Is it possible to get a pointer to one subobject via a pointer to a different, unreleated subobject?Where in the C++ Standard is the memory layout of objects documented?What are the differences between a pointer variable and a reference variable in C++?Is the Empty Base Class Optimization now a mandatory optimization (at least for standard-layout classes)?Pointer arithmetic across subobject boundariesWhy is f(i = -1, i = -1) undefined behavior?What makes it possible for glibc malloc to compare pointers from different “objects”?Can an equality comparison of unrelated pointers evaluate to true?Compatibility between structs with differently const-qualified pointersGuaranteed memory layout for standard layout struct with a single array member of primitive typeUsing std::launder to get a pointer to an active union member from a pointer to an inactive union member?Accessing the members of a struct referenced by a void pointer
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Is it possible to get a pointer to one subobject via a pointer to a different, unreleated subobject?
Where in the C++ Standard is the memory layout of objects documented?What are the differences between a pointer variable and a reference variable in C++?Is the Empty Base Class Optimization now a mandatory optimization (at least for standard-layout classes)?Pointer arithmetic across subobject boundariesWhy is f(i = -1, i = -1) undefined behavior?What makes it possible for glibc malloc to compare pointers from different “objects”?Can an equality comparison of unrelated pointers evaluate to true?Compatibility between structs with differently const-qualified pointersGuaranteed memory layout for standard layout struct with a single array member of primitive typeUsing std::launder to get a pointer to an active union member from a pointer to an inactive union member?Accessing the members of a struct referenced by a void pointer
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty margin-bottom:0;
Look at this simple code:
struct Point
int x;
int y;
;
void something(int *);
int main()
Point p1, 2;
something(&p.x);
return p.y;
I expect, that main
's return value can be optimized to return 2;
, as something
doesn't have access to p.y
, it only gets a pointer to p.x
.
But, none of the major compilers optimize the return value of main
to 2
. Godbolt.
Is there something in the standard, which allows something
to modify p.y
, if we only give access to p.x
? If yes, does this depend on whether Point
has standard layout?
What if I use something(&p.y);
, and return p.x;
instead?
c++ language-lawyer c++17
add a comment
|
Look at this simple code:
struct Point
int x;
int y;
;
void something(int *);
int main()
Point p1, 2;
something(&p.x);
return p.y;
I expect, that main
's return value can be optimized to return 2;
, as something
doesn't have access to p.y
, it only gets a pointer to p.x
.
But, none of the major compilers optimize the return value of main
to 2
. Godbolt.
Is there something in the standard, which allows something
to modify p.y
, if we only give access to p.x
? If yes, does this depend on whether Point
has standard layout?
What if I use something(&p.y);
, and return p.x;
instead?
c++ language-lawyer c++17
1
I don't understand the downvote and the flag. This is perfectly reasonable question to me.
– Zereges
8 hours ago
stackoverflow.com/questions/50803202/… "Implementation alignment requirements might cause two adjacent members not to be allocated immediately after each other"
– alter igel
8 hours ago
@alterigel: this shouldn't matter, as we can useoffsetof
. But I'm not sure that we can actually get a pointer top.y
fromp.x
, with the new pointer semantic rules of C++17.std::launder
cannot be used, as a pointer top.x
can only reachp.x
. So even if I could move the pointer to the correct location, maybe that pointer won't point to the object ofp.y
.
– geza
8 hours ago
If you change it tovoid something(int * x) *(x+1) = 6;
it optimizes the return value to a fixed6
, so the compiler at least sees that as a valid option to do.
– t.niese
8 hours ago
1
@zereges, didn't downvote, but almost did. The question is very hard to parse. I believe the OP is asking: "why can't the compiler realize the something() function will not modify p.y ?" If the OP asked that directly, there'd be less downvotes.
– Jeffrey
8 hours ago
add a comment
|
Look at this simple code:
struct Point
int x;
int y;
;
void something(int *);
int main()
Point p1, 2;
something(&p.x);
return p.y;
I expect, that main
's return value can be optimized to return 2;
, as something
doesn't have access to p.y
, it only gets a pointer to p.x
.
