Attribute inference for auto functions?

[Peter Alexander]

On Wednesday, 17 April 2013 at 12:46:53 UTC, Andrej Mitrovic 
wrote:
> On 4/17/13, Peter Alexander <peter.alexander.au at gmail.com> 
> wrote:
>> Type inference happens if and only if you do
>> not specify a return type.
>
> That's not true, you still need to use auto. This function 
> definition
> is illegal:
>
> x() { return 1; }

You don't need to use auto. Any storage class will do.


> As for being able to use 'const' for type inference it's 
> completely an
> implementation issue. It's not by design at all. You can even
> substitute 'auto' for meaningless crap like this in module 
> scope:
>
> static x() { return 1; }
>
> If return type inference is wanted then 'auto' should be 
> required at
> all times. What's the point in writing obfuscated code like the 
> above?

Because it's required?

This is illegal:

auto const foo();

If you want type inference then you just need to use:

const foo();

And yes, it is by design. The spec is quite clear on this issue. 
Type inference is signalled by lack of return type -- not the 
presence of auto. auto is only required when no other storage 
class is wanted, to make the parser happy. auto is nothing 
whatsoever to do with type inference.