1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
4 @c oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
6 @c GNAT DOCUMENTATION o
10 @c GNAT is maintained by Ada Core Technologies Inc (http://www.gnat.com). o
12 @c oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
14 @setfilename gnat_ugn.info
17 Copyright @copyright{} 1995-2009 Free Software Foundation,
20 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
21 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
22 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
23 Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts and with no Back-Cover
24 Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled
25 ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
28 @c oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
30 @c GNAT_UGN Style Guide
32 @c 1. Always put a @noindent on the line before the first paragraph
33 @c after any of these commands:
45 @c 2. DO NOT use @example. Use @smallexample instead.
46 @c a) DO NOT use highlighting commands (@b{}, @i{}) inside an @smallexample
47 @c context. These can interfere with the readability of the texi
48 @c source file. Instead, use one of the following annotated
49 @c @smallexample commands, and preprocess the texi file with the
50 @c ada2texi tool (which generates appropriate highlighting):
51 @c @smallexample @c ada
52 @c @smallexample @c adanocomment
53 @c @smallexample @c projectfile
54 @c b) The "@c ada" markup will result in boldface for reserved words
55 @c and italics for comments
56 @c c) The "@c adanocomment" markup will result only in boldface for
57 @c reserved words (comments are left alone)
58 @c d) The "@c projectfile" markup is like "@c ada" except that the set
59 @c of reserved words include the new reserved words for project files
61 @c 3. Each @chapter, @section, @subsection, @subsubsection, etc.
62 @c command must be preceded by two empty lines
64 @c 4. The @item command should be on a line of its own if it is in an
65 @c @itemize or @enumerate command.
67 @c 5. When talking about ALI files use "ALI" (all uppercase), not "Ali"
70 @c 6. DO NOT put trailing spaces at the end of a line. Such spaces will
71 @c cause the document build to fail.
73 @c 7. DO NOT use @cartouche for examples that are longer than around 10 lines.
74 @c This command inhibits page breaks, so long examples in a @cartouche can
75 @c lead to large, ugly patches of empty space on a page.
77 @c NOTE: This file should be submitted to xgnatugn with either the vms flag
78 @c or the unw flag set. The unw flag covers topics for both Unix and
81 @c oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
84 @c This flag is used where the text refers to conditions that exist when the
85 @c text was entered into the document but which may change over time.
86 @c Update the setting for the flag, and (if necessary) the text surrounding,
87 @c the references to the flag, on future doc revisions:
88 @c search for @value{NOW}.
92 @set DEFAULTLANGUAGEVERSION Ada 2005
93 @set NONDEFAULTLANGUAGEVERSION Ada 95
100 @set PLATFORM OpenVMS
105 @c The ARG is an optional argument. To be used for macro arguments in
106 @c their documentation (@defmac).
108 @r{[}@var{\varname\}@r{]}@c
110 @c Status as of November 2009:
111 @c Unfortunately texi2pdf and texi2html treat the trailing "@c"
112 @c differently, and faulty output is produced by one or the other
113 @c depending on whether the "@c" is present or absent.
114 @c As a result, the @ovar macro is not used, and all invocations
115 @c of the @ovar macro have been expanded inline.
118 @settitle @value{EDITION} User's Guide @value{PLATFORM}
119 @dircategory GNU Ada tools
121 * @value{EDITION} User's Guide: (gnat_ugn). @value{PLATFORM}
124 @include gcc-common.texi
126 @setchapternewpage odd
131 @title @value{EDITION} User's Guide
135 @titlefont{@i{@value{PLATFORM}}}
141 @subtitle GNAT, The GNU Ada Compiler
146 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
153 @node Top, About This Guide, (dir), (dir)
154 @top @value{EDITION} User's Guide
157 @value{EDITION} User's Guide @value{PLATFORM}
160 GNAT, The GNU Ada Compiler@*
161 GCC version @value{version-GCC}@*
168 * Getting Started with GNAT::
169 * The GNAT Compilation Model::
170 * Compiling Using gcc::
171 * Binding Using gnatbind::
172 * Linking Using gnatlink::
173 * The GNAT Make Program gnatmake::
174 * Improving Performance::
175 * Renaming Files Using gnatchop::
176 * Configuration Pragmas::
177 * Handling Arbitrary File Naming Conventions Using gnatname::
178 * GNAT Project Manager::
179 * Tools Supporting Project Files::
180 * The Cross-Referencing Tools gnatxref and gnatfind::
181 * The GNAT Pretty-Printer gnatpp::
182 * The GNAT Metric Tool gnatmetric::
183 * File Name Krunching Using gnatkr::
184 * Preprocessing Using gnatprep::
186 * The GNAT Run-Time Library Builder gnatlbr::
188 * The GNAT Library Browser gnatls::
189 * Cleaning Up Using gnatclean::
191 * GNAT and Libraries::
192 * Using the GNU make Utility::
194 * Memory Management Issues::
195 * Stack Related Facilities::
196 * Verifying Properties Using gnatcheck::
197 * Creating Sample Bodies Using gnatstub::
198 * Generating Ada Bindings for C and C++ headers::
199 * Other Utility Programs::
200 * Running and Debugging Ada Programs::
202 * Code Coverage and Profiling::
205 * Compatibility with HP Ada::
207 * Platform-Specific Information for the Run-Time Libraries::
208 * Example of Binder Output File::
209 * Elaboration Order Handling in GNAT::
210 * Conditional Compilation::
212 * Compatibility and Porting Guide::
214 * Microsoft Windows Topics::
216 * GNU Free Documentation License::
219 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
223 * What This Guide Contains::
224 * What You Should Know before Reading This Guide::
225 * Related Information::
228 Getting Started with GNAT
231 * Running a Simple Ada Program::
232 * Running a Program with Multiple Units::
233 * Using the gnatmake Utility::
235 * Editing with Emacs::
238 * Introduction to GPS::
241 The GNAT Compilation Model
243 * Source Representation::
244 * Foreign Language Representation::
245 * File Naming Rules::
246 * Using Other File Names::
247 * Alternative File Naming Schemes::
248 * Generating Object Files::
249 * Source Dependencies::
250 * The Ada Library Information Files::
251 * Binding an Ada Program::
252 * Mixed Language Programming::
254 * Building Mixed Ada & C++ Programs::
255 * Comparison between GNAT and C/C++ Compilation Models::
257 * Comparison between GNAT and Conventional Ada Library Models::
259 * Placement of temporary files::
262 Foreign Language Representation
265 * Other 8-Bit Codes::
266 * Wide Character Encodings::
268 Compiling Ada Programs With gcc
270 * Compiling Programs::
272 * Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)::
273 * Order of Compilation Issues::
278 * Output and Error Message Control::
279 * Warning Message Control::
280 * Debugging and Assertion Control::
281 * Validity Checking::
284 * Using gcc for Syntax Checking::
285 * Using gcc for Semantic Checking::
286 * Compiling Different Versions of Ada::
287 * Character Set Control::
288 * File Naming Control::
289 * Subprogram Inlining Control::
290 * Auxiliary Output Control::
291 * Debugging Control::
292 * Exception Handling Control::
293 * Units to Sources Mapping Files::
294 * Integrated Preprocessing::
299 Binding Ada Programs With gnatbind
302 * Switches for gnatbind::
303 * Command-Line Access::
304 * Search Paths for gnatbind::
305 * Examples of gnatbind Usage::
307 Switches for gnatbind
309 * Consistency-Checking Modes::
310 * Binder Error Message Control::
311 * Elaboration Control::
313 * Binding with Non-Ada Main Programs::
314 * Binding Programs with No Main Subprogram::
316 Linking Using gnatlink
319 * Switches for gnatlink::
321 The GNAT Make Program gnatmake
324 * Switches for gnatmake::
325 * Mode Switches for gnatmake::
326 * Notes on the Command Line::
327 * How gnatmake Works::
328 * Examples of gnatmake Usage::
330 Improving Performance
331 * Performance Considerations::
332 * Text_IO Suggestions::
333 * Reducing Size of Ada Executables with gnatelim::
334 * Reducing Size of Executables with unused subprogram/data elimination::
336 Performance Considerations
337 * Controlling Run-Time Checks::
338 * Use of Restrictions::
339 * Optimization Levels::
340 * Debugging Optimized Code::
341 * Inlining of Subprograms::
342 * Other Optimization Switches::
343 * Optimization and Strict Aliasing::
345 * Coverage Analysis::
348 Reducing Size of Ada Executables with gnatelim
351 * Processing Precompiled Libraries::
352 * Correcting the List of Eliminate Pragmas::
353 * Making Your Executables Smaller::
354 * Summary of the gnatelim Usage Cycle::
356 Reducing Size of Executables with unused subprogram/data elimination
357 * About unused subprogram/data elimination::
358 * Compilation options::
360 Renaming Files Using gnatchop
362 * Handling Files with Multiple Units::
363 * Operating gnatchop in Compilation Mode::
364 * Command Line for gnatchop::
365 * Switches for gnatchop::
366 * Examples of gnatchop Usage::
368 Configuration Pragmas
370 * Handling of Configuration Pragmas::
371 * The Configuration Pragmas Files::
373 Handling Arbitrary File Naming Conventions Using gnatname
375 * Arbitrary File Naming Conventions::
377 * Switches for gnatname::
378 * Examples of gnatname Usage::
380 The Cross-Referencing Tools gnatxref and gnatfind
382 * Switches for gnatxref::
383 * Switches for gnatfind::
384 * Project Files for gnatxref and gnatfind::
385 * Regular Expressions in gnatfind and gnatxref::
386 * Examples of gnatxref Usage::
387 * Examples of gnatfind Usage::
389 The GNAT Pretty-Printer gnatpp
391 * Switches for gnatpp::
394 The GNAT Metrics Tool gnatmetric
396 * Switches for gnatmetric::
398 File Name Krunching Using gnatkr
403 * Examples of gnatkr Usage::
405 Preprocessing Using gnatprep
406 * Preprocessing Symbols::
408 * Switches for gnatprep::
409 * Form of Definitions File::
410 * Form of Input Text for gnatprep::
413 The GNAT Run-Time Library Builder gnatlbr
416 * Switches for gnatlbr::
417 * Examples of gnatlbr Usage::
420 The GNAT Library Browser gnatls
423 * Switches for gnatls::
424 * Examples of gnatls Usage::
426 Cleaning Up Using gnatclean
428 * Running gnatclean::
429 * Switches for gnatclean::
430 @c * Examples of gnatclean Usage::
436 * Introduction to Libraries in GNAT::
437 * General Ada Libraries::
438 * Stand-alone Ada Libraries::
439 * Rebuilding the GNAT Run-Time Library::
441 Using the GNU make Utility
443 * Using gnatmake in a Makefile::
444 * Automatically Creating a List of Directories::
445 * Generating the Command Line Switches::
446 * Overcoming Command Line Length Limits::
449 Memory Management Issues
451 * Some Useful Memory Pools::
452 * The GNAT Debug Pool Facility::
457 Stack Related Facilities
459 * Stack Overflow Checking::
460 * Static Stack Usage Analysis::
461 * Dynamic Stack Usage Analysis::
463 Some Useful Memory Pools
465 The GNAT Debug Pool Facility
471 * Switches for gnatmem::
472 * Example of gnatmem Usage::
475 Verifying Properties Using gnatcheck
477 * Format of the Report File::
478 * General gnatcheck Switches::
479 * gnatcheck Rule Options::
480 * Adding the Results of Compiler Checks to gnatcheck Output::
481 * Project-Wide Checks::
484 * Example of gnatcheck Usage::
486 Sample Bodies Using gnatstub
489 * Switches for gnatstub::
491 Other Utility Programs
493 * Using Other Utility Programs with GNAT::
494 * The External Symbol Naming Scheme of GNAT::
495 * Converting Ada Files to html with gnathtml::
498 Code Coverage and Profiling
500 * Code Coverage of Ada Programs using gcov::
501 * Profiling an Ada Program using gprof::
504 Running and Debugging Ada Programs
506 * The GNAT Debugger GDB::
508 * Introduction to GDB Commands::
509 * Using Ada Expressions::
510 * Calling User-Defined Subprograms::
511 * Using the Next Command in a Function::
514 * Debugging Generic Units::
515 * Remote Debugging using gdbserver::
516 * GNAT Abnormal Termination or Failure to Terminate::
517 * Naming Conventions for GNAT Source Files::
518 * Getting Internal Debugging Information::
526 Compatibility with HP Ada
528 * Ada Language Compatibility::
529 * Differences in the Definition of Package System::
530 * Language-Related Features::
531 * The Package STANDARD::
532 * The Package SYSTEM::
533 * Tasking and Task-Related Features::
534 * Pragmas and Pragma-Related Features::
535 * Library of Predefined Units::
537 * Main Program Definition::
538 * Implementation-Defined Attributes::
539 * Compiler and Run-Time Interfacing::
540 * Program Compilation and Library Management::
542 * Implementation Limits::
543 * Tools and Utilities::
545 Language-Related Features
547 * Integer Types and Representations::
548 * Floating-Point Types and Representations::
549 * Pragmas Float_Representation and Long_Float::
550 * Fixed-Point Types and Representations::
551 * Record and Array Component Alignment::
553 * Other Representation Clauses::
555 Tasking and Task-Related Features
557 * Implementation of Tasks in HP Ada for OpenVMS Alpha Systems::
558 * Assigning Task IDs::
559 * Task IDs and Delays::
560 * Task-Related Pragmas::
561 * Scheduling and Task Priority::
563 * External Interrupts::
565 Pragmas and Pragma-Related Features
567 * Restrictions on the Pragma INLINE::
568 * Restrictions on the Pragma INTERFACE::
569 * Restrictions on the Pragma SYSTEM_NAME::
571 Library of Predefined Units
573 * Changes to DECLIB::
577 * Shared Libraries and Options Files::
581 Platform-Specific Information for the Run-Time Libraries
583 * Summary of Run-Time Configurations::
584 * Specifying a Run-Time Library::
585 * Choosing the Scheduling Policy::
586 * Solaris-Specific Considerations::
587 * Linux-Specific Considerations::
588 * AIX-Specific Considerations::
589 * Irix-Specific Considerations::
590 * RTX-Specific Considerations::
591 * HP-UX-Specific Considerations::
593 Example of Binder Output File
595 Elaboration Order Handling in GNAT
598 * Checking the Elaboration Order::
599 * Controlling the Elaboration Order::
600 * Controlling Elaboration in GNAT - Internal Calls::
601 * Controlling Elaboration in GNAT - External Calls::
602 * Default Behavior in GNAT - Ensuring Safety::
603 * Treatment of Pragma Elaborate::
604 * Elaboration Issues for Library Tasks::
605 * Mixing Elaboration Models::
606 * What to Do If the Default Elaboration Behavior Fails::
607 * Elaboration for Access-to-Subprogram Values::
608 * Summary of Procedures for Elaboration Control::
609 * Other Elaboration Order Considerations::
611 Conditional Compilation
612 * Use of Boolean Constants::
613 * Debugging - A Special Case::
614 * Conditionalizing Declarations::
615 * Use of Alternative Implementations::
620 * Basic Assembler Syntax::
621 * A Simple Example of Inline Assembler::
622 * Output Variables in Inline Assembler::
623 * Input Variables in Inline Assembler::
624 * Inlining Inline Assembler Code::
625 * Other Asm Functionality::
627 Compatibility and Porting Guide
629 * Compatibility with Ada 83::
630 * Compatibility between Ada 95 and Ada 2005::
631 * Implementation-dependent characteristics::
633 @c This brief section is only in the non-VMS version
634 @c The complete chapter on HP Ada issues is in the VMS version
635 * Compatibility with HP Ada 83::
637 * Compatibility with Other Ada Systems::
638 * Representation Clauses::
640 * Transitioning to 64-Bit GNAT for OpenVMS::
644 Microsoft Windows Topics
646 * Using GNAT on Windows::
647 * CONSOLE and WINDOWS subsystems::
649 * Mixed-Language Programming on Windows::
650 * Windows Calling Conventions::
651 * Introduction to Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs)::
652 * Using DLLs with GNAT::
653 * Building DLLs with GNAT::
654 * GNAT and Windows Resources::
656 * Setting Stack Size from gnatlink::
657 * Setting Heap Size from gnatlink::
664 @node About This Guide
665 @unnumbered About This Guide
669 This guide describes the use of @value{EDITION},
670 a compiler and software development toolset for the full Ada
671 programming language, implemented on OpenVMS for HP's Alpha and
672 Integrity server (I64) platforms.
675 This guide describes the use of @value{EDITION},
676 a compiler and software development
677 toolset for the full Ada programming language.
679 It documents the features of the compiler and tools, and explains
680 how to use them to build Ada applications.
682 @value{EDITION} implements Ada 95 and Ada 2005, and it may also be invoked in
683 Ada 83 compatibility mode.
684 By default, @value{EDITION} assumes @value{DEFAULTLANGUAGEVERSION},
685 but you can override with a compiler switch
686 (@pxref{Compiling Different Versions of Ada})
687 to explicitly specify the language version.
688 Throughout this manual, references to ``Ada'' without a year suffix
689 apply to both the Ada 95 and Ada 2005 versions of the language.
693 For ease of exposition, ``@value{EDITION}'' will be referred to simply as
694 ``GNAT'' in the remainder of this document.
701 * What This Guide Contains::
702 * What You Should Know before Reading This Guide::
703 * Related Information::
707 @node What This Guide Contains
708 @unnumberedsec What This Guide Contains
711 This guide contains the following chapters:
715 @ref{Getting Started with GNAT}, describes how to get started compiling
716 and running Ada programs with the GNAT Ada programming environment.
718 @ref{The GNAT Compilation Model}, describes the compilation model used
722 @ref{Compiling Using gcc}, describes how to compile
723 Ada programs with @command{gcc}, the Ada compiler.
726 @ref{Binding Using gnatbind}, describes how to
727 perform binding of Ada programs with @code{gnatbind}, the GNAT binding
731 @ref{Linking Using gnatlink},
732 describes @command{gnatlink}, a
733 program that provides for linking using the GNAT run-time library to
734 construct a program. @command{gnatlink} can also incorporate foreign language
735 object units into the executable.
738 @ref{The GNAT Make Program gnatmake}, describes @command{gnatmake}, a
739 utility that automatically determines the set of sources
740 needed by an Ada compilation unit, and executes the necessary compilations
744 @ref{Improving Performance}, shows various techniques for making your
745 Ada program run faster or take less space.
746 It discusses the effect of the compiler's optimization switch and
747 also describes the @command{gnatelim} tool and unused subprogram/data
751 @ref{Renaming Files Using gnatchop}, describes
752 @code{gnatchop}, a utility that allows you to preprocess a file that
753 contains Ada source code, and split it into one or more new files, one
754 for each compilation unit.
757 @ref{Configuration Pragmas}, describes the configuration pragmas
761 @ref{Handling Arbitrary File Naming Conventions Using gnatname},
762 shows how to override the default GNAT file naming conventions,
763 either for an individual unit or globally.
766 @ref{GNAT Project Manager}, describes how to use project files
767 to organize large projects.
770 @ref{The Cross-Referencing Tools gnatxref and gnatfind}, discusses
771 @code{gnatxref} and @code{gnatfind}, two tools that provide an easy
772 way to navigate through sources.
775 @ref{The GNAT Pretty-Printer gnatpp}, shows how to produce a reformatted
776 version of an Ada source file with control over casing, indentation,
777 comment placement, and other elements of program presentation style.
780 @ref{The GNAT Metric Tool gnatmetric}, shows how to compute various
781 metrics for an Ada source file, such as the number of types and subprograms,
782 and assorted complexity measures.
785 @ref{File Name Krunching Using gnatkr}, describes the @code{gnatkr}
786 file name krunching utility, used to handle shortened
787 file names on operating systems with a limit on the length of names.
