downcast for non-'static types

[lcnr]

use std::any::TypeId;

/// The type does not have any free lifetimes.
///
/// Necessary as `TypeId` cannot distinguish between
/// `&'a str` and `&'static str` and we must not cast
/// between these types.
unsafe trait NoFreeLifetimes: 'static {}

unsafe impl<T: NoFreeLifetimes> NoFreeLifetimes for Vec<T> {}
unsafe impl NoFreeLifetimes for u32 {}
unsafe impl NoFreeLifetimes for String {}

fn try_downcast_ref<'a, S, T: NoFreeLifetimes>(x: &S) -> Option<&T> {
    if non_static_type_id::<S>() == non_static_type_id::<T>() {
        Some(unsafe { &*(x as *const S).cast() })
    } else {
        None
    }
}

fn non_static_type_id<T>() -> TypeId {
    type_id_of_val(|| ())
}

fn type_id_of_val<T: 'static>(_: T) -> TypeId {
    TypeId::of::<T>()
}

fn foo<T>(x: &T) {
    if let Some(s) = try_downcast_ref::<_, String>(x) {
        println!("{s}");
    } else if let Some(v) = try_downcast_ref::<_, Vec<u32>>(x) {
        println!("{v:?}");
    } else {
        println!("unknown");
    }
}

fn main() {
    foo(&String::from("hello"));
    foo(&"unknown");
    foo(&vec![1u32]);
    foo(&vec![1i32]);
}

relies on an implementation detail of rustc for soundness, would need to either be a blessed part of std or requires strong regression tests. Please do not use this in production :3

The idea is that closures inherit the type parameters of the current body without considering them for outlives constraints.