use of const char* is alright to do for any "string" in C/C++
or char* if your allocating a buffer to do something with like copy data into it and sending over socket.
We have a multi-threaded app that takes care of sending data over socket so we just pass it a buffer and size of buffer and when it done sending it deletes the buffer.
Else if your going to do things with the string then like the others point out std:string is alright to use and should be use as much as possible. But I would advise a few rules.
1) try not to past a std::string by value always do it by reference.
2) try to avoid return of a string.
This will avoid a lot of temp strings and copy memory.
in example:
very efficient
void myMethod(string & t)
{
t = "Hi";
}
next is retun a sting of the temp string.
creates a stack sting on stack allocating memory for "Hi"
then returns this which involves creating another temp string
then copies memory form stack to the temp string
then copies form this temp string to the sting being assigned.
string myMethod();
{
string stack("Hi"); //create on stack
return stack; // has to create a temp sting and copy stack data into it
}
Note most compiler tempory return object stay around until end of block ie. closing }
But I would always use the myMethod with pass in reference my self.
it cleaner code and no mem copies and no temp string do to return of a string.
Lord Bart
[edited by - lord bart on October 14, 2003 9:50:51 AM]
