Nerd Expo

C++ explicit cast are static_cast, const_cast, reinterpret_cast, and dynamic_cast.

int i = 5;
float j;

j = (float)i; /* C cast */
j = float(i); /* C++ generic cast */
j = static_cast(i); /* C++ explicit cast */

The reasons to use C++ explicit cast are clarity and correctness. It's a safty net as show in the following examples.

int i = 5;
float *pj;

pj = (float *)i; /* legal */
pj = (float *)(i); /* legal */
pj = static_cast(i); /* ILLEGAL */
pj = reinterpret_cast(i); /* legal */

When you got a bug in your code and you suspect it's caused by casting, you'll generally look at the reinterpret_cast before static_cast, so it can help reduce the debugging effort too.

# posted by Mack @ 11:37 AM