Compiler Giving Me Wacko Errors

[jalfor]

My computer is giving me some errors that make me fear for it's mental health. They all seem to follow the following pattern:

/usr/include/c++/4.6/bits/stl_tree.h|1068|multiple definition of `<some variable>'

At the moment it is saying metal is the thing that has a multiple definition, but if I get rid of metal entirely from my project, it starts complaining about currentElement. Metal is an object of the element class, and currentElement is a pointer to one of elements (At the moment there is only metal).

Now, if you have a look at what is on the lines it is complaining about, you will see why I am considering sending my computer to get some psychological help.

This is line 1068 of stl_tree.h

_Rb_tree<_Key, _Val, _KeyOfValue, _Compare, _Alloc>::

And this is what exists where it says it is first defined

value = valueIn;

It appears to have something to do with the element class because the supposed first definition is in a function for the class:

void element::defValues(unsigned char valueIn, unsigned char redIn, unsigned char greenIn, unsigned char blueIn)
{
    value = valueIn;
    red   = redIn;
    green = greenIn;
    blue  = blueIn;
}

Thanks for any help

[PanGalactic]

This is often cause by one of three things: failure to use include guards, using macros that conflict with std library symbols, or defining symbols/types used by the std library. It is illegal, for example, for you to define symbols or macros that start with one or two underscores; they could conflict with the compiler or std library symbols.

The fun part is that the source of these sorts of problems are rarely where the compiler raises the error.