dev-cpp-users

[Dev-C++] [OT] C++ string vs char *

[<bis...@bt...>]

Hi all

I'm writing a small application using G++ - this one has a lot of string
manipulation (It is a doxygen-like auto documentation system for a
propreitory language). I seem to have three options:

a) Use char *s and do my own memory management.
b) Roll by own lightweight string class
c) Use the C++ string class

Can anyone tell me how good is the string class in terms of bloat/efficiency
compared to char * ?
Is (b) a viable option if what I want is basically char * with inbuild
memory management ?

Also, should I use (io|f|str)string ? How much of a bloat/efficiency concern
is that compared to (f|s)printf/write/read and friends ?

I don't plan to use the STL stuff.

Thanks in advance.
Biswa.

RE: [Dev-C++] [OT] C++ string vs char *

[Ioannis V. <no...@ya...>]

If you are talking about C/C++ comparison, string C++ is better to use than
char *, since it is a higher level mechanism. Also the myth that C code runs
faster and takes less space than C++ is a myth, and usually C++ code is
faster than C! Take a look at the following link and look at the end of it
with some benchmarks between C & C++ code.

http://www.research.att.com/~bs/esc99.html


Ioannis

> -----Original Message-----
> From: dev...@li...
> [mailto:dev...@li...]On Behalf Of
> bis...@bt...
> Sent: Friday, December 29, 2000 12:05 PM
> To: dev...@li...
> Subject: [Dev-C++] [OT] C++ string vs char *
>
>
> Hi all
>
> I'm writing a small application using G++ - this one has a lot of string
> manipulation (It is a doxygen-like auto documentation system for a
> propreitory language). I seem to have three options:
>
> a) Use char *s and do my own memory management.
> b) Roll by own lightweight string class
> c) Use the C++ string class
>
> Can anyone tell me how good is the string class in terms of
> bloat/efficiency
> compared to char * ?
> Is (b) a viable option if what I want is basically char * with inbuild
> memory management ?
>
> Also, should I use (io|f|str)string ? How much of a
> bloat/efficiency concern
> is that compared to (f|s)printf/write/read and friends ?
>
> I don't plan to use the STL stuff.
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Biswa.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dev-cpp-users mailing list
> Dev...@li...
> http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/dev-cpp-users
>


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RE: [Dev-C++] [OT] C++ string vs char *

[Ramana K. <ra...@my...>]

I'm not too good with strings, but based on your e-mail, I would go for
creating a simple string class.

C++ strings become a pain depending on the things you do because they aren't
compatible with char[]s and vice versa (I'm writing a game that takes in a
string containing a command in English and acts accordingly, i.e. "Open
door" opens the door).

Using char*'s/char[]s gives you good control. I don't know what you mean by
bloat/efficiency, but basically, from what I understand, I think the char*s
will give more "efficiency?". The only problem with the char*s is, as you
said you have to do your memory management but also some useful functions in
string.h (I think) don't work on them.

If some of what I'm saying is complete poppycock, I do apologise, I am going
by experience, not by facts from the ISO C++ "set of rules".

So as I said, I would take option b.
Ramana

-----Original Message-----
From: dev...@li...
[mailto:dev...@li...]On Behalf Of
bis...@bt...
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2000 9:05 PM
To: dev...@li...
Subject: [Dev-C++] [OT] C++ string vs char *

Hi all

I'm writing a small application using G++ - this one has a lot of string
manipulation (It is a doxygen-like auto documentation system for a
propreitory language). I seem to have three options:

a) Use char *s and do my own memory management.
b) Roll by own lightweight string class
c) Use the C++ string class

Can anyone tell me how good is the string class in terms of bloat/efficiency
compared to char * ?
Is (b) a viable option if what I want is basically char * with inbuild
memory management ?

Also, should I use (io|f|str)string ? How much of a bloat/efficiency concern
is that compared to (f|s)printf/write/read and friends ?

I don't plan to use the STL stuff.

Thanks in advance.
Biswa.

_______________________________________________
Dev-cpp-users mailing list
Dev...@li...
http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/dev-cpp-users

RE: [Dev-C++] [OT] C++ string vs char *

[Ioannis V. <no...@ya...>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: dev...@li...
> [mailto:dev...@li...]On Behalf Of
> Ramana Kumar
> Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 10:56 AM
> To: dev...@li...
> Subject: RE: [Dev-C++] [OT] C++ string vs char *
>
>
> I'm not too good with strings, but based on your e-mail, I would go for
> creating a simple string class.
>
> C++ strings become a pain depending on the things you do because
> they aren't
> compatible with char[]s and vice versa (I'm writing a game that takes in a
> string containing a command in English and acts accordingly, i.e. "Open
> door" opens the door).

I did not understand what exactly you mean by saying they are not compatible
with each other, but you can work with both with C-style strings and C++
strings either by convering the C-style to C++ style or by using the C++
style string functions so as to use them as C-style (although i recommend
the first conversion from C-style to C++ style).

e.g. the string function c_str() enables you to use C++ strings with
functions accepting C-style sttrings (example taken by Bjarne Stroustrup's
"The C++ Programming Language" - Special Edition page 49):

[...]
string name="Niels Stroustrup";

void f()
{
 printf("name: %s\n", name.c_str());
}


Ioannis