Thread: question about string literal

Code:

#DEFINE STRING_CONSTANT "String Literal";

char * string_constant = "String Literal";

In the lines above, a string literal is when I actually have quotes surrounding the literal text. It's when I actually specify the exact string. In my opinion, string constant could mean two things. It could mean the #define statement that I have first. This is usually how constants are done in C. It means that before your code is compiled, every occurence of STRING_CONSTANT will be swapped with the string literal. The second line just puts that string somewhere in the applications memory, and gives me a pointer to it. I can create new pointers to it, etc... but I can't edit the original string because it's hard-coded into the application. That is why this method is also called a string constant.

C++ has a keyword for declaring things as constants ('const'), but this is how it's done in C.

@sean, What you are saying are not *true*.

My apologies, can you point out my mistake?

edit: Ah yes I see - one can actually edit the string when a literal is assigned to a pointer.

Originally Posted by Prelude

> Could you please explain what is the difference between "string literal" and "string constant"?
String literal is standard terminology for a sequence of zero or more characters surrounded by double quotes. String constant is not a term used in the C standard, so it could mean whatever the speaker wants. Most often when both are used, they mean essentially the same thing.

I am more clear!
Thank you very much!

Originally Posted by sean

Code:

#DEFINE STRING_CONSTANT "String Literal";

char * string_constant = "String Literal";

In the lines above, a string literal is when I actually have quotes surrounding the literal text. It's when I actually specify the exact string. In my opinion, string constant could mean two things. It could mean the #define statement that I have first. This is usually how constants are done in C. It means that before your code is compiled, every occurence of STRING_CONSTANT will be swapped with the string literal. The second line just puts that string somewhere in the applications memory, and gives me a pointer to it. I can create new pointers to it, etc... but I can't edit the original string because it's hard-coded into the application. That is why this method is also called a string constant.

C++ has a keyword for declaring things as constants ('const'), but this is how it's done in C.

Thank you very much for detailed explanation!