790 @ref{Preprocessing Using gnatprep}, describes @code{gnatprep}, a
791 preprocessor utility that allows a single source file to be used to
792 generate multiple or parameterized source files by means of macro
797 @ref{The GNAT Run-Time Library Builder gnatlbr}, describes @command{gnatlbr},
798 a tool for rebuilding the GNAT run time with user-supplied
799 configuration pragmas.
803 @ref{The GNAT Library Browser gnatls}, describes @code{gnatls}, a
804 utility that displays information about compiled units, including dependences
805 on the corresponding sources files, and consistency of compilations.
808 @ref{Cleaning Up Using gnatclean}, describes @code{gnatclean}, a utility
809 to delete files that are produced by the compiler, binder and linker.
813 @ref{GNAT and Libraries}, describes the process of creating and using
814 Libraries with GNAT. It also describes how to recompile the GNAT run-time
818 @ref{Using the GNU make Utility}, describes some techniques for using
819 the GNAT toolset in Makefiles.
823 @ref{Memory Management Issues}, describes some useful predefined storage pools
824 and in particular the GNAT Debug Pool facility, which helps detect incorrect
827 It also describes @command{gnatmem}, a utility that monitors dynamic
828 allocation and deallocation and helps detect ``memory leaks''.
832 @ref{Stack Related Facilities}, describes some useful tools associated with
833 stack checking and analysis.
836 @ref{Verifying Properties Using gnatcheck}, discusses @code{gnatcheck},
837 a utility that checks Ada code against a set of rules.
840 @ref{Creating Sample Bodies Using gnatstub}, discusses @code{gnatstub},
841 a utility that generates empty but compilable bodies for library units.
844 @ref{Generating Ada Bindings for C and C++ headers}, describes how to
845 generate automatically Ada bindings from C and C++ headers.
848 @ref{Other Utility Programs}, discusses several other GNAT utilities,
849 including @code{gnathtml}.
853 @ref{Code Coverage and Profiling}, describes how to perform a structural
854 coverage and profile the execution of Ada programs.
858 @ref{Running and Debugging Ada Programs}, describes how to run and debug
863 @ref{Compatibility with HP Ada}, details the compatibility of GNAT with
864 HP Ada 83 @footnote{``HP Ada'' refers to the legacy product originally
865 developed by Digital Equipment Corporation and currently supported by HP.}
866 for OpenVMS Alpha. This product was formerly known as DEC Ada,
869 historical compatibility reasons, the relevant libraries still use the
874 @ref{Platform-Specific Information for the Run-Time Libraries},
875 describes the various run-time
876 libraries supported by GNAT on various platforms and explains how to
877 choose a particular library.
880 @ref{Example of Binder Output File}, shows the source code for the binder
881 output file for a sample program.
884 @ref{Elaboration Order Handling in GNAT}, describes how GNAT helps
885 you deal with elaboration order issues.
888 @ref{Conditional Compilation}, describes how to model conditional compilation,
889 both with Ada in general and with GNAT facilities in particular.
892 @ref{Inline Assembler}, shows how to use the inline assembly facility
896 @ref{Compatibility and Porting Guide}, contains sections on compatibility
897 of GNAT with other Ada development environments (including Ada 83 systems),
898 to assist in porting code from those environments.
902 @ref{Microsoft Windows Topics}, presents information relevant to the
903 Microsoft Windows platform.
907 @c *************************************************
908 @node What You Should Know before Reading This Guide
909 @c *************************************************
910 @unnumberedsec What You Should Know before Reading This Guide
912 @cindex Ada 95 Language Reference Manual
913 @cindex Ada 2005 Language Reference Manual
915 This guide assumes a basic familiarity with the Ada 95 language, as
916 described in the International Standard ANSI/ISO/IEC-8652:1995, January
918 It does not require knowledge of the new features introduced by Ada 2005,
919 (officially known as ISO/IEC 8652:1995 with Technical Corrigendum 1
921 Both reference manuals are included in the GNAT documentation
924 @node Related Information
925 @unnumberedsec Related Information
928 For further information about related tools, refer to the following
933 @xref{Top, GNAT Reference Manual, About This Guide, gnat_rm, GNAT
934 Reference Manual}, which contains all reference material for the GNAT
935 implementation of Ada.
939 @cite{Using the GNAT Programming Studio}, which describes the GPS
940 Integrated Development Environment.
943 @cite{GNAT Programming Studio Tutorial}, which introduces the
944 main GPS features through examples.
948 @cite{Ada 95 Reference Manual}, which contains reference
949 material for the Ada 95 programming language.
952 @cite{Ada 2005 Reference Manual}, which contains reference
953 material for the Ada 2005 programming language.
956 @xref{Top,, Debugging with GDB, gdb, Debugging with GDB},
958 in the GNU:[DOCS] directory,
960 for all details on the use of the GNU source-level debugger.
963 @xref{Top,, The extensible self-documenting text editor, emacs,
966 located in the GNU:[DOCS] directory if the EMACS kit is installed,
968 for full information on the extensible editor and programming
975 @unnumberedsec Conventions
977 @cindex Typographical conventions
980 Following are examples of the typographical and graphic conventions used
985 @code{Functions}, @command{utility program names}, @code{standard names},
989 @option{Option flags}
992 @file{File names}, @samp{button names}, and @samp{field names}.
995 @code{Variables}, @env{environment variables}, and @var{metasyntactic
1002 @r{[}optional information or parameters@r{]}
1005 Examples are described by text
1007 and then shown this way.
1012 Commands that are entered by the user are preceded in this manual by the
1013 characters @w{``@code{$ }''} (dollar sign followed by space). If your system
1014 uses this sequence as a prompt, then the commands will appear exactly as
1015 you see them in the manual. If your system uses some other prompt, then
1016 the command will appear with the @code{$} replaced by whatever prompt
1017 character you are using.
1020 Full file names are shown with the ``@code{/}'' character
1021 as the directory separator; e.g., @file{parent-dir/subdir/myfile.adb}.
1022 If you are using GNAT on a Windows platform, please note that
1023 the ``@code{\}'' character should be used instead.
1026 @c ****************************
1027 @node Getting Started with GNAT
1028 @chapter Getting Started with GNAT
1031 This chapter describes some simple ways of using GNAT to build
1032 executable Ada programs.
1034 @ref{Running GNAT}, through @ref{Using the gnatmake Utility},
1035 show how to use the command line environment.
1036 @ref{Introduction to GPS}, provides a brief
1037 introduction to the GNAT Programming Studio, a visually-oriented
1038 Integrated Development Environment for GNAT.
1039 GPS offers a graphical ``look and feel'', support for development in
1040 other programming languages, comprehensive browsing features, and
1041 many other capabilities.
1042 For information on GPS please refer to
1043 @cite{Using the GNAT Programming Studio}.
1048 * Running a Simple Ada Program::
1049 * Running a Program with Multiple Units::
1050 * Using the gnatmake Utility::
1052 * Editing with Emacs::
1055 * Introduction to GPS::
1060 @section Running GNAT
1063 Three steps are needed to create an executable file from an Ada source
1068 The source file(s) must be compiled.
1070 The file(s) must be bound using the GNAT binder.
1072 All appropriate object files must be linked to produce an executable.
1076 All three steps are most commonly handled by using the @command{gnatmake}
1077 utility program that, given the name of the main program, automatically
1078 performs the necessary compilation, binding and linking steps.
1080 @node Running a Simple Ada Program
1081 @section Running a Simple Ada Program
1084 Any text editor may be used to prepare an Ada program.
1086 used, the optional Ada mode may be helpful in laying out the program.)
1088 program text is a normal text file. We will assume in our initial
1089 example that you have used your editor to prepare the following
1090 standard format text file:
1092 @smallexample @c ada
1094 with Ada.Text_IO; use Ada.Text_IO;
1097 Put_Line ("Hello WORLD!");
1103 This file should be named @file{hello.adb}.
1104 With the normal default file naming conventions, GNAT requires
1106 contain a single compilation unit whose file name is the
1108 with periods replaced by hyphens; the
1109 extension is @file{ads} for a
1110 spec and @file{adb} for a body.
1111 You can override this default file naming convention by use of the
1112 special pragma @code{Source_File_Name} (@pxref{Using Other File Names}).
1113 Alternatively, if you want to rename your files according to this default
1114 convention, which is probably more convenient if you will be using GNAT
1115 for all your compilations, then the @code{gnatchop} utility
1116 can be used to generate correctly-named source files
1117 (@pxref{Renaming Files Using gnatchop}).
1119 You can compile the program using the following command (@code{$} is used
1120 as the command prompt in the examples in this document):
1127 @command{gcc} is the command used to run the compiler. This compiler is
1128 capable of compiling programs in several languages, including Ada and
1129 C. It assumes that you have given it an Ada program if the file extension is
1130 either @file{.ads} or @file{.adb}, and it will then call
1131 the GNAT compiler to compile the specified file.
1134 The @option{-c} switch is required. It tells @command{gcc} to only do a
1135 compilation. (For C programs, @command{gcc} can also do linking, but this
1136 capability is not used directly for Ada programs, so the @option{-c}
1137 switch must always be present.)
1140 This compile command generates a file
1141 @file{hello.o}, which is the object
1142 file corresponding to your Ada program. It also generates
1143 an ``Ada Library Information'' file @file{hello.ali},
1144 which contains additional information used to check
1145 that an Ada program is consistent.
1146 To build an executable file,
1147 use @code{gnatbind} to bind the program
1148 and @command{gnatlink} to link it. The
1149 argument to both @code{gnatbind} and @command{gnatlink} is the name of the
1150 @file{ALI} file, but the default extension of @file{.ali} can
1151 be omitted. This means that in the most common case, the argument
1152 is simply the name of the main program:
1160 A simpler method of carrying out these steps is to use
1162 a master program that invokes all the required
1163 compilation, binding and linking tools in the correct order. In particular,
1164 @command{gnatmake} automatically recompiles any sources that have been
1165 modified since they were last compiled, or sources that depend
1166 on such modified sources, so that ``version skew'' is avoided.
1167 @cindex Version skew (avoided by @command{gnatmake})
1170 $ gnatmake hello.adb
1174 The result is an executable program called @file{hello}, which can be
1182 assuming that the current directory is on the search path
1183 for executable programs.
1186 and, if all has gone well, you will see
1193 appear in response to this command.
1195 @c ****************************************
1196 @node Running a Program with Multiple Units
1197 @section Running a Program with Multiple Units
1200 Consider a slightly more complicated example that has three files: a
1201 main program, and the spec and body of a package:
1203 @smallexample @c ada
1206 package Greetings is
1211 with Ada.Text_IO; use Ada.Text_IO;
1212 package body Greetings is
1215 Put_Line ("Hello WORLD!");
1218 procedure Goodbye is
1220 Put_Line ("Goodbye WORLD!");
1237 Following the one-unit-per-file rule, place this program in the
1238 following three separate files:
1242 spec of package @code{Greetings}
1245 body of package @code{Greetings}
1248 body of main program
1252 To build an executable version of
1253 this program, we could use four separate steps to compile, bind, and link
1254 the program, as follows:
1258 $ gcc -c greetings.adb
1264 Note that there is no required order of compilation when using GNAT.
1265 In particular it is perfectly fine to compile the main program first.
1266 Also, it is not necessary to compile package specs in the case where
1267 there is an accompanying body; you only need to compile the body. If you want
1268 to submit these files to the compiler for semantic checking and not code
1269 generation, then use the
1270 @option{-gnatc} switch:
1273 $ gcc -c greetings.ads -gnatc
1277 Although the compilation can be done in separate steps as in the
1278 above example, in practice it is almost always more convenient
1279 to use the @command{gnatmake} tool. All you need to know in this case
1280 is the name of the main program's source file. The effect of the above four
1281 commands can be achieved with a single one:
1284 $ gnatmake gmain.adb
1288 In the next section we discuss the advantages of using @command{gnatmake} in
1291 @c *****************************
1292 @node Using the gnatmake Utility
1293 @section Using the @command{gnatmake} Utility
1296 If you work on a program by compiling single components at a time using
1297 @command{gcc}, you typically keep track of the units you modify. In order to
1298 build a consistent system, you compile not only these units, but also any
1299 units that depend on the units you have modified.
1300 For example, in the preceding case,
1301 if you edit @file{gmain.adb}, you only need to recompile that file. But if
1302 you edit @file{greetings.ads}, you must recompile both
1303 @file{greetings.adb} and @file{gmain.adb}, because both files contain
1304 units that depend on @file{greetings.ads}.
1306 @code{gnatbind} will warn you if you forget one of these compilation
1307 steps, so that it is impossible to generate an inconsistent program as a
1308 result of forgetting to do a compilation. Nevertheless it is tedious and
1309 error-prone to keep track of dependencies among units.
1310 One approach to handle the dependency-bookkeeping is to use a
1311 makefile. However, makefiles present maintenance problems of their own:
1312 if the dependencies change as you change the program, you must make
1313 sure that the makefile is kept up-to-date manually, which is also an
1314 error-prone process.
1316 The @command{gnatmake} utility takes care of these details automatically.
1317 Invoke it using either one of the following forms:
1320 $ gnatmake gmain.adb
1321 $ gnatmake ^gmain^GMAIN^
1325 The argument is the name of the file containing the main program;
1326 you may omit the extension. @command{gnatmake}
1327 examines the environment, automatically recompiles any files that need
1328 recompiling, and binds and links the resulting set of object files,
1329 generating the executable file, @file{^gmain^GMAIN.EXE^}.
1330 In a large program, it
1331 can be extremely helpful to use @command{gnatmake}, because working out by hand
1332 what needs to be recompiled can be difficult.
1334 Note that @command{gnatmake}
1335 takes into account all the Ada rules that
1336 establish dependencies among units. These include dependencies that result
1337 from inlining subprogram bodies, and from
1338 generic instantiation. Unlike some other
1339 Ada make tools, @command{gnatmake} does not rely on the dependencies that were
1340 found by the compiler on a previous compilation, which may possibly
1341 be wrong when sources change. @command{gnatmake} determines the exact set of
1342 dependencies from scratch each time it is run.
1345 @node Editing with Emacs
1346 @section Editing with Emacs
1350 Emacs is an extensible self-documenting text editor that is available in a
1351 separate VMSINSTAL kit.
1353 Invoke Emacs by typing @kbd{Emacs} at the command prompt. To get started,
1354 click on the Emacs Help menu and run the Emacs Tutorial.
1355 In a character cell terminal, Emacs help is invoked with @kbd{Ctrl-h} (also
1356 written as @kbd{C-h}), and the tutorial by @kbd{C-h t}.
1358 Documentation on Emacs and other tools is available in Emacs under the
1359 pull-down menu button: @code{Help - Info}. After selecting @code{Info},
1360 use the middle mouse button to select a topic (e.g.@: Emacs).
1362 In a character cell terminal, do @kbd{C-h i} to invoke info, and then @kbd{m}
1363 (stands for menu) followed by the menu item desired, as in @kbd{m Emacs}, to
1364 get to the Emacs manual.
1365 Help on Emacs is also available by typing @kbd{HELP EMACS} at the DCL command
1368 The tutorial is highly recommended in order to learn the intricacies of Emacs,
1369 which is sufficiently extensible to provide for a complete programming
1370 environment and shell for the sophisticated user.
1374 @node Introduction to GPS
1375 @section Introduction to GPS
1376 @cindex GPS (GNAT Programming Studio)
1377 @cindex GNAT Programming Studio (GPS)
1379 Although the command line interface (@command{gnatmake}, etc.) alone
1380 is sufficient, a graphical Interactive Development
1381 Environment can make it easier for you to compose, navigate, and debug
1382 programs. This section describes the main features of GPS
1383 (``GNAT Programming Studio''), the GNAT graphical IDE.
1384 You will see how to use GPS to build and debug an executable, and
1385 you will also learn some of the basics of the GNAT ``project'' facility.
1387 GPS enables you to do much more than is presented here;
1388 e.g., you can produce a call graph, interface to a third-party
1389 Version Control System, and inspect the generated assembly language
1391 Indeed, GPS also supports languages other than Ada.
1392 Such additional information, and an explanation of all of the GPS menu
1393 items. may be found in the on-line help, which includes
1394 a user's guide and a tutorial (these are also accessible from the GNAT
1398 * Building a New Program with GPS::
1399 * Simple Debugging with GPS::
1402 @node Building a New Program with GPS
1403 @subsection Building a New Program with GPS
1405 GPS invokes the GNAT compilation tools using information
1406 contained in a @emph{project} (also known as a @emph{project file}):
1407 a collection of properties such
1408 as source directories, identities of main subprograms, tool switches, etc.,
1409 and their associated values.
1410 See @ref{GNAT Project Manager} for details.
1411 In order to run GPS, you will need to either create a new project
1412 or else open an existing one.
1414 This section will explain how you can use GPS to create a project,
1415 to associate Ada source files with a project, and to build and run
1419 @item @emph{Creating a project}
1421 Invoke GPS, either from the command line or the platform's IDE.
1422 After it starts, GPS will display a ``Welcome'' screen with three
1427 @code{Start with default project in directory}
1430 @code{Create new project with wizard}
1433 @code{Open existing project}
1437 Select @code{Create new project with wizard} and press @code{OK}.
1438 A new window will appear. In the text box labeled with
1439 @code{Enter the name of the project to create}, type @file{sample}
1440 as the project name.
1441 In the next box, browse to choose the directory in which you
1442 would like to create the project file.
1443 After selecting an appropriate directory, press @code{Forward}.
1445 A window will appear with the title
1446 @code{Version Control System Configuration}.
1447 Simply press @code{Forward}.
1449 A window will appear with the title
1450 @code{Please select the source directories for this project}.
1451 The directory that you specified for the project file will be selected
1452 by default as the one to use for sources; simply press @code{Forward}.
1454 A window will appear with the title
1455 @code{Please select the build directory for this project}.
1456 The directory that you specified for the project file will be selected
1457 by default for object files and executables;
1458 simply press @code{Forward}.
1460 A window will appear with the title
1461 @code{Please select the main units for this project}.
1462 You will supply this information later, after creating the source file.
1463 Simply press @code{Forward} for now.
1465 A window will appear with the title
1466 @code{Please select the switches to build the project}.
1467 Press @code{Apply}. This will create a project file named
1468 @file{sample.prj} in the directory that you had specified.
1470 @item @emph{Creating and saving the source file}
1472 After you create the new project, a GPS window will appear, which is
1473 partitioned into two main sections:
1477 A @emph{Workspace area}, initially greyed out, which you will use for
1478 creating and editing source files
1481 Directly below, a @emph{Messages area}, which initially displays a
1482 ``Welcome'' message.
1483 (If the Messages area is not visible, drag its border upward to expand it.)
1487 Select @code{File} on the menu bar, and then the @code{New} command.
1488 The Workspace area will become white, and you can now
1489 enter the source program explicitly.
1490 Type the following text
1492 @smallexample @c ada
1494 with Ada.Text_IO; use Ada.Text_IO;
1497 Put_Line("Hello from GPS!");
1503 Select @code{File}, then @code{Save As}, and enter the source file name
1505 The file will be saved in the same directory you specified as the
1506 location of the default project file.
1508 @item @emph{Updating the project file}
1510 You need to add the new source file to the project.
1512 the @code{Project} menu and then @code{Edit project properties}.
1513 Click the @code{Main files} tab on the left, and then the
1515 Choose @file{hello.adb} from the list, and press @code{Open}.
1516 The project settings window will reflect this action.
1519 @item @emph{Building and running the program}
1521 In the main GPS window, now choose the @code{Build} menu, then @code{Make},
1522 and select @file{hello.adb}.
1523 The Messages window will display the resulting invocations of @command{gcc},
1524 @command{gnatbind}, and @command{gnatlink}
1525 (reflecting the default switch settings from the
1526 project file that you created) and then a ``successful compilation/build''
1529 To run the program, choose the @code{Build} menu, then @code{Run}, and
1530 select @command{hello}.
