Compile time float binary representation

[Don]

Jeremie Pelletier wrote:
> Is there a way to convert a float (or double/real) to an integral number without changing its binary representation at compile time?
> 
> I need to extract the sign, exponent and mantissa yet I cant use bit shifting.
> "Error: 'R' is not of integral type, it is a real" is the error I get.
There's a super-hacky way: pass the real as a template value parameter, 
and parse the .mangleof it! Not recommended, but it does work.

The other way is to do it with CTFE, subtracting powers of 2 until the 
residual is < 1.

Not great either.

> 
> The usual *cast(uint*)&value wont work either at compile time.
> 
> Any suggestions?