CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++c++11
user5438884
user5438884

Reputation: 9

I can directly access std::array's data, is this a defect?

One of the consequences of std::array is that its implementation-defined data must be public or else it will no longer be an aggregate. This allows me to do stuff like this:

#include <array>
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    std::array<int, 5> arr{1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
    #if defined(_LIBCPP_VERSION)
        for (int i : arr.__elems_)
    #else
        for (int i : arr._M_elems)
    #endif
        std::cout << i;
}

This seems rather wonky to me, considering that most of the standard library is well encapsulated and protected from misuse. Is there any workaround to this? Could the interface of std::array be improved?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 94

Answers (1)

Baum mit Augen
Baum mit Augen

Reputation: 50101

The standard committee did fine by making your code illegal. You are using implementation reserved identifiers. If you are going to shoot yourself in the foot intentionally, then that is not the committee's problem.

In this special case the "misuse" does not even matter because you can access that data via the "official" interface anyways. But even if that was not the case, again: Just don't do stupid stuff on purpose.

Upvotes: 6

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