reinterpret_cast changes type from `const float *` to `float` unexpectedly

Question

I have a pointer:

const float  *m_posBufferPtr_float;

I assign to this variable with:

m_posBufferPtr_float = reinterpret_cast<const float *>(buffer()->data().constData());

At which constData() function returns const char * type:

inline const char *QByteArray::constData() const
{ return d->data(); }

Therefore my reinterpret_cast should convert const char * to const float *.

---

But to my surprise, exactly before reinterpret_cast my pointer is:

and exactly after reinterpret_cast debugger shows my pointer as:

---

I wonder why reinterpret_cast is converting const char * to float rather than const float *

Answer 1

If you take this snippet:

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    float* pointer = nullptr;

    float value = 12.34;
    pointer = &value;


    qDebug() << *pointer;
}

and execute it step by step, you will see in your debugger:

Then

Notice that the type became float when the pointer has been initialized. It's due to the configuration of the debugger.

In Qt Creator, right-click on your pointer and uncheck Dereference pointers automatically: