CWG Issue 296 (original) (raw)

This is an unofficial snapshot of the ISO/IEC JTC1 SC22 WG21 Core Issues List revision 117a. See http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/ for the official list.

2025-04-13

296. Can conversion functions be static?

Section: 11.4.8.3 [class.conv.fct]Status: CD1Submitter: Scott MeyersDate: 5 Jul 2001

[Moved to DR at October 2002 meeting.]

May user-defined conversion functions be static? That is, should this compile?

class Widget {
public:
  static operator bool() { return true; }
};

All my compilers hate it. I hate it, too. However, I don't see anything in 11.4.8.3 [class.conv.fct] that makes it illegal. Is this a prohibition that arises from the grammar, i.e., the grammar doesn't allow "static" to be followed by a_conversion-function-id_ in a member function declaration? Or am I just overlooking something obvious that forbids static conversion functions?

Proposed Resolution (4/02):

Add to 11.4.8.3 [class.conv.fct] as a new paragraph 7:

Conversion functions cannot be declared static.