Thread: need some help with structures !

why can't i pass an already declared string through to a structure?

Code:

struct personInfo
{
       char theName[21];
       int age;
};

int main()
{
    int theAge = 28;
    char aName[] = "John Smith";
    personInfo p = {aName,theAge};
    return 0;
}

See this link.
http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/tut3-5.html

Code:

int main()
{
    int theAge = 28;
    char aName[] = "John Smith          ";
	personInfo p;
	p.age = theAge;
	strcpy (p.theName, aName);
    //personInfo p = {aName,theAge};
    return 0;
}

Originally Posted by FoodDude

why use char?

why not?

Because the C++ string class is more intuitive and safer to use. Of course, in this case I don't know if you can use that struct initialization technique with the non-POD string class. That then brings up the question, why not use a constructor?

You are trying to pass address of the string to a char array.

Code:

personInfo p = {aName,theAge};

When array name is given it degenerates and gives base address of that array.In this you are trying to pass char pointer to a char and hence error.

Solution-Declare a char pointer instead.

Code:

struct personInfo
{
       char *theName;
       int age;
};

or pass the string instead of variable.

Code:

struct personInfo
{
       char theName[21];
       int age;
};

int main()
{
    int theAge = 28;
    char aName[] = "John Smith";
    personInfo p = {"John Smith",theAge};
    return 0;
}

Third way is to let user enter it

Code:

int main()
{
personal Info p;
cin>>p.thename;
}