1531 An @emph{Arguments Selection} window will appear.
1532 There are no command line arguments, so just click @code{OK}.
1534 The Messages window will now display the program's output (the string
1535 @code{Hello from GPS}), and at the bottom of the GPS window a status
1536 update is displayed (@code{Run: hello}).
1537 Close the GPS window (or select @code{File}, then @code{Exit}) to
1538 terminate this GPS session.
1541 @node Simple Debugging with GPS
1542 @subsection Simple Debugging with GPS
1544 This section illustrates basic debugging techniques (setting breakpoints,
1545 examining/modifying variables, single stepping).
1548 @item @emph{Opening a project}
1550 Start GPS and select @code{Open existing project}; browse to
1551 specify the project file @file{sample.prj} that you had created in the
1554 @item @emph{Creating a source file}
1556 Select @code{File}, then @code{New}, and type in the following program:
1558 @smallexample @c ada
1560 with Ada.Text_IO; use Ada.Text_IO;
1561 procedure Example is
1562 Line : String (1..80);
1565 Put_Line("Type a line of text at each prompt; an empty line to exit");
1569 Put_Line (Line (1..N) );
1577 Select @code{File}, then @code{Save as}, and enter the file name
1580 @item @emph{Updating the project file}
1582 Add @code{Example} as a new main unit for the project:
1585 Select @code{Project}, then @code{Edit Project Properties}.
1588 Select the @code{Main files} tab, click @code{Add}, then
1589 select the file @file{example.adb} from the list, and
1591 You will see the file name appear in the list of main units
1597 @item @emph{Building/running the executable}
1599 To build the executable
1600 select @code{Build}, then @code{Make}, and then choose @file{example.adb}.
1602 Run the program to see its effect (in the Messages area).
1603 Each line that you enter is displayed; an empty line will
1604 cause the loop to exit and the program to terminate.
1606 @item @emph{Debugging the program}
1608 Note that the @option{-g} switches to @command{gcc} and @command{gnatlink},
1609 which are required for debugging, are on by default when you create
1611 Thus unless you intentionally remove these settings, you will be able
1612 to debug any program that you develop using GPS.
1615 @item @emph{Initializing}
1617 Select @code{Debug}, then @code{Initialize}, then @file{example}
1619 @item @emph{Setting a breakpoint}
1621 After performing the initialization step, you will observe a small
1622 icon to the right of each line number.
1623 This serves as a toggle for breakpoints; clicking the icon will
1624 set a breakpoint at the corresponding line (the icon will change to
1625 a red circle with an ``x''), and clicking it again
1626 will remove the breakpoint / reset the icon.
1628 For purposes of this example, set a breakpoint at line 10 (the
1629 statement @code{Put_Line@ (Line@ (1..N));}
1631 @item @emph{Starting program execution}
1633 Select @code{Debug}, then @code{Run}. When the
1634 @code{Program Arguments} window appears, click @code{OK}.
1635 A console window will appear; enter some line of text,
1636 e.g.@: @code{abcde}, at the prompt.
1637 The program will pause execution when it gets to the
1638 breakpoint, and the corresponding line is highlighted.
1640 @item @emph{Examining a variable}
1642 Move the mouse over one of the occurrences of the variable @code{N}.
1643 You will see the value (5) displayed, in ``tool tip'' fashion.
1644 Right click on @code{N}, select @code{Debug}, then select @code{Display N}.
1645 You will see information about @code{N} appear in the @code{Debugger Data}
1646 pane, showing the value as 5.
1648 @item @emph{Assigning a new value to a variable}
1650 Right click on the @code{N} in the @code{Debugger Data} pane, and
1651 select @code{Set value of N}.
1652 When the input window appears, enter the value @code{4} and click
1654 This value does not automatically appear in the @code{Debugger Data}
1655 pane; to see it, right click again on the @code{N} in the
1656 @code{Debugger Data} pane and select @code{Update value}.
1657 The new value, 4, will appear in red.
1659 @item @emph{Single stepping}
1661 Select @code{Debug}, then @code{Next}.
1662 This will cause the next statement to be executed, in this case the
1663 call of @code{Put_Line} with the string slice.
1664 Notice in the console window that the displayed string is simply
1665 @code{abcd} and not @code{abcde} which you had entered.
1666 This is because the upper bound of the slice is now 4 rather than 5.
1668 @item @emph{Removing a breakpoint}
1670 Toggle the breakpoint icon at line 10.
1672 @item @emph{Resuming execution from a breakpoint}
1674 Select @code{Debug}, then @code{Continue}.
1675 The program will reach the next iteration of the loop, and
1676 wait for input after displaying the prompt.
1677 This time, just hit the @kbd{Enter} key.
1678 The value of @code{N} will be 0, and the program will terminate.
1679 The console window will disappear.
1684 @node The GNAT Compilation Model
1685 @chapter The GNAT Compilation Model
1686 @cindex GNAT compilation model
1687 @cindex Compilation model
1690 * Source Representation::
1691 * Foreign Language Representation::
1692 * File Naming Rules::
1693 * Using Other File Names::
1694 * Alternative File Naming Schemes::
1695 * Generating Object Files::
1696 * Source Dependencies::
1697 * The Ada Library Information Files::
1698 * Binding an Ada Program::
1699 * Mixed Language Programming::
1701 * Building Mixed Ada & C++ Programs::
1702 * Comparison between GNAT and C/C++ Compilation Models::
1704 * Comparison between GNAT and Conventional Ada Library Models::
1706 * Placement of temporary files::
1711 This chapter describes the compilation model used by GNAT. Although
1712 similar to that used by other languages, such as C and C++, this model
1713 is substantially different from the traditional Ada compilation models,
1714 which are based on a library. The model is initially described without
1715 reference to the library-based model. If you have not previously used an
1716 Ada compiler, you need only read the first part of this chapter. The
1717 last section describes and discusses the differences between the GNAT
1718 model and the traditional Ada compiler models. If you have used other
1719 Ada compilers, this section will help you to understand those
1720 differences, and the advantages of the GNAT model.
1722 @node Source Representation
1723 @section Source Representation
1727 Ada source programs are represented in standard text files, using
1728 Latin-1 coding. Latin-1 is an 8-bit code that includes the familiar
1729 7-bit ASCII set, plus additional characters used for
1730 representing foreign languages (@pxref{Foreign Language Representation}
1731 for support of non-USA character sets). The format effector characters
1732 are represented using their standard ASCII encodings, as follows:
1737 Vertical tab, @code{16#0B#}
1741 Horizontal tab, @code{16#09#}
1745 Carriage return, @code{16#0D#}
1749 Line feed, @code{16#0A#}
1753 Form feed, @code{16#0C#}
1757 Source files are in standard text file format. In addition, GNAT will
1758 recognize a wide variety of stream formats, in which the end of
1759 physical lines is marked by any of the following sequences:
1760 @code{LF}, @code{CR}, @code{CR-LF}, or @code{LF-CR}. This is useful
1761 in accommodating files that are imported from other operating systems.
1763 @cindex End of source file
1764 @cindex Source file, end
1766 The end of a source file is normally represented by the physical end of
1767 file. However, the control character @code{16#1A#} (@code{SUB}) is also
1768 recognized as signalling the end of the source file. Again, this is
1769 provided for compatibility with other operating systems where this
1770 code is used to represent the end of file.
1772 Each file contains a single Ada compilation unit, including any pragmas
1773 associated with the unit. For example, this means you must place a
1774 package declaration (a package @dfn{spec}) and the corresponding body in
1775 separate files. An Ada @dfn{compilation} (which is a sequence of
1776 compilation units) is represented using a sequence of files. Similarly,
1777 you will place each subunit or child unit in a separate file.
1779 @node Foreign Language Representation
1780 @section Foreign Language Representation
1783 GNAT supports the standard character sets defined in Ada as well as
1784 several other non-standard character sets for use in localized versions
1785 of the compiler (@pxref{Character Set Control}).
1788 * Other 8-Bit Codes::
1789 * Wide Character Encodings::
1797 The basic character set is Latin-1. This character set is defined by ISO
1798 standard 8859, part 1. The lower half (character codes @code{16#00#}
1799 @dots{} @code{16#7F#)} is identical to standard ASCII coding, but the upper half
1800 is used to represent additional characters. These include extended letters
1801 used by European languages, such as French accents, the vowels with umlauts
1802 used in German, and the extra letter A-ring used in Swedish.
1804 @findex Ada.Characters.Latin_1
1805 For a complete list of Latin-1 codes and their encodings, see the source
1806 file of library unit @code{Ada.Characters.Latin_1} in file
1807 @file{a-chlat1.ads}.
1808 You may use any of these extended characters freely in character or
1809 string literals. In addition, the extended characters that represent
1810 letters can be used in identifiers.
1812 @node Other 8-Bit Codes
1813 @subsection Other 8-Bit Codes
1816 GNAT also supports several other 8-bit coding schemes:
1819 @item ISO 8859-2 (Latin-2)
1822 Latin-2 letters allowed in identifiers, with uppercase and lowercase
1825 @item ISO 8859-3 (Latin-3)
1828 Latin-3 letters allowed in identifiers, with uppercase and lowercase
1831 @item ISO 8859-4 (Latin-4)
1834 Latin-4 letters allowed in identifiers, with uppercase and lowercase
1837 @item ISO 8859-5 (Cyrillic)
1840 ISO 8859-5 letters (Cyrillic) allowed in identifiers, with uppercase and
1841 lowercase equivalence.
1843 @item ISO 8859-15 (Latin-9)
1846 ISO 8859-15 (Latin-9) letters allowed in identifiers, with uppercase and
1847 lowercase equivalence
1849 @item IBM PC (code page 437)
1850 @cindex code page 437
1851 This code page is the normal default for PCs in the U.S. It corresponds
1852 to the original IBM PC character set. This set has some, but not all, of
1853 the extended Latin-1 letters, but these letters do not have the same
1854 encoding as Latin-1. In this mode, these letters are allowed in
1855 identifiers with uppercase and lowercase equivalence.
1857 @item IBM PC (code page 850)
1858 @cindex code page 850
1859 This code page is a modification of 437 extended to include all the
1860 Latin-1 letters, but still not with the usual Latin-1 encoding. In this
1861 mode, all these letters are allowed in identifiers with uppercase and
1862 lowercase equivalence.
1864 @item Full Upper 8-bit
1865 Any character in the range 80-FF allowed in identifiers, and all are
1866 considered distinct. In other words, there are no uppercase and lowercase
1867 equivalences in this range. This is useful in conjunction with
1868 certain encoding schemes used for some foreign character sets (e.g.,
1869 the typical method of representing Chinese characters on the PC).
1872 No upper-half characters in the range 80-FF are allowed in identifiers.
1873 This gives Ada 83 compatibility for identifier names.
1877 For precise data on the encodings permitted, and the uppercase and lowercase
1878 equivalences that are recognized, see the file @file{csets.adb} in
1879 the GNAT compiler sources. You will need to obtain a full source release
1880 of GNAT to obtain this file.
1882 @node Wide Character Encodings
1883 @subsection Wide Character Encodings
1886 GNAT allows wide character codes to appear in character and string
1887 literals, and also optionally in identifiers, by means of the following
1888 possible encoding schemes:
1893 In this encoding, a wide character is represented by the following five
1901 Where @code{a}, @code{b}, @code{c}, @code{d} are the four hexadecimal
1902 characters (using uppercase letters) of the wide character code. For
1903 example, ESC A345 is used to represent the wide character with code
1905 This scheme is compatible with use of the full Wide_Character set.
1907 @item Upper-Half Coding
1908 @cindex Upper-Half Coding
1909 The wide character with encoding @code{16#abcd#} where the upper bit is on
1910 (in other words, ``a'' is in the range 8-F) is represented as two bytes,
1911 @code{16#ab#} and @code{16#cd#}. The second byte cannot be a format control
1912 character, but is not required to be in the upper half. This method can
1913 be also used for shift-JIS or EUC, where the internal coding matches the
1916 @item Shift JIS Coding
1917 @cindex Shift JIS Coding
1918 A wide character is represented by a two-character sequence,
1920 @code{16#cd#}, with the restrictions described for upper-half encoding as
1921 described above. The internal character code is the corresponding JIS
1922 character according to the standard algorithm for Shift-JIS
1923 conversion. Only characters defined in the JIS code set table can be
1924 used with this encoding method.
1928 A wide character is represented by a two-character sequence
1930 @code{16#cd#}, with both characters being in the upper half. The internal
1931 character code is the corresponding JIS character according to the EUC
1932 encoding algorithm. Only characters defined in the JIS code set table
1933 can be used with this encoding method.
1936 A wide character is represented using
1937 UCS Transformation Format 8 (UTF-8) as defined in Annex R of ISO
1938 10646-1/Am.2. Depending on the character value, the representation
1939 is a one, two, or three byte sequence:
1944 16#0000#-16#007f#: 2#0@var{xxxxxxx}#
1945 16#0080#-16#07ff#: 2#110@var{xxxxx}# 2#10@var{xxxxxx}#
1946 16#0800#-16#ffff#: 2#1110@var{xxxx}# 2#10@var{xxxxxx}# 2#10@var{xxxxxx}#
1951 where the @var{xxx} bits correspond to the left-padded bits of the
1952 16-bit character value. Note that all lower half ASCII characters
1953 are represented as ASCII bytes and all upper half characters and
1954 other wide characters are represented as sequences of upper-half
1955 (The full UTF-8 scheme allows for encoding 31-bit characters as
1956 6-byte sequences, but in this implementation, all UTF-8 sequences
1957 of four or more bytes length will be treated as illegal).
1958 @item Brackets Coding
1959 In this encoding, a wide character is represented by the following eight
1967 Where @code{a}, @code{b}, @code{c}, @code{d} are the four hexadecimal
1968 characters (using uppercase letters) of the wide character code. For
1969 example, [``A345''] is used to represent the wide character with code
1970 @code{16#A345#}. It is also possible (though not required) to use the
1971 Brackets coding for upper half characters. For example, the code
1972 @code{16#A3#} can be represented as @code{[``A3'']}.
1974 This scheme is compatible with use of the full Wide_Character set,
1975 and is also the method used for wide character encoding in the standard
1976 ACVC (Ada Compiler Validation Capability) test suite distributions.
1981 Note: Some of these coding schemes do not permit the full use of the
1982 Ada character set. For example, neither Shift JIS, nor EUC allow the
1983 use of the upper half of the Latin-1 set.
1985 @node File Naming Rules
1986 @section File Naming Rules
1989 The default file name is determined by the name of the unit that the
1990 file contains. The name is formed by taking the full expanded name of
1991 the unit and replacing the separating dots with hyphens and using
1992 ^lowercase^uppercase^ for all letters.
1994 An exception arises if the file name generated by the above rules starts
1995 with one of the characters
1997 @samp{A}, @samp{G}, @samp{I}, or @samp{S},
2000 @samp{a}, @samp{g}, @samp{i}, or @samp{s},
2002 and the second character is a
2003 minus. In this case, the character ^tilde^dollar sign^ is used in place
2004 of the minus. The reason for this special rule is to avoid clashes with
2005 the standard names for child units of the packages System, Ada,
2006 Interfaces, and GNAT, which use the prefixes
2008 @samp{S-}, @samp{A-}, @samp{I-}, and @samp{G-},
2011 @samp{s-}, @samp{a-}, @samp{i-}, and @samp{g-},
2015 The file extension is @file{.ads} for a spec and
2016 @file{.adb} for a body. The following list shows some
2017 examples of these rules.
2024 @item arith_functions.ads
2025 Arith_Functions (package spec)
2026 @item arith_functions.adb
2027 Arith_Functions (package body)
2029 Func.Spec (child package spec)
2031 Func.Spec (child package body)
2033 Sub (subunit of Main)
2034 @item ^a~bad.adb^A$BAD.ADB^
2035 A.Bad (child package body)
2039 Following these rules can result in excessively long
2040 file names if corresponding
2041 unit names are long (for example, if child units or subunits are
2042 heavily nested). An option is available to shorten such long file names
2043 (called file name ``krunching''). This may be particularly useful when
2044 programs being developed with GNAT are to be used on operating systems
2045 with limited file name lengths. @xref{Using gnatkr}.
2047 Of course, no file shortening algorithm can guarantee uniqueness over
2048 all possible unit names; if file name krunching is used, it is your
2049 responsibility to ensure no name clashes occur. Alternatively you
2050 can specify the exact file names that you want used, as described
2051 in the next section. Finally, if your Ada programs are migrating from a
2052 compiler with a different naming convention, you can use the gnatchop
2053 utility to produce source files that follow the GNAT naming conventions.
2054 (For details @pxref{Renaming Files Using gnatchop}.)
2056 Note: in the case of @code{Windows NT/XP} or @code{OpenVMS} operating
2057 systems, case is not significant. So for example on @code{Windows XP}
2058 if the canonical name is @code{main-sub.adb}, you can use the file name
2059 @code{Main-Sub.adb} instead. However, case is significant for other
2060 operating systems, so for example, if you want to use other than
2061 canonically cased file names on a Unix system, you need to follow
2062 the procedures described in the next section.
2064 @node Using Other File Names
2065 @section Using Other File Names
2069 In the previous section, we have described the default rules used by
2070 GNAT to determine the file name in which a given unit resides. It is
2071 often convenient to follow these default rules, and if you follow them,
2072 the compiler knows without being explicitly told where to find all
2075 However, in some cases, particularly when a program is imported from
2076 another Ada compiler environment, it may be more convenient for the
2077 programmer to specify which file names contain which units. GNAT allows
2078 arbitrary file names to be used by means of the Source_File_Name pragma.
2079 The form of this pragma is as shown in the following examples:
2080 @cindex Source_File_Name pragma
2082 @smallexample @c ada
2084 pragma Source_File_Name (My_Utilities.Stacks,
2085 Spec_File_Name => "myutilst_a.ada");
2086 pragma Source_File_name (My_Utilities.Stacks,
2087 Body_File_Name => "myutilst.ada");
2092 As shown in this example, the first argument for the pragma is the unit
2093 name (in this example a child unit). The second argument has the form
2094 of a named association. The identifier
2095 indicates whether the file name is for a spec or a body;
2096 the file name itself is given by a string literal.
2098 The source file name pragma is a configuration pragma, which means that
2099 normally it will be placed in the @file{gnat.adc}
2100 file used to hold configuration
2101 pragmas that apply to a complete compilation environment.
2102 For more details on how the @file{gnat.adc} file is created and used
2103 see @ref{Handling of Configuration Pragmas}.
2104 @cindex @file{gnat.adc}
2107 GNAT allows completely arbitrary file names to be specified using the
2108 source file name pragma. However, if the file name specified has an
2109 extension other than @file{.ads} or @file{.adb} it is necessary to use
2110 a special syntax when compiling the file. The name in this case must be
2111 preceded by the special sequence @option{-x} followed by a space and the name
2112 of the language, here @code{ada}, as in:
2115 $ gcc -c -x ada peculiar_file_name.sim
2120 @command{gnatmake} handles non-standard file names in the usual manner (the
2121 non-standard file name for the main program is simply used as the
2122 argument to gnatmake). Note that if the extension is also non-standard,
2123 then it must be included in the @command{gnatmake} command, it may not
2126 @node Alternative File Naming Schemes
2127 @section Alternative File Naming Schemes
2128 @cindex File naming schemes, alternative
2131 In the previous section, we described the use of the @code{Source_File_Name}
2132 pragma to allow arbitrary names to be assigned to individual source files.
2133 However, this approach requires one pragma for each file, and especially in
2134 large systems can result in very long @file{gnat.adc} files, and also create
2135 a maintenance problem.