But, none of the major compilers optimize the return value of main
to 2
. Godbolt.
Is there something in the standard, which allows something
to modify p.y
, if we only give access to p.x
? If yes, does this depend on whether Point
has standard layout?
What if I use something(&p.y);
, and return p.x;
instead?
c++ language-lawyer c++17
Look at this simple code:
struct Point
int x;
int y;
;
void something(int *);
int main()
Point p1, 2;
something(&p.x);
return p.y;
I expect, that main
's return value can be optimized to return 2;
, as something
doesn't have access to p.y
, it only gets a pointer to p.x
.
But, none of the major compilers optimize the return value of main
to 2
. Godbolt.
Is there something in the standard, which allows something
to modify p.y
, if we only give access to p.x
? If yes, does this depend on whether Point
has standard layout?
What if I use something(&p.y);
, and return p.x;
instead?
c++ language-lawyer c++17
c++ language-lawyer c++17
edited 8 hours ago
geza
asked 8 hours ago
gezageza
16.6k3 gold badges40 silver badges97 bronze badges
16.6k3 gold badges40 silver badges97 bronze badges
1
I don't understand the downvote and the flag. This is perfectly reasonable question to me.
– Zereges
8 hours ago
stackoverflow.com/questions/50803202/… "Implementation alignment requirements might cause two adjacent members not to be allocated immediately after each other"
– alter igel
8 hours ago
@alterigel: this shouldn't matter, as we can useoffsetof
. But I'm not sure that we can actually get a pointer top.y
fromp.x
, with the new pointer semantic rules of C++17.std::launder
cannot be used, as a pointer top.x
can only reachp.x
. So even if I could move the pointer to the correct location, maybe that pointer won't point to the object ofp.y
.
– geza
8 hours ago
If you change it tovoid something(int * x) *(x+1) = 6;
it optimizes the return value to a fixed6
, so the compiler at least sees that as a valid option to do.
– t.niese
8 hours ago
1
@zereges, didn't downvote, but almost did. The question is very hard to parse. I believe the OP is asking: "why can't the compiler realize the something() function will not modify p.y ?" If the OP asked that directly, there'd be less downvotes.
– Jeffrey
8 hours ago
add a comment
|
1
I don't understand the downvote and the flag. This is perfectly reasonable question to me.
– Zereges
8 hours ago
stackoverflow.com/questions/50803202/… "Implementation alignment requirements might cause two adjacent members not to be allocated immediately after each other"
– alter igel
8 hours ago
@alterigel: this shouldn't matter, as we can useoffsetof
. But I'm not sure that we can actually get a pointer top.y
fromp.x
, with the new pointer semantic rules of C++17.std::launder
cannot be used, as a pointer top.x
can only reachp.x
. So even if I could move the pointer to the correct location, maybe that pointer won't point to the object ofp.y
.
– geza
8 hours ago
If you change it tovoid something(int * x) *(x+1) = 6;
it optimizes the return value to a fixed6
, so the compiler at least sees that as a valid option to do.
– t.niese
8 hours ago
1
@zereges, didn't downvote, but almost did. The question is very hard to parse. I believe the OP is asking: "why can't the compiler realize the something() function will not modify p.y ?" If the OP asked that directly, there'd be less downvotes.
– Jeffrey
8 hours ago
1
1
I don't understand the downvote and the flag. This is perfectly reasonable question to me.
– Zereges
8 hours ago
I don't understand the downvote and the flag. This is perfectly reasonable question to me.
