Error comparing char*

If I go

Code:

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char* input_char = "";
while(input_char != "exit") cin >> input_char;

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it never exits the loop, even if I type exit. If I cout input_char every time, it looks like it should work.

Code:

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while(input_char != "exit\0") cin >> input_char;

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doesn't work either, nor does

Code:

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while(input_char != (char*)"exit") cin >> input_char;

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or

Code:

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while(input_char != (char*)"exit\0") cin >> input_char;

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I have no idea why. The only way I have found to make this work properly is to treat input_char as an array and go

Code:

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while(!(input_char[0]=='e'&&input_char[1]=='x'&&input_char[2]=='i'&&input_char[3]=='t'&&input_char[4]=='\0') cin >> input_char;

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I've also tried casting input_char to an (int) and comparing it to the (int) version of "exit", but for some reason the (int) version of input_char is the same, no matter what my input.

I've been having this problem for a while and I'm not sure why.. why?

Thanks

Use strcmp(). Better yet, use std::string, upon which your attempted comparison will work.

You cannot compare character litterals with the == operator. You have to either use strcmp(), strncmp() or use std::string.

I like using built-in functions as little as possible. I've also found that using strings makes things a lot harder in bigger programs. If all else fails, I'll have to though.

So if I compare each individual character it'll work, but not otherwise? that's weird..

Err... Using strings makes things a whole lot easier in bigger programs. Unless you have specific needs or you are obligated to (by using a library to forces you to, for example) using std::string is *always* a better/easier/safer option than using an array of char or a pointer to a char.

Edit: Not to mention that using the standard functions as little as possible is quite the opposite of what you would want to do since they are most probably *a lot* better than any function you could write.

Code:

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bool mystrcmp(const char* str1, const char* str2)
{
    if(strlen(str1) != strlen(str2)) return false;
    do
    {
        if(*str1 != *str2) return false;
    } while(str1++, *(++str2) != '\0');
    return true;
}

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Quote:

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I like using built-in functions as little as possible.

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What is your reasoning?

If you are aiming to learn by reinventing the wheel, then write your own strcmp function (or string class) and use it, or better yet, just switch back to using what is provided. If not...

Quote:

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I've also found that using strings makes things a lot harder in bigger programs. If all else fails, I'll have to though.

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... you'll never be able to write bigger programs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RobotGymnast

I like using built-in functions as little as possible. I've also found that using strings makes things a lot harder in bigger programs. If all else fails, I'll have to though.

So if I compare each individual character it'll work, but not otherwise? that's weird..

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It's not weird at all. What you are comparing is the pointers' address thus it will *always* return false.

ah.. But it doesn't really act as a pointer, outputting it does not output an address, and it can be used as an array of chars, and it never uses the * operator (like pointers do to assign values into what they point at).

Quote:

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But it doesn't really act as a pointer

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Yes, it does. If the output function looks at what it points to, that's the output function's business.

It *is* a pointer. It does not output an address because ostream (cout) has overloaded the << operator for char*. You can use the dereference operator ( * ) to assign values.

Code:

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char array[5 + 1] = { 0 };
char* ptr = array;
*ptr = 'H';
*(ptr + 1) = 'e';
*(ptr + 2) = 'l';
*(ptr + 3) = 'l';
*(ptr + 4) = 'o';

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