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3631. basic_format_arg(T&&) should use remove_cvref_t<T> throughout

Section: 28.5.8.1 [format.arg] Status: C++23 Submitter: Tim Song Opened: 2021-11-03 Last modified: 2023-11-22

Priority: 3

View all other issues in [format.arg].

View all issues with C++23 status.

Discussion:

P2418R2 changed basic_format_arg's constructor to take a forwarding reference but didn't change 28.5.8.1 [format.arg]/5 which inspects various properties of T. Now that the deduced type can be cvref-qualified, they need to be removed before the checks.

[2022-01-29; Reflector poll]

Set priority to 3 after reflector poll.

Two suggestions to just change it to be T& because we don't need forwarding references here, and only accepting lvalues prevents forming dangling references.

Previous resolution [SUPERSEDED]:

This wording is relative to N4901.

  1. Modify 28.5.8.1 [format.arg] as indicated:

    template<class T> explicit basic_format_arg(T&& v) noexcept;

    -?- Let TD be remove_cvref_t<T>.

    -4- Constraints: The template specialization 

    typename Context::template formatter_type<remove_cvref_t<T>TD>

    meets the BasicFormatter requirements (28.5.6.1 [formatter.requirements]). The extent to which an implementation determines that the specialization meets the BasicFormatter requirements is unspecified, except that as a minimum the expression 

    typename Context::template formatter_type<remove_cvref_t<T>TD>()
  .format(declval<T&>(), declval<Context&>())

    shall be well-formed when treated as an unevaluated operand (7.2.3 [expr.context]).

    -5- Effects:

    1. (5.1) — if TD is bool or char_type, initializes value with v;

    2. (5.2) — otherwise, if TD is char and char_type is wchar_t, initializes value with static_cast<wchar_t>(v);

    3. (5.3) — otherwise, if TD is a signed integer type (6.8.2 [basic.fundamental]) and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(int), initializes value with static_cast<int>(v);

    4. (5.4) — otherwise, if TD is an unsigned integer type and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(unsigned int), initializes value with static_cast<unsigned int>(v);

    5. (5.5) — otherwise, if TD is a signed integer type and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(long long int), initializes value with static_cast<long long int>(v);

    6. (5.6) — otherwise, if TD is an unsigned integer type and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(unsigned long long int), initializes value with static_cast<unsigned long long int>(v);

    7. (5.7) — otherwise, initializes value with handle(v).

[2022-10-19; Jonathan provides improved wording]

During reflector prioritization it was pointed out that forwarding references are unnecessary (arguments are always lvalues), and so using T& would be simpler.

In order to resolve the overload ambiguities discussed in 3718(i) replace all unary constructor overloads with a single constructor that works for any formattable type.

Previous resolution [SUPERSEDED]:

This wording is relative to N4917.

  1. Modify 28.5.8.1 [format.arg] as indicated:

    template<class T> explicit basic_format_arg(T&& v) noexcept;

    -4- Constraints: T satisfies formattable<char_type>. The template specialization 

    
typename Context::template formatter_type<remove_cvref_t<T>>

    meets the BasicFormatter requirements (28.5.6.1 [formatter.requirements]). The extent to which an implementation determines that the specialization meets the BasicFormatter requirements is unspecified, except that as a minimum the expression 

    
typename Context::template formatter_type<remove_cvref_t<T>>()
  .format(declval<T&>(), declval<Context&>())

    shall be well-formed when treated as an unevaluated operand (7.2.3 [expr.context]).

    -?- Preconditions: If decay_t<T> is char_type* or const char_type*, static_cast<const char_type*>(v) points to a NTCTS (3.35 [defns.ntcts]).

    -5- Effects: Let TD be remove_const_t<T>.

