Initialize a char array or string with a pointer in C++

Question

I have a pointer, where the next X elements are ASCII characters with a '\0' at the end. I need to save the ASCII characters either in a char array or string type.

Is it possible to dynamically initialize a string or char array in C++ with a pointer? The code below does not compile with the following error:

char symbol[11];
symbol = (packet+8);

error: array type 'char [11]' is not assignable

(packet is a pointer that holds the data and the ASCII characters start at the 8th location).

Ideally, I would like to avoid having to iterate through the pointer to initialize the string or character array.

for (int i = 0; i < 11; i++) {
    symbol[i] = *(packet+8+i);
}

Thank you in advance for all the help.

std::string symbol = packet + 8; should work fine. Or if packet is not NUL-terminated, then std::string symbol(packet + 8, 11); — Igor Tandetnik
– Igor Tandetnik, Commented Jul 4, 2020 at 2:15
@IgorTandetnik I get the following error: no viable conversion from 'const u_char ' (aka 'const unsigned char *') to 'std::string' . Packet is of type const u_char — Vimell Presad Yuvarajah
– Vimell Presad Yuvarajah, Commented Jul 4, 2020 at 2:19

cigien · Accepted Answer · 2020-07-04 02:15:59Z

1

You can use std::copy to copy the contents like this:

char symbol[11];
std::copy(packet + 8, packet + 19, symbol);

or use a std::string constructor:

std::string symbol(packet + 8, packet + 19);

answered Jul 4, 2020 at 2:15

cigien

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