Why does C++ need language modifications to be “managed”?

Question

Why can\'t a compiler be written that manages what needs to be managed in C++ code (i.e. to make it \"CLR compatible\")?

Maybe with some compromise, li

Answer 1

The .NET CLR requires that no reference to a managed object can ever exist anyplace the run-time doesn't know about except while the object is pinned; good performance requires that objects be pinned as little as possible. Since the .NET CLR cannot understand all of the data structures that are usable within C++, it's imperative that no references to managed objects ever be persisted in such structures. It would be possible to have "ordinary" C++ code interact with .NET code without any changes to the C++ language, but the only way the C++ code could keep any sort of "reference" to any .NET objects would be to have a some code on the .NET side assign each object a handle of some sort, and keep a static table of the objects associated with the handles. C++ code which wanted to manipulate the objects would then have to ask the .NET wrapper to perform some operation upon the object identified by a handle. Adding the new syntax makes it possible for the compiler to identify the kinds of objects the .NET framework will need to know about, and enforce the necessary restrictions upon them.