Initializing char array

[Aniviel833]

I recently changed a string variable in my class to a character array. Before I did this, I was able to initialize it in my default constructor like so:

MyClass::MyClass() : 
myString(0)
{}

but now I get an error: incompatible types in assignment 'int' to 'char[2]'.

How would I fix this?

Thanks!

[redhead]

You'r char* which you've probably made it to, dosn't know how to be initialized with teh () operator.
You could do somethign like this:

MyClass::MyClass() : 
myString[0]='\0';
{}

[Aniviel833]

Thanks for your reply.
I get errors when I try and use

MyClass::MyClass() : 
myString[0]='\0';
{}

but this works fine:

MyClass::MyClass()
{myString[0]='\0';}

I assume that's what you meant?

However, now what do I do with my normal constructor?
This works fine:

MyClass::MyClass(char m[2])
{for(int i = 0; i < 2; ++i){myString[i] = m[i];}}

But in another post Valmont (My question and his reply) explained the advantages of initializing instead of assigning, in constructors. Am I not now assigning the contents of m to myString? Is there a better way to do this? And are we assigning in the default constructor above, or is it different with values rather than passing a variable?

Thanks!

[Valmont]

This is better and should be done:

The header:

//Implicit conversion and default constructor.
MyClass(const char* = "");

The implementation:

#include <cstring>

MyClass::MyClass( const char* s )
   : m_pChars( new char[ strlen( s ) + 1 ] )
{
  std::strcpy( m_pChars, s );
}

Don't forget the destructor!

The wrong code:

MyClass::MyClass() : 
myString[0]='\0';
{}

You may NOT use "=" here. You must use the parenthesis to explicitly denote the initialization in a constructor. Outside the (copy)constructors, you may use "=" to denote initialization indeed.

There is a second major topic here:
Your code (and Redhead's) implies that myString has a fixed size set in as a data member in the header. But this is illegal for arrays UNLESS it is a static member. LEGAL code below:

#include <cstring>
#include <iostream>

class MyClass
{
public:
  static char myString[5];
};

char  MyClass::myString[5] = "test"; //OR "" to initialize it as empty.

int main()
{
  std::cout<<MyClass::myString<<std::endl;
  std::cin.get();
  return 0;
}

Conclusion
Use my method (the very first example).