std::tuple and standard layout

Question

If all of the members of std::tuple are of standard layout types, is that std::tuple itself standard layout? The presence of a user-defined copy-constructor makes it non-trivial, but I was wondering if it can still be standard layout.

A quote from the spec would be good.

Answer 1

No, standard layout requires that all nonstatic data members belong to either one base subobject or directly to the most derived type, and typical implementations of std::tuple implement one member per base class.

Because a member-declaration cannot be a pack expansion, in light of the above requirement, a standard layout tuple cannot have more than one member. An implementation could still sidestep the issue by storing all the tuple "members" inside one char[], and obtaining the object references by reinterpret_cast. A metaprogram would have to generate the class layout. Special member functions would have to be reimplemented. It would be quite a pain.

Answer 2

Inspired by PotatoSwatter's answer, I've dedicated my day to creating a standard layout tuple for C++14.

The code actually works, but is not currently suited for use as it involves undefined behaviour. Treat it as a proof-of-concept. Here's the code I ended up with:

#include <iostream>
#include <type_traits>
#include <array>
#include <utility>
#include <tuple>

//get_size
template <typename T_head>
constexpr size_t get_size()
{
    return sizeof(T_head);
}

template <typename T_head, typename T_second, typename... T_tail>
constexpr size_t get_size()
{
    return get_size<T_head>() + get_size<T_second, T_tail...>();
}


//concat
template<size_t N1, size_t... I1, size_t N2, size_t... I2>
constexpr std::array<size_t, N1+N2> concat(const std::array<size_t, N1>& a1, const std::array<size_t, N2>& a2, std::index_sequence<I1...>, std::index_sequence<I2...>)
{
  return { a1[I1]..., a2[I2]... };
}

template<size_t N1, size_t N2>
constexpr std::array<size_t, N1+N2> concat(const std::array<size_t, N1>& a1, const std::array<size_t, N2>& a2)
{
    return concat(a1, a2, std::make_index_sequence<N1>{}, std::make_index_sequence<N2>{});
}


//make_index_array
template<size_t T_offset, typename T_head>
constexpr std::array<size_t, 1> make_index_array()
{
    return {T_offset};
}

template<size_t T_offset, typename T_head, typename T_Second, typename... T_tail>
constexpr std::array<size_t, (sizeof...(T_tail) + 2)> make_index_array()
{
    return concat(
        make_index_array<T_offset, T_head>(),
        make_index_array<T_offset + sizeof(T_head),T_Second, T_tail...>()
    );
}

template<typename... T_args>
constexpr std::array<size_t, (sizeof...(T_args))> make_index_array()
{
    return make_index_array<0, T_args...>();
}


template<int N, typename... Ts>
using T_param = typename std::tuple_element<N, std::tuple<Ts...>>::type;


template <typename... T_args>
struct standard_layout_tuple
{
    static constexpr std::array<size_t, sizeof...(T_args)> index_array = make_index_array<T_args...>();

    char storage[get_size<T_args...>()];

    //Initialization
    template<size_t T_index, typename T_val>
    void initialize(T_val&& val)
    {
        void* place = &this->storage[index_array[T_index]];
        new(place) T_val(std::forward<T_val>(val));
    }

    template<size_t T_index, typename T_val, typename T_val2, typename... T_vals_rest>
    void initialize(T_val&& val, T_val2&& val2, T_vals_rest&&... vals_rest)
    {
        initialize<T_index, T_val>(std::forward<T_val>(val));
        initialize<T_index+1, T_val2, T_vals_rest...>(std::forward<T_val2>(val2), std::forward<T_vals_rest>(vals_rest)...);
    }

    void initialize(T_args&&... args)
    {
        initialize<0, T_args...>(std::forward<T_args>(args)...);
    }

    standard_layout_tuple(T_args&&... args)
    {
        initialize(std::forward<T_args>(args)...);
    }

    //Destruction
    template<size_t T_index, typename T_val>
    void destroy()
    {
        T_val* place = reinterpret_cast<T_val*>(&this->storage[index_array[T_index]]);
        place->~T_val();
    }

    template<size_t T_index, typename T_val, typename T_val2, typename... T_vals_rest>
    void destroy()
    {
        destroy<T_index, T_val>();
        destroy<T_index+1, T_val2, T_vals_rest...>();
    }

    void destroy()
    {
        destroy<0, T_args...>();
    }

    ~standard_layout_tuple()
    {
        destroy();
    }

    template<size_t T_index>
    void set(T_param<T_index, T_args...>&& data)
    {
        T_param<T_index, T_args...>* ptr = reinterpret_cast<T_param<T_index, T_args...>*>(&this->storage[index_array[T_index]]);
        *ptr = std::forward<T_param<T_index, T_args...>>(data);
    }

    template<size_t T_index>
    T_param<T_index, T_args...>& get()
    {
        return *reinterpret_cast<T_param<T_index, T_args...>*>(&this->storage[index_array[T_index]]);
    }
};


int main() {
    standard_layout_tuple<float, double, int, double> sltuple{5.5f, 3.4, 7, 1.22};
    sltuple.set<2>(47);

    std::cout << sltuple.get<0>() << std::endl;
    std::cout << sltuple.get<1>() << std::endl;
    std::cout << sltuple.get<2>() << std::endl;
    std::cout << sltuple.get<3>() << std::endl;

    std::cout << "is standard layout:" << std::endl;
    std::cout << std::boolalpha << std::is_standard_layout<standard_layout_tuple<float, double, int, double>>::value << std::endl;

    return 0;
}

Live example: https://ideone.com/4LEnSS

There's a few things I'm not happy with:

• Alignment is not handled properly which means entering misaligned types will currently give you undefined behaviour
• Not all tuple functionality is represented yet.
• I don't think the memory management is currently exception-safe.
• It uses tuple to determine the type for each index.
• The overall code quality is kinda messy.
• There might be better, more concise ways to handle some of the recursive template functions.
• I don't fully understand everything I did. I understand the main basics, but I'm using some of the weirder syntax on good faith. Here's the most important sources I used:
  • Create N-element constexpr array in C++11
  • Lookup table with constexpr
  • c++11 constexpr flatten list of std::array into array
  • constexpr, arrays and initialization
  • template parameter packs access Nth type and Nth element

This is not yet suitable for use as-is, really only treat it as a proof-of-concept in this state. I will probably come back to improve on some of these issues. Or, if anyone else can improve it, feel free to edit.