在拥有盒装特征的结构上实现Deref

Question

I'd like to implement Deref and DefrefMut on a struct that owns a boxed trait, eg:

use std::ops::{Deref, DerefMut};

trait Quack {
    fn quack(&self);
}

struct QuackWrap {
    value: Box<Quack>
}

impl Deref for QuackWrap {
    type Target = Box<Quack>;

    fn deref<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a Box<Quack> {
        &self.value
    }
}

impl DerefMut for QuackWrap {
    fn deref_mut<'a>(&'a mut self) -> &'a mut Box<Quack> {
        &mut self.value
    }
}

This fails to compile with the following error:

src/main.rs:14:5: 16:6 error: method `deref` has an incompatible type for trait: expected bound lifetime parameter 'a, found concrete lifetime [E0053]
src/main.rs:14     fn deref<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a Box<Quack> {
src/main.rs:15         &self.value
src/main.rs:16     }
src/main.rs:20:5: 22:6 error: method `deref_mut` has an incompatible type for trait: expected bound lifetime parameter 'a, found concrete lifetime [E0053]
src/main.rs:20     fn deref_mut<'a>(&'a mut self) -> &'a mut Box<Quack> {
src/main.rs:21         &mut self.value
src/main.rs:22     }

If I replace Box<Quack> with Box<String> (or a similar type), it works. The problem is that Quack is a trait. But I'm not sure why that generated the error message it did. Any ideas?

My question is similar to another SO question , but not quite the same. In that question, the struct has a type parameter with the trait as a constraint. Whereas in my question, there is no type parameter.

I don't want to confuse the issues, but there's a good reason that I need Box<Quack> in my application. Ie I can't replace Quack with a type parameter. In case you care, the reason is discussed further in another SO question .

Answer 1

When in doubt, add more lifetime annotations:

use std::ops::{Deref, DerefMut};

trait Quack {
    fn quack(&self);
}

struct QuackWrap<'b> {
    value: Box<Quack + 'b>
}

impl<'b> Deref for QuackWrap<'b>{
    type Target = Box<Quack + 'b>;

    fn deref<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a Box<Quack + 'b> {
        &self.value
    }
}

impl<'b> DerefMut for QuackWrap<'b> {
    fn deref_mut<'a>(&'a mut self) -> &'a mut Box<Quack + 'b> {
        &mut self.value
    }
}

Answer 2

Based on Brian's answer and Shepmaster's explanation, I updated my code as follow. I also simplified the QuackWrap struct. (That wasn't strictly necessary, but it's arguably better style than what I was doing before.)

use std::ops::{Deref, DerefMut};

trait Quack {
    fn quack(&self);
}

struct QuackWrap(Box<Quack>);

impl Deref for QuackWrap {
    type Target = Box<Quack + 'static>;

    fn deref<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a Box<Quack + 'static> {
        let QuackWrap(ref v) = *self;
        v
    }
}

impl DerefMut for QuackWrap {
    fn deref_mut<'a>(&'a mut self) -> &'a mut Box<Quack + 'static> {
        let QuackWrap(ref mut v) = *self;
        v
    }
}

There may be a more concise way to destructure QuackWrap in the deref and deref_mut implementations. Some of those more obscure syntax rules elude me. But for now this is fine.