Re: const pointer to const valarray element

From:
Victor Bazarov <v.Abazarov@comAcast.net>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++
Date:
Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:53:23 -0500
Message-ID:
<hle812$v2q$1@news.datemas.de>
Jeremy Sanders wrote:

Hi - I want to get a const pointer to a valarray element:

#include <valarray>

void func(const std::valarray<double> *x)
{
  const double* ptr = &((*x)[0]);
}

int main()
{
  std::valarray<double> foo(10);
  func(&foo);

  return 0;
}

This code compiles fine under gcc 4.4.3, but fails under MS Visual C++
Express Edition 2008 with "error C2102: '&' requires l-value".

Stroustup says valarray has a "T operator[](size_t) const" and a "T&
operator[](size_t)".

Is gcc or MSVC correct?


Think about it. Your 'valarray' (to which 'x' points) is a _const_
object, isn't it? So, how would a non-const member function be called
for it? It can't. So, the former op[] is called. It returns a
temporary which is *not* an lvalue. MSVC is correct, gcc isn't.

Is there a portable way to get a const pointer to an element of a const
valarray?


I am not sure what you're trying to accomplish with it. The language
forces you to jump through hoops for a reason: perhaps you shouldn't do
it, you know. What would a const pointer do for you that a regular
*value* can't? The only reason to prefer a pointer over a value is if
you are going to change the value. But with a const valarray you're not
supposed to, right? So, why do you need a pointer?

V
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