As proposed on the list:

- rename EvalBeforeAssignBit to MayAliasBit
- make .lazy() remove the MayAliasBit only, and mark it as deprecated
- add a NoAlias pseudo expression, and MatrixBase::noalias() function
Todo:
- we have to decide whether += and -= assume no aliasing by default ?
- once we agree on the API: update the Sparse module and the unit tests respectively.

Eigen/Core

@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ namespace Eigen {
 #include "src/Core/NestByValue.h"
 #include "src/Core/ReturnByValue.h"
 #include "src/Core/Flagged.h"
+#include "src/Core/NoAlias.h"
 #include "src/Core/Matrix.h"
 #include "src/Core/Cwise.h"
 #include "src/Core/CwiseBinaryOp.h"

Eigen/src/Core/Assign.h

@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ EIGEN_STRONG_INLINE Derived& MatrixBase<Derived>
 }
 
 template<typename Derived, typename OtherDerived,
-         bool EvalBeforeAssigning = (int(OtherDerived::Flags) & EvalBeforeAssigningBit) != 0,
+         bool EvalBeforeAssigning = (int(OtherDerived::Flags) & MayAliasBit) != 0,
          bool NeedToTranspose = Derived::IsVectorAtCompileTime
                 && OtherDerived::IsVectorAtCompileTime
                 && ((int(Derived::RowsAtCompileTime) == 1 && int(OtherDerived::ColsAtCompileTime) == 1)

Eigen/src/Core/Flagged.h

@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@
 #ifndef EIGEN_FLAGGED_H
 #define EIGEN_FLAGGED_H
 
-/** \class Flagged
+/** \deprecated it is only used by lazy() which is deprecated
+  *
+  * \class Flagged
   *
   * \brief Expression with modified flags
   *
@@ -111,9 +113,9 @@ template<typename ExpressionType, unsigned int Added, unsigned int Removed> clas
     ExpressionTypeNested m_matrix;
 };
 
-/** \returns an expression of *this with added flags
+/** \deprecated it is only used by lazy() which is deprecated
   *
-  * \addexample MarkExample \label How to mark a triangular matrix as triangular
+  * \returns an expression of *this with added flags
   *
   * Example: \include MatrixBase_marked.cpp
   * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_marked.out
@@ -128,8 +130,9 @@ MatrixBase<Derived>::marked() const
   return derived();
 }
 
-/** \returns an expression of *this with the following flags removed:
-  * EvalBeforeNestingBit and EvalBeforeAssigningBit.
+/** \deprecated use MatrixBase::noalias()
+  * 
+  * \returns an expression of *this with the MayAliasBit flag removed.
   *
   * Example: \include MatrixBase_lazy.cpp
   * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_lazy.out
@@ -137,7 +140,7 @@ MatrixBase<Derived>::marked() const
   * \sa class Flagged, marked()
   */
 template<typename Derived>
-inline const Flagged<Derived, 0, EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit>
+inline const Flagged<Derived, 0, MayAliasBit>
 MatrixBase<Derived>::lazy() const
 {
   return derived();

Eigen/src/Core/MapBase.h

@@ -179,11 +179,11 @@ template<typename Derived> class MapBase
     // explicitly add these two overloads.
     // Maybe there exists a better solution though.
     template<typename ProductDerived, typename Lhs,typename Rhs>
-    Derived& operator+=(const Flagged<ProductBase<ProductDerived,Lhs,Rhs>, 0, EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit>& other)
+    Derived& operator+=(const Flagged<ProductBase<ProductDerived,Lhs,Rhs>, 0, MayAliasBit>& other)
     { return Base::operator+=(other); }
 
     template<typename ProductDerived, typename Lhs,typename Rhs>
-    Derived& operator-=(const Flagged<ProductBase<ProductDerived,Lhs,Rhs>, 0, EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit>& other)
+    Derived& operator-=(const Flagged<ProductBase<ProductDerived,Lhs,Rhs>, 0, MayAliasBit>& other)
     { return Base::operator-=(other); }
 
     template<typename OtherDerived>

Eigen/src/Core/Matrix.h

@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ class Matrix
     template<typename OtherDerived>
     EIGEN_STRONG_INLINE Matrix& _set(const MatrixBase<OtherDerived>& other)
     {
-      _set_selector(other.derived(), typename ei_meta_if<static_cast<bool>(int(OtherDerived::Flags) & EvalBeforeAssigningBit), ei_meta_true, ei_meta_false>::ret());
+      _set_selector(other.derived(), typename ei_meta_if<static_cast<bool>(int(OtherDerived::Flags) & MayAliasBit), ei_meta_true, ei_meta_false>::ret());
       return *this;
     }
 