– Zereges
8 hours ago
stackoverflow.com/questions/50803202/… "Implementation alignment requirements might cause two adjacent members not to be allocated immediately after each other"
– alter igel
8 hours ago
stackoverflow.com/questions/50803202/… "Implementation alignment requirements might cause two adjacent members not to be allocated immediately after each other"
– alter igel
8 hours ago
@alterigel: this shouldn't matter, as we can use
offsetof
. But I'm not sure that we can actually get a pointer to p.y
from p.x
, with the new pointer semantic rules of C++17. std::launder
cannot be used, as a pointer to p.x
can only reach p.x
. So even if I could move the pointer to the correct location, maybe that pointer won't point to the object of p.y
.– geza
8 hours ago
@alterigel: this shouldn't matter, as we can use
offsetof
. But I'm not sure that we can actually get a pointer to p.y
from p.x
, with the new pointer semantic rules of C++17. std::launder
cannot be used, as a pointer to p.x
can only reach p.x
. So even if I could move the pointer to the correct location, maybe that pointer won't point to the object of p.y
.– geza
8 hours ago
If you change it to
void something(int * x) *(x+1) = 6;
it optimizes the return value to a fixed 6
, so the compiler at least sees that as a valid option to do.– t.niese
8 hours ago
If you change it to
void something(int * x) *(x+1) = 6;
it optimizes the return value to a fixed 6
, so the compiler at least sees that as a valid option to do.– t.niese
8 hours ago
1
1
@zereges, didn't downvote, but almost did. The question is very hard to parse. I believe the OP is asking: "why can't the compiler realize the something() function will not modify p.y ?" If the OP asked that directly, there'd be less downvotes.
– Jeffrey
8 hours ago
@zereges, didn't downvote, but almost did. The question is very hard to parse. I believe the OP is asking: "why can't the compiler realize the something() function will not modify p.y ?" If the OP asked that directly, there'd be less downvotes.
– Jeffrey
8 hours ago
add a comment
|
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
This is perfectly well-defined:
void something(int *x)
reinterpret_cast<Point*>(x)->y = 42;
The Point
object (p
) and its x
member are pointer-interconvertible, from [basic.compound]:
Two objects a and b are pointer-interconvertible if:
- [...]
- one is a standard-layout class object and the other is the first non-static data member of that object, or, if the object has no non-static data members, any base class subobject of that object ([class.mem]), or:
- [...]
If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a
reinterpret_cast
.
That reinterpret_cast<Point*>(x)
is valid and does end up with a pointer that points to p
. Hence, modifying it directly is fine. As you can see, the standard-layout part and the first non-static data member part are significant.
Although it's not like the compilers in question optimize out the extra load if you pass a pointer to p.y
in and return p.x
instead.
1
Thanks, I knew that I left a hole in my question. So, if I usedsomething(&p.y); return p.x;
, then it is clearly a missed optimization?
– geza
8 hours ago
@geza For some definition of "clearly". There almost certainly exists a lot of code that does things like this that such an optimization would break.
– Barry
7 hours ago
1
@geza Technically, yes, it would be a missed optimization then, but I don't think major compilers, at this time, are prepared to break all the existing code that usesoffsetof
.
– Brian
7 hours ago
Doesn't that violate the strict-aliasing rule? Or is that a C-only rule?
– sturcotte06
7 hours ago
1
@sturcotte06 it does not because of If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a reinterpret_cast.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
add a comment
|
Given a POD structure (trivial with a standard layout, such as Point), you could change y as follows, even if x was not the first field in the object:
void something(int *data)
data[(offsetof(Point, y)- offsetof(Point, x))/sizeof(int)] = 3;
You might want to reread the question. The OP is not asking about this.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The OP says Is there something in the standard, which allows something to modify p.y, if we only give access to p.x?
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Correct. You are talking about an array, not whether or notsomething
could modifyy
given a pointer tox
.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The result will be the same. It is not possible for the compiler to optimize, as the data is freely changeable by something given its prototype.
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Sure, but arrays are different than structs and you cannot treat a pointer to a member as a pointer to an array. You also don't back up you claim with any text from the standard.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
This is perfectly well-defined:
void something(int *x)
reinterpret_cast<Point*>(x)->y = 42;
The Point
object (p
) and its x
member are pointer-interconvertible, from [basic.compound]:
Two objects a and b are pointer-interconvertible if:
- [...]
- one is a standard-layout class object and the other is the first non-static data member of that object, or, if the object has no non-static data members, any base class subobject of that object ([class.mem]), or:
- [...]
