Enforcing type of function arguments in C++ -

i try achieve function gets passed parameters simple (e.g. std::string) cannot permuted.

imagine 2 functions like

void showfullname(std::string firstname, std::string lastname) {     cout << "hello " << firstname << " " << lastname << endl; }  void someotherfunction() {     std::string a("john");     std::string b("doe");      showfullname(a, b); // (1) ok     showfullname(b, a); // (2) trying prevent } 

as can see 1 can mix order of function parameters - try prevent.

my first thought kind of typedef, e.g.

typedef std::string firstname; typedef std::string lastname;  void showfullname(firstname firstname, lastname lastname) //... 

but (at gnu's) c++ compiler not behave want ;)

does have solutions this?

a compiler can't read mind , know string holds name , string holds surname (they don't speak english, afterall). 2 std::string objects interchangeable far compiler concerned (and typedef creates alias type, not new type).

you can encapsulate strings in custom classes:

struct name {     std::string str; };  struct lastname {     std::string str; };  void showfullname(name name, lastname lastname) { /* ... */ }