[M3devel] alternate implementation of opaque types?

[Jay K]

Is it conceivable/practical/possible/more-efficient to implement opaque types such that the "opaque" part is at the end instead of at the beginning?


We do suffer from the "fragile base type" problem either way, right?
Currently when the opaque part changes size, we have to recompile all users of the transparent part, at least to generate new runtime type information that they all contain, right?
Granted, that information should probably be single-instanced per type and accessed indirectly via a function call, possibly imported from the .dll/.so implementing the type.


With my proposed change, you can recompile less actually. Though we probably wouldn't bother.


As to knowing the size and being able to do a create, well, the size might be buried in the type information anyway, or a creating function exposed from where the full revelation is made.



 - Jay
 		 	   		  
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