What is the equivalent of "return null" in cpp?

[kotoko]

Hi!

I'm trying to learn c++ coming from Java.
Could someone explain to me the way this works in c++?

I have a function returning an object and if I can't construct the object I want to do what in Java would be return null.

Here is the minimal working example that I would like to get to work.

#include <string>
using namespace std;

string readObjects(string line){
    return 0;
}

int main (int argc, char * const argv[]) {
    readObjects(s);
    return 0;
}

[bithub]

You can return an empty string to indicate an error. A better choice would probably be to throw an exception though.

[cpjust]

If you want to return null, you have to do what Java does and return a pointer.
But that's not usually the best idea. Just do what bithub suggested.