Re: Simulating reference variables using `alias this`

[Carl Sturtivant via Digitalmars-d]

On Wednesday, 10 May 2017 at 17:48:53 UTC, MrSmith wrote:
On Wednesday, 10 May 2017 at 17:12:11 UTC, Carl Sturtivant 
wrote:
Here's the beginning of an interesting little experiment to 
simulate reference variables using `alias this` to disguise a 
pointer as a reference. Could add a destructor to set the 
pointer to null when a reference goes out of scope.
...

I've used this code for similar purpose:

alias TextEditorSettingsRef = TextEditorSettings*;
alias TextEditorSettingsConstRef = const(TextEditorSettings)*;
struct TextEditorSettings
{}

But you need to have two aliases (templates) for const and 
non-const refs, since using:
const TextEditorSettingsRef editor;
does:
const(TextEditorSettings*)
not
const(TextEditorSettings)*

What do you think?

Works if you use new to get struct pointers. And . knows it's a 
pointer so you get the right effect. But I want to see if D can 
simulate general reference variables safely.