    1. (5.1) — if TD is bool or char_type, initializes value with v;

    2. (5.2) — otherwise, if TD is char and char_type is wchar_t, initializes value with static_cast<wchar_t>(v);

    3. (5.3) — otherwise, if TD is a signed integer type (6.8.2 [basic.fundamental]) and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(int), initializes value with static_cast<int>(v);

    4. (5.4) — otherwise, if TD is an unsigned integer type and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(unsigned int), initializes value with static_cast<unsigned int>(v);

    5. (5.5) — otherwise, if TD is a signed integer type and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(long long int), initializes value with static_cast<long long int>(v);

    6. (5.6) — otherwise, if TD is an unsigned integer type and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(unsigned long long int), initializes value with static_cast<unsigned long long int>(v);

    7. (5.?) — otherwise, if TD is a standard floating-point type, initializes value with v;

    8. (5.?) — otherwise, if TD is a specialization of basic_string_view or basic_string and TD::value_type is char_type, initializes value with basic_string_view<char_type>(v.data(), v.size());

    9. (5.?) — otherwise, if decay_t<TD> is char_type* or const char_type*, initializes value with static_cast<const char_type*>(v);

    10. (5.?) — otherwise, if is_void_v<remove_pointer_t<TD>> is true or is_null_pointer_v<TD> is true, initializes value with static_cast<const void*>(v);

    11. (5.7) — otherwise, initializes value with handle(v).

    -?- [Note: Constructing basic_format_arg from a pointer to a member is ill-formed unless the user provides an enabled specialization of formatter for that pointer to member type. — end note] 

    
explicit basic_format_arg(float n) noexcept;
explicit basic_format_arg(double n) noexcept;
explicit basic_format_arg(long double n) noexcept;

    -6- Effects: Initializes value with n.

    
explicit basic_format_arg(const char_type* s) noexcept;

    -7- Preconditions: s points to a NTCTS (3.35 [defns.ntcts]).

    -8- Effects: Initializes value with s.

    
template<class traits>>
  explicit basic_format_arg(basic_string_view<char_type, traits> s) noexcept;

    -9- Effects: Initializes value with basic_string_view<char_type>(s.data(), s.size()).

    
template<class traits, class Allocator>>
  explicit basic_format_arg(
    const basic_string<char_type, traits, Allocator>& s) noexcept;

    -10- Effects: Initializes value with basic_string_view<char_type>(s.data(), s.size()).

    
explicit basic_format_arg(nullptr_t) noexcept;

    -11- Effects: Initializes value with static_cast<const void*>(nullptr).

    
template<class T> explicit basic_format_arg(T* p) noexcept;

    -12- Constraints: is_void_v<T> is true.

    -13- Effects: Initializes value with p.

    -14- [Note: Constructing basic_format_arg from a pointer to a member is ill-formed unless the user provides an enabled specialization of formatter for that pointer to member type. — end note]

  2. Modify 28.5.8.1 [format.arg] p17 and p18 as indicated:

    template<class T> explicit handle(T&& v) noexcept;

    -17- Let

    1. — (17.1) TD be remove_cvrefconst_t<T>,

    2. — (17.2) const-formattable be true if typename Context::template formatter_type<TD>().format(declval<const TD&>(), declval<Context&>()) is well-formed, otherwise false,

    3. — (17.3) TQ be const TD if const-formattable is true const TD satisfies formattable<char_type> and TD otherwise.

    -18- Mandates: const-formattable formattable<const TD, char_type> || !is_const_v<remove_reference_t<T> is true.

    -19- Effects: Initializes ptr_ with addressof(val) and format_ with 

    [](basic_format_parse_context<char_type>& parse_ctx,
   Context& format_ctx, const void* ptr) {
  typename Context::template formatter_type<TD> f;
  parse_ctx.advance_to(f.parse(parse_ctx));
  format_ctx.advance_to(f.format(*const_cast<TQ*>(static_cast<const TD*>(ptr)),
                                 format_ctx));
}

[2022-11-10; Jonathan provides improved wording]

[2022-11-29; Casey expands the issue to also cover make_format_args]

[2023-01-11; Jonathan adds the missing edits to the class synopsis]

[Issaquah 2023-02-07; LWG]

Edited proposed resolution to remove extra = in concept definition and capitialize start of (5.1). Move to Immediate for C++23

[2023-02-13 Approved at February 2023 meeting in Issaquah. Status changed: Immediate → WP.]

