Const Correctness/Private Member Variables

[Philip Lee Bridson]

Good Morning,

I hope I explain this properly but if I don't please tell me...

I need to return a const pointer to a const object from a method, however the object that I am returning is not constant internally as it can be modified in the class it is declared in.

(Please ignore the fact that constructor etc.. is missing, this is just a quick example)

class A
{
     private:
          SomeClass *sc;  // can't be const object as needs to be modifable internally

          void SomeMethod() { if(sc == NULL) sc = new SomeClass(); }

     public:
          const SomeClass* get( return sc; ); // can't be reference as may be NULL

};

Is this possible at all and if so please could you provide an example?

Thank you in advance for any help that you give.

Phil.

[helios]

That will work, but the caller will have to check the returned pointer.

[Philip Lee Bridson]

Thank you for the quick response. Will the example I posted prevent the user from modifying the object as well? I need the object to be constant as well as the pointer.

Many thanks,

Phil.

[helios]

You'll return a copy, so the member can't be modified. The object also can't be modified.