the standard and data member value assignment

[Christopher]

I have been told to complete an assignment in a linux enviroment. I don't
have it so I started up my copy of VS. I am not allowed to alter the files
supplied to me, but only to implement the blanks, blah. well the instructor
made the following statement:

class foo
{
public:
const int MAX_DATA_SIZE = 30;
// ...snipped
};

my compiler doesn't like that idea and gives me an error regarding the
assignment of a value there.
so my question is: what does the standard have to say about the line in
question so that I can justify
my remaking it into a #define or not?

Thanx,
Christopher

 

[Victor Bazarov]

I have been told to complete an assignment in a linux enviroment. I don't
have it so I started up my copy of VS. I am not allowed to alter the files
supplied to me, but only to implement the blanks, blah. well the instructor
made the following statement:

class foo
{
public:
const int MAX_DATA_SIZE = 30;
// ...snipped
};

my compiler doesn't like that idea and gives me an error regarding the
assignment of a value there.

Outdated compiler. Nothing you can do about it, really.

so my question is: what does the standard have to say about the line in
question so that I can justify
my remaking it into a #define or not?

The Standard says it's allowed.

If you aren't supposed to change anything that is already there,
find a better compiler. MinGW should do it (it's basically GCC).

Victor