Does String(bytesNoCopy:) copy bytes?

Using Swift
1

i'm trying to create a swift string backed by a raw memory buffer specifically using the "no copy" initializer variant. for some reason when i change the contents of this memory later on the created string remains unchanged. why is so?

    let p = c_pointer() // points to "h e l l o \0" bytes
    let len = Int(c_len()) // 5
    NSLog("%s", p); // prints: hello
    let s = String(bytesNoCopy: p, length: len, encoding: .ascii, freeWhenDone: false)!
    print(s)        // prints: hello - ok
    c_modify()      // changes the bytes to "i e l l o \0"
    NSLog("%s", p); // prints: iello - ok
    print(s)        // prints: hello - why?
2

Based on what I see in the cross-platform implementation of Foundation, "noCopy" is just a hint and not a guarantee and the current implementation is to just copy it anyways.

3

String(bytesNoCopy:) is a somewhat unfortunate situation. NSString supports no-copy initialization, but String does not, so when the NSString initializer is imported into String (as all its methods are), it ends up not behaving the way you'd hope. There isn't currently a good way to do what you're trying to do there.

1 Like
4

There isn't currently a good way to do what you're trying to do there.

It's important to note that this is by design. String is a value type, and so having an ability to mutate it at a distance via a pointer to its storage is a anti-goal.

5 Likes
5

hmm... i'm getting exactly the same behaviour with

NSString(bytesNoCopy: p, length: len, encoding: String.Encoding.ascii.rawValue, freeWhenDone: false)!

is this not supported at all?

6

That codepath in CF is relatively complex, and will do things like attempt to look up the string contents in a perfect hash table of commonly used strings baked into the framework binary. If it finds it there, it'll use that instead of the provided buffer.

Similarly, if the string is ASCII and sufficiently short, it'll use a tagged pointer instead.

1 Like
7

yep... perhaps then the "noCopy" variant shall not exist at all for swift Strings?

good call, will check long strings.

i'd say "noCopy" strings shall opt out of such optimisations to preserve the "no copy" semantics, but understandably this is a rarely used API so probably no one cares much.

8

however... same result with a long NSString!

9

Huh. That surprises me, there's a few other branches in this code that set noCopy to false, but I didn't see any that looked relevant. If I get a chance I'll play around with it myself and see if I can figure out what's going on.

10

managed to find a combination that works (creates "externally mutable string"):

NSString(charactersNoCopy: c_pointer(), length: Int(c_len()), freeWhenDone: false)

where c_pointer() points to int16 unicode characters.

interestingly, bytesNoCopy + UTF16 combination doesn't work.

11

Just to reiterate my earlier comment: String is a value type, and this kind of indirect mutation may violate some fundamental rules the Swift compiler makes assumptions about, and could therefore lead to undefined behavior (could crash, could corrupt data, could turn your laptop into a toad).

5 Likes
12

Ben, that's true indeed about swift's "String" type. and perhaps we shall remove the "noCopy" initializer from String to not give false promises. my previous comment was in relation to NSString(charactersNoCopy:).

13

i did an "audit" of available noCopy variants. the most interesting are CFStringCreate WithBytesNoCopy and WithCharactersNoCopy, NSString(bytesNoCopy:) and (charactersNoCopy:), String(bytesNoCopy:) and (utf16CodeUnitsNoCopy:), CFDataCreate WithBytesNoCopy, NSData(bytesNoCopy:) and Data(bytesNoCopy:). i ran a bunch of tests on all of those to see the actual behaviour in different cases.

whether copy/nocopy actually happens depend upon several factors some of which are listed below. interestingly it is currently possible indeed to create a swift value type which value is indirectly changeable -- which is very bad, although i wasn't able to fry my computer by doing this so far.

factors that matter:

  • encoding (for strings created with "bytes" variant)
  • encoding endianess (for strings created with "bytes" variant)
  • length (short vs long)
  • CF vs NS vs Swift. swift types bridged from CF tend to reproduce this behaviour, swift types bridged from NS tend to not.

in the table below "CF" corresponds to CF strings/data. NS - NSString / NSData. "S" to Swift string/data. NS(CF) - corresponds to NS type bridged from CF type. similarly S(CF) or S(NS) - bridged from CF or NS types. "Y" correspond to "indirect changeable" behaviour (particular troublesome for swift value types).

most "dangerous" Y entries are marked with *, this is when swift value types can be changed indirectly.

