higher ranked lifetimes not recognized by type alias impl trait

[oli-obk]

The following snippet fails

#![feature(type_alias_impl_trait)]
trait Trait<'a> { type Out: 'a;}
impl<'a> Trait<'a> for i32 { type Out = String;}
type A = impl for<'a> Trait<'a, Out = impl Sized + 'a>;
fn foo() -> A {
    0_i32
}

The error is

error: non-defining opaque type use in defining scope
 --> src/lib.rs:6:5
  |
6 |     0_i32
  |     ^^^^^
  |
note: used non-generic lifetime `'a` for generic parameter
 --> src/lib.rs:4:52
  |
4 | type A = impl for<'a> Trait<'a, Out = impl Sized + 'a>;
  |                                                    ^^

Originally posted by @oli-obk in #96094 (comment)

[oli-obk]

Amusingly you get a different error if the associated type actually uses the lifetime:

#![feature(type_alias_impl_trait)]
trait Trait<'a> { type Out: 'a;}
impl<'a> Trait<'a> for i32 { type Out = &'a String;}
type A = impl for<'a> Trait<'a, Out = impl Sized + 'a>;
fn foo() -> A {
    0_i32
}

Fails with

error: implementation of `Trait` is not general enough
 --> src/lib.rs:6:5
  |
6 |     0_i32
  |     ^^^^^ implementation of `Trait` is not general enough
  |
  = note: `i32` must implement `Trait<'0>`, for any lifetime `'0`...
  = note: ...but it actually implements `Trait<'1>`, for some specific lifetime `'1`

[aliemjay]

Amusingly you get a different error if the associated type actually uses the lifetime:

I think this the right behavior. I started a thread on internals forum to discuss this.

[jyn514]

cc #96194

[aliemjay]

To rule out the ambiguity of nested impls as shown in #96194, I tried splitting the opaque type into two, inner and outer, and that showed an interesting pattern.

---

If the inner type has a lifetime paramter <'a>, but it's not used by the associated type:

#![feature(type_alias_impl_trait)]
trait Trait<'a> { type Out; }
impl<'a> Trait<'a> for () { type Out = (); }

type Inner<'a> = impl Sized;
fn outer_impl() -> impl for<'a> Trait<'a, Out = Inner<'a>> {}

This yields the same error of this issue: error: non-defining opaque type use in defining scope

And when the lifetime is used by the associated type:

impl<'a> Trait<'a> for () { type Out = &'a (); }

the compiler produces the same ICE in #95647 .

This behavior is consistent regardless of of whether the inner impl have a lifetime bound impl Sized + 'a or whether the outer impl appears in type alias or in return position.

---

Surprisingly, if Fn traits are used for the outer impl, both cases work fine:

#![feature(type_alias_impl_trait)]
type Inner<'a> = impl Sized;
fn outer_impl() -> impl for<'a> Fn(&'a ()) -> Inner<'a> { |x| x }

---

If the Inner type has NO lifetime paramter <'a>, but the associated type actually captures one:

#![feature(type_alias_impl_trait)]
trait Trait<'a> { type Out; }
impl<'a> Trait<'a> for () { type Out = &'a (); }

type Inner = impl Sized;
fn outer_impl() -> impl for<'a> Trait<'a, Out = Inner> {}

This is rejected, but but behavior depends on the outer impl:

• if outer impl is in return position: implementation not general enough error.
• if outer impl is in type alias: same ICE as yet another ICE with HRTB and RPIT #95647 .
• if outer impl is an Fn trait: a nice error 'impl Trait' captures lifetime that does not appear in bounds

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