2137 GNAT also provides a facility for specifying systematic file naming schemes
2138 other than the standard default naming scheme previously described. An
2139 alternative scheme for naming is specified by the use of
2140 @code{Source_File_Name} pragmas having the following format:
2141 @cindex Source_File_Name pragma
2143 @smallexample @c ada
2144 pragma Source_File_Name (
2145 Spec_File_Name => FILE_NAME_PATTERN
2146 @r{[},Casing => CASING_SPEC@r{]}
2147 @r{[},Dot_Replacement => STRING_LITERAL@r{]});
2149 pragma Source_File_Name (
2150 Body_File_Name => FILE_NAME_PATTERN
2151 @r{[},Casing => CASING_SPEC@r{]}
2152 @r{[},Dot_Replacement => STRING_LITERAL@r{]});
2154 pragma Source_File_Name (
2155 Subunit_File_Name => FILE_NAME_PATTERN
2156 @r{[},Casing => CASING_SPEC@r{]}
2157 @r{[},Dot_Replacement => STRING_LITERAL@r{]});
2159 FILE_NAME_PATTERN ::= STRING_LITERAL
2160 CASING_SPEC ::= Lowercase | Uppercase | Mixedcase
2164 The @code{FILE_NAME_PATTERN} string shows how the file name is constructed.
2165 It contains a single asterisk character, and the unit name is substituted
2166 systematically for this asterisk. The optional parameter
2167 @code{Casing} indicates
2168 whether the unit name is to be all upper-case letters, all lower-case letters,
2169 or mixed-case. If no
2170 @code{Casing} parameter is used, then the default is all
2171 ^lower-case^upper-case^.
2173 The optional @code{Dot_Replacement} string is used to replace any periods
2174 that occur in subunit or child unit names. If no @code{Dot_Replacement}
2175 argument is used then separating dots appear unchanged in the resulting
2177 Although the above syntax indicates that the
2178 @code{Casing} argument must appear
2179 before the @code{Dot_Replacement} argument, but it
2180 is also permissible to write these arguments in the opposite order.
2182 As indicated, it is possible to specify different naming schemes for
2183 bodies, specs, and subunits. Quite often the rule for subunits is the
2184 same as the rule for bodies, in which case, there is no need to give
2185 a separate @code{Subunit_File_Name} rule, and in this case the
2186 @code{Body_File_name} rule is used for subunits as well.
2188 The separate rule for subunits can also be used to implement the rather
2189 unusual case of a compilation environment (e.g.@: a single directory) which
2190 contains a subunit and a child unit with the same unit name. Although
2191 both units cannot appear in the same partition, the Ada Reference Manual
2192 allows (but does not require) the possibility of the two units coexisting
2193 in the same environment.
2195 The file name translation works in the following steps:
2200 If there is a specific @code{Source_File_Name} pragma for the given unit,
2201 then this is always used, and any general pattern rules are ignored.
2204 If there is a pattern type @code{Source_File_Name} pragma that applies to
2205 the unit, then the resulting file name will be used if the file exists. If
2206 more than one pattern matches, the latest one will be tried first, and the
2207 first attempt resulting in a reference to a file that exists will be used.
2210 If no pattern type @code{Source_File_Name} pragma that applies to the unit
2211 for which the corresponding file exists, then the standard GNAT default
2212 naming rules are used.
2217 As an example of the use of this mechanism, consider a commonly used scheme
2218 in which file names are all lower case, with separating periods copied
2219 unchanged to the resulting file name, and specs end with @file{.1.ada}, and
2220 bodies end with @file{.2.ada}. GNAT will follow this scheme if the following
2223 @smallexample @c ada
2224 pragma Source_File_Name
2225 (Spec_File_Name => "*.1.ada");
2226 pragma Source_File_Name
2227 (Body_File_Name => "*.2.ada");
2231 The default GNAT scheme is actually implemented by providing the following
2232 default pragmas internally:
2234 @smallexample @c ada
2235 pragma Source_File_Name
2236 (Spec_File_Name => "*.ads", Dot_Replacement => "-");
2237 pragma Source_File_Name
2238 (Body_File_Name => "*.adb", Dot_Replacement => "-");
2242 Our final example implements a scheme typically used with one of the
2243 Ada 83 compilers, where the separator character for subunits was ``__''
2244 (two underscores), specs were identified by adding @file{_.ADA}, bodies
2245 by adding @file{.ADA}, and subunits by
2246 adding @file{.SEP}. All file names were
2247 upper case. Child units were not present of course since this was an
2248 Ada 83 compiler, but it seems reasonable to extend this scheme to use
2249 the same double underscore separator for child units.
2251 @smallexample @c ada
2252 pragma Source_File_Name
2253 (Spec_File_Name => "*_.ADA",
2254 Dot_Replacement => "__",
2255 Casing = Uppercase);
2256 pragma Source_File_Name
2257 (Body_File_Name => "*.ADA",
2258 Dot_Replacement => "__",
2259 Casing = Uppercase);
2260 pragma Source_File_Name
2261 (Subunit_File_Name => "*.SEP",
2262 Dot_Replacement => "__",
2263 Casing = Uppercase);
2266 @node Generating Object Files
2267 @section Generating Object Files
2270 An Ada program consists of a set of source files, and the first step in
2271 compiling the program is to generate the corresponding object files.
2272 These are generated by compiling a subset of these source files.
2273 The files you need to compile are the following:
2277 If a package spec has no body, compile the package spec to produce the
2278 object file for the package.
2281 If a package has both a spec and a body, compile the body to produce the
2282 object file for the package. The source file for the package spec need
2283 not be compiled in this case because there is only one object file, which
2284 contains the code for both the spec and body of the package.
2287 For a subprogram, compile the subprogram body to produce the object file
2288 for the subprogram. The spec, if one is present, is as usual in a
2289 separate file, and need not be compiled.
2293 In the case of subunits, only compile the parent unit. A single object
2294 file is generated for the entire subunit tree, which includes all the
2298 Compile child units independently of their parent units
2299 (though, of course, the spec of all the ancestor unit must be present in order
2300 to compile a child unit).
2304 Compile generic units in the same manner as any other units. The object
2305 files in this case are small dummy files that contain at most the
2306 flag used for elaboration checking. This is because GNAT always handles generic
2307 instantiation by means of macro expansion. However, it is still necessary to
2308 compile generic units, for dependency checking and elaboration purposes.
2312 The preceding rules describe the set of files that must be compiled to
2313 generate the object files for a program. Each object file has the same
2314 name as the corresponding source file, except that the extension is
2317 You may wish to compile other files for the purpose of checking their
2318 syntactic and semantic correctness. For example, in the case where a
2319 package has a separate spec and body, you would not normally compile the
2320 spec. However, it is convenient in practice to compile the spec to make
2321 sure it is error-free before compiling clients of this spec, because such
2322 compilations will fail if there is an error in the spec.
2324 GNAT provides an option for compiling such files purely for the
2325 purposes of checking correctness; such compilations are not required as
2326 part of the process of building a program. To compile a file in this
2327 checking mode, use the @option{-gnatc} switch.
2329 @node Source Dependencies
2330 @section Source Dependencies
2333 A given object file clearly depends on the source file which is compiled
2334 to produce it. Here we are using @dfn{depends} in the sense of a typical
2335 @code{make} utility; in other words, an object file depends on a source
2336 file if changes to the source file require the object file to be
2338 In addition to this basic dependency, a given object may depend on
2339 additional source files as follows:
2343 If a file being compiled @code{with}'s a unit @var{X}, the object file
2344 depends on the file containing the spec of unit @var{X}. This includes
2345 files that are @code{with}'ed implicitly either because they are parents
2346 of @code{with}'ed child units or they are run-time units required by the
2347 language constructs used in a particular unit.
2350 If a file being compiled instantiates a library level generic unit, the
2351 object file depends on both the spec and body files for this generic
2355 If a file being compiled instantiates a generic unit defined within a
2356 package, the object file depends on the body file for the package as
2357 well as the spec file.
2361 @cindex @option{-gnatn} switch
2362 If a file being compiled contains a call to a subprogram for which
2363 pragma @code{Inline} applies and inlining is activated with the
2364 @option{-gnatn} switch, the object file depends on the file containing the
2365 body of this subprogram as well as on the file containing the spec. Note
2366 that for inlining to actually occur as a result of the use of this switch,
2367 it is necessary to compile in optimizing mode.
2369 @cindex @option{-gnatN} switch
2370 The use of @option{-gnatN} activates inlining optimization
2371 that is performed by the front end of the compiler. This inlining does
2372 not require that the code generation be optimized. Like @option{-gnatn},
2373 the use of this switch generates additional dependencies.
2375 When using a gcc-based back end (in practice this means using any version
2376 of GNAT other than the JGNAT, .NET or GNAAMP versions), then the use of
2377 @option{-gnatN} is deprecated, and the use of @option{-gnatn} is preferred.
2378 Historically front end inlining was more extensive than the gcc back end
2379 inlining, but that is no longer the case.
2382 If an object file @file{O} depends on the proper body of a subunit through
2383 inlining or instantiation, it depends on the parent unit of the subunit.
2384 This means that any modification of the parent unit or one of its subunits
2385 affects the compilation of @file{O}.
2388 The object file for a parent unit depends on all its subunit body files.
2391 The previous two rules meant that for purposes of computing dependencies and
2392 recompilation, a body and all its subunits are treated as an indivisible whole.
2395 These rules are applied transitively: if unit @code{A} @code{with}'s
2396 unit @code{B}, whose elaboration calls an inlined procedure in package
2397 @code{C}, the object file for unit @code{A} will depend on the body of
2398 @code{C}, in file @file{c.adb}.
2400 The set of dependent files described by these rules includes all the
2401 files on which the unit is semantically dependent, as dictated by the
2402 Ada language standard. However, it is a superset of what the
2403 standard describes, because it includes generic, inline, and subunit
2406 An object file must be recreated by recompiling the corresponding source
2407 file if any of the source files on which it depends are modified. For
2408 example, if the @code{make} utility is used to control compilation,
2409 the rule for an Ada object file must mention all the source files on
2410 which the object file depends, according to the above definition.
2411 The determination of the necessary
2412 recompilations is done automatically when one uses @command{gnatmake}.
2415 @node The Ada Library Information Files
2416 @section The Ada Library Information Files
2417 @cindex Ada Library Information files
2418 @cindex @file{ALI} files
2421 Each compilation actually generates two output files. The first of these
2422 is the normal object file that has a @file{.o} extension. The second is a
2423 text file containing full dependency information. It has the same
2424 name as the source file, but an @file{.ali} extension.
2425 This file is known as the Ada Library Information (@file{ALI}) file.
2426 The following information is contained in the @file{ALI} file.
2430 Version information (indicates which version of GNAT was used to compile
2431 the unit(s) in question)
2434 Main program information (including priority and time slice settings,
2435 as well as the wide character encoding used during compilation).
2438 List of arguments used in the @command{gcc} command for the compilation
2441 Attributes of the unit, including configuration pragmas used, an indication
2442 of whether the compilation was successful, exception model used etc.
2445 A list of relevant restrictions applying to the unit (used for consistency)
2449 Categorization information (e.g.@: use of pragma @code{Pure}).
2452 Information on all @code{with}'ed units, including presence of
2453 @code{Elaborate} or @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas.
2456 Information from any @code{Linker_Options} pragmas used in the unit
2459 Information on the use of @code{Body_Version} or @code{Version}
2460 attributes in the unit.
2463 Dependency information. This is a list of files, together with
2464 time stamp and checksum information. These are files on which
2465 the unit depends in the sense that recompilation is required
2466 if any of these units are modified.
2469 Cross-reference data. Contains information on all entities referenced
2470 in the unit. Used by tools like @code{gnatxref} and @code{gnatfind} to
2471 provide cross-reference information.
2476 For a full detailed description of the format of the @file{ALI} file,
2477 see the source of the body of unit @code{Lib.Writ}, contained in file
2478 @file{lib-writ.adb} in the GNAT compiler sources.
2480 @node Binding an Ada Program
2481 @section Binding an Ada Program
2484 When using languages such as C and C++, once the source files have been
2485 compiled the only remaining step in building an executable program
2486 is linking the object modules together. This means that it is possible to
2487 link an inconsistent version of a program, in which two units have
2488 included different versions of the same header.
2490 The rules of Ada do not permit such an inconsistent program to be built.
2491 For example, if two clients have different versions of the same package,
2492 it is illegal to build a program containing these two clients.
2493 These rules are enforced by the GNAT binder, which also determines an
2494 elaboration order consistent with the Ada rules.
2496 The GNAT binder is run after all the object files for a program have
2497 been created. It is given the name of the main program unit, and from
2498 this it determines the set of units required by the program, by reading the
2499 corresponding ALI files. It generates error messages if the program is
2500 inconsistent or if no valid order of elaboration exists.
2502 If no errors are detected, the binder produces a main program, in Ada by
2503 default, that contains calls to the elaboration procedures of those
2504 compilation unit that require them, followed by
2505 a call to the main program. This Ada program is compiled to generate the
2506 object file for the main program. The name of
2507 the Ada file is @file{b~@var{xxx}.adb} (with the corresponding spec
2508 @file{b~@var{xxx}.ads}) where @var{xxx} is the name of the
2511 Finally, the linker is used to build the resulting executable program,
2512 using the object from the main program from the bind step as well as the
2513 object files for the Ada units of the program.
2515 @node Mixed Language Programming
2516 @section Mixed Language Programming
2517 @cindex Mixed Language Programming
2520 This section describes how to develop a mixed-language program,
2521 specifically one that comprises units in both Ada and C.
2524 * Interfacing to C::
2525 * Calling Conventions::
2528 @node Interfacing to C
2529 @subsection Interfacing to C
2531 Interfacing Ada with a foreign language such as C involves using
2532 compiler directives to import and/or export entity definitions in each
2533 language---using @code{extern} statements in C, for instance, and the
2534 @code{Import}, @code{Export}, and @code{Convention} pragmas in Ada.
2535 A full treatment of these topics is provided in Appendix B, section 1
2536 of the Ada Reference Manual.
2538 There are two ways to build a program using GNAT that contains some Ada
2539 sources and some foreign language sources, depending on whether or not
2540 the main subprogram is written in Ada. Here is a source example with
2541 the main subprogram in Ada:
2547 void print_num (int num)
2549 printf ("num is %d.\n", num);
2555 /* num_from_Ada is declared in my_main.adb */
2556 extern int num_from_Ada;
2560 return num_from_Ada;
2564 @smallexample @c ada
2566 procedure My_Main is
2568 -- Declare then export an Integer entity called num_from_Ada
2569 My_Num : Integer := 10;
2570 pragma Export (C, My_Num, "num_from_Ada");
2572 -- Declare an Ada function spec for Get_Num, then use
2573 -- C function get_num for the implementation.
2574 function Get_Num return Integer;
2575 pragma Import (C, Get_Num, "get_num");
2577 -- Declare an Ada procedure spec for Print_Num, then use
2578 -- C function print_num for the implementation.
2579 procedure Print_Num (Num : Integer);
2580 pragma Import (C, Print_Num, "print_num");
2583 Print_Num (Get_Num);
2589 To build this example, first compile the foreign language files to
2590 generate object files:
2592 ^gcc -c file1.c^gcc -c FILE1.C^
2593 ^gcc -c file2.c^gcc -c FILE2.C^
2597 Then, compile the Ada units to produce a set of object files and ALI
2600 gnatmake ^-c^/ACTIONS=COMPILE^ my_main.adb
2604 Run the Ada binder on the Ada main program:
2606 gnatbind my_main.ali
2610 Link the Ada main program, the Ada objects and the other language
2613 gnatlink my_main.ali file1.o file2.o
2617 The last three steps can be grouped in a single command:
2619 gnatmake my_main.adb -largs file1.o file2.o
2622 @cindex Binder output file
2624 If the main program is in a language other than Ada, then you may have
2625 more than one entry point into the Ada subsystem. You must use a special
2626 binder option to generate callable routines that initialize and
2627 finalize the Ada units (@pxref{Binding with Non-Ada Main Programs}).
2628 Calls to the initialization and finalization routines must be inserted
2629 in the main program, or some other appropriate point in the code. The
2630 call to initialize the Ada units must occur before the first Ada
2631 subprogram is called, and the call to finalize the Ada units must occur
2632 after the last Ada subprogram returns. The binder will place the
2633 initialization and finalization subprograms into the
2634 @file{b~@var{xxx}.adb} file where they can be accessed by your C
2635 sources. To illustrate, we have the following example:
2639 extern void adainit (void);
2640 extern void adafinal (void);
2641 extern int add (int, int);
2642 extern int sub (int, int);
2644 int main (int argc, char *argv[])
2650 /* Should print "21 + 7 = 28" */
2651 printf ("%d + %d = %d\n", a, b, add (a, b));
2652 /* Should print "21 - 7 = 14" */
2653 printf ("%d - %d = %d\n", a, b, sub (a, b));
2659 @smallexample @c ada
2662 function Add (A, B : Integer) return Integer;
2663 pragma Export (C, Add, "add");
2667 package body Unit1 is
2668 function Add (A, B : Integer) return Integer is
2676 function Sub (A, B : Integer) return Integer;
2677 pragma Export (C, Sub, "sub");
2681 package body Unit2 is
2682 function Sub (A, B : Integer) return Integer is
2691 The build procedure for this application is similar to the last
2692 example's. First, compile the foreign language files to generate object
2695 ^gcc -c main.c^gcc -c main.c^
2699 Next, compile the Ada units to produce a set of object files and ALI
2702 gnatmake ^-c^/ACTIONS=COMPILE^ unit1.adb
2703 gnatmake ^-c^/ACTIONS=COMPILE^ unit2.adb
2707 Run the Ada binder on every generated ALI file. Make sure to use the
2708 @option{-n} option to specify a foreign main program:
2710 gnatbind ^-n^/NOMAIN^ unit1.ali unit2.ali
2714 Link the Ada main program, the Ada objects and the foreign language
2715 objects. You need only list the last ALI file here:
2717 gnatlink unit2.ali main.o -o exec_file
2720 This procedure yields a binary executable called @file{exec_file}.
2724 Depending on the circumstances (for example when your non-Ada main object
2725 does not provide symbol @code{main}), you may also need to instruct the
2726 GNAT linker not to include the standard startup objects by passing the
2727 @option{^-nostartfiles^/NOSTART_FILES^} switch to @command{gnatlink}.
2729 @node Calling Conventions
2730 @subsection Calling Conventions
2731 @cindex Foreign Languages
2732 @cindex Calling Conventions
2733 GNAT follows standard calling sequence conventions and will thus interface
2734 to any other language that also follows these conventions. The following
2735 Convention identifiers are recognized by GNAT:
2738 @cindex Interfacing to Ada
2739 @cindex Other Ada compilers
2740 @cindex Convention Ada
2742 This indicates that the standard Ada calling sequence will be
2743 used and all Ada data items may be passed without any limitations in the
2744 case where GNAT is used to generate both the caller and callee. It is also
2745 possible to mix GNAT generated code and code generated by another Ada
2746 compiler. In this case, the data types should be restricted to simple
2747 cases, including primitive types. Whether complex data types can be passed
2748 depends on the situation. Probably it is safe to pass simple arrays, such
2749 as arrays of integers or floats. Records may or may not work, depending
2750 on whether both compilers lay them out identically. Complex structures
2751 involving variant records, access parameters, tasks, or protected types,
2752 are unlikely to be able to be passed.
2754 Note that in the case of GNAT running
2755 on a platform that supports HP Ada 83, a higher degree of compatibility
2756 can be guaranteed, and in particular records are layed out in an identical
2757 manner in the two compilers. Note also that if output from two different
2758 compilers is mixed, the program is responsible for dealing with elaboration
2759 issues. Probably the safest approach is to write the main program in the
2760 version of Ada other than GNAT, so that it takes care of its own elaboration
2761 requirements, and then call the GNAT-generated adainit procedure to ensure
2762 elaboration of the GNAT components. Consult the documentation of the other
2763 Ada compiler for further details on elaboration.
2765 However, it is not possible to mix the tasking run time of GNAT and
2766 HP Ada 83, All the tasking operations must either be entirely within
2767 GNAT compiled sections of the program, or entirely within HP Ada 83
2768 compiled sections of the program.
