template specialization question

[Ellery Newcomer]

On 02/01/2010 04:19 PM, daoryn wrote:
>
> The whole point of specialisation (and of templates in general) is to have functions that work for any type. Having to forcibly specify a type is like casting to a specific overload of a function. Why add clutter to the syntax when the language advertises automatic type inference?

I disagree. The whole point of specialization is to isolate specific 
cases that you want to handle differently. The point of templates 
(probably not in whole) is to parameterize types. The point of argument 
deduction is, as you put it, to have functions that work for any type.

I do agree that you shouldn't be having any problem whatsoever, but my 
previous example illustrated that specialization is not at fault. DMD 
just can't deduce what T is given the argument either because the syntax 
logically doesn't make sense, or because DMD is retarded.

try compiling the following:

import std.stdio;
void print(T:T[])(T[] thing){
     writeln("Calling print(T[])");
     writeln(T.stringof);
}
void main()
{
print([1,2,3]);
}

it gives me:

test.d(8): Error: template test.print(T : T[]) does not match any 
function template declaration
test.d(8): Error: template test.print(T : T[]) cannot deduce template 
function from argument types !()(int[3u])