C++: A Dialog Programming with the C++ Standard Library

C String Literals vs. strings

Susan had some questions about these objectives. Here's the discussion.

Susan: What is the difference between C string literals and variables of the string class?

Steve: A variable of the standard string class is what you've been using to store variable-length alphanumeric data. You can copy them, input them from the keyboard, assign values to them, and the like. By contrast, a C string literal is just a bunch of characters in a row; all you can do with it is display it or assign it to a string variable.

Susan: OK, then you are saying that variables of the string class are what I am used to working with. On the other hand, a C string literal is just some nonsense that you want me to learn to assign to something that ...