implementing template specialization leading to advanced patterns in C++17
I've hit a wall trying to I'm working on a project and hit a roadblock. I'm stuck on something that should probably be simple. I've searched everywhere and can't find a clear answer. I'm working with a rather puzzling scenario with template specialization in C++17. I have a templated class designed to handle different types, but in some cases, the specialization does not seem to behave as expected. Here’s a simplified version of my code: ```cpp #include <iostream> #include <string> template<typename T> class MyClass { public: void print() { std::cout << "Generic version: " << typeid(T).name() << std::endl; } }; // Specialization for std::string template<> class MyClass<std::string> { public: void print() { std::cout << "Specialized version for std::string" << std::endl; } }; int main() { MyClass<int> obj1; MyClass<std::string> obj2; obj1.print(); obj2.print(); return 0; } ``` When I run the code, I expect the output to clearly indicate which version of `print` is being invoked. The output is as follows: ``` Generic version: int Specialized version for std::string ``` However, when I try adding an additional specialization for `const char*`, I’m not getting the expected behavior: ```cpp // Specialization for const char* template<> class MyClass<const char*> { public: void print() { std::cout << "Specialized version for const char*" << std::endl; } }; ``` After adding this specialization, if I create an object of `MyClass<const char*>`, I expect it to call the specialized version. But instead, I get a linker behavior indicating that the specialization is not defined: ``` behavior: undefined reference to `MyClass<const char*>::print()' ``` I have verified that the specialization is indeed defined in the same scope and that I've included all necessary headers. I've also tried using the `-fno-inline` flag during the compilation, but it doesn't seem to help. Has anyone else encountered this scenario? What could be causing the linker behavior for the `const char*` specialization? Is there something I’m missing in terms of template specialization rules in C++17? I'd really appreciate any guidance on this. I'm open to any suggestions. My development environment is Windows 10. Thanks for any help you can provide!