passing vector to function c++

Question

I have a main.cpp test.h and test.cpp> I am trying to pass my vector through so i can use it in test.cpp but i keep getting errors.

   //file: main.cpp
    int main(){
        vector <Item *> s;
         //loading my file and assign s[i]->name and s[i]-address
         tester(s);
    }

    //file: test.h
    #ifndef TEST_H
    #define TEST_H
    struct Item{
        string name;
        string address;
    };
    #endif

    //file: test.cpp
    int tester(Item *s[]){
        for (i=0; i<s.sizeof();i++){
            cout<< s[i]->name<<"  "<< s[i]->address<<endl;
        }
        return 0;
    }



    ---------------errors--------
    In file included from main.cpp:13:
    test.h:5: error: âstringâ does not name a type
    test.h:6: error: âstringâ does not name a type
    main.cpp: In function âint main()â:
    main.cpp:28: error: cannot convert âstd::vector<Item*, std::allocator<Item*> >â to âItem**â for argument â1â to âint tester(Item**)â

Answer 1

A std::vector<T> and T* [] are not compatible types.

Change your tester() function signature as follows:

//file: test.cpp
int tester(const std::vector<Item>& s)   // take a const-reference to the std::vector
                                         // since you don't need to change the values 
                                         // in this function
{
    for (size_t i = 0; i < s.size(); ++i){
        cout<< s[i]->name<<"  "<< s[i]->address<<endl;
    }
    return 0;
}

There are several ways you could pass this std::vector<T> and all have slightly different meanings:

// This would create a COPY of the vector
// that would be local to this function's scope
void tester(std::vector<Item*>); 

// This would use a reference to the vector
// this reference could be modified in the
// tester function
// This does NOT involve a second copy of the vector
void tester(std::vector<Item*>&);

// This would use a const-reference to the vector
// this reference could NOT be modified in the
// tester function
// This does NOT involve a second copy of the vector
void tester(const std::vector<Item*>&);

// This would use a pointer to the vector
// This does NOT involve a second copy of the vector
// caveat:  use of raw pointers can be dangerous and 
// should be avoided for non-trivial cases if possible
void tester(std::vector<Item*>*);