Unsure how to set up methods in .cpp file when including a header with virtual methods

Question

Ok so I am new to c++ and have a assignment to create a sorted linked list with provided headers sortedlist.h and the node.h of course. I dont need help with any code within methods only how to set up my classes I'm more used to java than c++. my issue is when I tried creating the methods in the linkedSortedList.cpp file I get errors such

error: 'Elm' was not declared in this scope

error: template argument 1 is invalid

here is the provided sortedList.h with some documentation

#ifndef _SortedListClass_
#define _SortedListClass_

template <class Elm> class SortedList {
public:

// -------------------------------------------------------------------
// Pure virtual functions -- you must implement each of the following
// functions in your implementation:
// -------------------------------------------------------------------

// Clear the list.  Free any dynamic storage.

virtual void clear() = 0;          

// Insert a value into the list.  Return true if successful, false
// if failure.

virtual bool insert(Elm newvalue) = 0;

// Get AND DELETE the first element of the list, placing it into the
// return variable "value".  If the list is empty, return false, otherwise
// return true.

virtual bool getfirst(Elm &returnvalue) = 0;

// Print out the entire list to cout.  Print an appropriate message
// if the list is empty.  Note:  the "const" keyword indicates that
// this function cannot change the contents of the list.

virtual void print() const = 0;

// Check to see if "value" is in the list.  If it is found in the list,
// return true, otherwise return false.  Like print(), this function is
// declared with the "const" keyword, and so cannot change the contents
// of the list.

virtual bool find(Elm searchvalue) const = 0;

// Return the number of items in the list

virtual int size() const = 0;
 };

#endif

here is where I start trying to build my list here is my linkedSortedList.h in this file I get the error: expected class-name before '{' token and I am unsure why

#ifndef LINKEDSORTEDLIST_H
#define LINKEDSORTEDLIST_H

#include "SortedList.h"

template <class Elm> class linkedSortedList: public SortedList{
public:

 linkedSortedList();
~linkedSortedList();

 void clear() = 0;          

// Insert a value into the list.  Return true if successful, false
// if failure.

bool insert(Elm newvalue) = 0;

// Get AND DELETE the first element of the list, placing it into the
// return variable "value".  If the list is empty, return false, otherwise
// return true.

bool getfirst(Elm &returnvalue) = 0;

// Print out the entire list to cout.  Print an appropriate message
// if the list is empty.  Note:  the "const" keyword indicates that
// this function cannot change the contents of the list.

void print() const = 0;

// Check to see if "value" is in the list.  If it is found in the list,
// return true, otherwise return false.  Like print(), this function is
// declared with the "const" keyword, and so cannot change the contents
// of the list.

bool find(Elm searchvalue) const = 0;

// Return the number of items in the list

int size() const = 0;

private:

};

#endif  /* LINKEDSORTEDLIST_H */

And Here is my linkedSortedList.cpp in this file I get error on just about all of my methods saying: error: 'Elm' was not declared in this scope

error: template argument 1 is invalid

error: 'Elm' was not declared in this scope

error: expected ',' or ';' before '{' token

#include "linkedSortedList.h"
#include "LinkedNode.h"
template <class Elm>


linkedSortedList<Elm>::linkedSortedList() {
}


linkedSortedList<Elm>::~linkedSortedList() {
}



// Clear the list.  Free any dynamic storage.

void linkedSortedList<Elm>::clear(){

}      

// Insert a value into the list.  Return true if successful, false
// if failure.

bool linkedSortedList<Elm>::insert(Elm newvalue){

}

// Get AND DELETE the first element of the list, placing it into the
// return variable "value".  If the list is empty, return false, otherwise
// return true.

bool linkedSortedList<Elm>::getfirst(Elm &returnvalue){

}

// Print out the entire list to cout.  Print an appropriate message
// if the list is empty.  Note:  the "const" keyword indicates that
// this function cannot change the contents of the list.

void linkedSortedList<Elm>::print(){

}


// Check to see if "value" is in the list.  If it is found in the list,
// return true, otherwise return false.  Like print(), this function is
// declared with the "const" keyword, and so cannot change the contents
// of the list.

bool linkedSortedList<Elm>::find(Elm searchvalue){

}

// Return the number of items in the list
 int linkedSortedList<Elm>::size(){

 }
;

I figure I am either missing something or just comppletely off with my class construction like I said this is my first c++ work so I don't know much if you could show or explain how I should be doing this that'd be much appreciated. Thank you in advance for all the help and everything I learn from it

Answer 1

You should put

template <class Elm>

before every method in cpp file. Not only before the first one. Without this line compiler does not know that Elm is a template argument.

Answer 2

You need to tell the SortedList what type it is using:

template <class Elm> class linkedSortedList: public SortedList <Elm>{