2770 @cindex Interfacing to Assembly
2771 @cindex Convention Assembler
2773 Specifies assembler as the convention. In practice this has the
2774 same effect as convention Ada (but is not equivalent in the sense of being
2775 considered the same convention).
2777 @cindex Convention Asm
2780 Equivalent to Assembler.
2782 @cindex Interfacing to COBOL
2783 @cindex Convention COBOL
2786 Data will be passed according to the conventions described
2787 in section B.4 of the Ada Reference Manual.
2790 @cindex Interfacing to C
2791 @cindex Convention C
2793 Data will be passed according to the conventions described
2794 in section B.3 of the Ada Reference Manual.
2796 A note on interfacing to a C ``varargs'' function:
2797 @findex C varargs function
2798 @cindex Interfacing to C varargs function
2799 @cindex varargs function interfaces
2803 In C, @code{varargs} allows a function to take a variable number of
2804 arguments. There is no direct equivalent in this to Ada. One
2805 approach that can be used is to create a C wrapper for each
2806 different profile and then interface to this C wrapper. For
2807 example, to print an @code{int} value using @code{printf},
2808 create a C function @code{printfi} that takes two arguments, a
2809 pointer to a string and an int, and calls @code{printf}.
2810 Then in the Ada program, use pragma @code{Import} to
2811 interface to @code{printfi}.
2814 It may work on some platforms to directly interface to
2815 a @code{varargs} function by providing a specific Ada profile
2816 for a particular call. However, this does not work on
2817 all platforms, since there is no guarantee that the
2818 calling sequence for a two argument normal C function
2819 is the same as for calling a @code{varargs} C function with
2820 the same two arguments.
2823 @cindex Convention Default
2828 @cindex Convention External
2835 @cindex Interfacing to C++
2836 @cindex Convention C++
2837 @item C_Plus_Plus (or CPP)
2838 This stands for C++. For most purposes this is identical to C.
2839 See the separate description of the specialized GNAT pragmas relating to
2840 C++ interfacing for further details.
2844 @cindex Interfacing to Fortran
2845 @cindex Convention Fortran
2847 Data will be passed according to the conventions described
2848 in section B.5 of the Ada Reference Manual.
2851 This applies to an intrinsic operation, as defined in the Ada
2852 Reference Manual. If a pragma Import (Intrinsic) applies to a subprogram,
2853 this means that the body of the subprogram is provided by the compiler itself,
2854 usually by means of an efficient code sequence, and that the user does not
2855 supply an explicit body for it. In an application program, the pragma may
2856 be applied to the following sets of names:
2860 Rotate_Left, Rotate_Right, Shift_Left, Shift_Right,
2861 Shift_Right_Arithmetic. The corresponding subprogram declaration must have
2862 two formal parameters. The
2863 first one must be a signed integer type or a modular type with a binary
2864 modulus, and the second parameter must be of type Natural.
2865 The return type must be the same as the type of the first argument. The size
2866 of this type can only be 8, 16, 32, or 64.
2869 Binary arithmetic operators: ``+'', ``-'', ``*'', ``/''
2870 The corresponding operator declaration must have parameters and result type
2871 that have the same root numeric type (for example, all three are long_float
2872 types). This simplifies the definition of operations that use type checking
2873 to perform dimensional checks:
2875 @smallexample @c ada
2876 type Distance is new Long_Float;
2877 type Time is new Long_Float;
2878 type Velocity is new Long_Float;
2879 function "/" (D : Distance; T : Time)
2881 pragma Import (Intrinsic, "/");
2885 This common idiom is often programmed with a generic definition and an
2886 explicit body. The pragma makes it simpler to introduce such declarations.
2887 It incurs no overhead in compilation time or code size, because it is
2888 implemented as a single machine instruction.
2891 General subprogram entities, to bind an Ada subprogram declaration to
2892 a compiler builtin by name with back-ends where such interfaces are
2893 available. A typical example is the set of ``__builtin'' functions
2894 exposed by the GCC back-end, as in the following example:
2896 @smallexample @c ada
2897 function builtin_sqrt (F : Float) return Float;
2898 pragma Import (Intrinsic, builtin_sqrt, "__builtin_sqrtf");
2901 Most of the GCC builtins are accessible this way, and as for other
2902 import conventions (e.g. C), it is the user's responsibility to ensure
2903 that the Ada subprogram profile matches the underlying builtin
2911 @cindex Convention Stdcall
2913 This is relevant only to Windows XP/2000/NT implementations of GNAT,
2914 and specifies that the @code{Stdcall} calling sequence will be used,
2915 as defined by the NT API. Nevertheless, to ease building
2916 cross-platform bindings this convention will be handled as a @code{C} calling
2917 convention on non-Windows platforms.
2920 @cindex Convention DLL
2922 This is equivalent to @code{Stdcall}.
2925 @cindex Convention Win32
2927 This is equivalent to @code{Stdcall}.
2931 @cindex Convention Stubbed
2933 This is a special convention that indicates that the compiler
2934 should provide a stub body that raises @code{Program_Error}.
2938 GNAT additionally provides a useful pragma @code{Convention_Identifier}
2939 that can be used to parametrize conventions and allow additional synonyms
2940 to be specified. For example if you have legacy code in which the convention
2941 identifier Fortran77 was used for Fortran, you can use the configuration
2944 @smallexample @c ada
2945 pragma Convention_Identifier (Fortran77, Fortran);
2949 And from now on the identifier Fortran77 may be used as a convention
2950 identifier (for example in an @code{Import} pragma) with the same
2954 @node Building Mixed Ada & C++ Programs
2955 @section Building Mixed Ada and C++ Programs
2958 A programmer inexperienced with mixed-language development may find that
2959 building an application containing both Ada and C++ code can be a
2960 challenge. This section gives a few
2961 hints that should make this task easier. The first section addresses
2962 the differences between interfacing with C and interfacing with C++.
2964 looks into the delicate problem of linking the complete application from
2965 its Ada and C++ parts. The last section gives some hints on how the GNAT
2966 run-time library can be adapted in order to allow inter-language dispatching
2967 with a new C++ compiler.
2970 * Interfacing to C++::
2971 * Linking a Mixed C++ & Ada Program::
2972 * A Simple Example::
2973 * Interfacing with C++ constructors::
2974 * Interfacing with C++ at the Class Level::
2977 @node Interfacing to C++
2978 @subsection Interfacing to C++
2981 GNAT supports interfacing with the G++ compiler (or any C++ compiler
2982 generating code that is compatible with the G++ Application Binary
2983 Interface ---see http://www.codesourcery.com/archives/cxx-abi).
2986 Interfacing can be done at 3 levels: simple data, subprograms, and
2987 classes. In the first two cases, GNAT offers a specific @code{Convention
2988 C_Plus_Plus} (or @code{CPP}) that behaves exactly like @code{Convention C}.
2989 Usually, C++ mangles the names of subprograms. To generate proper mangled
2990 names automatically, see @ref{Generating Ada Bindings for C and C++ headers}).
2991 This problem can also be addressed manually in two ways:
2995 by modifying the C++ code in order to force a C convention using
2996 the @code{extern "C"} syntax.
2999 by figuring out the mangled name (using e.g. @command{nm}) and using it as the
3000 Link_Name argument of the pragma import.
3004 Interfacing at the class level can be achieved by using the GNAT specific
3005 pragmas such as @code{CPP_Constructor}. @xref{Interfacing to C++,,,
3006 gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}, for additional information.
3008 @node Linking a Mixed C++ & Ada Program
3009 @subsection Linking a Mixed C++ & Ada Program
3012 Usually the linker of the C++ development system must be used to link
3013 mixed applications because most C++ systems will resolve elaboration
3014 issues (such as calling constructors on global class instances)
3015 transparently during the link phase. GNAT has been adapted to ease the
3016 use of a foreign linker for the last phase. Three cases can be
3021 Using GNAT and G++ (GNU C++ compiler) from the same GCC installation:
3022 The C++ linker can simply be called by using the C++ specific driver
3025 Note that if the C++ code uses inline functions, you will need to
3026 compile your C++ code with the @code{-fkeep-inline-functions} switch in
3027 order to provide an existing function implementation that the Ada code can
3031 $ g++ -c -fkeep-inline-functions file1.C
3032 $ g++ -c -fkeep-inline-functions file2.C
3033 $ gnatmake ada_unit -largs file1.o file2.o --LINK=g++
3037 Using GNAT and G++ from two different GCC installations: If both
3038 compilers are on the @env{PATH}, the previous method may be used. It is
3039 important to note that environment variables such as
3040 @env{C_INCLUDE_PATH}, @env{GCC_EXEC_PREFIX}, @env{BINUTILS_ROOT}, and
3041 @env{GCC_ROOT} will affect both compilers
3042 at the same time and may make one of the two compilers operate
3043 improperly if set during invocation of the wrong compiler. It is also
3044 very important that the linker uses the proper @file{libgcc.a} GCC
3045 library -- that is, the one from the C++ compiler installation. The
3046 implicit link command as suggested in the @command{gnatmake} command
3047 from the former example can be replaced by an explicit link command with
3048 the full-verbosity option in order to verify which library is used:
3051 $ gnatlink -v -v ada_unit file1.o file2.o --LINK=c++
3053 If there is a problem due to interfering environment variables, it can
3054 be worked around by using an intermediate script. The following example
3055 shows the proper script to use when GNAT has not been installed at its
3056 default location and g++ has been installed at its default location:
3064 $ gnatlink -v -v ada_unit file1.o file2.o --LINK=./my_script
3068 Using a non-GNU C++ compiler: The commands previously described can be
3069 used to insure that the C++ linker is used. Nonetheless, you need to add
3070 a few more parameters to the link command line, depending on the exception
3073 If the @code{setjmp/longjmp} exception mechanism is used, only the paths
3074 to the libgcc libraries are required:
3079 CC $* `gcc -print-file-name=libgcc.a` `gcc -print-file-name=libgcc_eh.a`
3080 $ gnatlink ada_unit file1.o file2.o --LINK=./my_script
3083 Where CC is the name of the non-GNU C++ compiler.
3085 If the @code{zero cost} exception mechanism is used, and the platform
3086 supports automatic registration of exception tables (e.g.@: Solaris or IRIX),
3087 paths to more objects are required:
3092 CC `gcc -print-file-name=crtbegin.o` $* \
3093 `gcc -print-file-name=libgcc.a` `gcc -print-file-name=libgcc_eh.a` \
3094 `gcc -print-file-name=crtend.o`
3095 $ gnatlink ada_unit file1.o file2.o --LINK=./my_script
3098 If the @code{zero cost} exception mechanism is used, and the platform
3099 doesn't support automatic registration of exception tables (e.g.@: HP-UX,
3100 Tru64 or AIX), the simple approach described above will not work and
3101 a pre-linking phase using GNAT will be necessary.
3105 Another alternative is to use the @command{gprbuild} multi-language builder
3106 which has a large knowledge base and knows how to link Ada and C++ code
3107 together automatically in most cases.
3109 @node A Simple Example
3110 @subsection A Simple Example
3112 The following example, provided as part of the GNAT examples, shows how
3113 to achieve procedural interfacing between Ada and C++ in both
3114 directions. The C++ class A has two methods. The first method is exported
3115 to Ada by the means of an extern C wrapper function. The second method
3116 calls an Ada subprogram. On the Ada side, The C++ calls are modelled by
3117 a limited record with a layout comparable to the C++ class. The Ada
3118 subprogram, in turn, calls the C++ method. So, starting from the C++
3119 main program, the process passes back and forth between the two
3123 Here are the compilation commands:
3125 $ gnatmake -c simple_cpp_interface
3128 $ gnatbind -n simple_cpp_interface
3129 $ gnatlink simple_cpp_interface -o cpp_main --LINK=g++
3130 -lstdc++ ex7.o cpp_main.o
3134 Here are the corresponding sources:
3142 void adainit (void);
3143 void adafinal (void);
3144 void method1 (A *t);
3166 class A : public Origin @{
3168 void method1 (void);
3169 void method2 (int v);
3179 extern "C" @{ void ada_method2 (A *t, int v);@}
3181 void A::method1 (void)
3184 printf ("in A::method1, a_value = %d \n",a_value);
3188 void A::method2 (int v)
3190 ada_method2 (this, v);
3191 printf ("in A::method2, a_value = %d \n",a_value);
3198 printf ("in A::A, a_value = %d \n",a_value);
3202 @smallexample @c ada
3204 package body Simple_Cpp_Interface is
3206 procedure Ada_Method2 (This : in out A; V : Integer) is
3212 end Simple_Cpp_Interface;
3215 package Simple_Cpp_Interface is
3218 Vptr : System.Address;
3222 pragma Convention (C, A);
3224 procedure Method1 (This : in out A);
3225 pragma Import (C, Method1);
3227 procedure Ada_Method2 (This : in out A; V : Integer);
3228 pragma Export (C, Ada_Method2);
3230 end Simple_Cpp_Interface;
3233 @node Interfacing with C++ constructors
3234 @subsection Interfacing with C++ constructors
3237 In order to interface with C++ constructors GNAT provides the
3238 @code{pragma CPP_Constructor} (@xref{Interfacing to C++,,,
3239 gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}, for additional information).
3240 In this section we present some common uses of C++ constructors
3241 in mixed-languages programs in GNAT.
3243 Let us assume that we need to interface with the following
3251 @b{virtual} int Get_Value ();
3252 Root(); // Default constructor
3253 Root(int v); // 1st non-default constructor
3254 Root(int v, int w); // 2nd non-default constructor
3258 For this purpose we can write the following package spec (further
3259 information on how to build this spec is available in
3260 @ref{Interfacing with C++ at the Class Level} and
3261 @ref{Generating Ada Bindings for C and C++ headers}).
3263 @smallexample @c ada
3264 with Interfaces.C; use Interfaces.C;
3266 type Root is tagged limited record
3270 pragma Import (CPP, Root);
3272 function Get_Value (Obj : Root) return int;
3273 pragma Import (CPP, Get_Value);
3275 function Constructor return Root;
3276 pragma Cpp_Constructor (Constructor, "_ZN4RootC1Ev");
3278 function Constructor (v : Integer) return Root;
3279 pragma Cpp_Constructor (Constructor, "_ZN4RootC1Ei");
3281 function Constructor (v, w : Integer) return Root;
3282 pragma Cpp_Constructor (Constructor, "_ZN4RootC1Eii");
3286 On the Ada side the constructor is represented by a function (whose
3287 name is arbitrary) that returns the classwide type corresponding to
3288 the imported C++ class. Although the constructor is described as a
3289 function, it is typically a procedure with an extra implicit argument
3290 (the object being initialized) at the implementation level. GNAT
3291 issues the appropriate call, whatever it is, to get the object
3292 properly initialized.
3294 Constructors can only appear in the following contexts:
3298 On the right side of an initialization of an object of type @var{T}.
3300 On the right side of an initialization of a record component of type @var{T}.
3302 In an Ada 2005 limited aggregate.
3304 In an Ada 2005 nested limited aggregate.
3306 In an Ada 2005 limited aggregate that initializes an object built in
3307 place by an extended return statement.
3311 In a declaration of an object whose type is a class imported from C++,
3312 either the default C++ constructor is implicitly called by GNAT, or
3313 else the required C++ constructor must be explicitly called in the
3314 expression that initializes the object. For example:
3316 @smallexample @c ada
3318 Obj2 : Root := Constructor;
3319 Obj3 : Root := Constructor (v => 10);
3320 Obj4 : Root := Constructor (30, 40);
3323 The first two declarations are equivalent: in both cases the default C++
3324 constructor is invoked (in the former case the call to the constructor is
3325 implicit, and in the latter case the call is explicit in the object
3326 declaration). @code{Obj3} is initialized by the C++ non-default constructor
3327 that takes an integer argument, and @code{Obj4} is initialized by the
3328 non-default C++ constructor that takes two integers.
3330 Let us derive the imported C++ class in the Ada side. For example:
3332 @smallexample @c ada
3333 type DT is new Root with record
3334 C_Value : Natural := 2009;
3338 In this case the components DT inherited from the C++ side must be
3339 initialized by a C++ constructor, and the additional Ada components
3340 of type DT are initialized by GNAT. The initialization of such an
3341 object is done either by default, or by means of a function returning
3342 an aggregate of type DT, or by means of an extension aggregate.
3344 @smallexample @c ada
3346 Obj6 : DT := Function_Returning_DT (50);
3347 Obj7 : DT := (Constructor (30,40) with C_Value => 50);
3350 The declaration of @code{Obj5} invokes the default constructors: the
3351 C++ default constructor of the parent type takes care of the initialization
3352 of the components inherited from Root, and GNAT takes care of the default
3353 initialization of the additional Ada components of type DT (that is,
3354 @code{C_Value} is initialized to value 2009). The order of invocation of
3355 the constructors is consistent with the order of elaboration required by
3356 Ada and C++. That is, the constructor of the parent type is always called
3357 before the constructor of the derived type.
3359 Let us now consider a record that has components whose type is imported
3360 from C++. For example:
3362 @smallexample @c ada
3363 type Rec1 is limited record
3364 Data1 : Root := Constructor (10);
3365 Value : Natural := 1000;
3368 type Rec2 (D : Integer := 20) is limited record
3370 Data2 : Root := Constructor (D, 30);
3374 The initialization of an object of type @code{Rec2} will call the
3375 non-default C++ constructors specified for the imported components.
3378 @smallexample @c ada
3382 Using Ada 2005 we can use limited aggregates to initialize an object
3383 invoking C++ constructors that differ from those specified in the type
3384 declarations. For example:
3386 @smallexample @c ada
3387 Obj9 : Rec2 := (Rec => (Data1 => Constructor (15, 16),
3392 The above declaration uses an Ada 2005 limited aggregate to
3393 initialize @code{Obj9}, and the C++ constructor that has two integer
3394 arguments is invoked to initialize the @code{Data1} component instead
3395 of the constructor specified in the declaration of type @code{Rec1}. In
3396 Ada 2005 the box in the aggregate indicates that unspecified components
3397 are initialized using the expression (if any) available in the component
3398 declaration. That is, in this case discriminant @code{D} is initialized
3399 to value @code{20}, @code{Value} is initialized to value 1000, and the
3400 non-default C++ constructor that handles two integers takes care of
3401 initializing component @code{Data2} with values @code{20,30}.
3403 In Ada 2005 we can use the extended return statement to build the Ada
3404 equivalent to C++ non-default constructors. For example:
3406 @smallexample @c ada
3407 function Constructor (V : Integer) return Rec2 is
3409 return Obj : Rec2 := (Rec => (Data1 => Constructor (V, 20),
3412 -- Further actions required for construction of
3413 -- objects of type Rec2
3419 In this example the extended return statement construct is used to
3420 build in place the returned object whose components are initialized
3421 by means of a limited aggregate. Any further action associated with
3422 the constructor can be placed inside the construct.
3424 @node Interfacing with C++ at the Class Level
3425 @subsection Interfacing with C++ at the Class Level
3427 In this section we demonstrate the GNAT features for interfacing with
3428 C++ by means of an example making use of Ada 2005 abstract interface
3429 types. This example consists of a classification of animals; classes
3430 have been used to model our main classification of animals, and
3431 interfaces provide support for the management of secondary
3432 classifications. We first demonstrate a case in which the types and
3433 constructors are defined on the C++ side and imported from the Ada
3434 side, and latter the reverse case.
3436 The root of our derivation will be the @code{Animal} class, with a
3437 single private attribute (the @code{Age} of the animal) and two public
3438 primitives to set and get the value of this attribute.
