constexpr references and constant expressions

[Inconnu]

Is the following a valid code?

constexpr const A &ri = 3;
constexpr const int *pi = &ri;

------------------------------------
Code may be more complicated:

struct A
{
int i;
const int &ri;
};

constexpr const A &ra = {1, 3};
constexpr const int *pi = &ra.ri;
--------------------------------------

and even:

struct A
{
int i;
const int &ri;
};

struct B
{
int i;
const A &ra;
};

constexpr const A &rb = {1, {1, 3}};
constexpr const int *pi = &rb.ra.ri;

 

[Noah Roberts]

Is the following a valid code?

constexpr const A &ri = 3;
constexpr const int *pi = &ri;

------------------------------------
Code may be more complicated:

struct A
{
    int i;
    const int &ri;

};

constexpr const A &ra = {1, 3};
constexpr const int *pi = &ra.ri;
--------------------------------------

and even:

struct A
{
    int i;
    const int &ri;

};

struct B
{
    int i;
    const A &ra;

};

constexpr const A &rb = {1, {1, 3}};
constexpr const int *pi = &rb.ra.ri;

I don't have the standard, haven't made use of constexpr, so I could
be quite wrong....but I don't think so. It wouldn't make sense to
me. A constant expression in C++ is an expression that can be
evaluated at compile time. The 'constexpr' statement is meant to
create named constant expressions with variable and function syntax.
What you're doing above though is trying to create a runtime
reference. Just because that reference is constant (and they all are
really) doesn't mean it's a compile-time entity.

I do know that a constexpr is not allowed to make use of anything but
constant expressions. If references aren't allowed, and I seriously
doubt they are, then you can't make a constexpr of a type that
contains one.

Of course, you could always try it with various compilers to get a
rough idea of whether it's allowed or not. Not definitive, but it is
practical.