Change:
I believe the following should work, since and are disjoint, and is just taking a slice into (this would mean that is inaccessible while the result of is kept around): Changing it to (and removing the ):
Generally, multiple in a vector pattern should be allowable:
cc me
An interesting subquestion is whether we also want this to be allowed: In other words, whether the borrow checker should know about and attempt to reason about the disjointness of borrows into a vec beyond the scope of an individual pattern match.
Depending on how we do the implementation, it's likely that both patterns would "just work".
Triage: Nothing has changed here, at least as it pertains to , would be pretty cool if it worked.
This limitation doesn't have anything to do with slice patterns. It is even well-documented as .
I don't think it is the same, e.g. for the first example in the issue, an binding in a slice pattern is actually binding by reference (it has type or , not ), and the second one is completely unrelated.
Updated code: See also:
should be closed after MIR borrowck will be by default

Discussion:
use rustc::mir::{Mir, Place}; use rustc::mir::{Projection, ProjectionElem}; use rustc::ty::{self, TyCtxt}; <ins> use std::cmp::max; </ins> pub(super) fn places_conflict<'gcx, 'tcx>( tcx: TyCtxt<'_, 'gcx, 'tcx>,

| (ProjectionElem::Index(..), ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { .. }) | (ProjectionElem::Index(..), ProjectionElem::Subslice { .. }) | (ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { .. }, ProjectionElem::Index(..)) <del> | (ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { .. }, ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { .. }) | (ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { .. }, ProjectionElem::Subslice { .. }) | (ProjectionElem::Subslice { .. }, ProjectionElem::Index(..)) | (ProjectionElem::Subslice { .. }, ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { .. }) | (ProjectionElem::Subslice { .. }, ProjectionElem::Subslice { .. }) => { </del> <ins> | (ProjectionElem::Subslice { .. }, ProjectionElem::Index(..)) => { </ins> // Array indexes (`a[0]` vs. `a[i]`). These can either be disjoint // (if the indexes differ) or equal (if they are the same), so this // is the recursive case that gives "equal *or* disjoint" its meaning. <del> // // Note that by construction, MIR at borrowck can't subdivide // `Subslice` accesses (e.g. `a[2..3][i]` will never be present) - they // are only present in slice patterns, and we "merge together" nested // slice patterns. That means we don't have to think about these. It's // probably a good idea to assert this somewhere, but I'm too lazy. // // FIXME(#8636) we might want to return Disjoint if // both projections are constant and disjoint. debug!("place_element_conflict: DISJOINT-OR-EQ-ARRAY"); </del> <ins> debug!("place_element_conflict: DISJOINT-OR-EQ-ARRAY-INDEX"); </ins> Overlap::EqualOrDisjoint } <ins> (ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset: o1, min_length: _, from_end: false }, ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset: o2, min_length: _, from_end: false }) | (ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset: o1, min_length: _, from_end: true }, ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset: o2, min_length: _, from_end: true }) => { if o1 == o2 { debug!("place_element_conflict: DISJOINT-OR-EQ-ARRAY-CONSTANT-INDEX"); Overlap::EqualOrDisjoint } else { debug!("place_element_conflict: DISJOINT-ARRAY-CONSTANT-INDEX"); Overlap::Disjoint } } (ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset: offset_from_begin, min_length: min_length1, from_end: false }, ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset: offset_from_end, min_length: min_length2, from_end: true }) | (ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset: offset_from_end, min_length: min_length1, from_end: true }, ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset: offset_from_begin, min_length: min_length2, from_end: false }) => { // both patterns matched so it must be at least the greater of the two let min_length = max(min_length1, min_length2); // `offset_from_end` can be in range `[1..min_length]`, 1 indicates the last // element (like -1 in Python) and `min_length` the first. // Therefore, `min_length - offset_from_end` gives the minimal possible // offset from the beginning if *offset_from_begin >= min_length - offset_from_end { debug!("place_element_conflict: DISJOINT-OR-EQ-ARRAY-CONSTANT-INDEX-FE"); Overlap::EqualOrDisjoint } else { debug!("place_element_conflict: DISJOINT-ARRAY-CONSTANT-INDEX-FE"); Overlap::Disjoint } } (ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset, min_length: _, from_end: false }, ProjectionElem::Subslice {from, .. }) | (ProjectionElem::Subslice {from, .. }, ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset, min_length: _, from_end: false }) => { if offset >= from { debug!( "place_element_conflict: DISJOINT-OR-EQ-ARRAY-CONSTANT-INDEX-SUBSLICE"); Overlap::EqualOrDisjoint } else { debug!("place_element_conflict: DISJOINT-ARRAY-CONSTANT-INDEX-SUBSLICE"); Overlap::Disjoint } } (ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset, min_length: _, from_end: true }, ProjectionElem::Subslice {from: _, to }) | (ProjectionElem::Subslice {from: _, to }, ProjectionElem::ConstantIndex { offset, min_length: _, from_end: true }) => { if offset > to { debug!("place_element_conflict:  DISJOINT-OR-EQ-ARRAY-CONSTANT-INDEX-SUBSLICE-FE"); Overlap::EqualOrDisjoint } else { debug!("place_element_conflict: DISJOINT-ARRAY-CONSTANT-INDEX-SUBSLICE-FE"); Overlap::Disjoint } } (ProjectionElem::Subslice { .. }, ProjectionElem::Subslice { .. }) => { debug!("place_element_conflict: DISJOINT-OR-EQ-ARRAY-SUBSLICES"); Overlap::EqualOrDisjoint } </ins> (ProjectionElem::Deref, _) | (ProjectionElem::Field(..), _) | (ProjectionElem::Index(..), _)