3443 @b{virtual} void Set_Age (int New_Age);
3444 @b{virtual} int Age ();
3450 Abstract interface types are defined in C++ by means of classes with pure
3451 virtual functions and no data members. In our example we will use two
3452 interfaces that provide support for the common management of @code{Carnivore}
3453 and @code{Domestic} animals:
3456 @b{class} Carnivore @{
3458 @b{virtual} int Number_Of_Teeth () = 0;
3461 @b{class} Domestic @{
3463 @b{virtual void} Set_Owner (char* Name) = 0;
3467 Using these declarations, we can now say that a @code{Dog} is an animal that is
3468 both Carnivore and Domestic, that is:
3471 @b{class} Dog : Animal, Carnivore, Domestic @{
3473 @b{virtual} int Number_Of_Teeth ();
3474 @b{virtual} void Set_Owner (char* Name);
3476 Dog(); // Constructor
3483 In the following examples we will assume that the previous declarations are
3484 located in a file named @code{animals.h}. The following package demonstrates
3485 how to import these C++ declarations from the Ada side:
3487 @smallexample @c ada
3488 with Interfaces.C.Strings; use Interfaces.C.Strings;
3490 type Carnivore is interface;
3491 pragma Convention (C_Plus_Plus, Carnivore);
3492 function Number_Of_Teeth (X : Carnivore)
3493 return Natural is abstract;
3495 type Domestic is interface;
3496 pragma Convention (C_Plus_Plus, Set_Owner);
3498 (X : in out Domestic;
3499 Name : Chars_Ptr) is abstract;
3501 type Animal is tagged record
3504 pragma Import (C_Plus_Plus, Animal);
3506 procedure Set_Age (X : in out Animal; Age : Integer);
3507 pragma Import (C_Plus_Plus, Set_Age);
3509 function Age (X : Animal) return Integer;
3510 pragma Import (C_Plus_Plus, Age);
3512 type Dog is new Animal and Carnivore and Domestic with record
3513 Tooth_Count : Natural;
3514 Owner : String (1 .. 30);
3516 pragma Import (C_Plus_Plus, Dog);
3518 function Number_Of_Teeth (A : Dog) return Integer;
3519 pragma Import (C_Plus_Plus, Number_Of_Teeth);
3521 procedure Set_Owner (A : in out Dog; Name : Chars_Ptr);
3522 pragma Import (C_Plus_Plus, Set_Owner);
3524 function New_Dog return Dog;
3525 pragma CPP_Constructor (New_Dog);
3526 pragma Import (CPP, New_Dog, "_ZN3DogC2Ev");
3530 Thanks to the compatibility between GNAT run-time structures and the C++ ABI,
3531 interfacing with these C++ classes is easy. The only requirement is that all
3532 the primitives and components must be declared exactly in the same order in
3535 Regarding the abstract interfaces, we must indicate to the GNAT compiler by
3536 means of a @code{pragma Convention (C_Plus_Plus)}, the convention used to pass
3537 the arguments to the called primitives will be the same as for C++. For the
3538 imported classes we use @code{pragma Import} with convention @code{C_Plus_Plus}
3539 to indicate that they have been defined on the C++ side; this is required
3540 because the dispatch table associated with these tagged types will be built
3541 in the C++ side and therefore will not contain the predefined Ada primitives
3542 which Ada would otherwise expect.
3544 As the reader can see there is no need to indicate the C++ mangled names
3545 associated with each subprogram because it is assumed that all the calls to
3546 these primitives will be dispatching calls. The only exception is the
3547 constructor, which must be registered with the compiler by means of
3548 @code{pragma CPP_Constructor} and needs to provide its associated C++
3549 mangled name because the Ada compiler generates direct calls to it.
3551 With the above packages we can now declare objects of type Dog on the Ada side
3552 and dispatch calls to the corresponding subprograms on the C++ side. We can
3553 also extend the tagged type Dog with further fields and primitives, and
3554 override some of its C++ primitives on the Ada side. For example, here we have
3555 a type derivation defined on the Ada side that inherits all the dispatching
3556 primitives of the ancestor from the C++ side.
3559 @b{with} Animals; @b{use} Animals;
3560 @b{package} Vaccinated_Animals @b{is}
3561 @b{type} Vaccinated_Dog @b{is new} Dog @b{with null record};
3562 @b{function} Vaccination_Expired (A : Vaccinated_Dog) @b{return} Boolean;
3563 @b{end} Vaccinated_Animals;
3566 It is important to note that, because of the ABI compatibility, the programmer
3567 does not need to add any further information to indicate either the object
3568 layout or the dispatch table entry associated with each dispatching operation.
3570 Now let us define all the types and constructors on the Ada side and export
3571 them to C++, using the same hierarchy of our previous example:
3573 @smallexample @c ada
3574 with Interfaces.C.Strings;
3575 use Interfaces.C.Strings;
3577 type Carnivore is interface;
3578 pragma Convention (C_Plus_Plus, Carnivore);
3579 function Number_Of_Teeth (X : Carnivore)
3580 return Natural is abstract;
3582 type Domestic is interface;
3583 pragma Convention (C_Plus_Plus, Set_Owner);
3585 (X : in out Domestic;
3586 Name : Chars_Ptr) is abstract;
3588 type Animal is tagged record
3591 pragma Convention (C_Plus_Plus, Animal);
3593 procedure Set_Age (X : in out Animal; Age : Integer);
3594 pragma Export (C_Plus_Plus, Set_Age);
3596 function Age (X : Animal) return Integer;
3597 pragma Export (C_Plus_Plus, Age);
3599 type Dog is new Animal and Carnivore and Domestic with record
3600 Tooth_Count : Natural;
3601 Owner : String (1 .. 30);
3603 pragma Convention (C_Plus_Plus, Dog);
3605 function Number_Of_Teeth (A : Dog) return Integer;
3606 pragma Export (C_Plus_Plus, Number_Of_Teeth);
3608 procedure Set_Owner (A : in out Dog; Name : Chars_Ptr);
3609 pragma Export (C_Plus_Plus, Set_Owner);
3611 function New_Dog return Dog'Class;
3612 pragma Export (C_Plus_Plus, New_Dog);
3616 Compared with our previous example the only difference is the use of
3617 @code{pragma Export} to indicate to the GNAT compiler that the primitives will
3618 be available to C++. Thanks to the ABI compatibility, on the C++ side there is
3619 nothing else to be done; as explained above, the only requirement is that all
3620 the primitives and components are declared in exactly the same order.
3622 For completeness, let us see a brief C++ main program that uses the
3623 declarations available in @code{animals.h} (presented in our first example) to
3624 import and use the declarations from the Ada side, properly initializing and
3625 finalizing the Ada run-time system along the way:
3628 @b{#include} "animals.h"
3629 @b{#include} <iostream>
3630 @b{using namespace} std;
3632 void Check_Carnivore (Carnivore *obj) @{@dots{}@}
3633 void Check_Domestic (Domestic *obj) @{@dots{}@}
3634 void Check_Animal (Animal *obj) @{@dots{}@}
3635 void Check_Dog (Dog *obj) @{@dots{}@}
3638 void adainit (void);
3639 void adafinal (void);
3645 Dog *obj = new_dog(); // Ada constructor
3646 Check_Carnivore (obj); // Check secondary DT
3647 Check_Domestic (obj); // Check secondary DT
3648 Check_Animal (obj); // Check primary DT
3649 Check_Dog (obj); // Check primary DT
3654 adainit (); test(); adafinal ();
3659 @node Comparison between GNAT and C/C++ Compilation Models
3660 @section Comparison between GNAT and C/C++ Compilation Models
3663 The GNAT model of compilation is close to the C and C++ models. You can
3664 think of Ada specs as corresponding to header files in C. As in C, you
3665 don't need to compile specs; they are compiled when they are used. The
3666 Ada @code{with} is similar in effect to the @code{#include} of a C
3669 One notable difference is that, in Ada, you may compile specs separately
3670 to check them for semantic and syntactic accuracy. This is not always
3671 possible with C headers because they are fragments of programs that have
3672 less specific syntactic or semantic rules.
3674 The other major difference is the requirement for running the binder,
3675 which performs two important functions. First, it checks for
3676 consistency. In C or C++, the only defense against assembling
3677 inconsistent programs lies outside the compiler, in a makefile, for
3678 example. The binder satisfies the Ada requirement that it be impossible
3679 to construct an inconsistent program when the compiler is used in normal
3682 @cindex Elaboration order control
3683 The other important function of the binder is to deal with elaboration
3684 issues. There are also elaboration issues in C++ that are handled
3685 automatically. This automatic handling has the advantage of being
3686 simpler to use, but the C++ programmer has no control over elaboration.
3687 Where @code{gnatbind} might complain there was no valid order of
3688 elaboration, a C++ compiler would simply construct a program that
3689 malfunctioned at run time.
3692 @node Comparison between GNAT and Conventional Ada Library Models
3693 @section Comparison between GNAT and Conventional Ada Library Models
3696 This section is intended for Ada programmers who have
3697 used an Ada compiler implementing the traditional Ada library
3698 model, as described in the Ada Reference Manual.
3700 @cindex GNAT library
3701 In GNAT, there is no ``library'' in the normal sense. Instead, the set of
3702 source files themselves acts as the library. Compiling Ada programs does
3703 not generate any centralized information, but rather an object file and
3704 a ALI file, which are of interest only to the binder and linker.
3705 In a traditional system, the compiler reads information not only from
3706 the source file being compiled, but also from the centralized library.
3707 This means that the effect of a compilation depends on what has been
3708 previously compiled. In particular:
3712 When a unit is @code{with}'ed, the unit seen by the compiler corresponds
3713 to the version of the unit most recently compiled into the library.
3716 Inlining is effective only if the necessary body has already been
3717 compiled into the library.
3720 Compiling a unit may obsolete other units in the library.
3724 In GNAT, compiling one unit never affects the compilation of any other
3725 units because the compiler reads only source files. Only changes to source
3726 files can affect the results of a compilation. In particular:
3730 When a unit is @code{with}'ed, the unit seen by the compiler corresponds
3731 to the source version of the unit that is currently accessible to the
3736 Inlining requires the appropriate source files for the package or
3737 subprogram bodies to be available to the compiler. Inlining is always
3738 effective, independent of the order in which units are complied.
3741 Compiling a unit never affects any other compilations. The editing of
3742 sources may cause previous compilations to be out of date if they
3743 depended on the source file being modified.
3747 The most important result of these differences is that order of compilation
3748 is never significant in GNAT. There is no situation in which one is
3749 required to do one compilation before another. What shows up as order of
3750 compilation requirements in the traditional Ada library becomes, in
3751 GNAT, simple source dependencies; in other words, there is only a set
3752 of rules saying what source files must be present when a file is
3756 @node Placement of temporary files
3757 @section Placement of temporary files
3758 @cindex Temporary files (user control over placement)
3761 GNAT creates temporary files in the directory designated by the environment
3762 variable @env{TMPDIR}.
3763 (See the HP @emph{C RTL Reference Manual} on the function @code{getenv()}
3764 for detailed information on how environment variables are resolved.
3765 For most users the easiest way to make use of this feature is to simply
3766 define @env{TMPDIR} as a job level logical name).
3767 For example, if you wish to use a Ramdisk (assuming DECRAM is installed)
3768 for compiler temporary files, then you can include something like the
3769 following command in your @file{LOGIN.COM} file:
3772 $ define/job TMPDIR "/disk$scratchram/000000/temp/"
3776 If @env{TMPDIR} is not defined, then GNAT uses the directory designated by
3777 @env{TMP}; if @env{TMP} is not defined, then GNAT uses the directory
3778 designated by @env{TEMP}.
3779 If none of these environment variables are defined then GNAT uses the
3780 directory designated by the logical name @code{SYS$SCRATCH:}
3781 (by default the user's home directory). If all else fails
3782 GNAT uses the current directory for temporary files.
3785 @c *************************
3786 @node Compiling Using gcc
3787 @chapter Compiling Using @command{gcc}
3790 This chapter discusses how to compile Ada programs using the @command{gcc}
3791 command. It also describes the set of switches
3792 that can be used to control the behavior of the compiler.
3794 * Compiling Programs::
3795 * Switches for gcc::
3796 * Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)::
3797 * Order of Compilation Issues::
3801 @node Compiling Programs
3802 @section Compiling Programs
3805 The first step in creating an executable program is to compile the units
3806 of the program using the @command{gcc} command. You must compile the
3811 the body file (@file{.adb}) for a library level subprogram or generic
3815 the spec file (@file{.ads}) for a library level package or generic
3816 package that has no body
3819 the body file (@file{.adb}) for a library level package
3820 or generic package that has a body
3825 You need @emph{not} compile the following files
3830 the spec of a library unit which has a body
3837 because they are compiled as part of compiling related units. GNAT
3839 when the corresponding body is compiled, and subunits when the parent is
3842 @cindex cannot generate code
3843 If you attempt to compile any of these files, you will get one of the
3844 following error messages (where @var{fff} is the name of the file you compiled):
3847 cannot generate code for file @var{fff} (package spec)
3848 to check package spec, use -gnatc
3850 cannot generate code for file @var{fff} (missing subunits)
3851 to check parent unit, use -gnatc
3853 cannot generate code for file @var{fff} (subprogram spec)
3854 to check subprogram spec, use -gnatc
3856 cannot generate code for file @var{fff} (subunit)
3857 to check subunit, use -gnatc
3861 As indicated by the above error messages, if you want to submit
3862 one of these files to the compiler to check for correct semantics
3863 without generating code, then use the @option{-gnatc} switch.
3865 The basic command for compiling a file containing an Ada unit is
3868 @c $ gcc -c @ovar{switches} @file{file name}
3869 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
3870 $ gcc -c @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @file{file name}
3874 where @var{file name} is the name of the Ada file (usually
3876 @file{.ads} for a spec or @file{.adb} for a body).
3879 @option{-c} switch to tell @command{gcc} to compile, but not link, the file.
3881 The result of a successful compilation is an object file, which has the
3882 same name as the source file but an extension of @file{.o} and an Ada
3883 Library Information (ALI) file, which also has the same name as the
3884 source file, but with @file{.ali} as the extension. GNAT creates these
3885 two output files in the current directory, but you may specify a source
3886 file in any directory using an absolute or relative path specification
3887 containing the directory information.
3890 @command{gcc} is actually a driver program that looks at the extensions of
3891 the file arguments and loads the appropriate compiler. For example, the
3892 GNU C compiler is @file{cc1}, and the Ada compiler is @file{gnat1}.
3893 These programs are in directories known to the driver program (in some
3894 configurations via environment variables you set), but need not be in
3895 your path. The @command{gcc} driver also calls the assembler and any other
3896 utilities needed to complete the generation of the required object
3899 It is possible to supply several file names on the same @command{gcc}
3900 command. This causes @command{gcc} to call the appropriate compiler for
3901 each file. For example, the following command lists three separate
3902 files to be compiled:
3905 $ gcc -c x.adb y.adb z.c
3909 calls @code{gnat1} (the Ada compiler) twice to compile @file{x.adb} and
3910 @file{y.adb}, and @code{cc1} (the C compiler) once to compile @file{z.c}.
3911 The compiler generates three object files @file{x.o}, @file{y.o} and
3912 @file{z.o} and the two ALI files @file{x.ali} and @file{y.ali} from the
3913 Ada compilations. Any switches apply to all the files ^listed,^listed.^
3916 @option{-gnat@var{x}} switches, which apply only to Ada compilations.
3919 @node Switches for gcc
3920 @section Switches for @command{gcc}
3923 The @command{gcc} command accepts switches that control the
3924 compilation process. These switches are fully described in this section.
3925 First we briefly list all the switches, in alphabetical order, then we
3926 describe the switches in more detail in functionally grouped sections.
3928 More switches exist for GCC than those documented here, especially
3929 for specific targets. However, their use is not recommended as
3930 they may change code generation in ways that are incompatible with
3931 the Ada run-time library, or can cause inconsistencies between
3935 * Output and Error Message Control::
3936 * Warning Message Control::
3937 * Debugging and Assertion Control::
3938 * Validity Checking::
3941 * Using gcc for Syntax Checking::
3942 * Using gcc for Semantic Checking::
3943 * Compiling Different Versions of Ada::
3944 * Character Set Control::
3945 * File Naming Control::
3946 * Subprogram Inlining Control::
3947 * Auxiliary Output Control::
3948 * Debugging Control::
3949 * Exception Handling Control::
3950 * Units to Sources Mapping Files::
3951 * Integrated Preprocessing::
3952 * Code Generation Control::
3961 @cindex @option{-b} (@command{gcc})
3962 @item -b @var{target}
3963 Compile your program to run on @var{target}, which is the name of a
3964 system configuration. You must have a GNAT cross-compiler built if
3965 @var{target} is not the same as your host system.
3968 @cindex @option{-B} (@command{gcc})
3969 Load compiler executables (for example, @code{gnat1}, the Ada compiler)
3970 from @var{dir} instead of the default location. Only use this switch
3971 when multiple versions of the GNAT compiler are available.
3972 @xref{Directory Options,, Options for Directory Search, gcc, Using the
3973 GNU Compiler Collection (GCC)}, for further details. You would normally
3974 use the @option{-b} or @option{-V} switch instead.
3977 @cindex @option{-c} (@command{gcc})
3978 Compile. Always use this switch when compiling Ada programs.
3980 Note: for some other languages when using @command{gcc}, notably in
3981 the case of C and C++, it is possible to use
3982 use @command{gcc} without a @option{-c} switch to
3983 compile and link in one step. In the case of GNAT, you
3984 cannot use this approach, because the binder must be run
3985 and @command{gcc} cannot be used to run the GNAT binder.
3989 @cindex @option{-fno-inline} (@command{gcc})
3990 Suppresses all back-end inlining, even if other optimization or inlining
3992 This includes suppression of inlining that results
3993 from the use of the pragma @code{Inline_Always}.
3994 Any occurrences of pragma @code{Inline} or @code{Inline_Always}
3995 are ignored, and @option{-gnatn} and @option{-gnatN} have no
3996 effect if this switch is present.
3998 @item -fno-inline-functions
3999 @cindex @option{-fno-inline-functions} (@command{gcc})
4000 Suppresses automatic inlining of simple subprograms, which is enabled
4001 if @option{-O3} is used.
4003 @item -fno-inline-small-functions
4004 @cindex @option{-fno-inline-small-functions} (@command{gcc})
4005 Suppresses automatic inlining of small subprograms, which is enabled
4006 if @option{-O2} is used.
4008 @item -fno-inline-functions-called-once
4009 @cindex @option{-fno-inline-functions-called-once} (@command{gcc})
4010 Suppresses inlining of subprograms local to the unit and called once
4011 from within it, which is enabled if @option{-O1} is used.
4014 @cindex @option{-fno-ivopts} (@command{gcc})
4015 Suppresses high-level loop induction variable optimizations, which are
4016 enabled if @option{-O1} is used. These optimizations are generally
4017 profitable but, for some specific cases of loops with numerous uses
4018 of the iteration variable that follow a common pattern, they may end
4019 up destroying the regularity that could be exploited at a lower level
4020 and thus producing inferior code.
4022 @item -fno-strict-aliasing
4023 @cindex @option{-fno-strict-aliasing} (@command{gcc})
4024 Causes the compiler to avoid assumptions regarding non-aliasing
4025 of objects of different types. See
4026 @ref{Optimization and Strict Aliasing} for details.
4029 @cindex @option{-fstack-check} (@command{gcc})
4030 Activates stack checking.
4031 See @ref{Stack Overflow Checking} for details.
4034 @cindex @option{-fstack-usage} (@command{gcc})
4035 Makes the compiler output stack usage information for the program, on a
4036 per-function basis. See @ref{Static Stack Usage Analysis} for details.
4038 @item -fcallgraph-info@r{[}=su@r{]}
4039 @cindex @option{-fcallgraph-info} (@command{gcc})
4040 Makes the compiler output callgraph information for the program, on a
4041 per-file basis. The information is generated in the VCG format. It can
4042 be decorated with stack-usage per-node information.
4045 @cindex @option{^-g^/DEBUG^} (@command{gcc})
4046 Generate debugging information. This information is stored in the object
4047 file and copied from there to the final executable file by the linker,
4048 where it can be read by the debugger. You must use the
4049 @option{^-g^/DEBUG^} switch if you plan on using the debugger.
