The **"expression must have class type"** is an error that is thrown when the `.` operator, which is typically used to access an object's *fields and methods*, is used on *pointers to objects*. 

When used on a pointer to an object, the `.` operator will try to find the pointer's fields or methods, but it won't, because they do not exist. These fields or methods are part of an *object*, rather than a part of the *pointer to an object*.

## Wrong code
The code below tries to apply the `.` operator on a pointer to an object, rather than on an object itself. The code throws an "expression must have class type"​ error.

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Myclass
{
  public:
    void myfunc() {
      cout<<"Hello World"<<endl;
    }
};

int main()
{
  // A pointer to our class is created. 
  Myclass *a = new Myclass();
  // myfunc is part of the class object, rather than
  // part of the pointer to that class' object.
  a.myfunc(); 
}

## Correct code
The code below correctly applies the `.` operator on an object to access the object's member functions. Since `a` is now a class object, the code does not throw any error.

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Myclass
{
  public:
    void myfunc() {
      cout<<"Hello World"<<endl;
    }
};

int main()
{
  // A class object of Myclass is created. 
  Myclass a ;
  // The . operator is used to access the class' methods.
  a.myfunc(); 
}

How to resolve the "expression must have class type" error in C++

Wrong code

Correct code