Using assignment operator = for a class with const memeber variables?

[User 13978559]

I'm doing an assignment and it was told that SIZE of the array has to be const and also that I will need to create an assignment operator, but idk maybe my lecturer didn't think about it? I have this code:

class NameList
{
private:
const int SIZE; // Size of the array
string* mp_list; //points to the start of the array
...

And then there's assignment operator

NameList NameList::operator = (const NameList &otherList)
{
SIZE = otherList.SIZE; // DOES NOT WORK

delete[] mp_list;
mp_list = new string[SIZE]; // Creating an array with a new size

*mp_list = *otherList.mp_list; // copying content of the other array
}

This will not work since you can't change const. But it's bad if I don't change the SIZE variable. Is there a way to create an assignment operator with const variable? Or is it ok if the size of the array is not const or it's bad programming? What would you do?

[CPallini]

There could be a lot of guesswork, but, as a matter of fact, I suppose you should ask your Lecturer.

[Lost User]

You need to assign a value to a constant item, otherwise it has no meaning. You need something like:

class NameList
{
private:
const int SIZE = 100; // Size of the array
string* mp_list; //points to the start of the array
...
public:
NameList()
{
mp_list = new string[SIZE];
}
...

From there you should be able to figure out how to make your assignment operator method.

[_Superman_]

Since the value of SIZE is constant and the same for all instances of the class, I suggest it be made a static const. That way you wouldn't need to assign a value to it in the assignment operator overload.

static const int SIZE = <value>;