4052 @cindex @option{-gnat83} (@command{gcc})
4053 Enforce Ada 83 restrictions.
4056 @cindex @option{-gnat95} (@command{gcc})
4057 Enforce Ada 95 restrictions.
4060 @cindex @option{-gnat05} (@command{gcc})
4061 Allow full Ada 2005 features.
4064 @cindex @option{-gnat2005} (@command{gcc})
4065 Allow full Ada 2005 features (same as @option{-gnat05}
4068 @cindex @option{-gnat12} (@command{gcc})
4071 @cindex @option{-gnat2012} (@command{gcc})
4072 Allow full Ada 2012 features (same as @option{-gnat12}
4075 @cindex @option{-gnata} (@command{gcc})
4076 Assertions enabled. @code{Pragma Assert} and @code{pragma Debug} to be
4077 activated. Note that these pragmas can also be controlled using the
4078 configuration pragmas @code{Assertion_Policy} and @code{Debug_Policy}.
4079 It also activates pragmas @code{Check}, @code{Precondition}, and
4080 @code{Postcondition}. Note that these pragmas can also be controlled
4081 using the configuration pragma @code{Check_Policy}.
4084 @cindex @option{-gnatA} (@command{gcc})
4085 Avoid processing @file{gnat.adc}. If a @file{gnat.adc} file is present,
4089 @cindex @option{-gnatb} (@command{gcc})
4090 Generate brief messages to @file{stderr} even if verbose mode set.
4093 @cindex @option{-gnatB} (@command{gcc})
4094 Assume no invalid (bad) values except for 'Valid attribute use
4095 (@pxref{Validity Checking}).
4098 @cindex @option{-gnatc} (@command{gcc})
4099 Check syntax and semantics only (no code generation attempted).
4102 @cindex @option{-gnatC} (@command{gcc})
4103 Generate CodePeer information (no code generation attempted).
4104 This switch will generate an intermediate representation suitable for
4105 use by CodePeer (@file{.scil} files). This switch is not compatible with
4106 code generation (it will, among other things, disable some switches such
4107 as -gnatn, and enable others such as -gnata).
4110 @cindex @option{-gnatd} (@command{gcc})
4111 Specify debug options for the compiler. The string of characters after
4112 the @option{-gnatd} specify the specific debug options. The possible
4113 characters are 0-9, a-z, A-Z, optionally preceded by a dot. See
4114 compiler source file @file{debug.adb} for details of the implemented
4115 debug options. Certain debug options are relevant to applications
4116 programmers, and these are documented at appropriate points in this
4121 @cindex @option{-gnatD[nn]} (@command{gcc})
4124 @item /XDEBUG /LXDEBUG=nnn
4126 Create expanded source files for source level debugging. This switch
4127 also suppress generation of cross-reference information
4128 (see @option{-gnatx}).
4130 @item -gnatec=@var{path}
4131 @cindex @option{-gnatec} (@command{gcc})
4132 Specify a configuration pragma file
4134 (the equal sign is optional)
4136 (@pxref{The Configuration Pragmas Files}).
4138 @item ^-gnateD^/DATA_PREPROCESSING=^symbol@r{[}=@var{value}@r{]}
4139 @cindex @option{-gnateD} (@command{gcc})
4140 Defines a symbol, associated with @var{value}, for preprocessing.
4141 (@pxref{Integrated Preprocessing}).
4144 @cindex @option{-gnatef} (@command{gcc})
4145 Display full source path name in brief error messages.
4148 @cindex @option{-gnateG} (@command{gcc})
4149 Save result of preprocessing in a text file.
4151 @item -gnatem=@var{path}
4152 @cindex @option{-gnatem} (@command{gcc})
4153 Specify a mapping file
4155 (the equal sign is optional)
4157 (@pxref{Units to Sources Mapping Files}).
4159 @item -gnatep=@var{file}
4160 @cindex @option{-gnatep} (@command{gcc})
4161 Specify a preprocessing data file
4163 (the equal sign is optional)
4165 (@pxref{Integrated Preprocessing}).
4168 @cindex @option{-gnateS} (@command{gcc})
4169 Generate SCO (Source Coverage Obligation) information in the ALI
4170 file. This information is used by advanced coverage tools. See
4171 unit @file{SCOs} in the compiler sources for details in files
4172 @file{scos.ads} and @file{scos.adb}.
4175 @cindex @option{-gnatE} (@command{gcc})
4176 Full dynamic elaboration checks.
4179 @cindex @option{-gnatf} (@command{gcc})
4180 Full errors. Multiple errors per line, all undefined references, do not
4181 attempt to suppress cascaded errors.
4184 @cindex @option{-gnatF} (@command{gcc})
4185 Externals names are folded to all uppercase.
4187 @item ^-gnatg^/GNAT_INTERNAL^
4188 @cindex @option{^-gnatg^/GNAT_INTERNAL^} (@command{gcc})
4189 Internal GNAT implementation mode. This should not be used for
4190 applications programs, it is intended only for use by the compiler
4191 and its run-time library. For documentation, see the GNAT sources.
4192 Note that @option{^-gnatg^/GNAT_INTERNAL^} implies
4193 @option{^-gnatwae^/WARNINGS=ALL,ERRORS^} and
4194 @option{^-gnatyg^/STYLE_CHECKS=GNAT^}
4195 so that all standard warnings and all standard style options are turned on.
4196 All warnings and style messages are treated as errors.
4200 @cindex @option{-gnatG[nn]} (@command{gcc})
4203 @item /EXPAND_SOURCE, /LEXPAND_SOURCE=nnn
4205 List generated expanded code in source form.
4207 @item ^-gnath^/HELP^
4208 @cindex @option{^-gnath^/HELP^} (@command{gcc})
4209 Output usage information. The output is written to @file{stdout}.
4211 @item ^-gnati^/IDENTIFIER_CHARACTER_SET=^@var{c}
4212 @cindex @option{^-gnati^/IDENTIFIER_CHARACTER_SET^} (@command{gcc})
4213 Identifier character set
4215 (@var{c}=1/2/3/4/8/9/p/f/n/w).
4217 For details of the possible selections for @var{c},
4218 see @ref{Character Set Control}.
4220 @item ^-gnatI^/IGNORE_REP_CLAUSES^
4221 @cindex @option{^-gnatI^IGNORE_REP_CLAUSES^} (@command{gcc})
4222 Ignore representation clauses. When this switch is used,
4223 representation clauses are treated as comments. This is useful
4224 when initially porting code where you want to ignore rep clause
4225 problems, and also for compiling foreign code (particularly
4226 for use with ASIS). The representation clauses that are ignored
4227 are: enumeration_representation_clause, record_representation_clause,
4228 and attribute_definition_clause for the following attributes:
4229 Address, Alignment, Bit_Order, Component_Size, Machine_Radix,
4230 Object_Size, Size, Small, Stream_Size, and Value_Size.
4231 Note that this option should be used only for compiling -- the
4232 code is likely to malfunction at run time.
4235 @cindex @option{-gnatjnn} (@command{gcc})
4236 Reformat error messages to fit on nn character lines
4238 @item -gnatk=@var{n}
4239 @cindex @option{-gnatk} (@command{gcc})
4240 Limit file names to @var{n} (1-999) characters ^(@code{k} = krunch)^^.
4243 @cindex @option{-gnatl} (@command{gcc})
4244 Output full source listing with embedded error messages.
4247 @cindex @option{-gnatL} (@command{gcc})
4248 Used in conjunction with -gnatG or -gnatD to intersperse original
4249 source lines (as comment lines with line numbers) in the expanded
4252 @item -gnatm=@var{n}
4253 @cindex @option{-gnatm} (@command{gcc})
4254 Limit number of detected error or warning messages to @var{n}
4255 where @var{n} is in the range 1..999999. The default setting if
4256 no switch is given is 9999. If the number of warnings reaches this
4257 limit, then a message is output and further warnings are suppressed,
4258 but the compilation is continued. If the number of error messages
4259 reaches this limit, then a message is output and the compilation
4260 is abandoned. The equal sign here is optional. A value of zero
4261 means that no limit applies.
4264 @cindex @option{-gnatn} (@command{gcc})
4265 Activate inlining for subprograms for which
4266 pragma @code{inline} is specified. This inlining is performed
4267 by the GCC back-end.
4270 @cindex @option{-gnatN} (@command{gcc})
4271 Activate front end inlining for subprograms for which
4272 pragma @code{Inline} is specified. This inlining is performed
4273 by the front end and will be visible in the
4274 @option{-gnatG} output.
4276 When using a gcc-based back end (in practice this means using any version
4277 of GNAT other than the JGNAT, .NET or GNAAMP versions), then the use of
4278 @option{-gnatN} is deprecated, and the use of @option{-gnatn} is preferred.
4279 Historically front end inlining was more extensive than the gcc back end
4280 inlining, but that is no longer the case.
4283 @cindex @option{-gnato} (@command{gcc})
4284 Enable numeric overflow checking (which is not normally enabled by
4285 default). Note that division by zero is a separate check that is not
4286 controlled by this switch (division by zero checking is on by default).
4289 @cindex @option{-gnatp} (@command{gcc})
4290 Suppress all checks. See @ref{Run-Time Checks} for details. This switch
4291 has no effect if cancelled by a subsequent @option{-gnat-p} switch.
4294 @cindex @option{-gnat-p} (@command{gcc})
4295 Cancel effect of previous @option{-gnatp} switch.
4298 @cindex @option{-gnatP} (@command{gcc})
4299 Enable polling. This is required on some systems (notably Windows NT) to
4300 obtain asynchronous abort and asynchronous transfer of control capability.
4301 @xref{Pragma Polling,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}, for full
4305 @cindex @option{-gnatq} (@command{gcc})
4306 Don't quit. Try semantics, even if parse errors.
4309 @cindex @option{-gnatQ} (@command{gcc})
4310 Don't quit. Generate @file{ALI} and tree files even if illegalities.
4313 @cindex @option{-gnatr} (@command{gcc})
4314 Treat pragma Restrictions as Restriction_Warnings.
4316 @item ^-gnatR@r{[}0@r{/}1@r{/}2@r{/}3@r{[}s@r{]]}^/REPRESENTATION_INFO^
4317 @cindex @option{-gnatR} (@command{gcc})
4318 Output representation information for declared types and objects.
4321 @cindex @option{-gnats} (@command{gcc})
4325 @cindex @option{-gnatS} (@command{gcc})
4326 Print package Standard.
4329 @cindex @option{-gnatt} (@command{gcc})
4330 Generate tree output file.
4332 @item ^-gnatT^/TABLE_MULTIPLIER=^@var{nnn}
4333 @cindex @option{^-gnatT^/TABLE_MULTIPLIER^} (@command{gcc})
4334 All compiler tables start at @var{nnn} times usual starting size.
4337 @cindex @option{-gnatu} (@command{gcc})
4338 List units for this compilation.
4341 @cindex @option{-gnatU} (@command{gcc})
4342 Tag all error messages with the unique string ``error:''
4345 @cindex @option{-gnatv} (@command{gcc})
4346 Verbose mode. Full error output with source lines to @file{stdout}.
4349 @cindex @option{-gnatV} (@command{gcc})
4350 Control level of validity checking (@pxref{Validity Checking}).
4352 @item ^-gnatw@var{xxx}^/WARNINGS=(@var{option}@r{[},@dots{}@r{]})^
4353 @cindex @option{^-gnatw^/WARNINGS^} (@command{gcc})
4355 ^@var{xxx} is a string of option letters that^the list of options^ denotes
4356 the exact warnings that
4357 are enabled or disabled (@pxref{Warning Message Control}).
4359 @item ^-gnatW^/WIDE_CHARACTER_ENCODING=^@var{e}
4360 @cindex @option{^-gnatW^/WIDE_CHARACTER_ENCODING^} (@command{gcc})
4361 Wide character encoding method
4363 (@var{e}=n/h/u/s/e/8).
4366 (@var{e}=@code{BRACKETS, NONE, HEX, UPPER, SHIFT_JIS, EUC, UTF8})
4370 @cindex @option{-gnatx} (@command{gcc})
4371 Suppress generation of cross-reference information.
4374 @cindex @option{-gnatX} (@command{gcc})
4375 Enable GNAT implementation extensions and latest Ada version.
4377 @item ^-gnaty^/STYLE_CHECKS=(option,option@dots{})^
4378 @cindex @option{^-gnaty^/STYLE_CHECKS^} (@command{gcc})
4379 Enable built-in style checks (@pxref{Style Checking}).
4381 @item ^-gnatz^/DISTRIBUTION_STUBS=^@var{m}
4382 @cindex @option{^-gnatz^/DISTRIBUTION_STUBS^} (@command{gcc})
4383 Distribution stub generation and compilation
4385 (@var{m}=r/c for receiver/caller stubs).
4388 (@var{m}=@code{RECEIVER} or @code{CALLER} to specify the type of stubs
4389 to be generated and compiled).
4392 @item ^-I^/SEARCH=^@var{dir}
4393 @cindex @option{^-I^/SEARCH^} (@command{gcc})
4395 Direct GNAT to search the @var{dir} directory for source files needed by
4396 the current compilation
4397 (@pxref{Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)}).
4399 @item ^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^
4400 @cindex @option{^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^} (@command{gcc})
4402 Except for the source file named in the command line, do not look for source
4403 files in the directory containing the source file named in the command line
4404 (@pxref{Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)}).
4408 @cindex @option{-mbig-switch} (@command{gcc})
4409 @cindex @code{case} statement (effect of @option{-mbig-switch} option)
4410 This standard gcc switch causes the compiler to use larger offsets in its
4411 jump table representation for @code{case} statements.
4412 This may result in less efficient code, but is sometimes necessary
4413 (for example on HP-UX targets)
4414 @cindex HP-UX and @option{-mbig-switch} option
4415 in order to compile large and/or nested @code{case} statements.
4418 @cindex @option{-o} (@command{gcc})
4419 This switch is used in @command{gcc} to redirect the generated object file
4420 and its associated ALI file. Beware of this switch with GNAT, because it may
4421 cause the object file and ALI file to have different names which in turn
4422 may confuse the binder and the linker.
4426 @cindex @option{-nostdinc} (@command{gcc})
4427 Inhibit the search of the default location for the GNAT Run Time
4428 Library (RTL) source files.
4431 @cindex @option{-nostdlib} (@command{gcc})
4432 Inhibit the search of the default location for the GNAT Run Time
4433 Library (RTL) ALI files.
4437 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
4438 @item -O@r{[}@var{n}@r{]}
4439 @cindex @option{-O} (@command{gcc})
4440 @var{n} controls the optimization level.
4444 No optimization, the default setting if no @option{-O} appears
4447 Normal optimization, the default if you specify @option{-O} without
4448 an operand. A good compromise between code quality and compilation
4452 Extensive optimization, may improve execution time, possibly at the cost of
4453 substantially increased compilation time.
4456 Same as @option{-O2}, and also includes inline expansion for small subprograms
4460 Optimize space usage
4464 See also @ref{Optimization Levels}.
4469 @cindex @option{/NOOPTIMIZE} (@code{GNAT COMPILE})
4470 Equivalent to @option{/OPTIMIZE=NONE}.
4471 This is the default behavior in the absence of an @option{/OPTIMIZE}
4474 @item /OPTIMIZE@r{[}=(keyword@r{[},@dots{}@r{]})@r{]}
4475 @cindex @option{/OPTIMIZE} (@code{GNAT COMPILE})
4476 Selects the level of optimization for your program. The supported
4477 keywords are as follows:
4480 Perform most optimizations, including those that
4482 This is the default if the @option{/OPTIMIZE} qualifier is supplied
4483 without keyword options.
4486 Do not do any optimizations. Same as @code{/NOOPTIMIZE}.
4489 Perform some optimizations, but omit ones that are costly.
4492 Same as @code{SOME}.
4495 Full optimization as in @option{/OPTIMIZE=ALL}, and also attempts
4496 automatic inlining of small subprograms within a unit
4499 Try to unroll loops. This keyword may be specified together with
4500 any keyword above other than @code{NONE}. Loop unrolling
4501 usually, but not always, improves the performance of programs.
4504 Optimize space usage
4508 See also @ref{Optimization Levels}.
4512 @item -pass-exit-codes
4513 @cindex @option{-pass-exit-codes} (@command{gcc})
4514 Catch exit codes from the compiler and use the most meaningful as
4518 @item --RTS=@var{rts-path}
4519 @cindex @option{--RTS} (@command{gcc})
4520 Specifies the default location of the runtime library. Same meaning as the
4521 equivalent @command{gnatmake} flag (@pxref{Switches for gnatmake}).
4524 @cindex @option{^-S^/ASM^} (@command{gcc})
4525 ^Used in place of @option{-c} to^Used to^
4526 cause the assembler source file to be
4527 generated, using @file{^.s^.S^} as the extension,
4528 instead of the object file.
4529 This may be useful if you need to examine the generated assembly code.
4531 @item ^-fverbose-asm^/VERBOSE_ASM^
4532 @cindex @option{^-fverbose-asm^/VERBOSE_ASM^} (@command{gcc})
4533 ^Used in conjunction with @option{-S}^Used in place of @option{/ASM}^
4534 to cause the generated assembly code file to be annotated with variable
4535 names, making it significantly easier to follow.
4538 @cindex @option{^-v^/VERBOSE^} (@command{gcc})
4539 Show commands generated by the @command{gcc} driver. Normally used only for
4540 debugging purposes or if you need to be sure what version of the
4541 compiler you are executing.
4545 @cindex @option{-V} (@command{gcc})
4546 Execute @var{ver} version of the compiler. This is the @command{gcc}
4547 version, not the GNAT version.
4550 @item ^-w^/NO_BACK_END_WARNINGS^
4551 @cindex @option{-w} (@command{gcc})
4552 Turn off warnings generated by the back end of the compiler. Use of
4553 this switch also causes the default for front end warnings to be set
4554 to suppress (as though @option{-gnatws} had appeared at the start of
4560 @c Combining qualifiers does not work on VMS
4561 You may combine a sequence of GNAT switches into a single switch. For
4562 example, the combined switch
4564 @cindex Combining GNAT switches
4570 is equivalent to specifying the following sequence of switches:
4573 -gnato -gnatf -gnati3
4578 The following restrictions apply to the combination of switches
4583 The switch @option{-gnatc} if combined with other switches must come
4584 first in the string.
4587 The switch @option{-gnats} if combined with other switches must come
4588 first in the string.
4592 ^^@option{/DISTRIBUTION_STUBS=},^
4593 @option{-gnatzc} and @option{-gnatzr} may not be combined with any other
4594 switches, and only one of them may appear in the command line.
4597 The switch @option{-gnat-p} may not be combined with any other switch.
4601 Once a ``y'' appears in the string (that is a use of the @option{-gnaty}
4602 switch), then all further characters in the switch are interpreted
4603 as style modifiers (see description of @option{-gnaty}).
4606 Once a ``d'' appears in the string (that is a use of the @option{-gnatd}
4607 switch), then all further characters in the switch are interpreted
4608 as debug flags (see description of @option{-gnatd}).
4611 Once a ``w'' appears in the string (that is a use of the @option{-gnatw}
4612 switch), then all further characters in the switch are interpreted
4613 as warning mode modifiers (see description of @option{-gnatw}).
4616 Once a ``V'' appears in the string (that is a use of the @option{-gnatV}
4617 switch), then all further characters in the switch are interpreted
4618 as validity checking options (@pxref{Validity Checking}).
4621 Option ``em'', ``ec'', ``ep'', ``l='' and ``R'' must be the last options in
4622 a combined list of options.
4626 @node Output and Error Message Control
4627 @subsection Output and Error Message Control
4631 The standard default format for error messages is called ``brief format''.
4632 Brief format messages are written to @file{stderr} (the standard error
4633 file) and have the following form:
4636 e.adb:3:04: Incorrect spelling of keyword "function"
4637 e.adb:4:20: ";" should be "is"
4641 The first integer after the file name is the line number in the file,
4642 and the second integer is the column number within the line.
