Dynamic array and slices (need Walter and Andrei decision)

[deadalnix]

On Thursday, 30 May 2013 at 18:25:08 UTC, Maxim Fomin wrote:
> In neighbor thread (especially from 5 page 
> http://forum.dlang.org/thread/mailman.175.1369540733.13711.digitalmars-d@puremagic.com?page=5) 
> there is discussion about current state of definitions in D 
> related to slices, slice expressions and arrays. There is 
> significant contradiction between documentation in different 
> parts of the D site and people who interpret it.
>
> Problem boils down to following:
>
> - in array and type official spec page, dynamic array is 
> defined as T[] type as "Dynamic arrays consist of a length and 
> a pointer to the array data.". The page also describes what 
> slicing is. Also expression page defines what SliceExpression 
> is. Internally dmd follows these conventions.
>
> - in articles part of the site there is article "D Slices" 
> written by Steven Schveighoffer, which abolishes current 
> relevant parts of current spec. According to the article, 
> dynamic array is runtime managed memory which in implementation 
> specific manner provides some set of operation related to 
> arrays. According to the article T[] is by no means a dynamic 
> array, but a slice. The article explicitly claims that spec is 
> wrong.
>
> So, there is contradiction between what T[] is. Either it is a 
> slice (and what is more important, not a dynamic array type) 
> which point by druntime managed dynamic array, or is object of 
> type dynamic array, which may point to heap or stack memory.
>
> Discussion shows that there is no clear consensus on this, so 
> there is need for Walter and Andrei to comment on this.

An array IS a slice. A slice IS an array. Nothing contradict 
anything.