How do I change the first character of string using pointers?

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C++

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <conio.h>

int main() {
	char *string = "Programming is EPIC!";
	*string = 'K';

	printf("%s\n", string);

	_getch();
	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

This code does not compile and gives errors! I read this example in a book and it says that it should compile but the compiler gives errors!

NOTE: If compiling on Linux, please remove the <conio.h> and _getch(); function.

Posted 26-Feb-15 19:22pm

Member 11476553

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Mohibur Rashid 27-Feb-15 1:59am

yup, remove getch or anything like that.
and char *string = "Programming is EPIC!"; this type of declaration is dropped. you better try
char string[] = "Programming is EPIC!";

Member 11476553 27-Feb-15 5:15am

thank you @mohibur it works

2 solutions

Solution 1

It is better to provide some memory to the string and than fill it.

char string[30];
strcpy(string,"Programming is EPIC!");
string[0] = 'K';

You better look out for some string library to take care about such annoying tasks. ;-)
So such code would do the job

C++

std_string string = "Programming is EPIC!";
string[0] = 'K';

Posted 26-Feb-15 20:15pm

KarstenK

Comments

CPallini 27-Feb-15 2:24am

5.Of course you don't need std::string to do
char string[] = "Programming is EPIC";
string[0] = 'K';
BTW you should replace the underscore with the scope operator ::

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OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-26T20:16:00

The problem is that your string is a constant: so when you try to alter it in any way, you will get an "Access violation" exception and your program will crash.

What you need to do is make a copy of it into an array, either manually:

C#

char* inp = "Programming is EPIC!";
char string[100];
int i;

for (i= 0; i < 100; i++)
    {
    string[i] = inp[i];
    if (string[i] == '\0') break;
    }
*string = 'K';

Or automatically:

C#

char string[] = "Programming is EPIC!";
*string = 'K';