C++ const nightmare

[Demon-777]

Hello eveyone,

could someone of C++ profs. out here explain me following method declaration? Just got a bit confused

const int* const SampleMethod(const int* const&) const;

Best regards!

Demon-777

[ms​]

That declaration doesn't seem to make any sense to me.

const int* const SampleMethod(const int*);

This would be a function taking a pointer to a const int as argument and returning a const int-pointer to a const int.


Edit:

const int* const SampleMethod(const int* const&);

I'm not sure, but I think this is the same as above with the argument being a reference to a const pointer to a const int. My compiler doesn't accept the declaration with your trailing const though.

Edit 2:
The trailing const in your declaration makes sense when it's a method of a class. It means that the method is not allowed to alter any members of its class.

[Demon-777]

Originally Posted by Metin2Spieler97

This would be a function taking a pointer to a const int as argument and returning a const int-pointer to a const int.

oh now I see! It's not for compilation purposes. Just learning how to use this const stuff and trying to understand all this magic C++ thingy!

Thank you through!

PS. got it from , just scroll to the bottom where you'll see "Messier Still - in the Object Oriented Programming" :P That make me confused.