Feature suggestion: in-place append to array

[Steven Schveighoffer]

On Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:29:25 -0500, Clemens <eriatarka84 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Steven Schveighoffer Wrote:
>
>> int[] a;
>> a.setCapacity(10000); // pre-allocate at least 10000 elements.
>
> I would prefer the name reserve(). It has precedent in the STL, and the  
> method doesn't actually always set the capacity, only if the current  
> capacity is less then the argument. Even then it may conceivably  
> allocate more than was asked for.
>
> In other words, the name setCapacity suggests this will always succeed:
>
> a.setCapacity(n);
> assert(a.capacity == n);
>
> ...which is not the case as far as I can tell.

You are correct, setCapacity ensures that *at least* the given number of  
elements will be available for appending.

I planned on making the function a property (but a bug would not allow  
that), the original intended usage was:

a.capacity = 10000;

Reserve doesn't work in this context.  Can you come up with a name that  
does?

I'll bring up reserve (as a function) as an alternative on the phobos  
mailing list, and see what people say.  I kind of liked the setter/getter  
idea, but you make a good point.

-Steve