If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a
reinterpret_cast
.
That reinterpret_cast<Point*>(x)
is valid and does end up with a pointer that points to p
. Hence, modifying it directly is fine. As you can see, the standard-layout part and the first non-static data member part are significant.
Although it's not like the compilers in question optimize out the extra load if you pass a pointer to p.y
in and return p.x
instead.
1
Thanks, I knew that I left a hole in my question. So, if I usedsomething(&p.y); return p.x;
, then it is clearly a missed optimization?
– geza
8 hours ago
@geza For some definition of "clearly". There almost certainly exists a lot of code that does things like this that such an optimization would break.
– Barry
7 hours ago
1
@geza Technically, yes, it would be a missed optimization then, but I don't think major compilers, at this time, are prepared to break all the existing code that usesoffsetof
.
– Brian
7 hours ago
Doesn't that violate the strict-aliasing rule? Or is that a C-only rule?
– sturcotte06
7 hours ago
1
@sturcotte06 it does not because of If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a reinterpret_cast.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
add a comment
|
This is perfectly well-defined:
void something(int *x)
reinterpret_cast<Point*>(x)->y = 42;
The Point
object (p
) and its x
member are pointer-interconvertible, from [basic.compound]:
Two objects a and b are pointer-interconvertible if:
- [...]
- one is a standard-layout class object and the other is the first non-static data member of that object, or, if the object has no non-static data members, any base class subobject of that object ([class.mem]), or:
- [...]
If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a
reinterpret_cast
.
That reinterpret_cast<Point*>(x)
is valid and does end up with a pointer that points to p
. Hence, modifying it directly is fine. As you can see, the standard-layout part and the first non-static data member part are significant.
Although it's not like the compilers in question optimize out the extra load if you pass a pointer to p.y
in and return p.x
instead.
1
Thanks, I knew that I left a hole in my question. So, if I usedsomething(&p.y); return p.x;
, then it is clearly a missed optimization?
– geza
8 hours ago
@geza For some definition of "clearly". There almost certainly exists a lot of code that does things like this that such an optimization would break.
– Barry
7 hours ago
1
@geza Technically, yes, it would be a missed optimization then, but I don't think major compilers, at this time, are prepared to break all the existing code that usesoffsetof
.
– Brian
7 hours ago
Doesn't that violate the strict-aliasing rule? Or is that a C-only rule?
– sturcotte06
7 hours ago
1
@sturcotte06 it does not because of If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a reinterpret_cast.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
add a comment
|
This is perfectly well-defined:
void something(int *x)
reinterpret_cast<Point*>(x)->y = 42;
The Point
object (p
) and its x
member are pointer-interconvertible, from [basic.compound]:
Two objects a and b are pointer-interconvertible if:
- [...]
- one is a standard-layout class object and the other is the first non-static data member of that object, or, if the object has no non-static data members, any base class subobject of that object ([class.mem]), or:
- [...]
If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a
reinterpret_cast
.
That reinterpret_cast<Point*>(x)
is valid and does end up with a pointer that points to p
. Hence, modifying it directly is fine. As you can see, the standard-layout part and the first non-static data member part are significant.
Although it's not like the compilers in question optimize out the extra load if you pass a pointer to p.y
in and return p.x
instead.
This is perfectly well-defined:
void something(int *x)
reinterpret_cast<Point*>(x)->y = 42;
The Point
object (p
) and its x
member are pointer-interconvertible, from [basic.compound]:
Two objects a and b are pointer-interconvertible if:
- [...]
- one is a standard-layout class object and the other is the first non-static data member of that object, or, if the object has no non-static data members, any base class subobject of that object ([class.mem]), or:
- [...]
If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a
reinterpret_cast
.
That reinterpret_cast<Point*>(x)
is valid and does end up with a pointer that points to p
. Hence, modifying it directly is fine. As you can see, the standard-layout part and the first non-static data member part are significant.
Although it's not like the compilers in question optimize out the extra load if you pass a pointer to p.y
in and return p.x
instead.
edited 7 hours ago
T.C.
