struct Shape{T,N}
  dims::NTuple{N,Int}
end

VecShape{T} = Shape{T,1}
MatShape{T} = Shape{T,2}

Shape{T}(dims::Vararg{Integer,N}) where {T,N} = Shape{T,N}(dims)

Base.size(s::Shape) = s.dims
Base.size(s::Shape, n) = s.dims[n]
Base.length(s::Shape) = prod(s.dims)
Base.eltype(s::Shape{T}) where T = T

Base.sizeof(s::Shape{T}) where T = sizeof(T)*prod(size(s))

function Base.show(io::IO, s::Shape{T}) where T
  print(io, "Shape{$T}(")
  join(io, s.dims, ", ")
  print(io, ")")
end

shape(x) = typeof(x)
shape(x::Shape) = x
shape(x::Tuple) = shape.(x)
shape(x::AbstractArray) = Shape{eltype(x)}(size(x)...)

bytes(s::Shape) = sizeof(s)
bytes(x::Tuple) = sum(bytes.(x))

# Recover structure from byte buffers
# Make sure to hold on to the parent buffer for the lifetime of the data.

function restructure(sh::Shape{T}, buf::Vector{UInt8}) where T
  buf = unsafe_wrap(Array, pointer(buf), sizeof(sh))
  reshape(reinterpret(T, buf), size(sh))
end