Add more docs - mostly warnings - to std::mem::transmute

src/libcore/intrinsics.rs

@@ -278,17 +278,200 @@ extern "rust-intrinsic" {
  /// Moves a value out of scope without running drop glue.
  pub fn forget<T>(_: T) -> ();
 
- /// Unsafely transforms a value of one type into a value of another type.
+ /// Reinterprets the bits of a value of one type as another type; both types
+ /// must have the same size. Neither the original, nor the result, may be an
+ /// [invalid value] (../../nomicon/meet-safe-and-unsafe.html).
  ///
- /// Both types must have the same size.
+ /// `transmute` is semantically equivalent to a bitwise move of one type
+ /// into another. It copies the bits from the destination type into the
+ /// source type, then forgets the original. It's equivalent to C's `memcpy`
+ /// under the hood, just like `transmute_copy`.
+ ///
+ /// `transmute` is incredibly unsafe. There are a vast number of ways to
+ /// cause undefined behavior with this function. `transmute` should be
+ /// the absolute last resort.
+ ///
+ /// The [nomicon](../../nomicon/transmutes.html) has additional
+ /// documentation.
  ///
  /// # Examples
  ///
+ /// There are a few things that `transmute` is really useful for.
+ ///
+ /// Getting the bitpattern of a floating point type (or, more generally,
+ /// type punning, when `T` and `U` aren't pointers):
+ ///
  /// ```
- /// use std::mem;
+ /// let bitpattern = unsafe {
+ /// std::mem::transmute::<f32, u32>(1.0)
+ /// };
+ /// assert_eq!(bitpattern, 0x3F800000);
+ /// ```
+ ///
+ /// Turning a pointer into a function pointer:
+ ///
+ /// ```
+ /// fn foo() -> i32 {
+ /// 0
+ /// }
+ /// let pointer = foo as *const ();
+ /// let function = unsafe {
+ /// std::mem::transmute::<*const (), fn() -> i32>(pointer)
+ /// };
+ /// assert_eq!(function(), 0);
+ /// ```
+ ///
+ /// Extending a lifetime, or shortening an invariant lifetime; this is
+ /// advanced, very unsafe rust:
+ ///
+ /// ```
+ /// struct R<'a>(&'a i32);
+ /// unsafe fn extend_lifetime<'b>(r: R<'b>) -> R<'static> {
+ /// std::mem::transmute::<R<'b>, R<'static>>(r)
+ /// }
+ ///
+ /// unsafe fn shorten_invariant_lifetime<'b, 'c>(r: &'b mut R<'static>)
+ /// -> &'b mut R<'c> {
+ /// std::mem::transmute::<&'b mut R<'static>, &'b mut R<'c>>(r)
+ /// }
+ /// ```
+ ///
+ /// # Alternatives
+ ///
+ /// However, many uses of `transmute` can be achieved through other means.
+ /// `transmute` can transform any type into any other, with just the caveat
+ /// that they're the same size, and often interesting results occur. Below
+ /// are common applications of `transmute` which can be replaced with safe
+ /// applications of `as`:
  ///
- /// let array: &[u8] = unsafe { mem::transmute("Rust") };
- /// assert_eq!(array, [82, 117, 115, 116]);
+ /// Turning a pointer into a `usize`:
+ ///
+ /// ```
+ /// let ptr = &0;
+ /// let ptr_num_transmute = unsafe {
+ /// std::mem::transmute::<&i32, usize>(ptr)
+ /// };
+ /// // Use an `as` cast instead
+ /// let ptr_num_cast = ptr as *const i32 as usize;
+ /// ```
+ ///
+ /// Turning a `*mut T` into an `&mut T`:
+ ///
+ /// ```
+ /// let ptr: *mut i32 = &mut 0;
+ /// let ref_transmuted = unsafe {
+ /// std::mem::transmute::<*mut i32, &mut i32>(ptr)
+ /// };
+ /// // Use a reborrow instead
+ /// let ref_casted = unsafe { &mut *ptr };
+ /// ```
+ ///
+ /// Turning an `&mut T` into an `&mut U`:
+ ///
+ /// ```
+ /// let ptr = &mut 0;
+ /// let val_transmuted = unsafe {
+ /// std::mem::transmute::<&mut i32, &mut u32>(ptr)
+ /// };
+ /// // Now, put together `as` and reborrowing - note the chaining of `as`
+ /// // `as` is not transitive
+ /// let val_casts = unsafe { &mut *(ptr as *mut i32 as *mut u32) };
+ /// ```
+ ///
+ /// Turning an `&str` into an `&[u8]`:
+ ///
+ /// ```
