Wrong return type when returning char array as pointer

**jwroblewski44** · 04-25-2014

I am writing a class Player which has several char arrays as private fields. I am trying to write a method which returns an array as a pointer, but doesn't alter the array in any way, thus the const.

Here is a snippet:

Code:

class Player
{
private:
   char state[MAX_STATE_CHAR + ONE_VALUE];
   int rating;
   char last[MAX_NAME_CHAR + ONE_VALUE];
   char first[MAX_NAME_CHAR + ONE_VALUE];
   int groupNumber = NEG_ONE;

public:
   char * GetFirst() const
   {
      return first;
   }

Visual studio is saying that the return type doesn't match. Any advice?

**laserlight** · 04-25-2014

Try declaring the return type as const char*

**jwroblewski44** · 04-25-2014

Thank you laserlight. That makes sense. Otherwise the contents of the array would be alterable, right?

**Elysia** · 04-25-2014

You are promising that the function shall not alter any member variables. By returning a char*, the caller could modify the member variables and you would break your promise.

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