111k14 gold badges229 silver badges338 bronze badges
111k14 gold badges229 silver badges338 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
BarryBarry
200k22 gold badges373 silver badges665 bronze badges
200k22 gold badges373 silver badges665 bronze badges
1
Thanks, I knew that I left a hole in my question. So, if I usedsomething(&p.y); return p.x;
, then it is clearly a missed optimization?
– geza
8 hours ago
@geza For some definition of "clearly". There almost certainly exists a lot of code that does things like this that such an optimization would break.
– Barry
7 hours ago
1
@geza Technically, yes, it would be a missed optimization then, but I don't think major compilers, at this time, are prepared to break all the existing code that usesoffsetof
.
– Brian
7 hours ago
Doesn't that violate the strict-aliasing rule? Or is that a C-only rule?
– sturcotte06
7 hours ago
1
@sturcotte06 it does not because of If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a reinterpret_cast.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
add a comment
|
1
Thanks, I knew that I left a hole in my question. So, if I usedsomething(&p.y); return p.x;
, then it is clearly a missed optimization?
– geza
8 hours ago
@geza For some definition of "clearly". There almost certainly exists a lot of code that does things like this that such an optimization would break.
– Barry
7 hours ago
1
@geza Technically, yes, it would be a missed optimization then, but I don't think major compilers, at this time, are prepared to break all the existing code that usesoffsetof
.
– Brian
7 hours ago
Doesn't that violate the strict-aliasing rule? Or is that a C-only rule?
– sturcotte06
7 hours ago
1
@sturcotte06 it does not because of If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a reinterpret_cast.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
1
1
Thanks, I knew that I left a hole in my question. So, if I used
something(&p.y); return p.x;
, then it is clearly a missed optimization?– geza
8 hours ago
Thanks, I knew that I left a hole in my question. So, if I used
something(&p.y); return p.x;
, then it is clearly a missed optimization?– geza
8 hours ago
@geza For some definition of "clearly". There almost certainly exists a lot of code that does things like this that such an optimization would break.
– Barry
7 hours ago
@geza For some definition of "clearly". There almost certainly exists a lot of code that does things like this that such an optimization would break.
– Barry
7 hours ago
1
1
@geza Technically, yes, it would be a missed optimization then, but I don't think major compilers, at this time, are prepared to break all the existing code that uses
offsetof
.– Brian
7 hours ago
@geza Technically, yes, it would be a missed optimization then, but I don't think major compilers, at this time, are prepared to break all the existing code that uses
offsetof
.– Brian
7 hours ago
Doesn't that violate the strict-aliasing rule? Or is that a C-only rule?
– sturcotte06
7 hours ago
Doesn't that violate the strict-aliasing rule? Or is that a C-only rule?
– sturcotte06
7 hours ago
1
1
@sturcotte06 it does not because of If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a reinterpret_cast.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
@sturcotte06 it does not because of If two objects are pointer-interconvertible, then they have the same address, and it is possible to obtain a pointer to one from a pointer to the other via a reinterpret_cast.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
add a comment
|
Given a POD structure (trivial with a standard layout, such as Point), you could change y as follows, even if x was not the first field in the object:
void something(int *data)
data[(offsetof(Point, y)- offsetof(Point, x))/sizeof(int)] = 3;
You might want to reread the question. The OP is not asking about this.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The OP says Is there something in the standard, which allows something to modify p.y, if we only give access to p.x?
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Correct. You are talking about an array, not whether or notsomething
could modifyy
given a pointer tox
.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The result will be the same. It is not possible for the compiler to optimize, as the data is freely changeable by something given its prototype.
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Sure, but arrays are different than structs and you cannot treat a pointer to a member as a pointer to an array. You also don't back up you claim with any text from the standard.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
Given a POD structure (trivial with a standard layout, such as Point), you could change y as follows, even if x was not the first field in the object:
void something(int *data)
data[(offsetof(Point, y)- offsetof(Point, x))/sizeof(int)] = 3;
You might want to reread the question. The OP is not asking about this.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The OP says Is there something in the standard, which allows something to modify p.y, if we only give access to p.x?
