complex number overload

[jraul]

Suppose we have a complex number class and we overload the conversion
to double to return the real part. We also overload operator* to do
complex multiplication. Consider now:

complex a(...);
complex b(...);

complex c = a*b;

But the compiler complains ambiguity since it doesn't know whether to
do complex*complex, or convert to double first and do double*double.
Other than explicit casting is there a nice solution?

 

[rossum]

Suppose we have a complex number class and we overload the conversion
to double to return the real part. We also overload operator* to do
complex multiplication. Consider now:

complex a(...);
complex b(...);

complex c = a*b;

But the compiler complains ambiguity since it doesn't know whether to
do complex*complex, or convert to double first and do double*double.
Other than explicit casting is there a nice solution?

Don't overload the conversion to double, use a.real() and a.imag()
instead. With no conversion to double the compiler only has one
option: complex * complex.

rossum