Function prototypes and enum

Question

I've declared a global enum type in my program and want various functions within my program to return instances of the enum type. Here is my declaration:

#ifndef GLOBAL_H_
#define GLOBAL_H_
#include <SDL.h>
#include "LTexture.h"
#include "LButton.h"
#include "Initializationetc.h"

enum LButtonSprite
{
    BUTTON_SPRITE_MOUSE_OUT = 0,
    BUTTON_SPRITE_MOUSE_OVER_MOTION = 1,
    BUTTON_SPRITE_MOUSE_DOWN = 2,
    BUTTON_SPRITE_TOTAL = 2
};
...

However, when I go try and build a function that returns "LButtonSprite" the following happens:

#ifndef LBUTTON_H
#define LBUTTON_H
#include <SDL.h>
#include "Global.h"

class LButton
{
public:
    //Initializes internal variables
    LButton();

    //Sets top left position
    void setPosition(int x, int y);

    //Handles mouse event
    void handleEvent(SDL_Event* e);

    //Shows button sprite
    void render();

    LButtonSprite getCurrSprite();//here

private:
    //Button Position
    SDL_Point mPosition;

    //Button Sprite
    LButtonSprite mCurrentSprite; //and here.

};
#endif

It seems as if the Visual Studio is mistaking the function prototype LButtonSprite getCurrSprite(); for a declaration of a variable called getCurrSprite() of type LButtonSprite. The colour coding provided by VS (as seen above) seems to confirm this suspicion. Return types are blue, but LButtonSprite is light blue which is the colour reserved for variables.

The problem isn't just cosmetic unfortunately. I'm getting a bunch ofC4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int. I've added comments to the code at the lines where the error is occurring. The complete error log is included at the end of the post.

How can I correct this mistake?

Error log:

Error 2 error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 22 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 5 error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 29 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 8 error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 22 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 11 error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 29 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 14 error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\global.h 34 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 17 error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 22 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 20 error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 29 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 4 error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'mCurrentSprite' c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 29 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 10 error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'mCurrentSprite' c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 29 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 19 error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'mCurrentSprite' c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 29 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 1 error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'getCurrSprite' c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 22 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 7 error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'getCurrSprite' c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 22 1 SDL2_tutorials Error 16 error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'getCurrSprite' c:\users\adam\documents\visual studio 2013\projects\sdl2_tutorials\sdl2_tutorials\lbutton.h 22 1 SDL2_tutorials

Answer 1

Return types are blue

No – keywords are blue. Why else would enum, class, public and private be blue? Return types have no special syntax highlighting. The problem in your code is completely unrelated:

#ifndef GLOBAL_H_
#define GLOBAL_H_
#include <SDL.h>
#include "LTexture.h"
#include "LButton.h"

The last line includes (and thus declares) the LButton class, before you define your enum. Remove that line from the file, or define the enum before.

Answer 2

I'm assuming you use VS2012. In VS2012, all user defined types(return values are no exception) are colored light blue. Dark blue are reserved words.

The reason why your function's return type is light blue is because the return type is a user defined type.

Answer 3

From your code I see you have #include "LButton.h" probably containing the definition of class LButton before declaration of the enum LButtonSprite, therefore the IDE and the compiler does not see the LButtonSprite declared in the LButton, hence the wrong coloring.

You should include it the other way around, LButtonSprite.h into LButton.h