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Correct. You are talking about an array, not whether or notsomething
could modifyy
given a pointer tox
.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The result will be the same. It is not possible for the compiler to optimize, as the data is freely changeable by something given its prototype.
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Sure, but arrays are different than structs and you cannot treat a pointer to a member as a pointer to an array. You also don't back up you claim with any text from the standard.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
Given a POD structure (trivial with a standard layout, such as Point), you could change y as follows, even if x was not the first field in the object:
void something(int *data)
data[(offsetof(Point, y)- offsetof(Point, x))/sizeof(int)] = 3;
Given a POD structure (trivial with a standard layout, such as Point), you could change y as follows, even if x was not the first field in the object:
void something(int *data)
data[(offsetof(Point, y)- offsetof(Point, x))/sizeof(int)] = 3;
edited 6 hours ago
answered 7 hours ago
Gonen IGonen I
2,07714 silver badges31 bronze badges
2,07714 silver badges31 bronze badges
You might want to reread the question. The OP is not asking about this.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The OP says Is there something in the standard, which allows something to modify p.y, if we only give access to p.x?
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Correct. You are talking about an array, not whether or notsomething
could modifyy
given a pointer tox
.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The result will be the same. It is not possible for the compiler to optimize, as the data is freely changeable by something given its prototype.
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Sure, but arrays are different than structs and you cannot treat a pointer to a member as a pointer to an array. You also don't back up you claim with any text from the standard.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
You might want to reread the question. The OP is not asking about this.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The OP says Is there something in the standard, which allows something to modify p.y, if we only give access to p.x?
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Correct. You are talking about an array, not whether or notsomething
could modifyy
given a pointer tox
.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The result will be the same. It is not possible for the compiler to optimize, as the data is freely changeable by something given its prototype.
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Sure, but arrays are different than structs and you cannot treat a pointer to a member as a pointer to an array. You also don't back up you claim with any text from the standard.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
You might want to reread the question. The OP is not asking about this.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
You might want to reread the question. The OP is not asking about this.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The OP says Is there something in the standard, which allows something to modify p.y, if we only give access to p.x?
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
The OP says Is there something in the standard, which allows something to modify p.y, if we only give access to p.x?
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Correct. You are talking about an array, not whether or not
something
could modify y
given a pointer to x
.– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
Correct. You are talking about an array, not whether or not
something
could modify y
given a pointer to x
.– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
The result will be the same. It is not possible for the compiler to optimize, as the data is freely changeable by something given its prototype.
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
The result will be the same. It is not possible for the compiler to optimize, as the data is freely changeable by something given its prototype.
– Gonen I
7 hours ago
Sure, but arrays are different than structs and you cannot treat a pointer to a member as a pointer to an array. You also don't back up you claim with any text from the standard.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
Sure, but arrays are different than structs and you cannot treat a pointer to a member as a pointer to an array. You also don't back up you claim with any text from the standard.
– NathanOliver
7 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
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1
I don't understand the downvote and the flag. This is perfectly reasonable question to me.
– Zereges
8 hours ago
stackoverflow.com/questions/50803202/… "Implementation alignment requirements might cause two adjacent members not to be allocated immediately after each other"
– alter igel
8 hours ago
@alterigel: this shouldn't matter, as we can use
offsetof
. But I'm not sure that we can actually get a pointer top.y
fromp.x
, with the new pointer semantic rules of C++17.std::launder
cannot be used, as a pointer top.x
can only reachp.x
. So even if I could move the pointer to the correct location, maybe that pointer won't point to the object ofp.y
.– geza
8 hours ago
If you change it to
void something(int * x) *(x+1) = 6;
it optimizes the return value to a fixed6
, so the compiler at least sees that as a valid option to do.– t.niese
8 hours ago
1
@zereges, didn't downvote, but almost did. The question is very hard to parse. I believe the OP is asking: "why can't the compiler realize the something() function will not modify p.y ?" If the OP asked that directly, there'd be less downvotes.
– Jeffrey
8 hours ago