std::basic_string<CharT,Traits,Allocator>::c_str - cppreference.com (original) (raw)

| const CharT* c_str() const; | | (noexcept since C++11) (constexpr since C++20) | | ----------------------------- | | ---------------------------------------------- |

Returns a pointer to a null-terminated character array with data equivalent to those stored in the string.

The pointer is such that the range [c_str(), c_str() + size()] is valid and the values in it correspond to the values stored in the string with an additional null character after the last position.

The pointer obtained from c_str() may be invalidated by:

Writing to the character array accessed through c_str() is undefined behavior.

c_str() and data() perform the same function. (since C++11)

[edit] Parameters

(none)

[edit] Return value

Pointer to the underlying character storage.

c_str()[i] == operator[](i) for every i in [​0​, size()). (until C++11)
c_str() + i == std::addressof(operator[](i)) for every i in [​0​, size()]. (since C++11)

[edit] Complexity

Constant.

[edit] Notes

The pointer obtained from c_str() may only be treated as a pointer to a null-terminated character string if the string object does not contain other null characters.

[edit] Example

#include #include #include #include   extern "C" void c_func(const char* c_str) { printf("c_func called with '%s'\n", c_str); }   int main() { std::string const s("Emplary"); const char* p = s.c_str(); assert(s.size() == std::strlen(p)); assert(std::equal(s.begin(), s.end(), p)); assert(std::equal(p, p + s.size(), s.begin())); assert('\0' == *(p + s.size()));   c_func(s.c_str()); }

Output:

c_func called with 'Emplary'

[edit] See also

| | accesses the first character (public member function) [edit] | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | accesses the last character (public member function) [edit] | | | returns a pointer to the first character of a string (public member function) [edit] |