A way to identify a series of strings as a class member is specified in C ’s definition. The String class holds attributes as a stream of bits, with the ability to handle a single-byte character. In C , we may retrieve a string, but we should still examine how the string will be retained and transferred. Because C returns elements on the heap, which has a finite amount of space, providing immense components will induce stack overflow issues that could result in errors and security flaws.

If we can return a std::string object from the standard template library, we may provide a constant pointer to the string. Ascertain that the string is retained in static memory. This article outlines various approaches for returning a string from a C function.

Utilize the std::string function() Technique

Return by value is the preferable technique when retrieving string data from functions. Having returned relatively large strings by data is efficient due to the move constructor in the std::string class. It has been said that an element has relocated semantic content if it contains a move constructor. Move-semantics suggest that the data is not duplicated to a new position when the function returns, leading to efficient function completion time.

#include

#include

#include

using std::cout; using std::endl;

using std::string; using std::reverse;


string RevString(string &s){


    string rev(s.rbegin(), s.rend());


    return rev;

}

int main() {


    string str = “I love to play badminton”;

    cout << str << endl;


    cout << RevString(str) << endl;


    return EXIT_SUCCESS;

}

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At the program’s start, we have to include three header files. for input and output functions. specifies a set of functions intended to be used on groups of elements. Any sequence of items that may be retrieved using iterators or references is considered a range. as their name implies, are being used to operate with a set of numbers. We call the standard ‘cout’ function for getting output, standard ‘endl’, which shows the program proceeds from the next line, standard ‘string’, which holds the functionalities of string, and standard ‘reverse’ which is used to acquire the string in the reverse order.

Now the ‘RevString()’ function is being called. Here we pass the defined string as a parameter of this function. We apply rbegin() and rend() functions. The rbegin() is a C intrinsic function that provides an inverted iterator that refers to the list’s last component. The rend() is a built-in C function used to return an inverted iterator that leads to the point before the list’s start. We enter the ‘return rev’ statement to get the reverse of the string.

We apply ‘endl’, which shows the cursor moves to the next line of the code. To print the reversed order of the specified string, we have utilized ‘RevString’. This function contains the entered string as its argument. In the end, ‘EXIT_SUCCESS’ is applied to terminate the program.

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Utilize the std::string &function() Technique

This methodology allows the use of return by referencing format, which would be a different way of resolving this situation. Even though return by illusion is the most effective method to retrieve massive structures or classes, this would not involve any additional parameter in this scenario compared to the prior strategy. It’s important to remember that we would not use a reference to substitute a global variable defined in the function; this will result in a lingering reference.

#include

#include

#include

using std::cout; using std::endl;

using std::string; using std::reverse;

string &RevStr(string &s) {


    reverse(s.begin(), s.end());


    return s;

}

int main() {


    string str = “Information Technology”;

    cout << str << endl;


    cout << RevStr(str) << endl;

    return EXIT_SUCCESS;

}

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First of all we integrate three libraries >, and for specific functionalities. We utilize the standard ‘cout’ function to retrieve output, standard ‘endl’ to indicate that the program continues on the following line, standard ‘string’ to retain the string’s functions, and standard ‘reverse’ to get the string in reverse order. The string’s pointer ‘RevStr()’ is now being used. The specified string is provided as a parameter to this method. We call the functions begin() and end().

We employ the ‘return s’ statement to get the inverse of the string. Now the main() function will be invoked. This is where the logic of the program is declared. We declare a string ‘Information Technology’. This string is saved in the ‘str’ variable. The ‘cout’ statement would be used to acquire the string’s print. We also use ‘endl,’ which denotes that the cursor will shift to the new line of code. ‘RevString’ has been used to display the required string in reversed order.

The specified string is passed as a parameter to this method. Lastly, the program ended with the command ‘EXIT SUCCESS.’

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Utilize the Char Array Method

Similarly, we could retrieve a string from a function using a character array. The string class employs a persistent array to hold characters. By invoking the built-in method, we may get a reference to the first character member of that array.

#include

#include

using namespace std;

int main()

{

    string str1 = “i love to play badminton”;

    string str2 = “information technology”;

    char ch[50];

    str1.copy(ch, 13, 0);

    cout << “The new copied character array is : “;


    cout << ch << endl;

    cout << “Before swapping the first string is : “;


    cout << str1 << endl;


    cout << “Before swapping the second string is : “;


    cout << str2 << endl;

    str1.swap(str2);

    cout << “After swapping the first string is : “;


    cout << str1 << endl;


    cout << “After swapping the second string is : “;


    cout << str2 << endl;


 


    return 0;

}

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Here we introduce header files and for using string class. Along with this, we have been using a standard namespace. We employ the main() function and start coding in the body of this function. We initialize two strings. The first string is kept in the variable ‘str1’, and the second string is stored in the variable ‘str2’. The character array is now declared.

We specify the size of the character array. The copy() function is called. The substring in the targeted char array specified in the parameters is copied by this method. The three arguments are the targeted character array, length to be duplicated, and starting point in the string to initiate duplicating. We want to display this character array utilizing the ‘cout’ statement.

Both strings have been shown before swapping using the ‘cout’ statement. We apply the swap() function, which swaps one string content with another. After swapping, we again enter ‘cout’ to get the swapped strings. Apply ‘return 0’ to end the code.

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Conclusion

The string class in the standard C library includes all of the methods listed above. In this article, we’ve seen a variety of methodologies for returning a string from a function in C . Various instances have been used to describe the methodologies, including the std::string &function() technique and the std::string function() technique.

About the author

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Kalsoom Bibi

Hello, I am a freelance writer and usually write for Linux and other technology related content