member initializer 'SuperClass' does not name a non-static data member or base class

Question

I have a problem with some of my constructors. Both subclasses need to get the same classes (no super class), that is why these classes should be initialized in the super class:

template<typename T, typename S>   
class SuperClass {
protected:
    OtherClass <T> const& _class1;
    OtherOtherClass <T> const& _class2;

    SuperClass() {

    }

    SuperClass(OtherClass<T> const& class1, OtherOtherClass<T> const& class2)
        : _class1(class1), _class2(class2)
    {
            // Alternative I tried:
            // this->_class1 = class1;
            // this->_class2 = class2;
    }

I tried to use it through:

    template<typename T, typename S> 
    class SubClass1 : public SuperClass<T, S> {
    private:
        someFunc() {
            return this->_class1.getSomething(); // as an example
        }

    public:
        SubClass1(OtherClass<T> const& class1,
                OtherOtherClass<T> const& class2)
                : SuperClass(class1, class2)
            {
                // some definitions
            }

     }

After that this error shows up:

member initializer 'SuperClass' does not name a non-static data member or base class

I found some people with similar problems, but it did not lead me to the solution. For example: member initializer does not name a non-static data member or base class I did not see many difference there and tried to add an empty constructor like he did.

Answer 1

The error says it all:

member initializer ' SuperClass ' does not name a non-static data member or base class

SuperClass is not a class. It's a class template . As such, it's not the base class of your type. The base class is a specific instantiation of the class template: SuperClass<T,S> . That's what you need:

    SubClass1(OtherClass<T> const& class1,
            OtherOtherClass<T> const& class2)
    : SuperClass<T,S>(class1, class2)
    //          ^^^^^