Re: Differences between C and C++

From	Manfred <noname@add.invalid>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c++
Subject	Re: Differences between C and C++
Date	2022-07-30 02:14 +0200
Organization	Aioe.org NNTP Server
Message-ID	<tc1t64$ert$1@gioia.aioe.org> (permalink)
References	(3 earlier) <xuuEK.570267$J0r9.138756@fx11.iad> <jkffqcFbbplU1@mid.individual.net> <tbu8us$t6b$1@gioia.aioe.org> <tbufhe$36veg$1@dont-email.me> <tc03ru$1ld7$1@gioia.aioe.org>

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On 7/29/2022 9:56 AM, Juha Nieminen wrote:
> Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> wrote:
>> Why on earth are you using char* in a C++ program? The only thing they
>> bring is problems and slowdowns (because string length needs to be
>> re-calculated all the time).
> 
> Incorrect. In many situations using char* "strings" is more efficient than
> using std::string because of the elided dynamic memory allocation.

That, and below, is generally true for a generic dynamic container. 
However, std::string is not a generic container. It is a very specific 
and very optimized container of chars.
So, if you use a decent implementation of std the performance of 
std::string and char* is usually pretty close.
Then, of course there are always corner cases where char* is faster, as 
there are cases where knowing the length in advance is a deal breaker.
I'd regard these as the proverbial exceptions that confirm the rule (use 
std::string in C++ and char* in C, that is).

  Also,
> not in all situations is the length of the string needed to be separately
> calculated in order to operate with the string, as many operations do not
> need to know the length in advance, and can just stop when they encounter
> the null byte. (For example printing a char* string doesn't need to know
> its length in advance. Many other operations likewise.)
> 
> If you have some function void foo(const std::string&), and you wanted
> to call that function by giving it a string literal, how is that going
> to be more (or even equally) efficient than if it were foo(const char*)?
> The string literal would be needlessly copied into a dynamically
> allocated memory block (and immediately deleted after the function returns).
> 
> There are also some situations where, for example, a class needs a small
> string as a member variable (which maximum length, or even outright length,
> is fixed and very small). Using a char array is usually much more efficient
> for this than a std::string, and operating on this small string will be
> more efficient with a char* than creating a std::string every time.
> (If in this example the length of the string would vary and there are
> tons of situations where the length is needed, you could simply add
> a length member variable and use that. Still a lot more efficient than
> using std::string because you are not dynamically allocating memory.)

Thread

Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-07-25 13:14 +0000
  Re: Differences between C and C++ "Alf P. Steinbach" <alf.p.steinbach@gmail.com> - 2022-07-25 16:18 +0200
  Re: Differences between C and C++ Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2022-07-25 18:47 +0300
    Re: Differences between C and C++ Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2022-07-25 19:49 +0300
      Re: Differences between C and C++ Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-07-25 19:38 +0100
  Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-25 08:51 -0700
  Re: Differences between C and C++ Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-07-25 17:14 +0100
    Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-25 16:19 +0000
      Re: Differences between C and C++ Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-07-25 19:28 +0100
      Re: Differences between C and C++ Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-07-25 12:21 -0700
        Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-26 07:54 +0000
          Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-07-26 08:00 +0000
            Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-26 08:09 +0000
              Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-26 02:42 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-26 15:29 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-07-26 16:30 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-07-26 11:59 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-27 07:52 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-27 01:56 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-27 14:51 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-07-27 11:11 -0700
    Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-07-26 06:09 +0000
      Re: Differences between C and C++ Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-07-27 17:33 +0100
  Re: Differences between C and C++ Chris Vine <chris@cvine--nospam--.freeserve.co.uk> - 2022-07-25 17:45 +0100
  Re: Differences between C and C++ Paul N <gw7rib@aol.com> - 2022-07-27 10:09 -0700
    Re: Differences between C and C++ Bo Persson <bo@bo-persson.se> - 2022-07-27 19:28 +0200
      Re: Differences between C and C++ Paul N <gw7rib@aol.com> - 2022-07-27 11:43 -0700
        Re: Differences between C and C++ David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-07-29 18:04 +0200
          Re: Differences between C and C++ Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-07-29 18:47 -0400
            Re: Differences between C and C++ David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-07-30 14:08 +0200
      Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-28 08:03 +0000
        Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-28 01:57 -0700
          Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-28 09:04 +0000
    Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-07-28 06:53 +0000
      Re: Differences between C and C++ Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-07-28 07:33 -0400
        Re: Differences between C and C++ Bo Persson <bo@bo-persson.se> - 2022-07-28 15:04 +0200
          Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-28 15:11 +0000
            Re: Differences between C and C++ Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2022-07-28 20:03 +0300
              Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-07-29 07:56 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2022-07-29 12:03 +0300
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-29 09:28 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-07-29 12:27 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-29 05:43 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-29 14:14 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-29 08:25 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-29 15:48 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-29 13:12 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-30 09:28 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-30 03:39 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-30 14:23 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-30 19:07 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-31 07:22 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-31 06:07 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-31 16:36 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-08-01 01:12 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-07-29 22:47 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-30 03:48 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-07-29 05:16 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Manfred <noname@add.invalid> - 2022-07-30 02:14 +0200
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-07-31 14:39 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ "Fred. Zwarts" <F.Zwarts@KVI.nl> - 2022-07-31 18:49 +0200
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2022-07-31 14:49 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-07-31 17:03 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2022-08-01 00:16 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Ike Naar <ike@sdf.org> - 2022-08-01 07:27 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2022-08-01 10:47 +0300
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2022-08-01 10:34 +0300
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Manfred <noname@add.invalid> - 2022-08-03 01:20 +0200
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-08-03 07:59 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Bo Persson <bo@bo-persson.se> - 2022-08-03 12:45 +0200
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-08-03 10:53 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2022-08-03 03:58 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2022-08-03 14:49 +0300
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2022-08-03 23:31 -0700
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-08-01 11:29 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Bo Persson <bo@bo-persson.se> - 2022-08-01 14:39 +0200
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-08-02 05:43 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Manfred <noname@add.invalid> - 2022-08-03 01:13 +0200
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2022-08-03 09:34 +0300
              Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-29 09:22 +0000
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2022-07-29 13:53 +0300
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2022-07-29 14:13 +0300
                Re: Differences between C and C++ Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-07-29 14:11 +0000
        Re: Differences between C and C++ Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2022-07-28 06:16 -0700

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