c++ same but different

[xenovia12]

is there any way to make the compiler thinks that '*' and '*' is different?

[Peter87]

I don't understand. Can you give an example?

[TheIdeasMan]

Hi,

Do you mean overloading the * operator to do different things depending on what type it is referring to?

[xenovia12]

 I don't understand. Can you give an example?

char array[2] = {'*','*'};
if ( array[0] != array[1] ) // i want this to be true if possible
cout << " not equal";

[anup30]

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{		
	pair<char,int> p[2];
	p[0]={'*',1};
	p[1]={'*',2};
	
	cout << p[0].first << " " << p[0].second << "\n";
	cout << p[1].first << " " << p[1].second << "\n";
	
	if(p[0] != p[1]) cout << "not equal\n";
}

[JLBorges]

#include <iostream>
#include <memory>

struct Char
{
    constexpr Char( char c = ' ' ) noexcept : value(c) {}

    constexpr operator char () const noexcept { return value ; }
    operator char& () noexcept { return value ; }

    constexpr char as_char() const noexcept { return value ; }

    char value ;
};

inline bool operator== ( const Char& a, const Char& b ) noexcept { return std::addressof(a) == std::addressof(b) ; }
inline bool operator!= ( const Char& a, const Char& b ) noexcept { return !(a==b) ; }

inline bool operator== ( const Char& a, const char& b ) noexcept { return std::addressof(a.value) == std::addressof(b) ; }
inline bool operator!= ( const Char& a, const char& b ) noexcept { return !(a==b) ; }

inline bool operator== ( const char& a, const Char& b ) noexcept { return b == a ; }
inline bool operator!= ( const char& a, const Char& b ) noexcept { return !(a==b) ; }

int main()
{
    Char array[2] = { '*', '*' } ;
    if( array[0] != array[1] ) std::cout << "not equal\n" ; // not equal
    if( char(array[0]) == array[1].as_char() ) std::cout << "equal\n" ; // equal

    char c = '*' ;
    if( array[0] != c ) std::cout << "not equal\n" ; // not equal
    if( array[0].as_char() == c ) std::cout << "equal\n" ; // equal

    array[0] = 'a' ;
    if( array[0].as_char() != char(array[1]) ) std::cout << "not equal\n" ; // not equal
    if( char(array[0]) == 'a' ) std::cout << "equal\n" ; // equal
}

http://coliru.stacked-crooked.com/a/c456f904fc49cb12

[keskiverto]

Lorence30 wrote:

char array[2] = {'*','*'};
if ( array[0] != array[1] ) // i want this to be true if possible
  cout << " not equal";

That is easy:

bool mydiff( char, char ) {
  return true;
}

// use
char array[2] = {'*','*'};
if ( mydiff( array[0], array[1] ) )
  cout << " not equal";

However, I have a feeling that there is more to the story.

Is it perhaps that you have larger alphabet, where identicals should be equal, and the * is a special "any" that equals every character except another any?