Import statement in a test file

[KinAZ]

Hi,
  I'm just curious. Why isn't the implementation file directly imported into a test file? The implementation file contains all of the nitty gritty definitions of variables and methods - both of which the test file needs to execute successfully. What's the point of directly importing only the header file, the fluff so to speak, into the test file?

[skochan]

As you know, the implementation file contains the code.  That's combined with the test program when your file is "loaded" or "linked."  Typically, the code for your classes may be put into a system library (such as is  the case with the framework classes) and can be extracted from the library during this link edit phase.  In that way, only the code that is actually used by your program needs to be put into your final executable.  Plus it allows the code for classes (again, as is the case  for the framework classes) to be shared among programmers simply by having them all link with the appropriate library.

Cheers,

Steve Kochan

[KinAZ]

Ahhh. Thanks!