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### 3549. `view_interface` is overspecified to derive from `view_base`

Section: 26.5.3 [view.interface], 26.4.4 [range.view] Status: WP Submitter: Tim Song Opened: 2021-05-09 Last modified: 2021-06-07

Priority: 2

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Discussion:

`view_interface<D>` is currently specified to publicly derive from `view_base`. This derivation requires unnecessary padding in range adaptors like `reverse_view<V>`: the `view_base` subobject of the `reverse_view` is required to reside at a different address than the `view_base` subobject of `V` (assuming that `V` similarly opted into being a view through derivation from `view_interface` or `view_base`).

This appears to be a case of overspecification: we want public and unambiguous derivation from `view_interface` to make the class a `view`; the exact mechanism of how that opt-in is accomplished should have been left as an implementation detail.

The proposed resolution below has been implemented on top of libstdc++ master and passes its ranges testsuite, with the exception of a test that checks for the size of various range adaptors (and therefore asserts the existence of `view_base`-induced padding).

[2021-05-17; Reflector poll]

Priority set to 2.

[2021-05-26; Reflector poll]

Set status to Tentatively Ready after five votes in favour during reflector poll.

[2021-06-07 Approved at June 2021 virtual plenary. Status changed: Voting → WP.]

Proposed resolution:

This wording is relative to N4885.

1. Modify 26.4.4 [range.view] as indicated:

   >     template<class T>
   >       inline constexpr bool is-derived-from-view-interface = see below;   // exposition only
   >     template<class T>
   >       inline constexpr bool enable_view = derived_from<T, view_base> || is-derived-from-view-interface<T>;

   > > -?- For a type `T`, `is-derived-from-view-interface<T>` is `true` if and only if `T` has exactly one public base class `view_interface<U>` for some type `U` and `T` has no base classes of type `view_interface<V>` for any other type `V`.

   > > -5- Remarks: Pursuant to 16.4.5.2.1 [namespace.std], users may specialize `enable_view` to `true` for cv-unqualified program-defined types which model `view`, and `false` for types which do not. Such specializations shall be usable in constant expressions (7.7 [expr.const]) and have type `const bool`.

2. Modify 26.5.3.1 [view.interface.general] as indicated:

   >     namespace std::ranges {
   >       template<class D>
   >         requires is_class_v<D> && same_as<D, remove_cv_t<D>>
   >       class view_interface : public view_base {

   >       […]

   >       };
   >     }