {}
foo::~foo() {}
T foo::someFunc() { ... }


#endif /* SOMECLASS_H_ */ 

As always, thanks in advance.

[Peter87]

You should not include <string> in foo.h just because T can be std::string. If in some other file you use foo<std::string> you include <string> in that file instead.

[thephysicsguru]

thanks!!