<ins> // Copyright 2012 The Rust Project Developers. See the COPYRIGHT // file at the top-level directory of this distribution and at // http://rust-lang.org/COPYRIGHT. // // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 <LICENSE-APACHE or // http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0> or the MIT license // <LICENSE-MIT or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT>, at your // option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed // except according to those terms. //compile-flags: -Z borrowck=mir #![feature(slice_patterns)] fn mut_head_tail<'a, A>(v: &'a mut [A]) -> Option<(&'a mut A, &'a mut [A])> { match *v { [ref mut head, ref mut tail..] => { Some((head, tail)) } [] => None } } fn main() { let mut v = [1,2,3,4]; match mut_head_tail(&mut v) { None => {}, Some((h,t)) => { *h = 1000; t.reverse(); } } } </ins>

<ins> // Copyright 2014 The Rust Project Developers. See the COPYRIGHT // file at the top-level directory of this distribution and at // http://rust-lang.org/COPYRIGHT. // // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 <LICENSE-APACHE or // http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0> or the MIT license // <LICENSE-MIT or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT>, at your // option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed // except according to those terms. //compile-flags: -Z borrowck=mir #![feature(slice_patterns)] fn nop(_s: &[& i32]) {} fn nop_subslice(_s: &[i32]) {} fn const_index_ok(s: &mut [i32]) { if let [ref first, ref second, _, ref fourth, ..] = *s { if let [_, _, ref mut third, ..] = *s { nop(&[first, second, third, fourth]); } } } fn const_index_err(s: &mut [i32]) { if let [ref first, ref second, ..] = *s { if let [_, ref mut  second2, ref mut third, ..] = *s { //~ERROR nop(&[first, second, second2, third]); } } } fn const_index_from_end_ok(s: &mut [i32]) { if let [.., ref fourth, ref third, _, ref first] = *s { if let [.., ref mut second, _] = *s { nop(&[first, second, third, fourth]); } } } fn const_index_from_end_err(s: &mut [i32]) { if let [.., ref fourth, ref third, _, ref first] = *s { if let [.., ref mut third2, _, _] = *s { //~ERROR nop(&[first, third, third2, fourth]); } } } fn const_index_mixed(s: &mut [i32]) { if let [.., _, ref from_end4, ref from_end3, _, ref from_end1] = *s { if let [ref mut from_begin0, ..] = *s { nop(&[from_begin0, from_end1, from_end3, from_end4]); } if let [_, ref mut from_begin1, ..] = *s { //~ERROR nop(&[from_begin1, from_end1, from_end3, from_end4]); } if let [_, _, ref mut from_begin2, ..] = *s { //~ERROR nop(&[from_begin2, from_end1, from_end3, from_end4]); } if let [_, _, _, ref mut from_begin3, ..] = *s { //~ERROR nop(&[from_begin3, from_end1, from_end3, from_end4]); } } if let [ref from_begin0, ref from_begin1, _, ref from_begin3, _, ..] = *s { if let [.., ref mut from_end1] = *s { nop(&[from_begin0, from_begin1, from_begin3, from_end1]); } if let [.., ref mut from_end2, _] = *s { //~ERROR nop(&[from_begin0, from_begin1, from_begin3, from_end2]); } if let [.., ref mut from_end3, _,  _] = *s { //~ERROR nop(&[from_begin0, from_begin1, from_begin3, from_end3]); } if let [.., ref mut from_end4, _, _, _] = *s { //~ERROR nop(&[from_begin0, from_begin1, from_begin3, from_end4]); } } } fn const_index_and_subslice_ok(s: &mut [i32]) { if let [ref first, ref second, ..] = *s { if let [_, _, ref mut tail..] = *s { nop(&[first, second]); nop_subslice(tail); } } } fn const_index_and_subslice_err(s: &mut [i32]) { if let [ref first, ref second, ..] = *s { if let [_, ref mut tail..] = *s { //~ERROR nop(&[first, second]); nop_subslice(tail); } } } fn const_index_and_subslice_from_end_ok(s: &mut [i32]) { if let [.., ref second, ref first] = *s { if let [ref mut tail.., _, _] = *s { nop(&[first, second]); nop_subslice(tail); } } } fn const_index_and_subslice_from_end_err(s: &mut [i32]) { if let [.., ref second, ref first] = *s { if let [ref mut tail.., _] = *s { //~ERROR nop(&[first, second]); nop_subslice(tail); } } } fn subslices(s: &mut [i32]) { if let [_, _, _, ref s1..] = *s { if let [ref mut s2.., _, _, _] = *s { //~ERROR nop_subslice(s1); nop_subslice(s2); } } } fn main() { let mut v = [1,2,3,4]; const_index_ok(&mut v); const_index_err(&mut v); const_index_from_end_ok(&mut v); const_index_from_end_err(&mut v); const_index_and_subslice_ok(&mut v); const_index_and_subslice_err(&mut v); const_index_and_subslice_from_end_ok(&mut v); const_index_and_subslice_from_end_err(&mut v); subslices(&mut v); } </ins>

