In the attached code partial specialization of struct apply in struct METAFUNCTION2 should be rejected according to C++ Standard 14.7.3/3:
A declaration of a function template or class template being explicitly specialized shall be in scope at the point of declaration of an explicit specialization. What's more troublesome is a fact that specialization in METAFUNCTION2 seems to affect the template in METAFUNCTION. The program produces: int double double while I would expect: int HELPER<float, double> double -- Summary: gcc fails to reject inclass partial specialization of iherited class template Product: gcc Version: 4.3.2 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: normal Priority: P3 Component: c++ AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: tomek at jot23 dot org http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=41341