Overloading by return type

Question

I read few questions here on SO about this topic which seems yet confusing to me. I've just begun to learn C++ and I haven't studied templates yet or operator overloading and such.

Now is there a simple way to overload

class My {
public:
    int get(int);
    char get(int);
}

without templates or strange behavior? or should I just

class My {
public:
    int get_int(int);
    char get_char(int);
}

?

Answer 1

No there isn't. You can't overload methods based on return type.

Overload resolution takes into account the function signature. A function signature is made up of:

• function name
• cv-qualifiers
• parameter types

And here's the quote:

1.3.11 signature

the information about a function that participates in overload resolution (13.3): its parameter-type-list (8.3.5) and, if the function is a class member, the cv-qualifiers (if any) on the function itself and the class in which the member function is declared. [...]

Options:

1) change the method name:

class My {
public:
    int getInt(int);
    char getChar(int);
};

2) out parameter:

class My {
public:
    void get(int, int&);
    void get(int, char&);
}

3) templates... overkill in this case.