Proposed resolution:

This wording is relative to N4917.

  1. Modify 28.5.6.3 [format.formattable] as indicated:

    -1- Let fmt-iter-for<charT> be an unspecified type that models output_iterator<const charT&> (24.3.4.10 [iterator.concept.output]). 

    
  template<class T, class Context,
           class Formatter = typename Context::template formatter_type<remove_const_t<T>>>
    concept formattable-with =         // exposition only
      semiregular<Formatter> &&
        requires (Formatter& f, const Formatter& cf, T&& t, Context fc,
                 basic_format_parse_context<typename Context::char_type> pc)
       {
         { f.parse(pc) } -> same_as<typename decltype(pc)::iterator>;
         { cf.format(t, fc) } -> same_as<typename Context::iterator>;
       };

template<class T, class charT>
  concept formattable =
    semiregular<formatter<remove_cvref_t<T>, charT>> &&
    requires(formatter<remove_cvref_t<T>, charT> f,
             const formatter<remove_cvref_t<T>, charT> cf,
             T t,
             basic_format_context<fmt-iter-for<charT>, charT> fc,
             basic_format_parse_context<charT> pc) {
        { f.parse(pc) } -> same_as<basic_format_parse_context<charT>::iterator>;
        { cf.format(t, fc) } -> same_as<fmt-iter-for<charT>>;
    };
    formattable-with<remove_reference_t<T>, basic_format_context<fmt-iter-for<charT>>>;

  2. Modify 28.5.8.1 [format.arg] as indicated:

    namespace std {
  template<class Context>
  class basic_format_arg {
  public:
    class handle;

  private:
    using char_type = typename Context::char_type;                              // exposition only

    variant<monostate, bool, char_type,
            int, unsigned int, long long int, unsigned long long int,
            float, double, long double,
            const char_type*, basic_string_view<char_type>,
            const void*, handle> value;                                         // exposition only

    template<class T> explicit basic_format_arg(T&& v) noexcept;                // exposition only
    explicit basic_format_arg(float n) noexcept;                                // exposition only
    explicit basic_format_arg(double n) noexcept;                               // exposition only
    explicit basic_format_arg(long double n) noexcept;                          // exposition only
    explicit basic_format_arg(const char_type* s);                              // exposition only

    template<class traits>
      explicit basic_format_arg(
        basic_string_view<char_type, traits> s) noexcept;                       // exposition only

    template<class traits, class Allocator>
      explicit basic_format_arg(
        const basic_string<char_type, traits, Allocator>& s) noexcept;          // exposition only

    explicit basic_format_arg(nullptr_t) noexcept;                              // exposition only

    template<class T>
      explicit basic_format_arg(T* p) noexcept;                                 // exposition only
    … 
    template<class T> explicit basic_format_arg(T&& v) noexcept;

    -4- Constraints: T satisfies formattable-with<Context>. The template specialization 

    
typename Context::template formatter_type<remove_cvref_t<T>>

    meets the BasicFormatter requirements (28.5.6.1 [formatter.requirements]). The extent to which an implementation determines that the specialization meets the BasicFormatter requirements is unspecified, except that as a minimum the expression 

    
typename Context::template formatter_type<remove_cvref_t<T>>()
  .format(declval<T&>(), declval<Context&>())

    shall be well-formed when treated as an unevaluated operand (7.2.3 [expr.context]).

    -?- Preconditions: If decay_t<T> is char_type* or const char_type*, static_cast<const char_type*>(v) points to a NTCTS (3.35 [defns.ntcts]).

    -5- Effects: Let TD be remove_const_t<T>.

