c++ pass char array to function and change it

Question

I try to make a function that can change the content of a specified char array

void change_array(char *target)
{
    target="hi";
}

int main()
{
    char *a[2];
    change_array(a[1]);
    cout<<*(a[1]);
}

But then the content of a[1] stays at 0x0(void)

Answer 1

First, your function has a copy of the pointer passed to it, so there is no effect seen on the caller side. If you want to modify the function argument, pass a reference:

void change_array(char*& target) { ... }
//                     ^

Second, you cannot/should not bind a non-const pointer to a string literal. Use const char* instead.

void change_array(const char*& target) { ... }
//                ^^^^^      ^

int main()
{
    const char* a[2];
    change_array(a[1]);
    cout<<*(a[1]);
}