c++ - Trying to set up a class thru .h and .cpp files -- why do I get these errors? -

i'm using g++ on debian 8.2 jessie.

i'm learning classes in c++. think understand basics, not how instantiate class objects header files.

here's movie.h:

#ifndef movie_h #define movie_h  #include <string> #include <iostream>  class movie { private:     std::string     m_title;     int             m_releaseyear;     std::string     m_description; public:     movie(std::string &title, int releaseyear, std::string &description);     ~movie()     {         std::cout << "\ndestructor called\n";     }      void        setmovieinfo(std::string &title, int releaseyear, std::string &description);      std::string gettitle();     int         getreleaseyear();     std::string getdescription();     void        printinfo(); };  #endif 

then there's movie.cpp:

#include "movie.h"  // movie constructor movie::movie(std::string &title, int releaseyear, std::string &description) {     setmovieinfo(std::string &title, int releaseyear, std::string &description); }  // movie mem function void movie::setmovieinfo(const std::string &title, const int releaseyear, const std::string &description) {     m_title=            title;     m_releaseyear=      releaseyear;     m_description=      description; }  std::string movie::gettitle() {     return m_title; }  int movie::getreleaseyear() {     return m_releaseyear; }  std::string movie::getdescription() {     return m_description; }  void movie::printinfo() {     std::cout << "title: " << m_title << '\n';     std::cout << "year: " << m_releaseyear << '\n';     std::cout << "description" << m_description << '\n'; } 

and main.cpp:

#include "movie.h"  int main(){     std::string     title;     int             releaseyear;     std::string     description;      title=          "blade runner";     releaseyear=    1982;     description=    "harrison ford's character hunts group of runaway four-year-olds.";      movie bladerunner(title, releaseyear, description);     bladerunner.printinfo();      return 0; } 

i ran g++ -wall movie.cpp main.cpp -o main.sh && ./main.sh, got output:

movie.cpp: in constructor ‘movie::movie(std::string&, int, std::string&)’: movie.cpp:6:27: error: expected primary-expression before ‘&’ token   setmovieinfo(std::string &title, int releaseyear, std::string &description);                            ^ movie.cpp:6:35: error: expected primary-expression before ‘int’   setmovieinfo(std::string &title, int releaseyear, std::string &description);                                    ^ movie.cpp:6:64: error: expected primary-expression before ‘&’ token   setmovieinfo(std::string &title, int releaseyear, std::string &description);                                                                 ^ movie.cpp: @ global scope: movie.cpp:10:6: error: prototype ‘void movie::setmovieinfo(const string&, int, const string&)’ not match in class ‘movie’  void movie::setmovieinfo(const std::string &title, const int releaseyear, const std::string &description)       ^ in file included movie.cpp:1:0: movie.h:20:8: error: candidate is: void movie::setmovieinfo(std::string&, int, std::string&)   void  setmovieinfo(std::string &title, int releaseyear, std::string &description);         ^ 

reference parameters functions can little confusing. while define function with

void foo(int& i){} 

when call function, not need pass reference. call

foo(x); 

rather

foo(&x); 

it can confusing. in case, call

movie bladerunner(title, releaseyear, description); 

also, it's worth noting in code there no reason have parameters constructor reference parameters. reduce memory usage little, shouldn't concern when you're first trying code working. movie(std::string title, int releaseyear, std::string description) fine.