[c++] How do I return a char array from a function?

When you create local variables inside a function that are created on the stack, they most likely get overwritten in memory when exiting the function.

So code like this in most C++ implementations will not work:

char[] populateChar()
{
    char* ch = "wonet return me";
    return ch;
}

A fix is to create the variable that want to be populated outside the function or where you want to use it, and then pass it as a parameter and manipulate the function, example:

void populateChar(char* ch){
    strcpy(ch, "fill me, Will. This will stay", size); // This will work as long as it won't overflow it.
}

int main(){
    char ch[100]; // Reserve memory on the stack outside the function
    populateChar(ch); // Populate the array
}

A C++11 solution using std::move(ch) to cast lvalues to rvalues:

void populateChar(char* && fillme){
    fillme = new char[20];
    strcpy(fillme, "this worked for me");
}

int main(){
    char* ch;
    populateChar(std::move(ch));
    return 0;
}

Or this option in C++11:

char* populateChar(){
    char* ch = "test char";
    // Will change from lvalue to r value
    return std::move(ch);
}

int main(){
    char* ch = populateChar();
    return 0;
}

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