@ -6,9 +6,10 @@ really can't emphasize that you should deeply think about finding Another Way
than the operations covered in this section. This is really, truly, the most
than the operations covered in this section. This is really, truly, the most
horribly unsafe thing you can do in Rust. The railguards here are dental floss.
horribly unsafe thing you can do in Rust. The railguards here are dental floss.
`mem::transmute<T, U>` takes a value of type `T` and reinterprets it to have
[`mem::transmute< T , U > `][transmute] takes a value of type `T` and reinterprets
type `U` . The only restriction is that the `T` and `U` are verified to have the
it to have type `U` . The only restriction is that the `T` and `U` are verified
same size. The ways to cause Undefined Behavior with this are mind boggling.
to have the same size. The ways to cause Undefined Behavior with this are mind
boggling.
* First and foremost, creating an instance of *any* type with an invalid state
* First and foremost, creating an instance of *any* type with an invalid state
is going to cause arbitrary chaos that can't really be predicted.
is going to cause arbitrary chaos that can't really be predicted.
@ -23,13 +24,16 @@ same size. The ways to cause Undefined Behavior with this are mind boggling.
* Transmuting to a reference without an explicitly provided lifetime
* Transmuting to a reference without an explicitly provided lifetime
produces an [unbounded lifetime]
produces an [unbounded lifetime]
`mem::transmute_copy<T, U>` somehow manages to be *even more* wildly unsafe than
[`mem::transmute_copy< T , U > `][transmute_copy] somehow manages to be *even more*
this. It copies `size_of<U>` bytes out of an `&T` and interprets them as a `U` .
wildly unsafe than this. It copies `size_of<U>` bytes out of an `&T` and
The size check that `mem::transmute` has is gone (as it may be valid to copy
interprets them as a `U` . The size check that `mem::transmute` has is gone (as
out a prefix), though it is Undefined Behavior for `U` to be larger than `T` .
it may be valid to copy out a prefix), though it is Undefined Behavior for `U`
to be larger than `T` .
Also of course you can get most of the functionality of these functions using
Also of course you can get most of the functionality of these functions using
pointer casts.
pointer casts.
[unbounded lifetime]: unbounded-lifetimes.html
[unbounded lifetime]: unbounded-lifetimes.html
[transmute]: ../std/mem/fn.transmute.html
[transmute_copy]: ../std/mem/fn.transmute.html