C++0x initializer list passed by reference

Question

I have tried to use C++0x initializer list as argument to a constructor call in this way:

Foo<float> foo("Foo 1", std::vector<const char *>({ "foo A", "foo B" }) );

with the constructor

Foo(const char *name, std::vector<const char *> &foos)

With this constructor the compiler complained:

error: no matching function for call to Foo<float>::Foo(
    const char [5], std::vector<const char *, std::allocator<const char *> >)
note: candidates are: Foo<T>::Foo(const char *, std::vector<const char *,
    std::allocator<const char *> >&) [with T = float]

However, when I've changed the constructor to

Foo(const char *name, std::vector<const char *> foos)

Everything worked as expected. Why does the first constructor not work? I thought the vector could be constructed in the place of constructor call and passed down by reference, but obviously there's some problem. Could anybody explain that?

Thanks

Btw. I am using g++ version 4.4.5

EDIT: Thanks to the correct answers below, I have found also why I can't do that.

Answer 1

You cannot bind a temporary to a T&.

You can bind a temporary to T const&:

Foo(const char* name, std::vector<const char*> const& foos)

But I'd question the sanity of a vector of char pointers. What's wrong with std::string?

Answer 2

Temporary cannot be bound to non-const reference, so do this:

Foo(const char *name, const std::vector<const char *> &foos)
                    //^^^^ note this

Answer 3

The initializer list is a red hering, I think. You are trying to bind a temporary to a non-const reference, which is illegal. Try using a const reference.

Foo(const char *name, std::vector<const char *> const& foos)