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Need help converting Array of Member Variable to Vector

Consider the following class:

namespace GuiAppTest01 {
	public ref class CatClass {

	private:
		System::Windows::Forms::GroupBox^  groupBox1;

	public:
		void AddCat(System::Windows::Forms::Panel^ Panel);
	};

	void CatClass::AddCat(System::Windows::Forms::Panel^ Panel)  {
		this->groupBox1 = (gcnew System::Windows::Forms::GroupBox());
		this->groupBox1->Parent = Panel;
		this->groupBox1->Dock = System::Windows::Forms::DockStyle::Top;
		this->groupBox1->Location = System::Drawing::Point(0, 0);
		this->groupBox1->Name = L"groupBox1";
		this->groupBox1->Size = System::Drawing::Size(20, 40);
		this->groupBox1->TabIndex = 0;
		this->groupBox1->TabStop = false;
		this->groupBox1->Text = L"I'm a cat!";
	}
}

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I am able to create and assign an array of variables using this class like such:

array<CatClass ^> ^ Cats;

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And inside the Constructor, I initialiase the memory like so:

Cats = gcnew array<CatClass ^>(2);

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Using this array is easy, by simply allocating memory for each element and then using it, like this:

				Cats[0] = (gcnew CatClass);
				Cats[0]->AddCat(this->panel1);
				Cats[1] = (gcnew CatClass);
				Cats[1]->AddCat(this->panel1);

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The problem is that we all know that Arrays are evil as they cannot be increased on the fly - and the recommended solution of course is to use vectors.

How would I go about creating a vector of this reference class and using it? I've tried all sorts of combinations of stuff, but I get various errors - as follows:

std::vector<CatClass>

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IntelliSense: a using-declaration or access declaration cannot appear in a managed class

std::vector<CatClass^> CatVector;

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IntelliSense: a member of a managed class cannot be of a non-managed class type

std::vector<CatClass> & CatVector;

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error C2758: 'GuiAppTest01::MainForm::CatVector' : must be initialized in constructor base/member initializer list

All of the searches I've done have less complex variable types exampled in vectors, so I need to ask the experts. Using Visual Studio 2012 Express

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sarabande

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LesterClayton

ASKER

Thank you :) You have helped me a great deal. This is what I've got now:

	
		List<CatClass^> ^CatList;
		CatList = gcnew List<CatClass ^>;    // Inside the Constructor

		CatClass ^cat;                       // Declare a new variable
		cat = (gcnew CatClass);              // Allocate memory
		cat->AddCat(this->panel1);
		CatList->Add(cat);                   // Store in list :D

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LesterClayton

ASKER

Thanks for the helpful tip :)