Bug 2889 – Alias this properties don't overload with non-alias this properties.

struct ArrayWrapper { uint[] arr; alias arr this; void length(uint l) {}; } void main() { ArrayWrapper aw; auto len = aw.length; } Errors: C:\home\dsimcha\bin\test.d(10): Error: function test.ArrayWrapper.length (uint l) does not match parameter types () C:\home\dsimcha\bin\test.d(10): Error: expected 1 function arguments, not 0 C:\home\dsimcha\bin\test.d(10): Error: variable test.main.len voids have no value C:\home\dsimcha\bin\test.d(10): Error: expression aw.length() is void and has no value If I comment out the length property in the ArrayWrapper struct, length gets forwarded properly to arr and the code compiles.

This is also critical for proper simulation of struct inheritance.

I think this is a language design, not a bug. In normal class inheritance, derived class method doesn't overload with base class methods that have same names. class Array // the synonym of uint[] { size_t length(){ return 0; } void length(size_t n){ } // built-in length property (getter and setter) } class ArrayWrapper : Array { void length(uint l) {} // length overrides Array.length, not overloads }

Yeah, you're right. See http://www.digitalmars.com/d/2.0/hijack.html for the rationale. Overloading is done explicitly with alias just like you use using in C++ for this purpose. Unfortunately you can't alias arr.length length; in this particular case though: Error: alias test.ArrayWrapper.length cannot alias an expression arr.length The only option is to use a small function that wraps arr.length I guess.