Re: [LIP] const char * in strcpy

On Wed, 2004-07-28 at 13:02, Pramathesh Ambasta wrote:
> Why does the definition of the standard library function strcpy
> specify const char * as its second argument?

> Given that the source string has to be copied to the target, 
> should not the target be const char * (in the sense of an array name, 
> which points to a constant memory location but where the contents of 
> the memory location may be changed)?

You got the (const char*) and (char* const) mixed up. Look up Stroustrup
for this discussion with regard to C++. I am sure K&R should be
discussing about this in case of C.

(const char* p) means the data pointed to by 'p' is const
(char* const p) means the pointer 'p' is const
(const char* const p) means the pointer 'p' and the data pointed to by
'p' are both constants.

So, the library declaration for strcpy is absolutely correct.
-- 
Josy P. Pullockara <[email protected]>
National Aerospace Laboratories



-------------------------------------------------------
This SF.Net email is sponsored by BEA Weblogic Workshop
FREE Java Enterprise J2EE developer tools!
Get your free copy of BEA WebLogic Workshop 8.1 today.
http://ads.osdn.com/?ad_id=4721&alloc_id=10040&op=click