'const' getting in the way

this is some of my code, could you work out how i am suppose to do this?


/*from main.cpp*/

Code:

---

student.read(cin);
student.print(cout) << endl;

---

/*from student.h*/

Code:

---

class Student {
 public:
        const char * getStudentID() const;
        const char * getStudentName() const;
        const char * getStudents() const;
        ostream& print(ostream& stream) const;
        istream& read(istream& stream) const;
 private:
        string StudentName;
        int StudentID;

}

---

/*from student.cpp*/

Code:

---

const char * Student::getStudents() const{
  string tmp;
  tmp = getStudentName();
  tmp += ": ";
  tmp += getStudentID();

  return (const char *) tmp.c_str();
}

ostream& Student::print(ostream& stream = cout) const {
  stream << getStudents() << endl;
  return stream;
}

istream& Student::read(istream& stream) const {

  /*What goes here? any help?
      getline(stream, name);  //student name
      getline(stream, id); //student id
      want to do..
      StudentName = name;
      StudentID = id;
      but this wont work..
  */

      return stream;
}

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im not sure how to write the read function. Could anyone give me a hand?
I would like the read function to read in the student's details (the Student's Name, and ID) and then call the function getStudents();

The main problem im having is to do with the const. It wont let me set the variables i wish to set.
thanks

Your read function should not be const. It changes the data in object that it is called from. Only functions that don't change the logical state of the object should be made const.

thanks...

i gotta engrave that into my brain or something, cause i keep forgetting that const means you cant set things..

Does this mean: "const char * getStudentID() const;" that the function returns a constant pointer to a character constant?

Like const char *const cTemp. The syntax just looks a bit strange haveing a const after the function name. I would of thought it would of been this: const char *const getStudentID().

Anyone.....?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by subdene

Does this mean: "const char * getStudentID() const;" that the function returns a constant pointer to a character constant?

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No, the last const means that the function is constant, ie not able to modify any variables within the class.

why don't you just overload the insertion operators?

Code:

---

class ClassName
{
        friend ostream& operator<<(ostream&,const ClassName);
public:
        ClassName(int ini) : i(ini) {} ;
private:
        int i;
};

ostream& operator<<(ostream& out,const ClassName C)
{
        return out<<C.i;
}

---

that way you can use a constant if you wish.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by major_small

why don't you just overload the insertion operators?

Code:

---

class ClassName
{
        friend ostream& operator<<(ostream&,const ClassName);
public:
        ClassName(int ini) : i(ini) {} ;
private:
        int i;
};

ostream& operator<<(ostream& out,const ClassName C)
{
        return out<<C.i;
}

---

that way you can use a constant if you wish.

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you gave extraction as an example, and when you use inserrtion you still change values so i dont think it could be const anyways

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ryan_germain

wouldn't you use istream with the insertion operator instead? and ostream with extraction operator?

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istream is for input, and is a stream where you can extract things from, whereas ostream is a stream for output, and you would insert things onto it to eventually go to an output device...

I would tell you to do a google search on 'extraction operators', but the first result it turns up is about.com, which happens to have the wrong answer...

This is why I don't use about.com

Regardless, when using operator>> with an istream, if it is a member function it should not be const, and if it is a global function it should not take a const reference as the second argument. It's the same principle as if it was a read function.

The operator<< on the other hand should generally be const if it is a member, and should take a const reference if it is a global function - just like the print function in the OP's code is allowed to be const.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by major_small

I would tell you to do a google search on 'extraction operators', but the first result it turns up is about.com, which happens to have the wrong answer...

This is why I don't use about.com

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euh i always thought << was the extraction operator as in you extract it from from the variable and into the console... :confused: ...obviously wrong...so sorry bout the mix up major small

You can cast away const using const_cast. However in your situation using it would be abusing the feature.