Data(bytesNoCopy:) case is the most dangerous of them all as it doesn't even involve CF/NS bridging.

full results 
CFString ascii      len:9  CF:N  NS(CF):N  S(CF):N  S(NS):N
CFString ascii      len:10 CF:Y  NS(CF):Y  S(CF):Y* S(NS):Y*
CFString utf8       len:9  CF:N  NS(CF):N  S(CF):N  S(NS):N
CFString utf8       len:10 CF:Y  NS(CF):Y  S(CF):Y* S(NS):Y*
CFString utf16LE    len:1  CF:Y  NS(CF):Y  S(CF):Y* S(NS):Y*
CFString utf16BE    len:1  CF:N  NS(CF):N  S(CF):N  S(NS):N
CFString_chars      len:1  CF:Y  NS(CF):Y  S(CF):Y* S(NS):Y*
NSString utf8       len:9        NS:N      S(NS):N
NSString utf8       len:10       NS:Y      S(NS):N
NSString utf16LE    len:1        NS:Y      S(NS):N
NSString utf16BE    len:20       NS:N      S(NS):N
NSString_chars      len:1        NS:Y      S(NS):N
String utf8         len:20                 S:N
String utf16LE      len:20                 S:N
String_chars        len:20                 S:N
CFData              len:14 CF:Y  NS(CF):Y  S(CF):N  S(NS):N
CFData              len:15 CF:Y  NS(CF):Y  S(CF):Y* S(NS):Y*
NSData              len:1        NS:Y      S(NS):N
NSData              len:20       NS:Y      S(NS):N
Data                len:14                 S:N
Data                len:15                 S:Y*

perhaps CF/NS ref types per se are not important much. irt swift (value) types i suggest to fix the broken bridging cases (always copy bytes in these cases) and deprecate/remove the "noCopy" string/data initializers. until anything is fixed here beware of the dangers of using noCopy initialisers with swift value types as per the above Ben Cohen's comment.

full test code 
import Foundation

func test_CFString_bytes<T>(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: T, value2: T, encoding: CFStringBuiltInEncodings, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<T>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: T.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let p = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UInt8.self)
    let cf = CFStringCreateWithBytesNoCopy(nil, p, size, encoding.rawValue, false, nil)!
    let ns = cf as NSString
    let sc = cf as String
    let sn = ns as String
    
    let cf1 = "\(cf)"
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sc1 = "\(sc)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let cf2 = "\(cf)"
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sc2 = "\(sc)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn)"

    if printDetails {
        print("cf1: \(cf1)")
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sc1: \(sc1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("cf2: \(cf2)")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sc2: \(sc2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }
    
    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\tCF:\(neq(cf1,cf2))\tNS(CF):\(neq(ns1,ns2))\tS(CF):\(neq(sc1,sc2,true))\tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_CFString_chars(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: UniChar, value2: UniChar, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<UniChar>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UniChar.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let cf = CFStringCreateWithCharactersNoCopy(nil, chars, count, nil)!
    let ns = cf as NSString
    let sc = cf as String
    let sn = ns as String
    
    let cf1 = "\(cf)"
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sc1 = "\(sc)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let cf2 = "\(cf)"
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sc2 = "\(sc)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn)"

    if printDetails {
        print("cf1: \(cf1)")
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sc1: \(sc1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("cf2: \(cf2)")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sc2: \(sc2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }
    
