I have a function like this
const string &SomeClass::Foo(int Value)
{
if (Value < 0 or Value > 10)
return "";
else
return SomeClass::StaticMember[i];
}
I get warning: returning reference to temporary
. Why is that? I thought the both values the function returns (reference to const char* "" and reference to a static member) cannot be temporary.
This is an example when an unwanted implicit conversion takes place. ""
is not a std::string
, so the compiler tries to find a way to turn it into one. And by using the string( const char* str )
constructor it succeeds in that attempt.
Now a temporary instance of std::string
has been created that will be deleted at the end of the method call. Thus it's obviously not a good idea to reference an instance that won't exist anymore after the method call.
I'd suggest you either change the return type to const string
or store the ""
in a member or static variable of SomeClass
.