Properties and std.container.Array

[monarch_dodra]

On Thursday, 9 January 2014 at 13:32:08 UTC, Dicebot wrote:
> On Thursday, 9 January 2014 at 12:19:25 UTC, Frustrated wrote:
>> I guess I see what is going on. Since Array is a struct, a 
>> local copy is made and that never ends up updating the 
>> original?
>>
>> How can I use it then like an object so this is not a problem?
>
> returning by ref may do what you want:
>
> @property std.container.Array!int arr() { return _arr; }
> ->
> @property ref std.container.Array!int arr() { return _arr; }

As dicebot says, however, the issue is a bit more subtle.

An `Array` is actually little more than a pointer to a payload. 
Passing by value is "almost" free, and updating a copy *should* 
update the original...

...that is, if it wasn't for the "Gotcha" that the `Array` needs 
to be initialized first.

But overall, by ref should be just fine.