> p = (char*)"";

yikes

I thought that was a typo or the forum software removed something, but no - it's a pointer to an empty string literal. If I understand how that works, this creates a null byte (in the read-only memory section of the compiled output?) and points to it. Before this line it checks if p is NULL.

I wonder what is the advantage of doing this? Maybe to make sure that p is an actual pointer, so later code can just make that assumption.

▲

lokar 5 hours ago | parent [-]

Yeah, it simplifies later code, and is safer in the face of future changes.

Or put another way, it tightens the API/contract of that chunk of code to always return a valid string.

	▲	lioeters 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		That makes sense, with that "guard" at the top, the rest of the function can return the pointer anywhere. And I imagine the compiler will ensure the empty string literal is created only once. Good to know!