🚀 go-pugleaf

Since array of objects requiring constructors can exit it follows that any
C++ complier must contain the requisite logic for automatically inserting
loops to handle arrays.

Why must be live with the anachonistic restictions on the use of array
variables?

typedef T TA[5];
TA a; //this correctly calls T::T() five times
TA b=a; // should call T::T(const T&) five times
TA b(a); // same as above
a=b; // should call T::operator=(const T&) five times

One can of course say...
T b[5] = {a[0], a[1], a[2], a[3], a[4]};
...but this is ugly and its unlikely that the optimizer will spot that it's
a loop. Also this won't work if the size of the array is not determined until
compile time (for example as a macro passed in from the makefile).

BTW I realise that that it may be possible to create a class TA with all these
properties but I don't think that should be necessary.

More controversially why can't we pass by arrays by value?

typedef T TA[5];
void foo(TA a); // should pass by value (and optionally give a warning)
void foo(TA& a); // if I'd meant this I'd have said it
void foo(T* const a); // if I'd meant this I'd have said it

void foo(T a[]); // should do what is always has but give:-
  // "Warning: obsolete argument declaration syntax"

There is some question as to how the complier should handle
void foo(T a[5]);
 ...like `void foo(TA a)' a lot of old programs would fail
 ...like `void foo(T a[])' uglier but pragmatically better

You may well ask, "How can...
 typedef T TA[5];
 void foo(TA a);
...and...
 void foo(T a[5]);
...mean something different?"

OK I agree is ugly, but there is a precedent in the new operator.

typedef T TA[5];
TA* p1=new TA; // valid
T* p2=new T[5]; // valid
T* p3=new TA; // invalid

I realise some old code would fail to compile correctly even with this
distiction but this is a reasonable price to pay for removing the language's
most unsightly wart.

Note that none of what I've proposed inteferes in any way with the use of an
array in a pointer context.

If this question has been flogged to death in the past, I'm sorry.
 
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