FIX: ClassView Lacks "Go to Declaration" for Static Data Members (179012)

MORE INFORMATION

Consider the following class, presented for illustration only:

   // Class Definition and member declarations.
   class MyClass
   {
   public:
      // Data members
      static int  i;
      char        c;

      // Function members
      MyClass();
   };

   // Class member definitions.
   int MyClass::i = 0;
   MyClass::MyClass()
   {
      c = 0;
   }
				

Each instance of "MyClass" contains the normal data member "c". Such members are normally initialized in the class's constructor. In Visual C++'s ClassView pane, the menu resulting from right-clicking on MyClass member "c" correctly indicates that it has no implementation (or definition). However, a static data member, such as "i" in the example, requires an explicit definition in addition to its declaration inside the class definition. ClassView's option does not jump directly to such a definition.

Due to a bug in Visual C++ 6.0, clicking "Go To Definition" for a template class static member variable displays the following error message: For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Create a class with a static data member as in the example above.
2. Save the file.
3. Expand the class in VC++'s ClassView pane.
4. Right-click on the static member; there is no "Go to Declaration" option.

Workaround

The following is a suggested workaround:

1. In the ClassView pane, right-click on the member variable.
2. Select "References."
3. Rebuild with browse information if prompted to do so.
4. From the "Definitions" list, jump to either the declaration (.h file) or definition (.cpp file).