c++ compilation error: call of overloaded ‘(char*&)’ is ambiguous

Question

I'm trying to convert a code in C to C++ language and I get an error but I've no idea what's the source of the problem.

here is the source code: http://pastebin.com/PnKvgNsR

The error message is:

call of overloaded ‘dateTimeToMinutes(char*&)’ is ambiguous

Compiling with g++4.7.1 (included c++11 standard).

Post the pertinent sections here, don't have the time to go elsewhere... — Nim, Sep 25 '12 at 13:03
You must have another decl of dateTimeToMinutes in your header file. — CrazyCasta, Sep 25 '12 at 13:05
We dont have idea what's source of the problem too, post some code — Denis Ermolin, Sep 25 '12 at 13:14
There may be another declaration of `dateTimeToMinutes()` that is not in the `RabQavSystem` namespace. Since you are `using namespace RabQavSystem;`, that may cause the problem. — Lyubomir Vasilev, Sep 25 '12 at 13:15

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 25 '12 at 13:17

2

In your cpp file specify the namespace RabQavSystem in your definitions of dateTimeXXX functions.

int RabQavSystem::dateTimeDifference(DateTime datetime1, DateTime datetime2) 
{
    ...
}

int RabQavSystem::dateTimeToMinutes(DateTime datetime)
{
    ...
}

answered Sep 25 '12 at 13:17

home_monkey

79
1
5

Thanks man ! I thought I tried to be more specific but it really worked for me.. – MiP Sep 25 '12 at 13:25

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 25 '12 at 13:27

In your header, you declare two functions in the RabQavSystem namespace:

namespace RabQavSystem {
    int dateTimeToMinutes(DateTime datetime);
    int dateTimeDifference(DateTime datetime1, DateTime datetime2);
}

In your source file, you declare and define new functions in the global namespace; these are not definitions of the functions declared in the header, but of different functions in a different namespace:

int dateTimeDifference(DateTime datetime1, DateTime datetime2) {
    // ....
}

int dateTimeToMinutes(DateTime datetime) {
    // ....
}

Then using namespace RabQavSystem; pulls the other function names into the global namespace, causing the ambiguity.

To fix it, you want to define the functions in your namespace, not the global namespace:

int RabQavSystem::dateTimeDifference(DateTime datetime1, DateTime datetime2) {
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
}

int RabQavSystem::dateTimeToMinutes(DateTime datetime) {
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
}

c++ compilation error: call of overloaded ‘(char*&)’ is ambiguous

2 Answers2