Feature request: String::replace_in_place

[clarfonthey]

Essentially, this can avoid allocating extra memory under the condition that the replacement is smaller than the searched expression. If the replacement is larger, a VecDeque<u8> can be kept to minimise the amount of extra bytes allocated. We could also pre-allocate an array on the stack and do some sort of SmallVecDeque.

Having a String::replace_in_place could also allow a Cow::replace_in_place which only allocates a new string if there's a change.

I don't have the time for this but I figured I'd post this here anyway, as a tracking issue will be needed anyway.

[Centril]

Writing up a PR would be a good way to see the specifics and let T-libs see if they want it for the standard library or not.

[clarfonthey]

Yep! That's the plan. :)

I mostly just created this issue as a reminder for myself, considering how as I said a tracking issue would be needed anyway.

[frewsxcv]

Somewhat similar, I opened an issue earlier this year for String::remove_matches which is intended to remove a Pattern from a String without allocating

[kevincox]

I think that replace_in_place is more general then the remove_matches since the latter is simply replacing with "".

[golddranks]

@frewsxcv or @clarfon, are you planning on working this feature? I'm interested in getting it done too.

[frewsxcv]

@frewsxcv or @clarfon, are you planning on working this feature? I'm interested in getting it done too.

I'm not planning to work it

[clarfonthey]

I don't have time at the moment but I'm fine with someone else picking it up. Will modify the OP.