Storing C++ template function definitions in a .CPP file

The problem you describe can be solved by defining the template in the header, or via the approach you describe above.

I recommend reading the following points from the C++ FAQ Lite:

• Why can’t I separate the definition of my templates class from its declaration and put it inside a .cpp file?
• How can I avoid linker errors with my template functions?
• How does the C++ keyword export help with template linker errors?

They go into a lot of detail about these (and other) template issues.

For others on this page wondering what the correct syntax is (as did I) for explicit template specialisation (or at least in VS2008), its the following...

In your .h file...

template<typename T>
class foo
{
public:
    void bar(const T &t);
};

And in your .cpp file

template <class T>
void foo<T>::bar(const T &t)
{ }

// Explicit template instantiation
template class foo<int>;