C++ friend function generation & import

[sl@sh]

I have a C++ class that basically looks like this (header file):

Code: [Select]

class CFoo {
public:
   // ...
   friend void bar();
};
And the CFoo implementation file contains the implementation of the friend function bar as well:

Code: [Select]

void bar(){
   // do something
}
I've got two problems with respect to EA here:

1. On import, EA ignores the existing implementation of bar(), although I have switched on synchronization of implementation files.

2. If I define a class within EA under the same premises, and create the method implementation for bar() within the 'Initial Code' section, this implementation gets created under the name CFoo::bar()!

Apparently EA does not recognize that calling a method 'friend' within a class also removes it from class scope. This is probably also the reason why it doesn't recognize the already existing implementation: since the class scope qualifier is missing EA thinks it is another function!

Obviously the fix would be to have the code generation templates take the 'friend' stereotype into account: when generating method bodies, the class scope qualifier should be omitted for 'friend' methods.

But if I fix these templates, will this also affect import? I am asking this because it appears EA ignores global functions on principle - and these functions *will* in syntax and effect be global!

Any ideas?

[Eve]

My interpretation is that a friend function doesn't actually belong to a class, it's more of a forward declaration that this function exists somewhere and is allowed to access my private members.

As such, I think that no implementation should be generated at all for friend functions.  (And I have recorded this to be fixed)

[sl@sh]

I agree - especially if said friend function is actually a method within another class, it will already have a body within that class.

However, fixing this would also destroy my workaround for defining global operators within the model (see http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=UMLPRO;action=display;num=1181029452 ) So, if the generation of friend function implementation gets suppresed in a future release, could you please add an option to stick with the current behaviour? Preferrably at function level? Or maybe you can think of sth else - I rather like my idea of defining a container for global functions by defining those operators 'friend' to the container...