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[clang-format] Allow custom pointer/ref alignment in return types #169160

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[clang-format] Allow custom pointer/ref alignment in return types #169160

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072d1ab
[clang-format][NFC] Upgrade PointerAlignment option to a struct
DaanDeMeyer Nov 21, 2025
92b7c98
[clang-format] Allow custom pointer/ref alignment in return types
DaanDeMeyer Nov 22, 2025
7848f84
[clang-format] Allow custom pointer/ref alignment for C-style casts
DaanDeMeyer Nov 22, 2025
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213 changes: 183 additions & 30 deletions clang/docs/ClangFormatStyleOptions.rst
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Expand Up @@ -5668,31 +5668,107 @@ the configuration (without a prefix: ``Auto``).

.. _PointerAlignment:

**PointerAlignment** (``PointerAlignmentStyle``) :versionbadge:`clang-format 3.7` :ref:`¶ <PointerAlignment>`
**PointerAlignment** (``PointerAlignmentOptions``) :versionbadge:`clang-format 3.7` :ref:`¶ <PointerAlignment>`
Pointer and reference alignment style.

Possible values:
Acceptable values (configured as a single string or with suboptions):
* ``Left``
* ``Right``
* ``Middle``
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@mydeveloperday mydeveloperday Nov 25, 2025

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Feels like it should be Left/Right/Middle/Custom/Leave where Custom lets you change what you have here

I don't feel like the "Default" follows the pattern of other options as a struct

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@DaanDeMeyer DaanDeMeyer Nov 25, 2025 •
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@mydeveloperday I'm not sure I follow, do you suggest PointerAlignment: Custom and then another option PointerAlignmentOptions struct to configure the individual options?

I'm fine to rework it like that if that's what you want for consistency but I also have to mention that I find my approach much nicer.

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@DaanDeMeyer DaanDeMeyer Nov 25, 2025

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And if yes, doesn't that still need a Default option in the struct, unless you want me to add separate options for every possible case where pointer/reference alignment could be different?

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@mydeveloperday mydeveloperday Nov 26, 2025

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I don't feel like the "Default" pattern is followed elsewhere, but the Custom pattern is

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@DaanDeMeyer DaanDeMeyer Nov 26, 2025

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@mydeveloperday Thanks for the response, but you didn't answer my questions from above. I do not see how the Custom pattern solves the problem of still having to set a default alignment.


* ``PAS_Left`` (in configuration: ``Left``)
Align pointer to the left.
For example, to configure left pointer alignment:

.. code-block:: c++
.. code-block:: yaml

int* a;
PointerAlignment: Left

* ``PAS_Right`` (in configuration: ``Right``)
Align pointer to the right.
# or

.. code-block:: c++
PointerAlignment:
Default: Left

int *a;
Nested configuration flags:

* ``PAS_Middle`` (in configuration: ``Middle``)
Align pointer in the middle.
Pointer and reference alignment options.

.. code-block:: c++
* ``PointerAlignmentStyle Default``
The default alignment for pointers and references.

Possible values:

* ``PAS_Left`` (in configuration: ``Left``)
Align pointer to the left.

.. code-block:: c++

int* a;

* ``PAS_Right`` (in configuration: ``Right``)
Align pointer to the right.

.. code-block:: c++

int *a;

* ``PAS_Middle`` (in configuration: ``Middle``)
Align pointer in the middle.

.. code-block:: c++

int * a;


* ``ReturnTypeAlignmentStyle ReturnType``
The alignment for pointers in function return types.

Possible values:

* ``RTAS_Default`` (in configuration: ``Default``)
Use default alignment.

* ``RTAS_Left`` (in configuration: ``Left``)
Align pointer/reference to the left.

.. code-block:: c++

int* a(void);

* ``RTAS_Right`` (in configuration: ``Right``)
Align pointer/reference to the right.

.. code-block:: c++

int *a(void);

* ``RTAS_Middle`` (in configuration: ``Middle``)
Align pointer/reference in the middle.

.. code-block:: c++

int * a(void);


* ``CastAlignmentStyle CStyleCast``
The alignment for pointers in C-style casts.

Possible values:

* ``CAS_Default`` (in configuration: ``Default``)
Use default alignment.

* ``CAS_Left`` (in configuration: ``Left``)
Align pointer/reference to the left.

.. code-block:: c++

(char*)s;

* ``CAS_Right`` (in configuration: ``Right``)
Align pointer/reference to the right.

.. code-block:: c++

int * a;
(char *)s;



Expand Down Expand Up @@ -5824,34 +5900,111 @@ the configuration (without a prefix: ``Auto``).

.. _ReferenceAlignment:

**ReferenceAlignment** (``ReferenceAlignmentStyle``) :versionbadge:`clang-format 13` :ref:`¶ <ReferenceAlignment>`
**ReferenceAlignment** (``ReferenceAlignmentOptions``) :versionbadge:`clang-format 13` :ref:`¶ <ReferenceAlignment>`
Reference alignment style (overrides ``PointerAlignment`` for references).

Possible values:
Acceptable values (configured as a single string or with suboptions):
* ``Pointer``
* ``Left``
* ``Right``
* ``Middle``
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@mydeveloperday mydeveloperday Nov 25, 2025

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Ditto comment above


* ``RAS_Pointer`` (in configuration: ``Pointer``)
Align reference like ``PointerAlignment``.
For example, to configure right reference alignment:

* ``RAS_Left`` (in configuration: ``Left``)
Align reference to the left.
.. code-block:: yaml

.. code-block:: c++
ReferenceAlignment: Right

int& a;
# or

* ``RAS_Right`` (in configuration: ``Right``)
Align reference to the right.
ReferenceAlignment:
Default: Right

.. code-block:: c++
Nested configuration flags:

int &a;
Reference alignment options.

