[Issue 11176] array.ptr in @safe code

[via Digitalmars-d-bugs]

https://issues.dlang.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11176

--- Comment #14 from Steven Schveighoffer <schveiguy at yahoo.com> ---
(In reply to Nick Treleaven from comment #13)
> The following is safe:
> assert(elem.ptr is null);
> 
> Even this is safe:
> i = tmp.ptr - trailing.ptr;
> 
> Both of these are from Phobos. We only need to prevent dereference of .ptr,
> and aggressively so. But reading the pointer itself is OK so long as the
> address doesn't escape to another pointer.

I agree these could be possible rules that would be safe.

However, this would be confusing, since pointer dereferencing is allowed in
safe code. Is there a more reasonable way to explain this?

I think it's easier to explain, and more consistent to just prevent access to
ptr. Especially when there are workable alternatives.

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