Copying non null-terminated unsigned char array to std::string

Question

If the array was null-terminated this would be pretty straight forward:

unsigned char u_array[4] = { 'a', 's', 'd', '\0' }; std::string str = reinterpret_cast<char*>(u_array); std::cout << "-> " << str << std::endl; 

However, I wonder what is the most appropriate way to copy a non null-terminated unsigned char array, like the following:

unsigned char u_array[4] = { 'a', 's', 'd', 'f' }; 

into a std::string.

Is there any way to do it without iterating over the unsigned char array?

Thank you all.

Answer 1

std::string has a constructor that takes a pair of iterators and unsigned char can be converted (in an implementation defined manner) to char so this works. There is no need for a reinterpret_cast.

unsigned char u_array[4] = { 'a', 's', 'd', 'f' };  #include <string> #include <iostream> #include <ostream>  int main() {     std::string str( u_array, u_array + sizeof u_array / sizeof u_array[0] );     std::cout << str << std::endl;     return 0; } 

Of course an "array size" template function is more robust than the sizeof calculation.