    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\tCF:\(neq(cf1,cf2))\tNS(CF):\(neq(ns1,ns2))\tS(CF):\(neq(sc1,sc2,true))\tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_NSString_bytes<T>(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: T, value2: T, encoding: String.Encoding, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<T>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: T.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let ns = NSString(bytesNoCopy: bytes, length: size, encoding: encoding.rawValue, freeWhenDone: false)!
    let sn = ns as String
    
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn)"

    if printDetails {
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }

    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t      \tNS:\(neq(ns1,ns2))    \tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_NSString_chars(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: UniChar, value2: UniChar, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<UniChar>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UniChar.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let ns = NSString(charactersNoCopy: chars, length: count, freeWhenDone: false)
    let sn = ns as String
    
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn)"

    if printDetails {
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }

    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t      \tNS:\(neq(ns1,ns2))    \tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_String_bytes<T>(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: T, value2: T, encoding: String.Encoding, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<T>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: T.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let s = String(bytesNoCopy: bytes, length: size, encoding: encoding, freeWhenDone: false)!
    
    let s1 = "\(s)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let s2 = "\(s)"

    if printDetails {
        print("s1: \(s1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("s2: \(s2)")
    }
    
    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t       \t        \tS:\(neq(s1,s2,true))")
}

func test_String_chars(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: unichar, value2: unichar, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<unichar>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: unichar.self)

    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let s = String(utf16CodeUnitsNoCopy: chars, count: count, freeWhenDone: false)
    
    let s1 = "\(s)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let s2 = "\(s)"

    if printDetails {
        print("s1: \(s1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("s2: \(s2)")
    }
    
    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t        \t       \tS:\(neq(s1,s2,true))")
}

func test_CFData_bytes(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: UInt8, value2: UInt8, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let bytes = malloc(count)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UInt8.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let cf = CFDataCreateWithBytesNoCopy(nil, chars, count, nil)!
    let ns = cf as NSData
    let sc = cf as Data
    let sn = ns as Data
    
    let cf1 = "\(cf)"
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sc1 = "\(sc.hexString)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn.hexString)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let cf2 = "\(cf)"
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sc2 = "\(sc.hexString)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn.hexString)"

    if printDetails {
        print("cf1: \(cf1)")
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sc1: \(sc1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("cf2: \(cf2)")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sc2: \(sc2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }
    
    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\tCF:\(neq(cf1,cf2))\tNS(CF):\(neq(ns1,ns2))\tS(CF):\(neq(sc1,sc2,true))\tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_NSData_bytes(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: UInt8, value2: UInt8, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let bytes = malloc(count)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UInt8.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let ns = NSData(bytesNoCopy: bytes, length: count, freeWhenDone: false)
    let sn = ns as Data
    
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn.hexString)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn.hexString)"

    if printDetails {
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }

    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t       \tNS:\(neq(ns1,ns2))   \tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_Data_bytes(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: UInt8, value2: UInt8, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let bytes = malloc(count)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UInt8.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let s = Data(bytesNoCopy: bytes, count: count, deallocator: .none)
    
    let s1 = "\(s.hexString)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let s2 = "\(s.hexString)"

    if printDetails {
        print("s1: \(s1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("s2: \(s2)")
    }

    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t        \t       \tS:\(neq(s1,s2,true))")
}

func test() {

    test_CFString_bytes("CFString ascii   ", count: 9, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .ASCII)
    test_CFString_bytes("CFString ascii   ", count: 10, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .ASCII)
    test_CFString_bytes("CFString utf8    ", count: 9, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .UTF8)
    test_CFString_bytes("CFString utf8    ", count: 10, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .UTF8)
    test_CFString_bytes("CFString utf16LE ", count: 1, value1: UInt16(0x41), value2: UInt16(0x42), encoding: .UTF16LE)
    test_CFString_bytes("CFString utf16BE ", count: 1, value1: UInt16(0x4100), value2: UInt16(0x4200), encoding: .UTF16BE)
    test_CFString_chars("CFString_chars   ", count: 1, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    
    test_NSString_bytes("NSString utf8    ", count: 9, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .utf8)
    test_NSString_bytes("NSString utf8    ", count: 10, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .utf8)
    test_NSString_bytes("NSString utf16LE ", count: 1, value1: UInt16(0x41), value2: UInt16(0x42), encoding: .utf16LittleEndian)
    test_NSString_bytes("NSString utf16BE ", count: 20, value1: UInt16(0x4100), value2: UInt16(0x4200), encoding: .utf16BigEndian)
    test_NSString_chars("NSString_chars   ", count: 1, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)

