In C++, I can access private variables of a struct, but not the private variables within the sub-struct -

struct teachers {     private:         int graddate;         int quote;         string name;         string school;         struct smallboard         {             private:                 vector<string> grade;                 vector<string> school;                 vector<string> emblem;                 vector<int> year;         };         smallboard sb;     public:         static void retrieveinformation(vector<teachers> &_teachers);         static void t_addinfo(vector<teachers> &_teachers, teachers teachers_);         static void s_addinfo(vector<teachers::smallboard> &_smallboard, teachers::smallboard smallboard_); }; 

i can say

teachers tempt;   tempt.name = "bob"; 

but whenever attempt access variable within smallboard struct tells me private. i'm assuming method of accessing smallboard incorrect, how accomplish that?

declaring smallboard nested type inside of teachers not change fact smallboard still own data type own access rules. in order teachers access private members of smallboard, teachers must declared friend of smallboard.

struct smallboard { private:     vector<string> grade;     vector<string> school;     vector<string> emblem;     vector<int> year;      friend struct teachers; }; 

also, if smallboard declared private type of teachers cannot used in parameters of public methods of teachers, since callers never able access or instantiate smallboard objects. have make smallboard public:

struct teachers { private:     int graddate;     int quote;     string name;     string school;     smallboard sb;  public:     struct smallboard     {     private:         vector<string> grade;         vector<string> school;         vector<string> emblem;         vector<int> year;      friend struct teachers;     };      static void retrieveinformation(vector<teachers> &_teachers);     static void t_addinfo(vector<teachers> &_teachers, teachers teachers_);     static void s_addinfo(vector<teachers::smallboard> &_smallboard, teachers::smallboard smallboard_); };