Wrong return type when returning char array as pointer

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?

Try declaring the return type as const char*

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

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.