rfc, associated-type-bounds: clarify a bunch of things / leave some things unresolved.

Author: Centril

text/0000-associated-type-bounds.md

@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ Introduce the bound form `MyTrait<AssociatedType: Bounds>`, permitted anywhere
 a bound of the form `MyTrait<AssociatedType = T>` would be allowed. The bound
 `T: Trait<AssociatedType: Bounds>` desugars to the bounds `T: Trait` and
 `<T as Trait>::AssociatedType: Bounds`.
+See the [reference][reference-level-explanation] and [rationale][alternatives]
+for exact details.
 
 # Motivation
 [motivation]: #motivation
@@ -86,8 +88,8 @@ impl<I: Clone + Iterator<Item: Clone>> Clone for Peekable<I> {
 # Reference-level explanation
 [reference-level-explanation]: #reference-level-explanation
 
-The surface syntax `T: Trait<AssociatedType: Bounds>` should always desugar
-to a pair of bounds: `T: Trait` and `<T as Trait>::AssociatedType: Bounds`.
+The surface syntax `T: Trait<AssociatedType: Bounds>` should desugar to a pair
+of bounds: `T: Trait` and `<T as Trait>::AssociatedType: Bounds`.
 Rust currently allows both of those bounds anywhere a bound can currently appear;
 the new syntax does not introduce any new semantics.
 
@@ -100,6 +102,53 @@ Meanwhile, the surface syntax `dyn Trait<AssociatedType: Bounds>` desugars into
 `dyn Trait<AssociatedType = T>` where `T` is a named type variable `T` with the
 bound `T: Bounds`.
 
+## The desugaring for associated types
+
+In the case of an associated type having a bound of the form:
+
+```rust
+trait TraitA {
+    type AssocA: TraitB<AssocB: TraitC>;
+}
+```
+
+we desugar to an anonymous associated type for `AssocB`, which corresponds to:
+
+```rust
+trait TraitA {
+    type AssocA: TraitB<AssocB = Self::AssocA_0>;
+    type AssocA_0: TraitC; // Associated type is Unnamed!
+}
+```
+
+## Notes on the meaning of `impl Trait<Assoc: Bound>`
+
+Note that in the context `-> impl Trait<Assoc: Bound>`, since the
+`Trait` is existentially quantified, so is in effect also the `Assoc`.
+Semantically speaking, `fn printables..` is equivalent to:
+
+```rust
+fn printables() -> impl Iterator<Item = impl Display> { .. }
+```
+
+For `arg: impl Trait<Assoc: Bound>`, it can likewise be seen as:
+`arg: impl Trait<Assoc = impl Bound>`.
+
+## Meaning of `existential type Foo: Trait<Assoc: Bound>`
+
+Given:
+
+```
+existential type Foo: Trait<Assoc: Bound>;
+```
+
+it can be seen as the same as:
+
+```rust
+existential type Foo: Trait<Assoc = _0>;
+existential type _0: Bound;
+```
+
 # Drawbacks
 [drawbacks]: #drawbacks
 
@@ -111,16 +160,79 @@ different. However, we believe that the parallel to the use of bounds elsewhere
 makes this new syntax immediately recognizable and understandable.
 
 # Rationale and alternatives
-[alternatives]: #alternatives
+[alternatives]: #rationale-and-alternatives
 
 As with any new surface syntax, one alternative is simply not introducing
 the syntax at all. That would still leave developers with the
 `MyTrait<AssociatedType = impl Bounds>` form. However, allowing the more
 direct bounds syntax provides a better parallel to the use of bounds elsewhere.
 The introduced form in this RFC is comparatively both shorter and clearer.
 
+### An alternative desugaring of bounds on associated types
+
+[RFC 2089]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rfcs/blob/master/text/2089-implied-bounds.md
+
+An alternative desugaring of the following definition:
+
+```rust
+trait TraitA {
+    type AssocA: TraitB<AssocB: TraitC>;
+}
+```
+
+is to add the `where` clause, as specified above, to the trait, desugaring to:
+
+```rust
+trait TraitA
+where
+    <Self::AssocA as TraitB>::AssocB: TraitC,
+{
+    type AssocA: TraitB;
+}
+```
+
+However, at the time of this writing, a Rust compiler will treat this
+differently than the desugaring proposed in the reference.
+The following snippet illustrates the difference:
+
+```rust
+trait Foo where <Self::Bar as Iterator>::Item: Copy {
+    type Bar: Iterator;
+}
+
+trait Foo2 {
+    type Bar: Iterator<Item = Self::BarItem>;
+    type BarItem: Copy;
+}
+
+fn use_foo<X: Foo>(arg: X)
+where <X::Bar as Iterator>::Item: Copy
+// ^-- Remove this line and it will error with:
+// error[E0277]: `<<X as Foo>::Bar as std::iter::Iterator>::Item` doesn't implement `Copy`
+{
+    let item: <X::Bar as Iterator>::Item;
+}
+
+fn use_foo2<X: Foo2>(arg: X) {
+    let item: <X::Bar as Iterator>::Item;
+}
+```
+
+The desugaring with a `where` therefore becomes problematic from a perspective
+of usability.
+
+However, [RFC 2089, Implied Bounds][RFC 2089] specifies that desugaring to the
+`where` clause in the trait will permit the `use_foo` function to omit its
+`where` clause. This entails that both desugarings become equivalent from the
+point of view of a user. The desugaring with `where` therefore becomes viable
+in the presence of [RFC 2089].
+
 # Unresolved questions
 [unresolved]: #unresolved-questions
 
-- Does allowing this for `dyn` trait objects introduce any unforseen issues?
-  This can be resolved during stabilization.
+- Does allowing this for `dyn` trait objects introduce any unforeseen issues?
+  This can be resolved during stabilization.
+
+- The exact desugaring in the context of putting bounds on an associated type
+  of a trait is left unresolved. The semantics should however be preserved.
+  This is also the case with other desugarings in this RFC.