C++ template specialization without default function

Question

I have the following code that compiles and works well:

template
T GetGlobal(const char *name);

template<>
int GetGlobal(cons         


        

Answer 1

The following are alternative techniques to using boost:

Declare a typedef to a dependent name

This works because name lookup for DONT only occurs when 'T' has been replaced. This is a similar (but legal) version of the example given by Kirill

template 
T GetGlobal (const char * name) {
    typedef typename T::DONT CALL_THIS_FUNCTION;
}

Use an incomplete return type

This technique doesn't work for specializations, but it will work for overloads. The idea is that its legal to declare a function which returns an incomplete type, but not to call it:

template 
class DONT_CALL_THIS_FUNCTION GetGlobal (const char * name);