Any way to simplify this string return in my member function?

This is my member function to take the value and suit of a card and return a single string for both variables. (first year of college, go easy on me!) Is there a simpler way to do this? I tried to just return value + suit but I get a conversion error, and its probably more code to convert their type.

Code:

 
string PlayingCard::getCardCode()
{
    string cardCode;

    cardCode = value; // value is a char defined in the Class header
    cardCode += suit; // same for suit, both are defined in the default constructor and set to '0'

    return cardCode;
}

If you just want something concise, then:

Code:

string PlayingCard::getCardCode() const
{
    return string(1, value) + suit;
}

Note that the declared the member function const since it does not change the observable state of the PlayingCard.

Interesting, I haven't learned the const after the function method yet. I noticed that it does compile without the const, and also with the const on the end of the member function when I put it in the class declaration.

I assume specifying const like that prevents the getCardCode method from affecting the original values in the class?

Thanks for the reply, learned something new today!

Originally Posted by Striph

I assume specifying const like that prevents the getCardCode method from affecting the original values in the class?

Yep.
Prevents the method from modifying any variables stored in the class.

Originally Posted by Elysia

Yep.
Prevents the method from modifying any variables stored in the class.

You left out "non-mutable"

I did, but I did it on purpose. No need to confuse a newbie.