using const char*[] and compile time errors

[RET80]

Hello folks, new to the board.

I have a compile time error in my C++ program that reads:
error C2440: 'default argument' : cannot convert from 'const char [1]' to 'const char *[]'

It's coming from here in my code in my .h file, this is the constructor:
Name(const char* firstNm[] = "", const char* lastNm[] = "");

In my .h file I have my private data members as:
char* firstName;
char* lastName;

In the actual .cpp document that implements my .h file I have:
Name::Name(const char* firstNm[], const char* lastNm[])
{
firstName = NULL;
lastName = NULL;
setFirstName(firstNm);
setLastName(lastNm);
}


void Name::setFirstName(const char* firstNm[])
{
if(firstName != NULL)
delete[].firstName;
if(strlen(firstNm) > 20){
firstName = new char[MAX_NAME+1];
assert(firstName != NULL);
strcpy(firstName, firstNm, MAX_NAME);
firstName[MAX_NAME]='\0'
cerr<<"First Name exceeds max name, will be truncated to 20th character."<<endl;
}
else{
firstName=new char[strlen(firstNm)+1]
assert(firstName != NULL);
strcpy(firstName,firstNm, MAX_NAME);
}

}


And similar code for the setLastName
and also, MAX_NAME is set to 20

We're starting to use pointer and reference variables and I'm still not too 'clear' as to how I need to go about doing this and pointing where.

Any help as to why I'm getting this error and what to understand would be great.

[Disch]

const char* foo is a pointer to a character (or an array of characters)
const char foo[] is the same thing (when passed as a function parameter)
const char* foo[] is a pointer to an array of pointers (ie: a double pointer, not what you intended).

Change this to either const char* foo, or const char foo[].

Or better yet -- save yourself a million headaches and just use strings instead of char pointers.

[RET80]

bingo, totally fixed.

Thanks!