Can we add `Layout` to `core::alloc::AllocError`?

[davidli2010]

I think an alloc error with Layout is more useful. We can see that TryReserveErrorKind::AllocError{..} also contains Layout.

For example, Box::try_new() returns AllocError without layout. If we want to return an alloc error with layout, we need to do like this:

enum CustomError {
    AllocError(layout),
}

fn example() -> Result<Box<i32>, CustomError> {
    Box::try_new(10_i32).map_err(|_| CustomError::AllocError(Layout::new::<i32>()))
}

Note that we have to use map_err everywhere.

If AllocError defined as AllocError(Layout), we can directly use ?:

impl From<AllocError> for CustomError {
    fn from(e: AllocError) -> Self {
        CustomError::AllocError(e.layout())
    }
}

fn example() -> Result<Box<i32>, CustomError> {
    Ok(Box::try_new(10_i32)?)
}

So I suggest AllocError defined as belows:

#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Debug)]
#[repr(transparent)]
pub struct AllocError(Layout);

impl AllocError {
    #[must_use]
    #[inline]
    pub const fn new(layout: Layout) -> Self {
        AllocError(layout)
    }

    #[must_use]
    #[inline]
    pub const fn layout(self) -> Layout {
        self.0
    }
}

[CAD97]

It's important for AllocError to be a ZST, so Result<NonNull<u8>, AllocError> is just a nullable *mut u8. Whenever you use the GlobalAlloc/Allocator APIs, which are those that return AllocError, you necessarily have the layout already in order to provide it.

Rather, this is an argument that try_new should also return TryReserveError (or a similar error) which wraps AllocError with a Layout. Modulo naming being hard, of course.

Personally, with the (pending) decision to move the isize::MAX limit into Layout, I think the richer error type should be (modulo naming being hard)

enum CollectionAllocError {
    /// The requested size is to big for a Rust object.
    LayoutError,
    /// The requested allocation failed.
    AllocError(Layout),
}

There's (in face of custom allocators) not really a difference between "capacity overflow" and an allocation error.

(Disclaimer: this is my own opinion, not that of wg-allocators)

[davidli2010]

It makes sense, thank you!

[kornel]

BTW, what do you want to use the Layout for when you handle the alloc error?

I'm collecting use-cases for the error API.

[davidli2010]

Just report an error or write a log with layout. I want to tell the user or client not only there is an alloc error, but also the required layout when the error occurred.