C++ initialization char array by pointer

Question

In my course on C++ is used this initialization.

char *a = "abcd";

However, when I use it, a compiler complains:

a value of type "const char*" cannot by used to initialize an entity of type "char*"

*a should be pointer. What is a problem please? I use Visual Studio 2017

The error message just can't be clearer: a string literal is of type `const char *`, but you're trying to assign it to a symbol of type `char *`. — ForceBru, Nov 18 '18 at 19:14
@ForceBru actually, a string literal is of type `const char[N]`. It *decays* to a `const char *` — Remy Lebeau, Nov 18 '18 at 21:29

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 18 '18 at 19:14

You need to specify const

const char *a = "abcd";

The reason is that the string "abcd" is a constant and thus should not be assigned to a non const pointer. It was tolerated in old C++ (AFAIK), but since C++11, it's not, and VS2017 with /permissive- does the right thing and forbids this bad practice.

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 18 '18 at 19:13

2

 const char *a = "abcd";

you forgot const.

answered Nov 18 '18 at 19:13

johnathan

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C++ initialization char array by pointer

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