<ins> error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:28:20 | LL |     if let [ref first, ref second, ..] = *s { |                        ---------- immutable borrow occurs here LL |         if let [_, ref mut  second2, ref mut third, ..] = *s { //~ERROR |                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop(&[first, second, second2, third]); |                          ------ borrow later used here error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:44:21 | LL |     if let [.., ref fourth, ref third, _, ref first] = *s { |                             --------- immutable borrow occurs here LL |         if let [.., ref mut third2, _, _] = *s { //~ERROR |                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop(&[first, third, third2, fourth]); |                          ----- borrow later used here error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:55:20 | LL |     if let [.., _, ref from_end4, ref from_end3, _, ref from_end1] = *s { |                    ------------- immutable borrow occurs here ... LL |         if let [_, ref mut from_begin1, ..] = *s { //~ERROR |                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop(&[from_begin1, from_end1, from_end3, from_end4]); |                                                      --------- borrow later used here error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:58:23 | LL |     if let [.., _, ref from_end4, ref from_end3, _, ref from_end1] = *s { |                                   ------------- immutable borrow occurs here ... LL |         if let [_, _, ref mut from_begin2, ..] = *s { //~ERROR |                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop(&[from_begin2, from_end1, from_end3, from_end4]); |                                           --------- borrow later used here error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:61:26 | LL |     if let [.., _, ref from_end4, ref from_end3, _, ref from_end1] = *s { |                                   ------------- immutable borrow occurs here ... LL |         if let [_, _, _, ref mut from_begin3, ..] = *s { //~ERROR |                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop(&[from_begin3, from_end1, from_end3, from_end4]); |                                           --------- borrow later used here error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:69:21 | LL |     if let [ref from_begin0, ref from_begin1, _, ref from_begin3, _, ..] = *s { |                                                  --------------- immutable borrow occurs here ... LL |         if let [.., ref mut from_end2, _] = *s { //~ERROR |                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop(&[from_begin0, from_begin1, from_begin3, from_end2]); |                                             ----------- borrow later used here error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:72:21 | LL |     if let [ref from_begin0, ref from_begin1, _, ref from_begin3, _, ..] = *s { |                                                  --------------- immutable borrow occurs here ... LL |         if let [.., ref mut from_end3, _,  _] = *s { //~ERROR |                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop(&[from_begin0, from_begin1, from_begin3, from_end3]); |                                             ----------- borrow later used here error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:75:21 | LL |     if let [ref from_begin0, ref from_begin1, _, ref from_begin3, _, ..] = *s { |                              --------------- immutable borrow occurs here ... LL |         if let [.., ref mut from_end4, _, _, _] = *s { //~ERROR |                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop(&[from_begin0, from_begin1, from_begin3, from_end4]); |                                ----------- borrow later used here error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:92:20 | LL |     if let [ref first, ref second, ..] = *s { |                        ---------- immutable borrow occurs here LL |         if let [_, ref mut tail..] = *s { //~ERROR |                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop(&[first, second]); |                          ------ borrow later used here error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:110:17 | LL |     if let [.., ref second, ref first] = *s { |                 ---------- immutable borrow occurs here LL |         if let [ref mut tail.., _] = *s { //~ERROR |                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop(&[first, second]); |                          ------ borrow later used here error[E0502]: cannot borrow `s[..]` as mutable because it is also borrowed as immutable --> $DIR/borrowck-slice-pattern-element-loan.rs:119:17 | LL |     if let [_, _, _, ref s1..] = *s { |                      ------ immutable borrow occurs here LL |         if let [ref mut s2.., _, _, _] = *s { //~ERROR |                 ^^^^^^^^^^ mutable borrow occurs here LL |             nop_subslice(s1); |                          -- borrow later used here error: aborting due to 11 previous errors For more information about this error, try `rustc --explain E0502`. </ins>