Re: member variable of STL string class

From:
"Alf P. Steinbach" <alfps@start.no>
Newsgroups:
microsoft.public.vc.language
Date:
Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:08:26 +0200
Message-ID:
<qs6dnToRxoaXHzPVnZ2dnUVZ_umdnZ2d@posted.comnet>
* Alex Blekhman:

"George" wrote:

I have tried the code, no warning and output is
"msdn.microsoft.com", what is wrong?

string foo()
{
    string b;
    ...
    return b;
}


In the code above you do not return a reference to the local
variable `b'. Instead, you return a copy of `b'. It is OK to retun
copies of local objects from a function.

However, you have other problem:

int main()
{
    string& s1 = foo();

    cout << s1 << endl;

    return 0;
}


You bind a non-constant reference to a temporary copy of an
object. This is unsafe and conflicts with C++ Standard. Compiler
rightfully warns you with C4239 warning about this. If you don't
see this warning, then go to project settings and select warning
level 4 in C/C++ category.


And perhaps (best) add

   #pragma warning( 4: 4239 )
   #pragma warning( error: 4239 )

to source code.

Disclaimer: haven't tried it, but will do that. I just hadn't thought of it
earlier. Guess George's problem isn't that common, but, best be prepared! :-)

Cheers,

- Alf

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