Tree-Sitter functions that returns a pointer cannot be put into lua

[GreedyTactician]

I am trying to bind the tree-sitter library to Lua.

I have already used sol2 to bind ImGui, ImNodes, some GLFW and custom functions of my own. These work nicely. I can pass-in or return pointers with ImGui/ImNodes/GLFW/etc without problem.

However, when I tried to bind tree-sitter functions, all functions that return a pointer to a struct (ei. TSRange *, TSTree *, etc) do not work. I have pasted the monstrous error message it gives me below.

Tree-sitter is a C library if that matters.

I can avoid the problem by writing a wrapper on the function I want to pass and casting the return pointer to void* (ei. return (void*)result; ) Then, for any function that takes a pointer as input, I can make another wrapper which takes (void *) and casts it to the proper type. This compiles (although I have not tried running the code) and seems like a functional way to create the binding.

However, that solution is tiresome to write and looks really inelegant.

What makes these tree-sitter function different than other functions that returns pointers?

In file included from /usr/include/c++/9/bits/move.h:55,
                 from /usr/include/c++/9/bits/nested_exception.h:40,
                 from /usr/include/c++/9/exception:144,
                 from /usr/include/c++/9/stdexcept:38,
                 from /usr/include/c++/9/system_error:41,
                 from /usr/include/c++/9/bits/fs_fwd.h:35,
                 from /usr/include/c++/9/filesystem:36,
                 from /media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/main.cpp:3:
/usr/include/c++/9/type_traits: In instantiation of ‘constexpr const bool std::is_base_of_v<sol::stack_reference, TSTree>’:
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/types.hpp:857:113:   required from ‘struct sol::is_lua_reference<TSTree>’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/types.hpp:860:24:   required from ‘constexpr const bool sol::is_lua_reference_v<TSTree>’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/types.hpp:889:187:   required from ‘struct sol::is_container<TSTree>’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/types.hpp:893:24:   required from ‘constexpr const bool sol::is_container_v<TSTree>’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/usertype_container_launch.hpp:409:49:   required by substitution of ‘template<class T> struct sol::stack::unqualified_pusher<T*, typename std::enable_if<is_container_v<T>, void>::type> [with T = TSTree]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/stack_core.hpp:904:28:   [ skipping 27 instantiation contexts, use -ftemplate-backtrace-limit=0 to disable ]
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_core.hpp:439:5:   required from ‘sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >& sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set(Args&& ...) [with Args = {std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>, sol::function_arguments<sol::function_sig<>, main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&>}; bool top_level = true; ref_t = sol::basic_reference<false>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_core.hpp:630:4:   required from ‘void sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set_fx(sol::types<>, Key&&, Fx&&, Args&& ...) [with Fx = main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&; Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>; Args = {}; typename std::enable_if<std::integral_constant<bool, (! sol::meta::all<sol::meta::meta_detail::is_specialization_of<typename std::remove_cv<typename std::remove_cv<typename std::remove_reference<_SrcTuple>::type>::type>::type, sol::overload_set> >::value)>::value, sol::meta::enable_t>::type <anonymous> = sol::meta::enable_t::_; bool top_level = true; ref_t = sol::basic_reference<false>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_core.hpp:603:4:   required from ‘sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >& sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set_function(Key&&, Args&& ...) [with Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>; Args = {main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&}; bool top_level = true; ref_t = sol::basic_reference<false>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_proxy.hpp:100:4:   required from ‘sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >&& sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set_function(Args&& ...) && [with Args = {main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&}; Table = sol::basic_table_core<true, sol::basic_reference<false> >&; Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_proxy.hpp:119:64:   required from ‘sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >&& sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::operator=(T&&) && [with T = main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&; Table = sol::basic_table_core<true, sol::basic_reference<false> >&; Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/main.cpp:1332:28:   required from here
/usr/include/c++/9/type_traits:2991:25: error: ‘value’ is not a member of ‘std::is_base_of<sol::stack_reference, TSTree>’
 2991 |   inline constexpr bool is_base_of_v = is_base_of<_Base, _Derived>::value;
      |                         ^~~~~~~~~~~~
In file included from /media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/trampoline.hpp:27,
                 from /media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/stack.hpp:27,
                 from /media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/sol.hpp:51,
                 from /media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/main.cpp:31:
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/types.hpp: In instantiation of ‘constexpr const bool sol::is_lua_reference_v<TSTree>’:
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/types.hpp:889:187:   required from ‘struct sol::is_container<TSTree>’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/types.hpp:893:24:   required from ‘constexpr const bool sol::is_container_v<TSTree>’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/usertype_container_launch.hpp:409:49:   required by substitution of ‘template<class T> struct sol::stack::unqualified_pusher<T*, typename std::enable_if<is_container_v<T>, void>::type> [with T = TSTree]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/stack_core.hpp:904:28:   required from ‘int sol::stack::push(lua_State*, T&&, Args&& ...) [with T = TSTree*; Args = {}; lua_State = lua_State]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/stack_core.hpp:957:27:   required from ‘int sol::stack::stack_detail::push_reference(lua_State*, Arg&&, Args&& ...) [with T = TSTree*; Arg = TSTree*; Args = {}; lua_State = lua_State]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/stack_core.hpp:964:42:   [ skipping 25 instantiation contexts, use -ftemplate-backtrace-limit=0 to disable ]