Eigen/src/Core/MatrixBase.h

@@ -326,9 +326,10 @@ template<typename Derived> class MatrixBase
     template<typename OtherDerived>
     Derived& lazyAssign(const MatrixBase<OtherDerived>& other);
 
-    /** Overloaded for cache friendly product evaluation */
+    /** \deprecated because .lazy() is deprecated
+      * Overloaded for cache friendly product evaluation */
     template<typename OtherDerived>
-    Derived& lazyAssign(const Flagged<OtherDerived, 0, EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit>& other)
+    Derived& lazyAssign(const Flagged<OtherDerived, 0, MayAliasBit>& other)
     { return lazyAssign(other._expression()); }
 
     template<typename ProductDerived, typename Lhs, typename Rhs>
@@ -336,11 +337,11 @@ template<typename Derived> class MatrixBase
 
     template<typename ProductDerived, typename Lhs, typename Rhs>
     Derived& operator+=(const Flagged<ProductBase<ProductDerived, Lhs,Rhs>, 0,
-                                      EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit>& other);
+                                      MayAliasBit>& other);
 
     template<typename ProductDerived, typename Lhs, typename Rhs>
     Derived& operator-=(const Flagged<ProductBase<ProductDerived, Lhs,Rhs>, 0,
-                                      EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit>& other);
+                                      MayAliasBit>& other);
 #endif // not EIGEN_PARSED_BY_DOXYGEN
 
     CommaInitializer<Derived> operator<< (const Scalar& s);
@@ -614,7 +615,9 @@ template<typename Derived> class MatrixBase
 
     template<unsigned int Added>
     const Flagged<Derived, Added, 0> marked() const;
-    const Flagged<Derived, 0, EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit> lazy() const;
+    const Flagged<Derived, 0, MayAliasBit> lazy() const;
+
+    NoAlias<Derived> noalias();
 
     /** \returns number of elements to skip to pass from one row (resp. column) to another
       * for a row-major (resp. column-major) matrix.

Eigen/src/Core/NoAlias.h

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+// This file is part of Eigen, a lightweight C++ template library
+// for linear algebra.
+//
+// Copyright (C) 2009 Gael Guennebaud <g.gael@free.fr>
+//
+// Eigen is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+// modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+// version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// Alternatively, you can redistribute it and/or
+// modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+// published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of
+// the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// Eigen is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+// WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+// FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public License or the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License and a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+// Eigen. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+#ifndef EIGEN_NOALIAS_H
+#define EIGEN_NOALIAS_H
+
+/** \class NoAlias
+  *
+  * \brief Pseudo expression providing an operator = assuming no aliasing
+  *
+  * \param ExpressionType the type of the object on which to do the lazy assignment
+  *
+  * This class represents an expression with a special assignment operator (operator=)
+  * assuming no aliasing between the target expression and the source expression.
+  * It is the return type of MatrixBase::noalias()
+  * and most of the time this is the only way it is used.
+  *
+  * \sa MatrixBase::noalias()
+  */
+template<typename ExpressionType>
+class NoAlias
+{
+  public:
+    NoAlias(ExpressionType& expression) : m_expression(expression) {}
+
+    /** Behaves like MatrixBase::lazyAssign() */
+    template<typename OtherDerived>
+    ExpressionType& operator=(const MatrixBase<OtherDerived>& other)
+    {
+      return m_expression.lazyAssign(other.derived());
+    }
+
+    // TODO could be removed if we decide that += is noalias by default
+    template<typename OtherDerived>
+    ExpressionType& operator+=(const MatrixBase<OtherDerived>& other)
+    {
+      return m_expression.lazyAssign(m_expression + other.derived());
+    }
+
+    // TODO could be removed if we decide that += is noalias by default
+    template<typename OtherDerived>
+    ExpressionType& operator-=(const MatrixBase<OtherDerived>& other)
+    {
+      return m_expression.lazyAssign(m_expression - other.derived());
+    }
+
+    // TODO could be removed if we decide that += is noalias by default
+    template<typename ProductDerived, typename Lhs, typename Rhs>
+    ExpressionType& operator+=(const ProductBase<ProductDerived, Lhs,Rhs>& other)
+    { other.derived().addTo(m_expression); return m_expression; }
+
+    // TODO could be removed if we decide that += is noalias by default
+    template<typename ProductDerived, typename Lhs, typename Rhs>
+    ExpressionType& operator-=(const ProductBase<ProductDerived, Lhs,Rhs>& other)
+    { other.derived().subTo(m_expression); return m_expression; }
+
+  protected:
+    ExpressionType& m_expression;
+};
+
+
+/** \returns a pseudo expression of \c *this with an operator= assuming
+  * no aliasing between \c *this and the source expression
+  *
+  * \sa class NoAlias
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+NoAlias<Derived> MatrixBase<Derived>::noalias()
+{
+  return derived();
+}
+
+#endif // EIGEN_NOALIAS_H

