wrong function being picked
c++, visual-c++
Solution
Surprising as this behaviour is, the compiler is compliant: `char*` to `bool` conversion is preferred over the conversion to `std::string`.
Read more here.
The exact rules are spelled out in the C++ standard. They're surprisingly complicated, but the following paragraph is crucial here:
C++11 13.3.3.2 Ranking implicit conversion sequences [over.ics.rank]
2 When comparing the basic forms of implicit conversion sequences (as defined in 13.3.3.1) — a standard conversion sequence (13.3.3.1.1) is a better conversion sequence than a user-defined conversion sequence or an ellipsis conversion sequence
`char*`-to-`bool` requires a "standard conversion sequence" whereas `char*`-to-`string` requires a "user-defined conversion sequence". Therefore, the former is preferred.
Problem
I was trying to clean up some code that uses `char*` with `std::string` and ran into a problem that is illustrated by the following code. ``` void Foo( int xIn , const std::string & fooIn ) { std::cout << "string argument version called \n"; } void Foo( int xIn , bool flagIn = true ) { std::cout << "bool argument version called \n"; } int main() { int x = 1; Foo( x , "testing" ); return 0; } ``` When I run the program I get bool argument version called. Is a `char*` to `bool` conversion preferred over `char*` to `const std::string&` or is Visual Studio 2008 playing tricks on me ?