help: function returns typedef const

I am trying to use a constant typedef returned from a function. I need help in getting a const char * returned from the function. A test case is shown below.

t1.h:
====
typedef char Char;
typedef Char * CharPtr;

const CharPtr getChar();

t1.c:
====
#include "t1.h"

#define GREETING

void main()
{
const char * p;
p = getChar();
}

const CharPtr getChar()
{
return GREETING;
}

Now when I compile this I get " Function cannot return a const qualified type" on both the prototype and the definition.

Now I know that a function can return a pointer to a constant object but not a constant object.

And I did find one description in my "C++ Primer" book stating that the const modifies the type of cstr. So that in this case getChar is returning "char * const" and not a "const char *" as expected.

But I don't know how to modify the typedef in order to get "const char *". Any help appreciated.

> #define GREETING

> return GREETING;

This is wrong. You cannot simply return 'GREETING' because 'GREETING' has no value. It is simply defined. You have to define it as something to be able to return it. Otherwise, there is nothing to return. This would work:

#define GREETING 1
return GREETING;

#define GREETING "Hello bob."
return GREETING;

Both are valid, assuming you return them with the correct function (ie: return an int when the function expects to return an int)

Quzah.

You are right - GREETING should have a value. I'm sorry my test case did have the value "Hi, how are you" - I missed typing it in on my post.

With the #define GREETING "Hi, how are you" I still get the same compiler error.

> const char * p;

Change that to:

const CharPtr p;

Quzah.

That doesn't work either. "const CharPtr p" ends up being "char * const" ie a constant pointer to a char instead of a pointer to a constant char *