Bug 3938 – semantics of casting arrays need to be reworked

It needs to be clarified when a reinterpret_cast is done and when the elements are converted to the new type depending on whether it is an array literal, another array expression, an array of structs, classes or interfaces AND whether it is a constant array or not. A sane and consistent solution is required. The only information at all is hidden deep inside the huge expressions documentation: http://www.digitalmars.com/d/2.0/expression.html#ArrayLiteral What is the rationale for this inconsistency? (Also, is this information correct? For example I thought array literals are dynamic arrays now ("The AssignExpressions form the elements of a static array")? Additionally: "The type of the first element is taken to be the type of all the elements" -> http://www.digitalmars.com/d/archives/digitalmars/D/casting_array_literals_doesn_t_work_as_stated_in_the_docs_104333.html#N104334) We already had several discussions about it here: http://www.digitalmars.com/d/archives/digitalmars/D/learn/converting_a_byte_array_to_a_struct_array_18526.html followed by http://www.digitalmars.com/d/archives/digitalmars/D/casting_array_literals_doesn_t_work_as_stated_in_the_docs_104333.html For example, I want a byte array to be saved in the executable file which is reinterpreted in the code as RGB structs: RGB[256] PALETTE = cast(RGB[256]) [ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xE3, 0x53, 0x00, 0xCF, 0x4B, 0x07, 0xBF, 0x43, 0x0F, ... doesn't work cause of "non-constant expression" RGB[256] PALETTE = (cast(RGB[]) [ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xE3, 0x53, 0x00, 0xCF, 0x4B, 0x07, 0xBF, 0x43, 0x0F, ... ]) (0 .. 256); compiles, but yields empty structs (cause it tries to cast each element to a struct instance if I'm not mistaken) RGB[] PALETTE = (cast(RGB*) cast(ubyte[]) [...])[0..256]; makes it work, but of course it's a bit hacky. Also see: http://codepad.org/OGjXADdu and my answer: http://codepad.org/bvk63OPw

Already done, dlang.org/expression.html#CastExpression