Destructuring tuple structs with public leading fields and private trailing fields by tuple syntax is disallowed
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Description
Minimal reproducible example
mod foo {
pub struct Bar(pub i32, ());
}
fn get(foo::Bar(i, ..): foo::Bar) {
dbg!(i);
}
Current behavior
error[E0603]: tuple struct constructor `Bar` is private
--> src/main.rs:6:13
|
3 | pub struct Bar(pub i32, ());
| ----------- a constructor is private if any of the fields is private
...
6 | fn get(foo::Bar(i, ..): foo::Bar) { dbg!(i); }
| ^^^ private tuple struct constructor
|
note: the tuple struct constructor `Bar` is defined here
--> src/main.rs:3:5
|
3 | pub struct Bar(pub i32, ());
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
help: consider making the fields publicly accessible
|
3 | pub struct Bar(pub i32, pub ());
| +++
For more information about this error, try `rustc --explain E0603`.
Expected behvaior
This should be allowed to compile, since it is unambiguous that the first element of the tuple struct is a public field, regardless of the number of subsequent fields. The tuple struct destructuring syntax
foo::Bar(i, ..)
implies the exact same conditions as the following pattern:
foo::Bar { 0: i, .. }
Both of them imply:
foo::BarMUST be a tuple structfoo::BarMUST have a visible field.0foo::BarMAY have non-exhaustive fields after.0, which we do not need to access
However, the foo:: Bar {0: i, ..} case compiles, while foo::Bar(i, ..) does not.
Proposed fix
If the first 3 fields of a tuple struct are visible, users should be allowed to match a value of the tuple struct by Path(_, ..), Path(_, _, ..) or Path(_, _, _, ..), where _ are placeholders for arbitrary patterns.
Meta
rustc --version --verbose:
rustc 1.87.0-beta.1 (45165c82a 2025-04-01)
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by compiling the minimal Rust reproducer with the noted rustc version and compare the failing tuple pattern with the working struct-pattern form. Trace the compiler's visibility handling for tuple-struct patterns, then confirm that visible leading fields with private trailing fields compile and add coverage for the demonstrated cases.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- rust
- Domain
- compilers
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 45/100