extern C: Transition C libraries to D libraries

[Traveler Hauptman]

I think there is a place for using D to code libraries meant to be 
accessed by other languages using the C ABI as the common denominator.
My present goal is to rewrite any existing library in the D language, 
with a minimum of "extra glue" lines. More compact and maintainable code 
would be the ideal result.

I have some ideas along these lines I'd like comments on. It might exist 
or it might be a feature request.

---
D deals with namespaces better than C. Inferred struct properties are 
nice too. I'd like to take advantage of these.

A common C construct is:

<code>
typedef struct {
   int m_property;
} Foo;

void foo_namespace_member1(Foo* this, ...);
void foo_namespace_set_property(Foo* this, ...);
int foo_namespace_get_property(Foo* this);
</code>

I can wrap the above code with extern(C) and compile the library using 
D, but it would look a lot better (to me) using D constructs:

<code>
extern (C_Better) "foo_namespace_" {
struct Foo {
   int m_property;
   void member1(...){...}
   void property(int in_val){...}
   int property(){...}
}
}
</code>

Automagic needed includes:
   Members of extern(C) structs are not D mangled.
   Adding *this to the C parameter list.
   Prefixing namespace info to the C function names
   Mangling "get" and "set" into property function C names.


Does this make sense to anyone? Is it a reasonable idea? Useful to 
anyone else?