C++ Why isn't call by reference needed for strcpy()

Question

I have a homework assignment with a number of questions. One is asking why the strcpy() function doesn't need the call by reference operator for CStrings. I've looked through the book numerous times and I can't, for the life of me, find the answer. Can anyone help explain this to me?

It is an array of sorts so I would think you would need the call by reference.

Answer 1

strcpy() takes a pointer to char.

Thus you don't pass the "string" as a parameter but only the address of its first character.

So basically you have something like this:

void func(const char* str);

const char* str = "abc";
func(str); // Here str isn't passed by reference but since str is a pointer to the first character ('a' here), you don't need a reference.

Passing a pointer is fast. On a 32 bits architecture, a pointer takes 32 bits, whatever the length of the pointed string.