#include <vector>
#include <string>

using namespace std;  

size_t test (vector<string> &strings) {
	return strings.begin().length();
}


We get this error:

error: no member named 'length' in '__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<std::basic_string<char> *, std::vector<std::basic_string<char>, std::allocator<std::basic_string<char>>>>'; did you mean to use '->' instead of '.'?


It'd be nice to say something like:

error: no member named 'length' in 'vector<string>::iterator' (aka '...'); did you mean to use '->' instead of '.'?

i.e. use the spelling in the declaration of vector<T>::begin, scoped to the spelling used to declare 'strings'.


(If it matters, GCC doesn't do any better.)