[swift-evolution] [Review] SE-0107: UnsafeRawPointer API (binding memory to type)

[Ben Rimmington]

> On 10 Jul 2016, at 14:41, Andrew Trick via swift-evolution <swift-evolution at swift.org> wrote:
> 
> I'm revising this proposal based on last week's feedback. A few of the
> additive APIs are removed and a number of UnsafePointer and
> UnsafeRawPointer methods are renamed.
> 
> Here is a PR for the revision. Note that the examples in the proposal
> text still need to be updated:
> https://github.com/apple/swift-evolution/pull/420
> 
> I updated the short-form summary of the API:
> https://github.com/atrick/swift-evolution/blob/3122ace9d2fb55072ebd7395c7353fcbf497318a/proposals/0107-unsaferawpointer.md#full-unsaferawpointer-api
> 
> The full UnsafeRawPointer API with doc comments is here:
> https://github.com/atrick/swift/blob/22e3a2885e4236888ec447a7148acf633d8544f5/stdlib/public/core/UnsafeRawPointer.swift.gyb
> 
> The UnsafePointer and UnsafeRawPointer changes are on this branch:
> https://github.com/atrick/swift/commits/rawptr
> 
> If you wish to comment line-by-line on the detailed docs or
> implementation, you can do so here:
> https://github.com/apple/swift/pull/3437
> 
> ---
> The only concern I have about this version of the proposal is this method name: 
> 
>   func copyBytes(from: UnsafeRawPointer, count: Int)
> 
> because `count` usually refers to a number of values. I think it should be:
> 
>   func copy(bytes: Int, from: UnsafeRawPointer)

Using `bytes` to label the count / length / size would be inconsistent with:

	Foundation.Data.init(bytes:count:)
	<https://developer.apple.com/reference/foundation/data/1780158-init>

	Foundation.Data.copyBytes(to:count:)
	<https://developer.apple.com/reference/foundation/data/1780297-copybytes>

UnsafeMutableRawPointer could use a `size` or `sizeInBytes` label.
(This also applies to the `allocate` and `deallocate` methods).

-- Ben