CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++operator-overloading
elvisi27
elvisi27

Reputation: 29

operator overloading warning

This function is part of a larger project for my c++ class. When I try to run it on visual c++ 2017 I get the following warning:

warning C4172: returning address of local variable or temporary: temp

Item& Item::operator++(int n) {
    //Increments the code to be printed on the next insertion and returns the 
    //value before incrementation.

    Item temp = *this;
    code++;
    return temp;
}

Is there a way to remove this warning and still return the value before the incrementation? Thanks.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 470

Answers (1)

songyuanyao
songyuanyao

Reputation: 172924

The warning is correct. You're trying to return a reference to local object, which will be destroyed when get out of the function, with the dangled reference left.

return the value before the incrementation?

I suppose you should change it to return-by-value; the idea of post-increment operator is to return a copy before performing increment. i.e.

Item Item::operator++(int n) {

Upvotes: 2

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