Thread: String and char* compatibility

  1. #1
    Registered User larry's Avatar
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    String and char* compatibility

    If I use string class for all strings in my code, how do I ensure compatibility with functions (e.g. math - atof()) that require char* type? In case of atof(), I use this: "atof(&thestring[0])". It works, because atof() has parameter as const, it doesn't change it. But if there is any other function with non-const char* parameter, how do I properly pass a string (from string class) to it?
    Please excuse my poor english...

  2. #2
    of Zen Hall zen's Avatar
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    To convert strings to const char*'s you should use the member function c_str() to guarantee portability.

    Unless you copy the const char* returned from c_str() into a char array first, modify that and pass it back into the string, you can't directly pass a string object into a function that modifies a char[]. Depending on what you are trying to achieve there may be a function that does what you want using a string rather than a character array.
    zen

  3. #3
    Registered User larry's Avatar
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    thanx

    (I've heard about c_str() before, but never used it)
    Please excuse my poor english...

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