    test_String_bytes(  "String utf8      ", count: 20, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .utf8)
    test_String_bytes(  "String utf16LE   ", count: 20, value1: UInt16(0x41), value2: UInt16(0x42), encoding: .utf16LittleEndian)
    test_String_chars(  "String_chars     ", count: 20, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)

    test_CFData_bytes(  "CFData           ", count: 14, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    test_CFData_bytes(  "CFData           ", count: 15, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)

    test_NSData_bytes(  "NSData           ", count: 1, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    test_NSData_bytes(  "NSData           ", count: 20, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    
    test_Data_bytes(    "Data             ", count: 14, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    test_Data_bytes(    "Data             ", count: 15, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    print()
}

func neq<T: Equatable>(_ a: T, _ b: T, _ dangerous: Bool = false) -> String {
    (a != b ? "Y" : "N") + (a != b && dangerous ? "*" : " ")
}

extension Data {
    var hexString: String {
        reduce("") { r, e in
            r + String(format: "%02x", e)
        }
    }
}

test()
3 Likes
14

interestingly, I try the test code and run as swift testFile, crash at malloc when call utf8 len 10.

swift-driver version: 1.62.8 Apple Swift version 5.7 (swiftlang-5.7.0.127.4 clang-1400.0.29.50)
Target: arm64-apple-macosx12.0

15

Indeed. The bug was passing nil instead of kCFAllocatorNull as the last parameter of xxxNoCopy(...) calls (three of those).

16

Gave it another go in new environment (Monterey, Xcode 14) got different results:

CFString ascii   	len:9	CF:N 	NS(CF):N 	S(CF):N 	S(NS):N 
CFString ascii   	len:10	CF:Y 	NS(CF):Y 	S(CF):N 	S(NS):N 
CFString utf8    	len:9	CF:N 	NS(CF):N 	S(CF):N 	S(NS):N 
CFString utf8    	len:10	CF:Y 	NS(CF):Y 	S(CF):N 	S(NS):N 
CFString utf16LE 	len:1	CF:Y 	NS(CF):Y 	S(CF):N 	S(NS):N 
CFString utf16BE 	len:1	CF:N 	NS(CF):N 	S(CF):N 	S(NS):N 
CFString_chars   	len:1	CF:Y 	NS(CF):Y 	S(CF):N 	S(NS):N 
NSString utf8    	len:9	      	NS:N     	S(NS):N 
NSString utf8    	len:10	      	NS:Y     	S(NS):N 
NSString utf16LE 	len:1	      	NS:Y     	S(NS):N 
NSString utf16BE 	len:20	      	NS:N     	S(NS):N 
NSString_chars   	len:1	      	NS:Y     	S(NS):N 
String utf8      	len:20	       	        	S:N 
String utf16LE   	len:20	       	        	S:N 
String_chars     	len:20	        	       	S:N 
CFData           	len:14	CF:Y 	NS(CF):Y 	S(CF):N 	S(NS):N 
CFData           	len:15	CF:Y 	NS(CF):Y 	S(CF):Y*	S(NS):Y*
NSData           	len:1	       	NS:Y    	S(NS):N 
NSData           	len:20	       	NS:Y    	S(NS):N 
Data             	len:14	        	       	S:N 
Data             	len:15	        	       	S:Y*

i.e. no longer we can have a bridged String that can be mutated via some spooky action at a distance – which is a good thing, e.g. we won't be able breaking Set type invariants, etc. We can still do it with Data though.

