memcpy to/from arrays of wrapped SIMD types

[CFR]

I'm looking for a way to (reasonably efficiently) move between SIMD type arrays and standard data types (int, long, char, etc...)  Before I really sat down and thought about what was going on I tried using "memcpy":

#include <immintrin.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

class T {
  public :
    T() = default;
    void dump() {unsigned int *ptr = (unsigned int *)&vec; 
                 for (int i=0; i<8; i++) printf("%08X ", *(ptr+i); 
                 printf("\n");}
  protected :
    __m256i vec;
};

int
main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
  unsigned int x[24];
  for (int i=0; i<24; i++) x = i;
  T y[3];
  memcpy(y, x, 24*4);
  for (int i=0; i<24; i++) printf("%08X%c", x, ((i%8)==7)?'\n':' ');
  for (int i=0; i<3; i++) y.dump;
}

(Sorry for the simplistic example: I had to retype it so hopefully it's right). 

I've done this with more complicated templates and different types (__m512i, long, etc...), and it seems to work but I can't find anything C++/standards-wise that says it always will.  The closest I've come is the use of memcpy on trivally-copyable types, but that only seems to apply when the types are the same.

I'd appreciate some education on why this should/shouldn't work, and if not, if there's a variation that's better.

I understand that the Intel SDLT might be an alternative, but in this particular case, I'm not allowed to pursue that. 

[jimdempseyatthecove]

When the class produces POD (plain old data) you should be safe.

However, you also must assure that an array of arbitrary class T does not insert pads. This is not the case with your example above.

You can insert an assert to assure the packing and size is correct

assert(&y[1]-&y[0] == sizeof(__m256i)); // whatever your assumption is

Expand the assert during debug build or during a diagnostic release build.

Jim Dempsey

[SKost]

>>...I can't find anything C++/standards-wise that says it always will... I don't think these C/C++ standards will ever go below some level, I mean hardware related, like Intel Intrinsic Data Types.

[jimdempseyatthecove]

Craig,

As a follow-up, add the assert as indicate in #2...

... then add a virtual member function to T.

The assert should trigger an error.

Jim Dempsey