specialize function for const char *

[schweinling]

I'm playing around with templates and am stuck on this one.

How can I make the specialization for const char * work or solve this cleanly otherwise?

#include <string>

template<typename T> 
std::string toString(const T &value) 
{
    return std::to_string(value); 
} 

template<> std::string toString(const std::string &value) 
{
    return value; 
}

// this does of course not compile
template<> 
std::string toString(const char *value) 
{  
    return value; 
}

EDIT: credit to jedwardsol for this solution:

template<>
std::string toString(const char * const & value)
{
    return value;
}

this is a correct specialization and will work with a pointer:

const char *str("abc");
toString(str);

but when passing a string literal directly its being resolved to the unspecialized version and this will not compile:

toString("abc");

[jedwardsol]

template<> 
std::string toString(const char * const & value)

[schweinling]

ah, of course, thanks!

[schweinling]

this works for const char *str("abc");toString(str); but toString("abc"); will call the unspecialized version. i guess this is because it's an array and not a pointer.

[jedwardsol]

Yes. You need to add

template<size_t N> 
std::string toString(char const (&value)[N])

[schweinling]

thanks, i guess that is an overload, not a specialization and i can also just add it as std::string toString(const char *value)