typedef and containers of const pointers

Question

The following line of code compiles just fine and behaves: ``` list int_pointers; // (1) ``` The following two lines do not: ``` typedef int * IntPtr; list int_pointers; // (2) ``` I get the exact same compile errors for ``` list int_pointers; // (3) ``` I'm well aware that the last line is not legal since the elements of an STL container need to be assignable. Why is the compiler interpreting (2) to be the same as (3) ?

Accepted Answer

Short answer:

- is a list of pointers to constant ints.

- is a list of constant pointers to ints.

- is the same as 2.

const (and volatile) should naturally appear after the type they qualify. When you write it before, the compiler automatically rewrites it internally:

```
const int *
```

becomes

```
int const *
```

which is a pointer to a constant int. Lists of these will compile fine since the pointer itself is still assignable.

typedef and containers of const pointers

Solution

Problem