[net.lang.c++] partial solution to cout << 'a' producing 97

rafter@warwick.UUCP (Mark Rafter) (10/15/86)

If you add the following (Steve Rumsby's idea):

	ostream& put(char);		// put('a') writes a
	ostream& operator<<(const char &c){ return this->put(c);}

to the class ostream BEFORE the declaration of the operator

	ostream& operator<<(int a) { return *this<<long(a); }

and delete the original declaration of put(char) , then the program:

	#include <stream.h>
	main()
	{
		char b = 'b';
		cout << char('a') << b;
	}

will output ``ab'' rather than ``9798''. However there are the following
(related) quirks:

	1	the order of the declarations is important
	2	the new << operator must be a member of ostream

I cannot find any justification for these two points in the C++ book -
is there any?
		----------------------------------
Mark Rafter, Computer Science, Warwick Univ, Coventry CV4 7AL, ENGLAND
	..!ukc!warwick!rafter	+44 203 523364