Updated source code (kCFAllocatorNull vs nil error fixed). 
import Foundation

func test_CFString_bytes<T>(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: T, value2: T, encoding: CFStringBuiltInEncodings, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<T>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: T.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let p = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UInt8.self)
    let cf = CFStringCreateWithBytesNoCopy(nil, p, size, encoding.rawValue, false, kCFAllocatorNull)!
    let ns = cf as NSString
    let sc = cf as String
    let sn = ns as String
    
    let cf1 = "\(cf)"
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sc1 = "\(sc)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let cf2 = "\(cf)"
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sc2 = "\(sc)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn)"

    if printDetails {
        print("cf1: \(cf1)")
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sc1: \(sc1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("cf2: \(cf2)")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sc2: \(sc2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }
    
    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\tCF:\(neq(cf1,cf2))\tNS(CF):\(neq(ns1,ns2))\tS(CF):\(neq(sc1,sc2,true))\tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_CFString_chars(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: UniChar, value2: UniChar, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<UniChar>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UniChar.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let cf = CFStringCreateWithCharactersNoCopy(nil, chars, count, kCFAllocatorNull)!
    let ns = cf as NSString
    let sc = cf as String
    let sn = ns as String
    
    let cf1 = "\(cf)"
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sc1 = "\(sc)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let cf2 = "\(cf)"
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sc2 = "\(sc)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn)"

    if printDetails {
        print("cf1: \(cf1)")
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sc1: \(sc1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("cf2: \(cf2)")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sc2: \(sc2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }
    
    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\tCF:\(neq(cf1,cf2))\tNS(CF):\(neq(ns1,ns2))\tS(CF):\(neq(sc1,sc2,true))\tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_NSString_bytes<T>(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: T, value2: T, encoding: String.Encoding, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<T>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: T.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let ns = NSString(bytesNoCopy: bytes, length: size, encoding: encoding.rawValue, freeWhenDone: false)!
    let sn = ns as String
    
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn)"

    if printDetails {
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }

    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t      \tNS:\(neq(ns1,ns2))    \tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_NSString_chars(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: UniChar, value2: UniChar, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<UniChar>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UniChar.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let ns = NSString(charactersNoCopy: chars, length: count, freeWhenDone: false)
    let sn = ns as String
    
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn)"

    if printDetails {
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }

    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t      \tNS:\(neq(ns1,ns2))    \tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_String_bytes<T>(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: T, value2: T, encoding: String.Encoding, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<T>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: T.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let s = String(bytesNoCopy: bytes, length: size, encoding: encoding, freeWhenDone: false)!
    
    let s1 = "\(s)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let s2 = "\(s)"

    if printDetails {
        print("s1: \(s1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("s2: \(s2)")
    }
    
    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t       \t        \tS:\(neq(s1,s2,true))")
}

func test_String_chars(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: unichar, value2: unichar, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let size = count * MemoryLayout<unichar>.size
    let bytes = malloc(size)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: unichar.self)

    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let s = String(utf16CodeUnitsNoCopy: chars, count: count, freeWhenDone: false)
    
    let s1 = "\(s)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let s2 = "\(s)"

    if printDetails {
        print("s1: \(s1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("s2: \(s2)")
    }
    
    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t        \t       \tS:\(neq(s1,s2,true))")
}

func test_CFData_bytes(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: UInt8, value2: UInt8, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let bytes = malloc(count)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UInt8.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let cf = CFDataCreateWithBytesNoCopy(nil, chars, count, kCFAllocatorNull)!
    let ns = cf as NSData
    let sc = cf as Data
    let sn = ns as Data
    
    let cf1 = "\(cf)"
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sc1 = "\(sc.hexString)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn.hexString)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let cf2 = "\(cf)"
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sc2 = "\(sc.hexString)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn.hexString)"

    if printDetails {
        print("cf1: \(cf1)")
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sc1: \(sc1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("cf2: \(cf2)")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sc2: \(sc2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }
    
