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You receive an "error C2233:'<Unknown>' : arrays of objects containing zero-size arrays are illegal" error message in Visual C++ when you compile a template class that contains a data member

Article ID: 216977 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q216977

SYMPTOMS

When you compile a template class that contains a data member that is an array of a second template class, and the second class contains a data member that is an array, and the size of both arrays is dependent on a template parameter, you may receive the following error:

error C2233: '<Unknown>' : arrays of objects containing zero-size arrays are illegal

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RESOLUTION

Use a pointer instead of an array. Allocate the space for the array in the constructor, and deallocate the space for the array in the destructor.

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STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

This bug has been fixed in Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack 5 (SP5).

To download service pack 5, see the Visual Studio Product Updates page on the following Microsoft Web site at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/280367

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/280367)

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MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

template <int k>
class A
{
    char x[k];
};

template <int h, int j>
class B  
{
     A<h> y[j];
};

Workaround

template <int k>
class A
{
    char *x;
    A() {
        x = new char[k];
    }
    ~A() {
        delete[] x;
    }
};
template <int h, int j>
class B  
{
     A<h> y[j];
};

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