C++ const pointer

在C++中const限定的指针类型常常令人困惑，现整理如下，以整型为例，主要区分如下三个例子

const int * p;
int * const p;
const int * const p;

其实就是2种情况，const在int前及const在变量名前，第三种及叠加了前两种限定

 

CONST概念

const即constant缩写，用于表示所限定的变量不能改变

 

CONST与指针

在前面的例子中，如果将p指向一个变量val，则无论是哪一个例子，变量val本身并不受指向它的指针的类型限定影响，可以任意改变

const int *

    int b = 2;
    int bb = 22;
    const int * const_p = &b;
//    (*const_p)++; // error
    const_p = &bb;

在这种限定下，表示所限定的指针对指向的变量只有只读权限（变量自身可以改变），但可以改变指针自身，即指向另一个变量

int * const

    int c = 3;
    int cc = 33;
    int * const p_const = &c;
    (*p_const)++;
//    p_const = &cc; // error

在这种限定下，表示所限定的指针自身不能改变，即不能指向别的变量，但是可以通过指针去修改指向的变量

const int * const

叠加了上面两个限制

演示代码

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main(){
// non const
    int a = 1;
    int aa = 11;
    int * p = &a;

    cout << "a = " << a << "; p point to a, *p = " << *p << endl;

    a++;
    cout << "\tafter a++" << endl;
    cout << "a = " << a << "; p point to a, *p =" << *p << endl;

    (*p)++;
    cout << "\tafter (*p)++" << endl;
    cout << "a = " << a << "; p point to a, *p= " << *p << endl;

    p = &aa;
    cout << "\tafter p = &aa" << endl;
    cout << "a = " << a << ", aa = " << aa << "; p point to aa, *p = " << *p << endl;


// const int *
    int b = 2;
    int bb = 22;
    const int * const_p = &b;

    cout << endl << "now switch to 'const int *'" << endl;
    cout << "b = " << b << "; const_p point to b, *const_p = " << *const_p << endl;

    b++;
    cout << "\tafter b++" << endl;
    cout << "b = " << b << "; const_p point to b, *const_p = " << *const_p << endl;

//    (*const_p)++; // error: increment of read-only location '* const_p'
    cout << "\t(*const_p)++: error: increment of read-only location '* const_p'" << endl;

    const_p = &bb;
    cout << "\tafter const_p = &bb" << endl;
    cout << "b = " << b << ", bb = " << bb << "; const_p point to bb, *const_p = " << *const_p << endl;


// int * const
    int c = 3;
    int cc = 33;
    int * const p_const = &c;

    cout << endl << "now switch to 'int * const'" << endl;
    cout << "c = " << c << "; p_const point to c, *p_const = " << *p_const << endl;

    c++;
    cout << "\tafter c++" << endl;
    cout << "c = " << c << "; p_const point to c, *p_const = " << *p_const << endl;

    (*p_const)++;
    cout << "\tafter (*p_const)++"  << endl;
    cout << "c = " << c << "; p_cosnt point to c, *p_const = " << *p_const << endl;

//    p_const = &cc; // error: assignment of read-only variable 'p_const'
    cout << "\tp_const = &cc: error: assignment of read-only variable 'p_const'" << endl;


// const int * cosnt
    int d = 4;
    int dd = 44;
    const int * const const_p_const = &d;

    cout << endl << "now switch to 'const int * const'" << endl;
    cout << "d = " << d << "; const_d_const point to d, *const_p_const = " << *const_p_const << endl;

    d++;
    cout << "\tafter d++" << endl;
    cout << "d = " << d << "; const_d_const point to d, *const_p_const = " << *const_p_const << endl;

//    (*const_p_const)++; // error: increment of read-only location '*(const int*)const_p_const'
    cout << "\t(*const_p_const)++: error: increment of read-only location '*(const int*)const_p_const'" << endl;

//    const_p_const = &cc; // error: assignment of read-only variable 'const_p_const'
    cout << "\tconst_p_const = &dd: error: assignment of read-only variable 'const_p_const'" << endl;

    return 0;
}