    1. (5.1) — If if TD is bool or char_type, initializes value with v;

    2. (5.2) — otherwise, if TD is char and char_type is wchar_t, initializes value with static_cast<wchar_t>(v);

    3. (5.3) — otherwise, if TD is a signed integer type (6.8.2 [basic.fundamental]) and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(int), initializes value with static_cast<int>(v);

    4. (5.4) — otherwise, if TD is an unsigned integer type and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(unsigned int), initializes value with static_cast<unsigned int>(v);

    5. (5.5) — otherwise, if TD is a signed integer type and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(long long int), initializes value with static_cast<long long int>(v);

    6. (5.6) — otherwise, if TD is an unsigned integer type and sizeof(TD) <= sizeof(unsigned long long int), initializes value with static_cast<unsigned long long int>(v);

    7. (5.?) — otherwise, if TD is a standard floating-point type, initializes value with v;

    8. (5.?) — otherwise, if TD is a specialization of basic_string_view or basic_string and TD::value_type is char_type, initializes value with basic_string_view<char_type>(v.data(), v.size());

    9. (5.?) — otherwise, if decay_t<TD> is char_type* or const char_type*, initializes value with static_cast<const char_type*>(v);

    10. (5.?) — otherwise, if is_void_v<remove_pointer_t<TD>> is true or is_null_pointer_v<TD> is true, initializes value with static_cast<const void*>(v);

    11. (5.7) — otherwise, initializes value with handle(v).

    -?- [Note: Constructing basic_format_arg from a pointer to a member is ill-formed unless the user provides an enabled specialization of formatter for that pointer to member type. — end note] 

    
explicit basic_format_arg(float n) noexcept;
explicit basic_format_arg(double n) noexcept;
explicit basic_format_arg(long double n) noexcept;

    -6- Effects: Initializes value with n.

    
explicit basic_format_arg(const char_type* s) noexcept;

    -7- Preconditions: s points to a NTCTS (3.35 [defns.ntcts]).

    -8- Effects: Initializes value with s.

    
template<class traits>>
  explicit basic_format_arg(basic_string_view<char_type, traits> s) noexcept;

    -9- Effects: Initializes value with basic_string_view<char_type>(s.data(), s.size()).

    
template<class traits, class Allocator>>
  explicit basic_format_arg(
    const basic_string<char_type, traits, Allocator>& s) noexcept;

    -10- Effects: Initializes value with basic_string_view<char_type>(s.data(), s.size()).

    
explicit basic_format_arg(nullptr_t) noexcept;

    -11- Effects: Initializes value with static_cast<const void*>(nullptr).

    
template<class T> explicit basic_format_arg(T* p) noexcept;

    -12- Constraints: is_void_v<T> is true.

    -13- Effects: Initializes value with p.

    -14- [Note: Constructing basic_format_arg from a pointer to a member is ill-formed unless the user provides an enabled specialization of formatter for that pointer to member type. — end note]

  3. Modify 28.5.8.1 [format.arg] p17 and p18 as indicated:

    template<class T> explicit handle(T&& v) noexcept;

    -17- Let

    1. — (17.1) TD be remove_cvrefconst_t<T>,

    2. — (17.2) const-formattable be true if typename Context::template formatter_type<TD>().format(declval<const TD&>(), declval<Context&>()) is well-formed, otherwise false,

    3. — (17.3) TQ be const TD if const-formattable is true const TD satisfies formattable-with<Context> and TD otherwise.

    -18- Mandates: const-formattable || !is_const_v<remove_reference_t<T>> is true. TQ satisfies formattable-with<Context>.

    -19- Effects: Initializes ptr_ with addressof(val) and format_ with 

    [](basic_format_parse_context<char_type>& parse_ctx,
   Context& format_ctx, const void* ptr) {
  typename Context::template formatter_type<TD> f;
  parse_ctx.advance_to(f.parse(parse_ctx));
  format_ctx.advance_to(f.format(*const_cast<TQ*>(static_cast<const TD*>(ptr)),
                                 format_ctx));
}

  4. Modify 28.5.8.2 [format.arg.store] p2 as indicated:

    template<class Context = format_context, class... Args>
  format-arg-store<Context, Args...> make_format_args(Args&&... fmt_args);

    -2- Preconditions: The type typename Context::template formatter_type<remove_cvref_t<Ti>> meets the BasicFormatter requirements (28.5.6.1 [formatter.requirements]) for each Ti in Args.