Eigen/src/Core/ProductBase.h

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ struct ei_traits<ProductBase<Derived,_Lhs,_Rhs> >
     ColsAtCompileTime = ei_traits<Rhs>::ColsAtCompileTime,
     MaxRowsAtCompileTime = ei_traits<Lhs>::MaxRowsAtCompileTime,
     MaxColsAtCompileTime = ei_traits<Rhs>::MaxColsAtCompileTime,
-    Flags = EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit,
+    Flags = EvalBeforeNestingBit | MayAliasBit,
     CoeffReadCost = 0 // FIXME why is it needed ?
   };
 };
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class ProductBase : public MatrixBase<Derived>
       return res;
     }
 
-    const Flagged<ProductBase, 0, EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit> lazy() const
+    const Flagged<ProductBase, 0, MayAliasBit> lazy() const
     {
       return *this;
     }
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ Derived& MatrixBase<Derived>::lazyAssign(const ProductBase<ProductDerived, Lhs,R
 template<typename Derived>
 template<typename ProductDerived, typename Lhs, typename Rhs>
 Derived& MatrixBase<Derived>::operator+=(const Flagged<ProductBase<ProductDerived, Lhs,Rhs>, 0,
-                                                       EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit>& other)
+                                                       MayAliasBit>& other)
 {
   other._expression().derived().addTo(derived()); return derived();
 }
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ Derived& MatrixBase<Derived>::operator+=(const Flagged<ProductBase<ProductDerive
 template<typename Derived>
 template<typename ProductDerived, typename Lhs, typename Rhs>
 Derived& MatrixBase<Derived>::operator-=(const Flagged<ProductBase<ProductDerived, Lhs,Rhs>, 0,
-                                                       EvalBeforeNestingBit | EvalBeforeAssigningBit>& other)
+                                                       MayAliasBit>& other)
 {
   other._expression().derived().subTo(derived()); return derived();
 }

Eigen/src/Core/TriangularMatrix.h

@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ template<typename OtherDerived>
 inline TriangularView<MatrixType, Mode>&
 TriangularView<MatrixType, Mode>::operator=(const MatrixBase<OtherDerived>& other)
 {
-  if(OtherDerived::Flags & EvalBeforeAssigningBit)
+  if(OtherDerived::Flags & MayAliasBit)
   {
     typename OtherDerived::PlainMatrixType other_evaluated(other.rows(), other.cols());
     other_evaluated.template triangularView<Mode>().lazyAssign(other.derived());
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ inline TriangularView<MatrixType, Mode>&
 TriangularView<MatrixType, Mode>::operator=(const TriangularBase<OtherDerived>& other)
 {
   ei_assert(Mode == OtherDerived::Mode);
-  if(ei_traits<OtherDerived>::Flags & EvalBeforeAssigningBit)
+  if(ei_traits<OtherDerived>::Flags & MayAliasBit)
   {
     typename OtherDerived::PlainMatrixType other_evaluated(other.rows(), other.cols());
     other_evaluated.template triangularView<Mode>().lazyAssign(other.derived());
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ template<typename Derived>
 template<typename DenseDerived>
 void TriangularBase<Derived>::evalToDense(MatrixBase<DenseDerived> &other) const
 {
-  if(ei_traits<Derived>::Flags & EvalBeforeAssigningBit)
+  if(ei_traits<Derived>::Flags & MayAliasBit)
   {
     typename Derived::PlainMatrixType other_evaluated(rows(), cols());
     evalToDenseLazy(other_evaluated);

Eigen/src/Core/products/GeneralUnrolled.h

@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ struct ei_traits<GeneralProduct<LhsNested,RhsNested,UnrolledProduct> >
       RemovedBits = ~(EvalToRowMajor ? 0 : RowMajorBit),
 
