Difference between character pointer and integer pointer

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Hi,
If we declare:

int i;
int *ptr1 = &i;
*ptr1=10;
cout << ptr1;

Here ptr1 will give the address.

But:

char *ptr2;
ptr2="Priyaa";
cout << ptr2;

Here it will give the content of the character pointer.

Why is there such a difference?

Posted 3-Feb-10 20:31pm

shailupriyaa

Updated 3-Feb-10 22:09pm

Deeksha Shenoy

v5

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Christian Graus · Answer 1 · 2010-02-03T21:10:00

Solution 1

Because a char * is the only way to define a string in C, and is commonly used for that purpose in C++. So, it's designed to deal with a char * in the manner that it expects you'd want to deal with it.

Posted 3-Feb-10 21:10pm

Christian Graus

stebich · Answer 2 · 2010-02-03T21:21:00

cout << (int *) and cout << (char *)
call different methods of the ostream::operator << because they have to handle different parameter types.
There are several overloaded methods of the operator <<. If you want to have a different behaviour, overload the operater << yourself for the types you want to change.

CPallini · Answer 3 · 2010-02-03T21:27:00

Solution 3

The difference is in the implementations of the two overloads of the ostream operator <<.
:)

Posted 3-Feb-10 21:27pm

CPallini