An interesting question ` char str[9] = "deadbeef" `

The code has a compile-time error

Code:

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char str[9] ;
str = "dEAdbeef";

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It complains:

Quote:

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cannot convert from 'const char [9]' to 'char [9]'cannot convert from 'const char [9]' to 'char [9]'

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However when I modify the code to:

Code:

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char* str ;
str = "dEAdbeef";

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It works! The compiler doesn't complain anything! How come assigning a 'const char [9]' to 'char *' can work? I think at least it shall cast away the const-ness of "dEAdbeef", right?

> str = "dEAdbeef";
This is an assignment, you cannot assign an array, only a pointer

char str[] = "dEAdbeef";
This is initialisation, pointers can also be initialised.

Thank you. What I meant is that apparently "dEAdbeef" is const char [9] type, how can you assign a const chat[] to a char *, but can't assign it to a char[9]?

Note that in my examples, both are talking about an assignment.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salem

> str = "dEAdbeef";
This is an assignment, you cannot assign an array, only a pointer

char str[] = "dEAdbeef";
This is initialisation, pointers can also be initialised.

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Quote:

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What I meant is that apparently "dEAdbeef" is const char [9] type, how can you assign a const chat[] to a char *, but can't assign it to a char[9]?

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The assignment of the const char[9] to the char[9] is simply not allowed as assignment of arrays is not allowed. The assignment from a const char[9] to a char* is allowed as there is a conversion from const char[n] to char*. However, this const to non-const conversion of string literals is deprecated, so you should simply initialise with:

Code:

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const char* str = "dEAdbeef";

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If the compiler doesn't complain about the second part, you need to turn up your warning level.

If you want to assign "dEAdbeef" to your char str[9], use strcpy.

Of course, you should probably be using strings in C++.