Problem with inlining functions gives “Member access into incomplete type” compiler error

Question

I have an issue with implementing inline functions in one of my classes.

I have successfully inlined functions for one of the classes that this class manages as follows:

    static bool filterInfected( Person* p ) { return p->isInfected(); }

the header file for Person is included in this classes.hpp file

BUT

When I try to inline another function for another managed class using a similar protocol:

static int accumulateInfected( GroupHeader* groupHeader ) { return groupHeader->getNumInfected(); }

I get a compiler error "Member access into incomplete type 'GroupHeader'"

As with the Person* above, the header file for GroupHeader is included in this classes.hpp file

If I move the function body out of the heder file into the.cpp source file everything works jut fine, but I have many one-line access functions that I want to inline to remove clutter from the implementation file.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, if you need more information, dont hesitate to ask.

Thanks in anticipation

Terry

Answer 1

Fixed, by including the header file for GroupHeader directly in the header file for GroupMaster. This didn't initially work because the GroupHeader.hpp file was including the GroupMaster.hpp file (there must have been a good reason for this sometime.) deleting this header from the GroupHeader.hpp file fixed my issue and didn't break anything else.

Note to self: Check and re-check all header includes; are they really necessary, or will a forward class declaration suffice?

Thanks to everyone who responded to my initial question.