header - Shared string constant in C++ -

i want define string constant can used various classes. created header file , added:

namespace myconstants {     extern const char* constant1 = "somestring"; } 

this header gets included in several .cpp files access string.

this gives me following linker error:

fatal error lnk1169: 1 or more multiply defined symbols found

how need change string's declaration make linker error go away?

you need value defined in 1 translation unit, , leave pure declaration in headers.

namespace myconstants {     extern const char* constant1; } 

and in 1 translation unit:

namespace myconstants {     extern const char* constant1 = "somestring"; }