E0616 - Error codes index
Description: Book listing all Rust error codes

# Error code E0616

Attempted to access a private field on a struct.

Erroneous code example:

    #![allow(unused)]
    fn main() {
    mod some_module {
        pub struct Foo {
            x: u32, // So `x` is private in here.
        }

        impl Foo {
            pub fn new() -> Foo { Foo { x: 0 } }
        }
    }

    let f = some_module::Foo::new();
    println!("{}", f.x); // error: field `x` of struct `some_module::Foo` is private
    }

If you want to access this field, you have two options:

1. Set the field public:

    #![allow(unused)]
    fn main() {
    mod some_module {
        pub struct Foo {
            pub x: u32, // `x` is now public.
        }

        impl Foo {
            pub fn new() -> Foo { Foo { x: 0 } }
        }
    }

    let f = some_module::Foo::new();
    println!("{}", f.x); // ok!
    }

2. Add a getter function:

    #![allow(unused)]
    fn main() {
    mod some_module {
        pub struct Foo {
            x: u32, // So `x` is still private in here.
        }

        impl Foo {
            pub fn new() -> Foo { Foo { x: 0 } }

            // We create the getter function here:
            pub fn get_x(&self) -> &u32 { &self.x }
        }
    }

    let f = some_module::Foo::new();
    println!("{}", f.get_x()); // ok!
    }