This question follows to my previous question Get type of the parameter, templates, C++ There is the following data structure: Object1.h template <class T> class Object1 { private: T a1; T a2; public: T getA1() {return a1;} typedef T type; }; Object2.h template <class T> class Object2: public Object1 <T> { private: T b1; T b2; public: T getB1() {return b1;} } List.h template <typename Item> struct TList { typedef std::vector <Item> Type; }; template <typename Item> class List { private: typename TList <Item>::Type items; }; Is there any way how to get type T of an object from the list of objects (i.e. Object is not a direct parameter of the function but a template parameter)? template <class Object> void process (List <Object> *objects) { typename Object::type a1 = objects[0].getA1(); // g++ error: 'Object1<double>*' is not a class, struct, or union type } But his construction works (i.e. Object represents a parameter of the function) template <class Object> void process (Object *o1) { typename Object::type a1 = o1.getA1(); // OK }