http://d.puremagic.com/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=9551

           Summary: template this parameter not recognized in constructors
           Product: D
           Version: D2
          Platform: All
        OS/Version: All
            Status: NEW
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: DMD
        AssignedTo: nobody@puremagic.com
        ReportedBy: gor.f.gyolchanyan@gmail.com


--- Comment #0 from Gor Gyolchanyan <gor.f.gyolchanyan@gmail.com> 2013-02-20 07:36:56 PST ---
The template this parameter, which works fine for normal methods:

    class Base
    {
        string label;

        this(string label_)
        {
            label = label_;
        }

        string toString(this This_)()
        {
            return This_.stringof ~ "(`" ~ label ~ "`)";
        }
    }

    class Derived: Base
    {
        this()
        {
            super("Hello, world!");
        }
    }

    unittest
    {
        Derived d = new Derived();
        assert(d.toString() == "Derived(`Hello, world!`)");
    }

doesn't work for constructors:

    class Base
    {
        this(this This_)()
        {
            // Build a dispatch table using __traits(allMethods, This_)
        }

        void opCall(Payload_)(Payload_ payload_)
        {
            // Dynamically dispatch payload_ using the previously built
dispatch table.
        }
    }

    class Derived: Base
    {
        // implicitly generated constructor will call the Base.this() and
implicitly give it the static type of Derived.
    }

    unittest
    {
        Base b = new Derived;
        b(); // 100% transparent dynamic dispatch
    }


Because of the following compile-time errors:

    C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: found 'This_' when
expecting ')'
    C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: semicolon expected
following function declaration
    C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: Declaration expected, not
')'

-- 
Configure issuemail: http://d.puremagic.com/issues/userprefs.cgi?tab=email
------- You are receiving this mail because: -------

http://d.puremagic.com/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=9551



--- Comment #1 from Kenji Hara <k.hara.pg@gmail.com> 2013-02-20 08:13:53 PST ---
(In reply to comment #0)
> Because of the following compile-time errors:
> 
>     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: found 'This_' when
> expecting ')'
>     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: semicolon expected
> following function declaration
>     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: Declaration expected, not
> ')'

As far as I see, it conflicts with postblit syntax `this(this)`.

-- 
Configure issuemail: http://d.puremagic.com/issues/userprefs.cgi?tab=email
------- You are receiving this mail because: -------

http://d.puremagic.com/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=9551



--- Comment #2 from Gor Gyolchanyan <gor.f.gyolchanyan@gmail.com> 2013-02-20 08:15:30 PST ---
(In reply to comment #1)
> (In reply to comment #0)
> > Because of the following compile-time errors:
> > 
> >     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: found 'This_' when
> > expecting ')'
> >     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: semicolon expected
> > following function declaration
> >     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: Declaration expected, not
> > ')'
> 
> As far as I see, it conflicts with postblit syntax `this(this)`.

Yes, it definitely looks like it, but the existence of a type name after "this" in the template parameter list should disambiguate it.

-- 
Configure issuemail: http://d.puremagic.com/issues/userprefs.cgi?tab=email
------- You are receiving this mail because: -------

http://d.puremagic.com/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=9551



--- Comment #3 from Kenji Hara <k.hara.pg@gmail.com> 2013-02-20 08:29:17 PST ---
(In reply to comment #2)
> (In reply to comment #1)
> > (In reply to comment #0)
> > > Because of the following compile-time errors:
> > > 
> > >     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: found 'This_' when
> > > expecting ')'
> > >     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: semicolon expected
> > > following function declaration
> > >     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: Declaration expected, not
> > > ')'
> > 
> > As far as I see, it conflicts with postblit syntax `this(this)`.
> 
> Yes, it definitely looks like it, but the existence of a type name after "this" in the template parameter list should disambiguate it.

But, it is not just only a parser problem.
Constructor will be treated specially for object construction entry. And,
unfortunately, language semantics between non-mutable object construction and
qualified constructor is yet not defined well. The combination of
TemplateThisParameter and constructor may touch similar *yet not defined
semantics*.

Therefore, I must say that this issue will not be fix soon.

