Perhaps this is a stupid question, and I apologize if it is, but why doesn't this compile:

  import std.algorithm;
  import std.stdio;
  void main()
  {
	  char[] array = [1, 2, 3, 4];
	  char value = 2;
	  fill(array, value);
  }

if this does:

  import std.algorithm;
  import std.stdio;
  void main()
  {
	  int[] array = [1, 2, 3, 4];
	  int value = 2;
	  fill(array, value);
  }

when the only difference is the type, and the 'fill' method is meant to be generic?

Thanks for your time.

On Wednesday, 28 December 2016 at 05:09:34 UTC, LeqxLeqx wrote:
> Perhaps this is a stupid question, and I apologize if it is, but why doesn't this compile:
>
>   import std.algorithm;
>   import std.stdio;
>   void main()
>   {
> 	  char[] array = [1, 2, 3, 4];
> 	  char value = 2;
> 	  fill(array, value);
>   }
>
> if this does:
>
>   import std.algorithm;
>   import std.stdio;
>   void main()
>   {
> 	  int[] array = [1, 2, 3, 4];
> 	  int value = 2;
> 	  fill(array, value);
>   }
>
> when the only difference is the type, and the 'fill' method is meant to be generic?
>
> Thanks for your time.

So I don't repeat excellent answer: http://stackoverflow.com/a/6401889/133707

On Wednesday, 28 December 2016 at 08:10:41 UTC, Nemanja Boric wrote:
> On Wednesday, 28 December 2016 at 05:09:34 UTC, LeqxLeqx wrote:
>> Perhaps this is a stupid question, and I apologize if it is, but why doesn't this compile:
>>
>>   import std.algorithm;
>>   import std.stdio;
>>   void main()
>>   {
>> 	  char[] array = [1, 2, 3, 4];
>> 	  char value = 2;
>> 	  fill(array, value);
>>   }
>>
>> if this does:
>>
>>   import std.algorithm;
>>   import std.stdio;
>>   void main()
>>   {
>> 	  int[] array = [1, 2, 3, 4];
>> 	  int value = 2;
>> 	  fill(array, value);
>>   }
>>
>> when the only difference is the type, and the 'fill' method is meant to be generic?
>>
>> Thanks for your time.
>
> So I don't repeat excellent answer: http://stackoverflow.com/a/6401889/133707

So in short, unlike in C/C++ world, you should only use char to store actual text, not data as would be common in C/C++. byte & ubyte are for that.

On Wednesday, 28 December 2016 at 08:27:29 UTC, abad wrote:
> On Wednesday, 28 December 2016 at 08:10:41 UTC, Nemanja Boric wrote:
>> On Wednesday, 28 December 2016 at 05:09:34 UTC, LeqxLeqx wrote:
>>> Perhaps this is a stupid question, and I apologize if it is, but why doesn't this compile:
>>>
>>>   import std.algorithm;
>>>   import std.stdio;
>>>   void main()
>>>   {
>>> 	  char[] array = [1, 2, 3, 4];
>>> 	  char value = 2;
>>> 	  fill(array, value);
>>>   }
>>>
>>> if this does:
>>>
>>>   import std.algorithm;
>>>   import std.stdio;
>>>   void main()
>>>   {
>>> 	  int[] array = [1, 2, 3, 4];
>>> 	  int value = 2;
>>> 	  fill(array, value);
>>>   }
>>>
>>> when the only difference is the type, and the 'fill' method is meant to be generic?
>>>
>>> Thanks for your time.
>>
>> So I don't repeat excellent answer: http://stackoverflow.com/a/6401889/133707
>
> So in short, unlike in C/C++ world, you should only use char to store actual text, not data as would be common in C/C++. byte & ubyte are for that.

I see. That's good to know. Thank you both so much!