       Flags = ((unsigned int)(LhsFlags | RhsFlags) & HereditaryBits & RemovedBits)
-            | EvalBeforeAssigningBit
+            | MayAliasBit
             | EvalBeforeNestingBit
             | (CanVectorizeLhs || CanVectorizeRhs ? PacketAccessBit : 0)
             | (LhsFlags & RhsFlags & AlignedBit),

Eigen/src/Core/util/Constants.h

@@ -76,8 +76,10 @@ const unsigned int EvalBeforeNestingBit = 0x2;
 
 /** \ingroup flags
   *
-  * means the expression should be evaluated before any assignement */
-const unsigned int EvalBeforeAssigningBit = 0x4;
+  * Means the expression cannot be evaluated safely if the result alias one
+  * of the operands of the expression. Therefore it should be evaluated
+  * before any assignement. */
+const unsigned int MayAliasBit = 0x4;
 
 /** \ingroup flags
   *
@@ -182,7 +184,7 @@ const unsigned int SparseBit = 0x1000;
 // list of flags that are inherited by default
 const unsigned int HereditaryBits = RowMajorBit
                                   | EvalBeforeNestingBit
-                                  | EvalBeforeAssigningBit
+                                  | MayAliasBit
                                   | SparseBit;
 
 // Possible values for the Mode parameter of part()

Eigen/src/Core/util/ForwardDeclarations.h

@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ template<typename _Scalar, int _Rows, int _Cols,
          int _MaxRows = _Rows, int _MaxCols = _Cols> class Matrix;
 
 template<typename ExpressionType, unsigned int Added, unsigned int Removed> class Flagged;
+template<typename ExpressionType> class NoAlias;
 template<typename ExpressionType> class NestByValue;
 template<typename ExpressionType> class SwapWrapper;
 template<typename MatrixType> class Minor;

test/product_notemporary.cpp

@@ -71,15 +71,19 @@ template<typename MatrixType> void product_notemporary(const MatrixType& m)
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3 = (m1 * m2.adjoint()), 1);
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3 = (m1 * m2.adjoint()).lazy(), 0);
 
+  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.noalias() = m1 * m2.adjoint(), 0);
+
   // NOTE in this case the slow product is used:
   // FIXME:
-//   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3 = s1 * (m1 * m2.transpose()).lazy(), 0);
+  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.noalias() = s1 * (m1 * m2.transpose()), 0);
 
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3 = (s1 * m1 * s2 * m2.adjoint()).lazy(), 0);
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3 = (s1 * m1 * s2 * (m1*s3+m2*s2).adjoint()).lazy(), 1);
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3 = ((s1 * m1).adjoint() * s2 * m2).lazy(), 0);
-  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3 -= (s1 * (-m1*s3).adjoint() * (s2 * m2 * s3)).lazy(), 0);
+  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3 += (s1 * (-m1*s3).adjoint() * (s2 * m2 * s3)).lazy(), 0);
+  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.noalias() += s1 * (-m1*s3).adjoint() * (s2 * m2 * s3), 0);
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3 -= (s1 * (m1.transpose() * m2)).lazy(), 0);
+  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.noalias() -= s1 * (m1.transpose() * m2), 0);
 
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT(( m3.block(r0,r0,r1,r1) += (-m1.block(r0,c0,r1,c1) * (s2*m2.block(r0,c0,r1,c1)).adjoint()).lazy() ), 0);
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT(( m3.block(r0,r0,r1,r1) -= (s1 * m1.block(r0,c0,r1,c1) * m2.block(c0,r0,c1,r1)).lazy() ), 0);

test/submatrices.cpp

@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ template<typename MatrixType> void submatrices(const MatrixType& m)
 
   //check row() and col()
   VERIFY_IS_APPROX(m1.col(c1).transpose(), m1.transpose().row(c1));
-  VERIFY_IS_APPROX(m1.col(c1).dot(square.row(r1)), (square.lazy() * m1.conjugate()).eval()(r1,c1));
+  // FIXME perhaps we should re-enable that without the .eval()
+  VERIFY_IS_APPROX(m1.col(c1).dot(square.row(r1)), (square * m1.conjugate()).eval()(r1,c1));
   //check operator(), both constant and non-constant, on row() and col()
   m1.row(r1) += s1 * m1.row(r2);
   m1.col(c1) += s1 * m1.col(c2);