* ``RAS_Middle`` (in configuration: ``Middle``)
Align reference in the middle.
* ``ReferenceAlignmentStyle Default``
The default alignment for references.

.. code-block:: c++
Possible values:

* ``RAS_Pointer`` (in configuration: ``Pointer``)
Align reference like ``PointerAlignment``.

* ``RAS_Left`` (in configuration: ``Left``)
Align reference to the left.

.. code-block:: c++

int& a;

* ``RAS_Right`` (in configuration: ``Right``)
Align reference to the right.

.. code-block:: c++

int &a;

* ``RAS_Middle`` (in configuration: ``Middle``)
Align reference in the middle.

.. code-block:: c++

int & a;


* ``ReturnTypeAlignmentStyle ReturnType``
The alignment for references in function return types.

Possible values:

* ``RTAS_Default`` (in configuration: ``Default``)
Use default alignment.

* ``RTAS_Left`` (in configuration: ``Left``)
Align pointer/reference to the left.

.. code-block:: c++

int* a(void);

* ``RTAS_Right`` (in configuration: ``Right``)
Align pointer/reference to the right.

.. code-block:: c++

int *a(void);

* ``RTAS_Middle`` (in configuration: ``Middle``)
Align pointer/reference in the middle.

.. code-block:: c++

int * a(void);


* ``CastAlignmentStyle CStyleCast``
The alignment for references in C-style casts.

Possible values:

* ``CAS_Default`` (in configuration: ``Default``)
Use default alignment.

* ``CAS_Left`` (in configuration: ``Left``)
Align pointer/reference to the left.

.. code-block:: c++

(char*)s;

* ``CAS_Right`` (in configuration: ``Right``)
Align pointer/reference to the right.

.. code-block:: c++

int & a;
(char *)s;



Expand Down
106 changes: 104 additions & 2 deletions clang/include/clang/Format/Format.h
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Expand Up @@ -4036,9 +4036,78 @@ struct FormatStyle {
PAS_Middle
};

/// \brief The pointer/reference alignment style for function return types.
enum ReturnTypeAlignmentStyle : int8_t {
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@mydeveloperday mydeveloperday Nov 25, 2025

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can these be alphabetic ordering

/// Use default alignment.
RTAS_Default,
/// Align pointer/reference to the left.
/// \code
/// int* a(void);
/// \endcode
RTAS_Left,
/// Align pointer/reference to the right.
/// \code
/// int *a(void);
/// \endcode
RTAS_Right,
/// Align pointer/reference in the middle.
/// \code
/// int * a(void);
/// \endcode
RTAS_Middle
};

/// \brief The pointer/reference alignment style for C-style casts.
enum CastAlignmentStyle : int8_t {
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@mydeveloperday mydeveloperday Nov 25, 2025

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C before R

/// Use default alignment.
CAS_Default,
/// Align pointer/reference to the left.
/// \code
/// (char*)s;
/// \endcode
CAS_Left,
/// Align pointer/reference to the right.
/// \code
/// (char *)s;
/// \endcode
CAS_Right,
};

/// Pointer and reference alignment options.
struct PointerAlignmentOptions {
/// The default alignment for pointers and references.
PointerAlignmentStyle Default;
/// The alignment for pointers in function return types.
ReturnTypeAlignmentStyle ReturnType;
/// The alignment for pointers in C-style casts.
CastAlignmentStyle CStyleCast;
bool operator==(const PointerAlignmentOptions &R) const {
return Default == R.Default && ReturnType == R.ReturnType &&
CStyleCast == R.CStyleCast;
}
bool operator!=(const PointerAlignmentOptions &R) const {
return !(*this == R);
}
};

/// Pointer and reference alignment style.
///
/// Acceptable values (configured as a single string or with suboptions):
/// * ``Left``
/// * ``Right``
/// * ``Middle``
///
/// For example, to configure left pointer alignment:
/// \code{.yaml}
/// PointerAlignment: Left
///
/// # or
///
/// PointerAlignment:
/// Default: Left
/// \endcode
/// \version 3.7
PointerAlignmentStyle PointerAlignment;
PointerAlignmentOptions PointerAlignment;

/// The number of columns to use for indentation of preprocessor statements.
/// When set to -1 (default) ``IndentWidth`` is used also for preprocessor
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -4208,9 +4277,42 @@ struct FormatStyle {
RAS_Middle
};

/// Reference alignment options.
struct ReferenceAlignmentOptions {
/// The default alignment for references.
ReferenceAlignmentStyle Default;
/// The alignment for references in function return types.
ReturnTypeAlignmentStyle ReturnType;
/// The alignment for references in C-style casts.
CastAlignmentStyle CStyleCast;
bool operator==(const ReferenceAlignmentOptions &R) const {
return Default == R.Default && ReturnType == R.ReturnType &&
CStyleCast == R.CStyleCast;
}
bool operator!=(const ReferenceAlignmentOptions &R) const {
return !(*this == R);
}
};

/// Reference alignment style (overrides ``PointerAlignment`` for references).
///
/// Acceptable values (configured as a single string or with suboptions):
/// * ``Pointer``
/// * ``Left``
/// * ``Right``
/// * ``Middle``
///
/// For example, to configure right reference alignment:
/// \code{.yaml}
/// ReferenceAlignment: Right
///
/// # or
///
/// ReferenceAlignment:
/// Default: Right
/// \endcode
/// \version 13
ReferenceAlignmentStyle ReferenceAlignment;
ReferenceAlignmentOptions ReferenceAlignment;

// clang-format off
/// Types of comment reflow style.
Expand Down
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