    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\tCF:\(neq(cf1,cf2))\tNS(CF):\(neq(ns1,ns2))\tS(CF):\(neq(sc1,sc2,true))\tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_NSData_bytes(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: UInt8, value2: UInt8, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let bytes = malloc(count)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UInt8.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let ns = NSData(bytesNoCopy: bytes, length: count, freeWhenDone: false)
    let sn = ns as Data
    
    let ns1 = "\(ns)"
    let sn1 = "\(sn.hexString)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let ns2 = "\(ns)"
    let sn2 = "\(sn.hexString)"

    if printDetails {
        print("ns1: \(ns1)")
        print("sn1: \(sn1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("ns2: \(ns2)")
        print("sn2: \(sn2)")
    }

    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t       \tNS:\(neq(ns1,ns2))   \tS(NS):\(neq(sn1,sn2,true))")
}

func test_Data_bytes(_ testName: String, count: Int, value1: UInt8, value2: UInt8, printDetails: Bool = false) {
    let bytes = malloc(count)!
    let chars = bytes.assumingMemoryBound(to: UInt8.self)
    
    for i in 0 ..< count {
        chars[i] = value1
    }
    
    let s = Data(bytesNoCopy: bytes, count: count, deallocator: .none)
    
    let s1 = "\(s.hexString)"
    chars.pointee = value2
    let s2 = "\(s.hexString)"

    if printDetails {
        print("s1: \(s1)")
        print("-- modification --")
        print("s2: \(s2)")
    }

    print("\(testName)\tlen:\(count)\t        \t       \tS:\(neq(s1,s2,true))")
}

func test() {

    test_CFString_bytes("CFString ascii   ", count: 9, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .ASCII)
    test_CFString_bytes("CFString ascii   ", count: 10, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .ASCII)
    test_CFString_bytes("CFString utf8    ", count: 9, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .UTF8)
    test_CFString_bytes("CFString utf8    ", count: 10, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .UTF8)
    test_CFString_bytes("CFString utf16LE ", count: 1, value1: UInt16(0x41), value2: UInt16(0x42), encoding: .UTF16LE)
    test_CFString_bytes("CFString utf16BE ", count: 1, value1: UInt16(0x4100), value2: UInt16(0x4200), encoding: .UTF16BE)
    test_CFString_chars("CFString_chars   ", count: 1, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    
    test_NSString_bytes("NSString utf8    ", count: 9, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .utf8)
    test_NSString_bytes("NSString utf8    ", count: 10, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .utf8)
    test_NSString_bytes("NSString utf16LE ", count: 1, value1: UInt16(0x41), value2: UInt16(0x42), encoding: .utf16LittleEndian)
    test_NSString_bytes("NSString utf16BE ", count: 20, value1: UInt16(0x4100), value2: UInt16(0x4200), encoding: .utf16BigEndian)
    test_NSString_chars("NSString_chars   ", count: 1, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)

    test_String_bytes(  "String utf8      ", count: 20, value1: UInt8(0x41), value2: UInt8(0x42), encoding: .utf8)
    test_String_bytes(  "String utf16LE   ", count: 20, value1: UInt16(0x41), value2: UInt16(0x42), encoding: .utf16LittleEndian)
    test_String_chars(  "String_chars     ", count: 20, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)

    test_CFData_bytes(  "CFData           ", count: 14, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    test_CFData_bytes(  "CFData           ", count: 15, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)

    test_NSData_bytes(  "NSData           ", count: 1, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    test_NSData_bytes(  "NSData           ", count: 20, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    
    test_Data_bytes(    "Data             ", count: 14, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    test_Data_bytes(    "Data             ", count: 15, value1: 0x41, value2: 0x42)
    print()
}

func neq<T: Equatable>(_ a: T, _ b: T, _ dangerous: Bool = false) -> String {
    (a != b ? "Y" : "N") + (a != b && dangerous ? "*" : " ")
}

extension Data {
    var hexString: String {
        reduce("") { r, e in
            r + String(format: "%02x", e)
        }
    }
}

test()