const in function declarations

[TechCrazy]

What do each of these mean? Thanks. I am incredibly confused.

char foo (const char * &p );
char foo (const char &* p );
char foo (const &char * p );

char foo (const char * const &p );
char foo (const char * &const p );
char foo (const char &* const p );
char foo (const &char * const p );

char foo (const& char * const &p );
char foo (const& char * &const p );
char foo (const& char &* const p );
char foo (const& char * const p );

char foo (const char& * const &p );
char foo (const char& * &const p );

 

[damienk]

What do each of these mean? Thanks. I am incredibly confused.

char foo (const char * &p );
char foo (const char &* p );
char foo (const &char * p );

char foo (const char * const &p );
char foo (const char * &const p );
char foo (const char &* const p );
char foo (const &char * const p );

char foo (const& char * const &p );
char foo (const& char * &const p );
char foo (const& char &* const p );
char foo (const& char * const p );

char foo (const char& * const &p );
char foo (const char& * &const p );

See http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite/const-correctness.html

 

[TechCrazy]

More:

char foo (char * const &p );
char foo (char * &const p );
char foo (char &* const p );
char foo (&char * const p );

 

[Rolf Magnus]

What do each of these mean? Thanks. I am incredibly confused.

char foo (const char * &p );

The function takes a reference to a pointer to a constant character.

char foo (const char &* p );
Invalid.

char foo (const &char * p );
Invalid.

char foo (const char * const &p );

The function takes a reference to a constant pointer to a constant char.

char foo (const char * &const p );
Invalid.

char foo (const char &* const p );
Invalid.

char foo (const &char * const p );
Invalid.

char foo (const& char * const &p );
Invalid.

char foo (const& char * &const p );
Invalid.

char foo (const& char &* const p );
Invalid.

char foo (const& char * const p );
Invalid.

char foo (const char& * const &p );
Invalid.

char foo (const char& * &const p );

Invalid.

 

[grahamo]

Rule of thumb....

draw a line thru the "*", if the word "const" appears on LHS then
what's pointed to is const. If the word const appears on RHS, then
it's a constant pointer. If it appears on both sides, then both are
constants.

From Scott Meyers effective C++ book

G

 

[Rolf Magnus]

More:

char foo (char * const &p );

The function takes a reference to a constant pointer to a char.

char foo (char * &const p );
Invalid.

char foo (char &* const p );
Invalid.

char foo (&char * const p );

Invalid.

 

[Grant Schoep]

(e-mail address removed) (grahamo) wrote in @posting.google.com:

Rule of thumb....

draw a line thru the "*", if the word "const" appears on LHS then
what's pointed to is const. If the word const appears on RHS, then
it's a constant pointer. If it appears on both sides, then both are
constants.

From Scott Meyers effective C++ book

G

Hah, I read "draw a line" before reading the rest and though, hey, thats
from Meyer's Eff. C++.

When I first saw this post, I was thinking, hmm. lets see. Its about that
time of year for a test in a computer programming class. Maybe like a final
or something. Entry level of course...

-grant