returning a string?

I've basically been playing with C++ more and more recently and one thing i've came accross is returning a string?

I tried to declare it in my header file while doing the prototypes and the VS .NET doesn't seem to like it, it was fine when i was using char but now i need to return two characters.

i included the string library so i'm now puzzled.

Code:

#include <string>
using namespace std;

string convert_num(int cnumber) {
	string temp;
	cnumber = (cnumber%13);
	switch (cnumber) {
		case 0:
			temp = 'K';
			break;
		case 1:
			temp = 'A';
			break;
		case 2:
			temp = '2';
			break;
		case 3:
			temp = '3';
			break;
		case 4:
			temp = '4';
			break;
		case 5:
			temp = '5';
			break;
		case 6:
			temp = '6';
			break;
		case 7:
			temp = '7';
			break;
		case 8:
			temp = '8';
			break;
		case 9:
			temp = '9';
			break;
		case 10:
			temp = '10';
			break;
		case 11:
			temp = 'J';
			break;
		case 12:
			temp = 'Q';
			break;
		default :
			temp = 'K';
			break;
	}
	return temp;
}

and in the head file

Code:

string convert_num(int cnumber);

and yes it is the customary blackjack game that everyone gets asked to do.

Your string variable temp is declared locally to the function convert_num. When the function exits, any variable/objects that you declare in such a manner are effectively destroyed and therefore unavailable to any function that calls convert_num and relies upon getting a valid string object returned from it. What you need to do is either pass in an additional string parameter (by pointer/reference) and modify that object in the function, or modify the function to return a pointer to a string object that you dynamically allocate and modify within the convert_num function.

Originally posted by hk_mp5kpdw
Your string variable temp is declared locally to the function convert_num. When the function exits, any variable/objects that you declare in such a manner are effectively destroyed and therefore unavailable to any function that calls convert_num and relies upon getting a valid string object returned from it. What you need to do is either pass in an additional string parameter (by pointer/reference) and modify that object in the function, or modify the function to return a pointer to a string object that you dynamically allocate and modify within the convert_num function.

What you're saying is very wrong. std::string doesn't work that way at all.

The only thing he has to do is to replace the singe-quotes (') with double quotes (")

c:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.SCOTT\My Documents\Visual Studio Projects\blackjack\deck.h(9): error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'convert_num'

c:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.SCOTT\My Documents\Visual Studio Projects\blackjack\deck.h(9): error C2501: 'string' : missing storage-class or type specifiers

which is the function prototype, the header file has the following

Code:

//
// Scott MacVicar
// Black Jack Game
//

void shuffle ();
char suit (int cnumber);
void deal (int array[10], int card);
string convert_num (int cnumber);

nevermind i feel stupid now

std::string convert_num (int cnumber);

works, silly namespaces