+ /// // this is not a good way to do this.
+ /// let slice = unsafe { std::mem::transmute::<&str, &[u8]>("Rust") };
+ /// assert_eq!(slice, &[82, 117, 115, 116]);
+ /// // You could use `str::as_bytes`
+ /// let slice = "Rust".as_bytes();
+ /// assert_eq!(slice, &[82, 117, 115, 116]);
+ /// // Or, just use a byte string, if you have control over the string
+ /// // literal
+ /// assert_eq!(b"Rust", &[82, 117, 115, 116]);
+ /// ```
+ ///
+ /// Turning a `Vec<&T>` into a `Vec<Option<&T>>`:
+ ///
+ /// ```
+ /// let store = [0, 1, 2, 3];
+ /// let mut v_orig = store.iter().collect::<Vec<&i32>>();
+ /// // Using transmute: this is Undefined Behavior, and a bad idea.
+ /// // However, it is no-copy.
+ /// let v_transmuted = unsafe {
+ /// std::mem::transmute::<Vec<&i32>, Vec<Option<&i32>>>(
+ /// v_orig.clone())
+ /// };
+ /// // This is the suggested, safe way.
+ /// // It does copy the entire Vector, though, into a new array.
+ /// let v_collected = v_orig.clone()
+ /// .into_iter()
+ /// .map(|r| Some(r))
+ /// .collect::<Vec<Option<&i32>>>();
+ /// // The no-copy, unsafe way, still using transmute, but not UB.
+ /// // This is equivalent to the original, but safer, and reuses the
+ /// // same Vec internals. Therefore the new inner type must have the
+ /// // exact same size, and the same or lesser alignment, as the old
+ /// // type. The same caveats exist for this method as transmute, for
+ /// // the original inner type (`&i32`) to the converted inner type
+ /// // (`Option<&i32>`), so read the nomicon pages linked above.
+ /// let v_from_raw = unsafe {
+ /// Vec::from_raw_parts(v_orig.as_mut_ptr(),
+ /// v_orig.len(),
+ /// v_orig.capacity())
+ /// };
+ /// std::mem::forget(v_orig);
+ /// ```
+ ///
+ /// Implementing `split_at_mut`:
+ ///
+ /// ```
+ /// use std::{slice, mem};
+ /// // There are multiple ways to do this; and there are multiple problems
+ /// // with the following, transmute, way.
+ /// fn split_at_mut_transmute<T>(slice: &mut [T], mid: usize)
+ /// -> (&mut [T], &mut [T]) {
+ /// let len = slice.len();
+ /// assert!(mid <= len);
+ /// unsafe {
+ /// let slice2 = mem::transmute::<&mut [T], &mut [T]>(slice);
+ /// // first: transmute is not typesafe; all it checks is that T and
+ /// // U are of the same size. Second, right here, you have two
+ /// // mutable references pointing to the same memory.
+ /// (&mut slice[0..mid], &mut slice2[mid..len])
+ /// }
+ /// }
+ /// // This gets rid of the typesafety problems; `&mut *` will *only* give
+ /// // you an `&mut T` from an `&mut T` or `*mut T`.
+ /// fn split_at_mut_casts<T>(slice: &mut [T], mid: usize)
+ /// -> (&mut [T], &mut [T]) {
+ /// let len = slice.len();
+ /// assert!(mid <= len);
+ /// unsafe {
+ /// let slice2 = &mut *(slice as *mut [T]);
+ /// // however, you still have two mutable references pointing to
+ /// // the same memory.
+ /// (&mut slice[0..mid], &mut slice2[mid..len])
+ /// }
+ /// }
+ /// // This is how the standard library does it. This is the best method, if
+ /// // you need to do something like this
+ /// fn split_at_stdlib<T>(slice: &mut [T], mid: usize)
+ /// -> (&mut [T], &mut [T]) {
+ /// let len = slice.len();
+ /// assert!(mid <= len);
+ /// unsafe {
+ /// let ptr = slice.as_mut_ptr();
+ /// // This now has three mutable references pointing at the same
+ /// // memory. `slice`, the rvalue ret.0, and the rvalue ret.1.
+ /// // `slice` is never used after `let ptr = ...`, and so one can
+ /// // treat it as "dead", and therefore, you only have two real
+ /// // mutable slices.
+ /// (slice::from_raw_parts_mut(ptr, mid),
+ /// slice::from_raw_parts_mut(ptr.offset(mid as isize), len - mid))
+ /// }
+ /// }
  /// ```
  #[stable(feature = "rust1", since = "1.0.0")]
  pub fn transmute<T, U>(e: T) -> U;