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_core.hpp:439:5:   required from ‘sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >& sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set(Args&& ...) [with Args = {std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>, sol::function_arguments<sol::function_sig<>, main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&>}; bool top_level = true; ref_t = sol::basic_reference<false>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_core.hpp:630:4:   required from ‘void sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set_fx(sol::types<>, Key&&, Fx&&, Args&& ...) [with Fx = main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&; Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>; Args = {}; typename std::enable_if<std::integral_constant<bool, (! sol::meta::all<sol::meta::meta_detail::is_specialization_of<typename std::remove_cv<typename std::remove_cv<typename std::remove_reference<_SrcTuple>::type>::type>::type, sol::overload_set> >::value)>::value, sol::meta::enable_t>::type <anonymous> = sol::meta::enable_t::_; bool top_level = true; ref_t = sol::basic_reference<false>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_core.hpp:603:4:   required from ‘sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >& sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set_function(Key&&, Args&& ...) [with Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>; Args = {main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&}; bool top_level = true; ref_t = sol::basic_reference<false>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_proxy.hpp:100:4:   required from ‘sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >&& sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set_function(Args&& ...) && [with Args = {main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&}; Table = sol::basic_table_core<true, sol::basic_reference<false> >&; Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_proxy.hpp:119:64:   required from ‘sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >&& sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::operator=(T&&) && [with T = main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&; Table = sol::basic_table_core<true, sol::basic_reference<false> >&; Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/main.cpp:1332:28:   required from here
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/types.hpp:860:24: error: ‘value’ is not a member of ‘sol::is_lua_reference<TSTree>’
  860 |  inline constexpr bool is_lua_reference_v = is_lua_reference<T>::value;
      |                        ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In file included from /media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/trampoline.hpp:27,
                 from /media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/stack.hpp:27,
                 from /media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/sol.hpp:51,
                 from /media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/main.cpp:31:
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/types.hpp: In instantiation of ‘constexpr const bool sol::is_container_v<TSTree>’:
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/usertype_container_launch.hpp:409:49:   required by substitution of ‘template<class T> struct sol::stack::unqualified_pusher<T*, typename std::enable_if<is_container_v<T>, void>::type> [with T = TSTree]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/stack_core.hpp:904:28:   required from ‘int sol::stack::push(lua_State*, T&&, Args&& ...) [with T = TSTree*; Args = {}; lua_State = lua_State]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/stack_core.hpp:957:27:   required from ‘int sol::stack::stack_detail::push_reference(lua_State*, Arg&&, Args&& ...) [with T = TSTree*; Arg = TSTree*; Args = {}; lua_State = lua_State]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/stack_core.hpp:964:42:   required from ‘int sol::stack::push_reference(lua_State*, T&&, Args&& ...) [with T = TSTree*; Args = {}; lua_State = lua_State]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/stack.hpp:248:26:   required from ‘int sol::stack::call_into_lua(sol::types<R, Args ...>, sol::types<Args ...>, lua_State*, int, Fx&&, FxArgs&& ...) [with bool check_args = true; bool clean_stack = true; Ret0 = TSTree*; Ret = {}; Args = {void*}; Fx = sol::wrapper<TSTree* (*)(void*), void>::caller; FxArgs = {TSTree* (*&)(void*)}; lua_State = lua_State]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/call.hpp:363:56:   [ skipping 23 instantiation contexts, use -ftemplate-backtrace-limit=0 to disable ]
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_core.hpp:439:5:   required from ‘sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >& sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set(Args&& ...) [with Args = {std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>, sol::function_arguments<sol::function_sig<>, main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&>}; bool top_level = true; ref_t = sol::basic_reference<false>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_core.hpp:630:4:   required from ‘void sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set_fx(sol::types<>, Key&&, Fx&&, Args&& ...) [with Fx = main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&; Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>; Args = {}; typename std::enable_if<std::integral_constant<bool, (! sol::meta::all<sol::meta::meta_detail::is_specialization_of<typename std::remove_cv<typename std::remove_cv<typename std::remove_reference<_SrcTuple>::type>::type>::type, sol::overload_set> >::value)>::value, sol::meta::enable_t>::type <anonymous> = sol::meta::enable_t::_; bool top_level = true; ref_t = sol::basic_reference<false>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_core.hpp:603:4:   required from ‘sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >& sol::basic_table_core<<anonymous>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set_function(Key&&, Args&& ...) [with Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>; Args = {main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&}; bool top_level = true; ref_t = sol::basic_reference<false>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_proxy.hpp:100:4:   required from ‘sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >&& sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::set_function(Args&& ...) && [with Args = {main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&}; Table = sol::basic_table_core<true, sol::basic_reference<false> >&; Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/table_proxy.hpp:119:64:   required from ‘sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >&& sol::table_proxy< <template-parameter-1-1>, <template-parameter-1-2> >::operator=(T&&) && [with T = main(int, char**)::<lambda(void*)>&; Table = sol::basic_table_core<true, sol::basic_reference<false> >&; Key = std::tuple<const char (&)[15]>]’
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/main.cpp:1332:28:   required from here
/media/sdb1/Workspace/DESK/Own_projects_atom/imgui-in-c/editor_attempt_with_tree_sitter/include/sol/types.hpp:893:24: error: ‘value’ is not a member of ‘sol::is_container<TSTree>’
  893 |  constexpr inline bool is_container_v = is_container<T>::value;