-- 
Configure issuemail: http://d.puremagic.com/issues/userprefs.cgi?tab=email
------- You are receiving this mail because: -------

http://d.puremagic.com/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=9551



--- Comment #4 from Gor Gyolchanyan <gor.f.gyolchanyan@gmail.com> 2013-02-20 08:31:09 PST ---
(In reply to comment #3)
> (In reply to comment #2)
> > (In reply to comment #1)
> > > (In reply to comment #0)
> > > > Because of the following compile-time errors:
> > > > 
> > > >     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: found 'This_' when
> > > > expecting ')'
> > > >     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: semicolon expected
> > > > following function declaration
> > > >     C:\Users\g.gyolchanyan\Desktop\test.d(3): Error: Declaration expected, not
> > > > ')'
> > > 
> > > As far as I see, it conflicts with postblit syntax `this(this)`.
> > 
> > Yes, it definitely looks like it, but the existence of a type name after "this" in the template parameter list should disambiguate it.
> 
> But, it is not just only a parser problem.
> Constructor will be treated specially for object construction entry. And,
> unfortunately, language semantics between non-mutable object construction and
> qualified constructor is yet not defined well. The combination of
> TemplateThisParameter and constructor may touch similar *yet not defined
> semantics*.
> 
> Therefore, I must say that this issue will not be fix soon.

This is extremely unfortunate, because this is the only way that I know of to implement transparent dynamic dispatch.

-- 
Configure issuemail: http://d.puremagic.com/issues/userprefs.cgi?tab=email
------- You are receiving this mail because: -------

http://d.puremagic.com/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=9551



--- Comment #5 from Kenji Hara <k.hara.pg@gmail.com> 2013-02-20 08:37:45 PST ---
(In reply to comment #4)
> 
> This is extremely unfortunate, because this is the only way that I know of to implement transparent dynamic dispatch.

Couldn't you use helper function for the construction?

-- 
Configure issuemail: http://d.puremagic.com/issues/userprefs.cgi?tab=email
------- You are receiving this mail because: -------

http://d.puremagic.com/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=9551



--- Comment #6 from Gor Gyolchanyan <gor.f.gyolchanyan@gmail.com> 2013-02-20 08:39:22 PST ---
(In reply to comment #5)
> (In reply to comment #4)
> > 
> > This is extremely unfortunate, because this is the only way that I know of to implement transparent dynamic dispatch.
> 
> Couldn't you use helper function for the construction?

Theoretically, I could, but it would require immense boilerplate when dealing with large class hierarchies, which is hard to enforce.

-- 
Configure issuemail: http://d.puremagic.com/issues/userprefs.cgi?tab=email
------- You are receiving this mail because: -------

http://d.puremagic.com/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=9551



--- Comment #7 from Kenji Hara <k.hara.pg@gmail.com> 2013-02-20 08:51:50 PST ---
(In reply to comment #6)
> (In reply to comment #5)
> > (In reply to comment #4)
> > > 
> > > This is extremely unfortunate, because this is the only way that I know of to implement transparent dynamic dispatch.
> > 
> > Couldn't you use helper function for the construction?
> 
> Theoretically, I could, but it would require immense boilerplate when dealing with large class hierarchies, which is hard to enforce.

I cannot imagine the 'immense boilerplate', but sorry it would need for a while.

-- 
Configure issuemail: http://d.puremagic.com/issues/userprefs.cgi?tab=email
------- You are receiving this mail because: -------

http://d.puremagic.com/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=9551


Steven Schveighoffer <schveiguy@yahoo.com> changed:

           What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 CC|                            |schveiguy@yahoo.com


--- Comment #8 from Steven Schveighoffer <schveiguy@yahoo.com> 2013-02-20 09:01:14 PST ---
(In reply to comment #1)

> As far as I see, it conflicts with postblit syntax `this(this)`.

Does it?  postblit does not have the extra parentheses which is the signature of a template method.  I'm asking out of ignorance.

-- 
Configure issuemail: http://d.puremagic.com/issues/userprefs.cgi?tab=email
------- You are receiving this mail because: -------

http://d.puremagic.com/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=9551



--- Comment #9 from Kenji Hara <k.hara.pg@gmail.com> 2013-02-20 09:15:10 PST ---
(In reply to comment #8)
> (In reply to comment #1)
> 
> > As far as I see, it conflicts with postblit syntax `this(this)`.
> 
> Does it?  postblit does not have the extra parentheses which is the signature of a template method.  I'm asking out of ignorance.

I'm saying that _currently_ they are confused, and should be properly distinguished.

-- 
Configure issuemail: http://d.puremagic.com/issues/userprefs.cgi?tab=email
------- You are receiving this mail because: -------