TryIntoU

TryIntoU is a conceptual utility for safely converting various numeric inputs to unsigned integer types. It is designed to perform fallible conversions, returning an error rather than producing silent wraparound results when a value cannot be represented as a non-negative unsigned integer.

Design and purpose

The primary goal of TryIntoU is to provide a centralized, explicit mechanism for converting signed or string-like numeric inputs to unsigned targets. It validates that the input is non-negative and within the valid range of the target unsigned type. If the value is negative or exceeds the target’s maximum, the conversion yields an error instead of producing an incorrect value.

Api and usage

In typical designs, TryIntoU offers a generic interface that attempts to produce an unsigned value and returns either the converted result or a ConversionError. Example usage might resemble converting an i64 to a u32: a successful conversion yields the expected unsigned value, while a negative input or an out-of-range value results in a clear error. Some implementations may also accept string representations of numbers, performing parsing followed by the same range checks.

Relation to existing constructs

TryIntoU mirrors the safety-oriented philosophy of languages that separate checked conversions from unchecked casts. It is conceptually similar to Rust’s TryFrom/TryInto patterns or to languages that provide try_parse-like APIs, promoting explicit error handling and reducing the risk of silent overflow.

Limitations

As a hypothetical utility, TryIntoU would incur the overhead of error handling and input validation. It requires clear error semantics and well-defined rules for which input types are supported and how edge cases are reported.

See also

TryInto, TryFrom, TryParse.