Dear Readers of comp.std.c++:

I have been reading this newsgroup for a short time, I have perused the
comp.lang.c++ FAQ and The Annotated C++ Reference Manual [ARM] to no
avail.  My question is simple:

Does the ANSI Standard for C++ require that all ANSI compliant C++
compilers support the use of forward references when the class which
is declared via forward reference is also used as the return
type of member function but is not a data member or base class?

An example will hopefully make my question clearer:

// Example Class

class already_defined_class;

class Example {
public:
   void Example();
   void ~Example();
   already_defined_class MemberFunctionA();
}

The ARM p 196 in the Note states:

  Note that a class that has been named but not yet declared cannot be used
  as a base class (just as it cannot be used to declare variables - other
  than static members - until it has itself been declared).

My reading of the ARM with this reference and the reference on p 167-169
leads me to believe that all syntatically legal uses of the forward
reference class, e.g. already_defined_class, are allowed with the
exception of use as a base class and use as a data member.

Any and all pointers, guidance, and help will be gratefully appreciated.

Sincerely,

David G. Stahl
--
David G. Stahl                                      Stoner Associates
Software Developer                                  P.O. Box 86
                                                    Carlisle, PA  17013-0086
David.Stahl@Stoner.Com                              717 243 1900 (voice)
    d.stahl@ieee.com                                717 243 5564 (fax)
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I do not speak for Stoner Associates.
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--
David G. Stahl                                      Stoner Associates
Software Developer                                  P.O. Box 86
                                                    Carlisle, PA  17013-0086
David.Stahl@Stoner.Com                              (717) 243-1900