4644 @code{GPS} can parse the error messages
4645 and point to the referenced character.
4647 The following switches provide control over the error message
4653 @cindex @option{-gnatv} (@command{gcc})
4656 The v stands for verbose.
4658 The effect of this setting is to write long-format error
4659 messages to @file{stdout} (the standard output file.
4660 The same program compiled with the
4661 @option{-gnatv} switch would generate:
4665 3. funcion X (Q : Integer)
4667 >>> Incorrect spelling of keyword "function"
4670 >>> ";" should be "is"
4675 The vertical bar indicates the location of the error, and the @samp{>>>}
4676 prefix can be used to search for error messages. When this switch is
4677 used the only source lines output are those with errors.
4680 @cindex @option{-gnatl} (@command{gcc})
4682 The @code{l} stands for list.
4684 This switch causes a full listing of
4685 the file to be generated. In the case where a body is
4686 compiled, the corresponding spec is also listed, along
4687 with any subunits. Typical output from compiling a package
4688 body @file{p.adb} might look like:
4690 @smallexample @c ada
4694 1. package body p is
4696 3. procedure a is separate;
4707 2. pragma Elaborate_Body
4731 When you specify the @option{-gnatv} or @option{-gnatl} switches and
4732 standard output is redirected, a brief summary is written to
4733 @file{stderr} (standard error) giving the number of error messages and
4734 warning messages generated.
4736 @item -^gnatl^OUTPUT_FILE^=file
4737 @cindex @option{^-gnatl^OUTPUT_FILE^=fname} (@command{gcc})
4738 This has the same effect as @option{-gnatl} except that the output is
4739 written to a file instead of to standard output. If the given name
4740 @file{fname} does not start with a period, then it is the full name
4741 of the file to be written. If @file{fname} is an extension, it is
4742 appended to the name of the file being compiled. For example, if
4743 file @file{xyz.adb} is compiled with @option{^-gnatl^OUTPUT_FILE^=.lst},
4744 then the output is written to file ^xyz.adb.lst^xyz.adb_lst^.
4747 @cindex @option{-gnatU} (@command{gcc})
4748 This switch forces all error messages to be preceded by the unique
4749 string ``error:''. This means that error messages take a few more
4750 characters in space, but allows easy searching for and identification
4754 @cindex @option{-gnatb} (@command{gcc})
4756 The @code{b} stands for brief.
4758 This switch causes GNAT to generate the
4759 brief format error messages to @file{stderr} (the standard error
4760 file) as well as the verbose
4761 format message or full listing (which as usual is written to
4762 @file{stdout} (the standard output file).
4764 @item -gnatm=@var{n}
4765 @cindex @option{-gnatm} (@command{gcc})
4767 The @code{m} stands for maximum.
4769 @var{n} is a decimal integer in the
4770 range of 1 to 999999 and limits the number of error or warning
4771 messages to be generated. For example, using
4772 @option{-gnatm2} might yield
4775 e.adb:3:04: Incorrect spelling of keyword "function"
4776 e.adb:5:35: missing ".."
4777 fatal error: maximum number of errors detected
4778 compilation abandoned
4782 The default setting if
4783 no switch is given is 9999. If the number of warnings reaches this
4784 limit, then a message is output and further warnings are suppressed,
4785 but the compilation is continued. If the number of error messages
4786 reaches this limit, then a message is output and the compilation
4787 is abandoned. A value of zero means that no limit applies.
4790 Note that the equal sign is optional, so the switches
4791 @option{-gnatm2} and @option{-gnatm=2} are equivalent.
4794 @cindex @option{-gnatf} (@command{gcc})
4795 @cindex Error messages, suppressing
4797 The @code{f} stands for full.
4799 Normally, the compiler suppresses error messages that are likely to be
4800 redundant. This switch causes all error
4801 messages to be generated. In particular, in the case of
4802 references to undefined variables. If a given variable is referenced
4803 several times, the normal format of messages is
4805 e.adb:7:07: "V" is undefined (more references follow)
4809 where the parenthetical comment warns that there are additional
4810 references to the variable @code{V}. Compiling the same program with the
4811 @option{-gnatf} switch yields
4814 e.adb:7:07: "V" is undefined
4815 e.adb:8:07: "V" is undefined
4816 e.adb:8:12: "V" is undefined
4817 e.adb:8:16: "V" is undefined
4818 e.adb:9:07: "V" is undefined
4819 e.adb:9:12: "V" is undefined
4823 The @option{-gnatf} switch also generates additional information for
4824 some error messages. Some examples are:
4828 Details on possibly non-portable unchecked conversion
4830 List possible interpretations for ambiguous calls
4832 Additional details on incorrect parameters
4836 @cindex @option{-gnatjnn} (@command{gcc})
4837 In normal operation mode (or if @option{-gnatj0} is used, then error messages
4838 with continuation lines are treated as though the continuation lines were
4839 separate messages (and so a warning with two continuation lines counts as
4840 three warnings, and is listed as three separate messages).
4842 If the @option{-gnatjnn} switch is used with a positive value for nn, then
4843 messages are output in a different manner. A message and all its continuation
4844 lines are treated as a unit, and count as only one warning or message in the
4845 statistics totals. Furthermore, the message is reformatted so that no line
4846 is longer than nn characters.
4849 @cindex @option{-gnatq} (@command{gcc})
4851 The @code{q} stands for quit (really ``don't quit'').
4853 In normal operation mode, the compiler first parses the program and
4854 determines if there are any syntax errors. If there are, appropriate
4855 error messages are generated and compilation is immediately terminated.
4857 GNAT to continue with semantic analysis even if syntax errors have been
4858 found. This may enable the detection of more errors in a single run. On
4859 the other hand, the semantic analyzer is more likely to encounter some
4860 internal fatal error when given a syntactically invalid tree.
4863 @cindex @option{-gnatQ} (@command{gcc})
4864 In normal operation mode, the @file{ALI} file is not generated if any
4865 illegalities are detected in the program. The use of @option{-gnatQ} forces
4866 generation of the @file{ALI} file. This file is marked as being in
4867 error, so it cannot be used for binding purposes, but it does contain
4868 reasonably complete cross-reference information, and thus may be useful
4869 for use by tools (e.g., semantic browsing tools or integrated development
4870 environments) that are driven from the @file{ALI} file. This switch
4871 implies @option{-gnatq}, since the semantic phase must be run to get a
4872 meaningful ALI file.
4874 In addition, if @option{-gnatt} is also specified, then the tree file is
4875 generated even if there are illegalities. It may be useful in this case
4876 to also specify @option{-gnatq} to ensure that full semantic processing
4877 occurs. The resulting tree file can be processed by ASIS, for the purpose
4878 of providing partial information about illegal units, but if the error
4879 causes the tree to be badly malformed, then ASIS may crash during the
4882 When @option{-gnatQ} is used and the generated @file{ALI} file is marked as
4883 being in error, @command{gnatmake} will attempt to recompile the source when it
4884 finds such an @file{ALI} file, including with switch @option{-gnatc}.
4886 Note that @option{-gnatQ} has no effect if @option{-gnats} is specified,
4887 since ALI files are never generated if @option{-gnats} is set.
4891 @node Warning Message Control
4892 @subsection Warning Message Control
4893 @cindex Warning messages
4895 In addition to error messages, which correspond to illegalities as defined
4896 in the Ada Reference Manual, the compiler detects two kinds of warning
4899 First, the compiler considers some constructs suspicious and generates a
4900 warning message to alert you to a possible error. Second, if the
4901 compiler detects a situation that is sure to raise an exception at
4902 run time, it generates a warning message. The following shows an example
4903 of warning messages:
4905 e.adb:4:24: warning: creation of object may raise Storage_Error
4906 e.adb:10:17: warning: static value out of range
4907 e.adb:10:17: warning: "Constraint_Error" will be raised at run time
4911 GNAT considers a large number of situations as appropriate
4912 for the generation of warning messages. As always, warnings are not
4913 definite indications of errors. For example, if you do an out-of-range
4914 assignment with the deliberate intention of raising a
4915 @code{Constraint_Error} exception, then the warning that may be
4916 issued does not indicate an error. Some of the situations for which GNAT
4917 issues warnings (at least some of the time) are given in the following
4918 list. This list is not complete, and new warnings are often added to
4919 subsequent versions of GNAT. The list is intended to give a general idea
4920 of the kinds of warnings that are generated.
4924 Possible infinitely recursive calls
4927 Out-of-range values being assigned
4930 Possible order of elaboration problems
4933 Assertions (pragma Assert) that are sure to fail
4939 Address clauses with possibly unaligned values, or where an attempt is
4940 made to overlay a smaller variable with a larger one.
4943 Fixed-point type declarations with a null range
4946 Direct_IO or Sequential_IO instantiated with a type that has access values
4949 Variables that are never assigned a value
4952 Variables that are referenced before being initialized
4955 Task entries with no corresponding @code{accept} statement
4958 Duplicate accepts for the same task entry in a @code{select}
4961 Objects that take too much storage
4964 Unchecked conversion between types of differing sizes
4967 Missing @code{return} statement along some execution path in a function
4970 Incorrect (unrecognized) pragmas
4973 Incorrect external names
4976 Allocation from empty storage pool
4979 Potentially blocking operation in protected type
4982 Suspicious parenthesization of expressions
4985 Mismatching bounds in an aggregate
4988 Attempt to return local value by reference
4991 Premature instantiation of a generic body
4994 Attempt to pack aliased components
4997 Out of bounds array subscripts
5000 Wrong length on string assignment
5003 Violations of style rules if style checking is enabled
5006 Unused @code{with} clauses
5009 @code{Bit_Order} usage that does not have any effect
5012 @code{Standard.Duration} used to resolve universal fixed expression
5015 Dereference of possibly null value
5018 Declaration that is likely to cause storage error
5021 Internal GNAT unit @code{with}'ed by application unit
5024 Values known to be out of range at compile time
5027 Unreferenced labels and variables
5030 Address overlays that could clobber memory
5033 Unexpected initialization when address clause present
5036 Bad alignment for address clause
5039 Useless type conversions
5042 Redundant assignment statements and other redundant constructs
5045 Useless exception handlers
5048 Accidental hiding of name by child unit
5051 Access before elaboration detected at compile time
5054 A range in a @code{for} loop that is known to be null or might be null
5059 The following section lists compiler switches that are available
5060 to control the handling of warning messages. It is also possible
5061 to exercise much finer control over what warnings are issued and
5062 suppressed using the GNAT pragma Warnings, @xref{Pragma Warnings,,,
5063 gnat_rm, GNAT Reference manual}.
5068 @emph{Activate all optional errors.}
5069 @cindex @option{-gnatwa} (@command{gcc})
5070 This switch activates most optional warning messages, see remaining list
5071 in this section for details on optional warning messages that can be
5072 individually controlled. The warnings that are not turned on by this
5074 @option{-gnatwd} (implicit dereferencing),
5075 @option{-gnatwh} (hiding),
5076 @option{-gnatwl} (elaboration warnings),
5077 @option{-gnatw.o} (warn on values set by out parameters ignored)
5078 and @option{-gnatwt} (tracking of deleted conditional code).
5079 All other optional warnings are turned on.
5082 @emph{Suppress all optional errors.}
5083 @cindex @option{-gnatwA} (@command{gcc})
5084 This switch suppresses all optional warning messages, see remaining list
5085 in this section for details on optional warning messages that can be
5086 individually controlled.
5089 @emph{Activate warnings on failing assertions.}
5090 @cindex @option{-gnatw.a} (@command{gcc})
5091 @cindex Assert failures
5092 This switch activates warnings for assertions where the compiler can tell at
5093 compile time that the assertion will fail. Note that this warning is given
5094 even if assertions are disabled. The default is that such warnings are
5098 @emph{Suppress warnings on failing assertions.}
5099 @cindex @option{-gnatw.A} (@command{gcc})
5100 @cindex Assert failures
5101 This switch suppresses warnings for assertions where the compiler can tell at
5102 compile time that the assertion will fail.
5105 @emph{Activate warnings on bad fixed values.}
5106 @cindex @option{-gnatwb} (@command{gcc})
5107 @cindex Bad fixed values
5108 @cindex Fixed-point Small value
5110 This switch activates warnings for static fixed-point expressions whose
5111 value is not an exact multiple of Small. Such values are implementation
5112 dependent, since an implementation is free to choose either of the multiples
5113 that surround the value. GNAT always chooses the closer one, but this is not
5114 required behavior, and it is better to specify a value that is an exact
5115 multiple, ensuring predictable execution. The default is that such warnings
5119 @emph{Suppress warnings on bad fixed values.}
5120 @cindex @option{-gnatwB} (@command{gcc})
5121 This switch suppresses warnings for static fixed-point expressions whose
5122 value is not an exact multiple of Small.
5125 @emph{Activate warnings on biased representation.}
5126 @cindex @option{-gnatw.b} (@command{gcc})
5127 @cindex Biased representation
5128 This switch activates warnings when a size clause, value size clause, component
5129 clause, or component size clause forces the use of biased representation for an
5130 integer type (e.g. representing a range of 10..11 in a single bit by using 0/1
5131 to represent 10/11). The default is that such warnings are generated.
5134 @emph{Suppress warnings on biased representation.}
5135 @cindex @option{-gnatwB} (@command{gcc})
5136 This switch suppresses warnings for representation clauses that force the use
5137 of biased representation.
5140 @emph{Activate warnings on conditionals.}
5141 @cindex @option{-gnatwc} (@command{gcc})
5142 @cindex Conditionals, constant
5143 This switch activates warnings for conditional expressions used in
5144 tests that are known to be True or False at compile time. The default
5145 is that such warnings are not generated.
5146 Note that this warning does
5147 not get issued for the use of boolean variables or constants whose
5148 values are known at compile time, since this is a standard technique
5149 for conditional compilation in Ada, and this would generate too many
5150 false positive warnings.
5152 This warning option also activates a special test for comparisons using
5153 the operators ``>='' and`` <=''.
5154 If the compiler can tell that only the equality condition is possible,
5155 then it will warn that the ``>'' or ``<'' part of the test
5156 is useless and that the operator could be replaced by ``=''.
5157 An example would be comparing a @code{Natural} variable <= 0.
5159 This warning option also generates warnings if
5160 one or both tests is optimized away in a membership test for integer
5161 values if the result can be determined at compile time. Range tests on
5162 enumeration types are not included, since it is common for such tests
5163 to include an end point.
5165 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5168 @emph{Suppress warnings on conditionals.}
5169 @cindex @option{-gnatwC} (@command{gcc})
5170 This switch suppresses warnings for conditional expressions used in
5171 tests that are known to be True or False at compile time.
5174 @emph{Activate warnings on missing component clauses.}
5175 @cindex @option{-gnatw.c} (@command{gcc})
5176 @cindex Component clause, missing
5177 This switch activates warnings for record components where a record
5178 representation clause is present and has component clauses for the
5179 majority, but not all, of the components. A warning is given for each
5180 component for which no component clause is present.
5182 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5185 @emph{Suppress warnings on missing component clauses.}
5186 @cindex @option{-gnatwC} (@command{gcc})
5187 This switch suppresses warnings for record components that are
5188 missing a component clause in the situation described above.
5191 @emph{Activate warnings on implicit dereferencing.}
5192 @cindex @option{-gnatwd} (@command{gcc})
5193 If this switch is set, then the use of a prefix of an access type
5194 in an indexed component, slice, or selected component without an
5195 explicit @code{.all} will generate a warning. With this warning
5196 enabled, access checks occur only at points where an explicit
5197 @code{.all} appears in the source code (assuming no warnings are
5198 generated as a result of this switch). The default is that such
5199 warnings are not generated.
5200 Note that @option{-gnatwa} does not affect the setting of
5201 this warning option.
5204 @emph{Suppress warnings on implicit dereferencing.}
5205 @cindex @option{-gnatwD} (@command{gcc})
5206 @cindex Implicit dereferencing
5207 @cindex Dereferencing, implicit
5208 This switch suppresses warnings for implicit dereferences in
5209 indexed components, slices, and selected components.
5212 @emph{Treat warnings and style checks as errors.}
5213 @cindex @option{-gnatwe} (@command{gcc})
5214 @cindex Warnings, treat as error
5215 This switch causes warning messages and style check messages to be
5217 The warning string still appears, but the warning messages are counted
5218 as errors, and prevent the generation of an object file. Note that this
5219 is the only -gnatw switch that affects the handling of style check messages.
5222 @emph{Activate every optional warning}
5223 @cindex @option{-gnatw.e} (@command{gcc})
5224 @cindex Warnings, activate every optional warning
5225 This switch activates all optional warnings, including those which
5226 are not activated by @code{-gnatwa}.
5229 @emph{Activate warnings on unreferenced formals.}
5230 @cindex @option{-gnatwf} (@command{gcc})
5231 @cindex Formals, unreferenced
5232 This switch causes a warning to be generated if a formal parameter
5233 is not referenced in the body of the subprogram. This warning can
5234 also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa} or @option{-gnatwu}. The
5235 default is that these warnings are not generated.
5238 @emph{Suppress warnings on unreferenced formals.}
5239 @cindex @option{-gnatwF} (@command{gcc})
5240 This switch suppresses warnings for unreferenced formal
5241 parameters. Note that the
5242 combination @option{-gnatwu} followed by @option{-gnatwF} has the
5243 effect of warning on unreferenced entities other than subprogram
5247 @emph{Activate warnings on unrecognized pragmas.}
5248 @cindex @option{-gnatwg} (@command{gcc})
5249 @cindex Pragmas, unrecognized
5250 This switch causes a warning to be generated if an unrecognized
5251 pragma is encountered. Apart from issuing this warning, the
5252 pragma is ignored and has no effect. This warning can
5253 also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}. The default
5254 is that such warnings are issued (satisfying the Ada Reference
5255 Manual requirement that such warnings appear).
5258 @emph{Suppress warnings on unrecognized pragmas.}
5259 @cindex @option{-gnatwG} (@command{gcc})
5260 This switch suppresses warnings for unrecognized pragmas.
5263 @emph{Activate warnings on hiding.}
5264 @cindex @option{-gnatwh} (@command{gcc})
5265 @cindex Hiding of Declarations
5266 This switch activates warnings on hiding declarations.
5267 A declaration is considered hiding
5268 if it is for a non-overloadable entity, and it declares an entity with the
5269 same name as some other entity that is directly or use-visible. The default
5270 is that such warnings are not generated.
5271 Note that @option{-gnatwa} does not affect the setting of this warning option.
5274 @emph{Suppress warnings on hiding.}
5275 @cindex @option{-gnatwH} (@command{gcc})
5276 This switch suppresses warnings on hiding declarations.
5279 @emph{Activate warnings on implementation units.}
5280 @cindex @option{-gnatwi} (@command{gcc})
5281 This switch activates warnings for a @code{with} of an internal GNAT
5282 implementation unit, defined as any unit from the @code{Ada},
5283 @code{Interfaces}, @code{GNAT},
5284 ^^@code{DEC},^ or @code{System}
5285 hierarchies that is not
5286 documented in either the Ada Reference Manual or the GNAT
5287 Programmer's Reference Manual. Such units are intended only
5288 for internal implementation purposes and should not be @code{with}'ed
5289 by user programs. The default is that such warnings are generated
5290 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5293 @emph{Disable warnings on implementation units.}
5294 @cindex @option{-gnatwI} (@command{gcc})
5295 This switch disables warnings for a @code{with} of an internal GNAT
5296 implementation unit.
5299 @emph{Activate warnings on overlapping actuals.}
5300 @cindex @option{-gnatw.i} (@command{gcc})
5301 This switch enables a warning on statically detectable overlapping actuals in
5302 a subprogram call, when one of the actuals is an in-out parameter, and the
5303 types of the actuals are not by-copy types. The warning is off by default,
5304 and is not included under -gnatwa.
5307 @emph{Disable warnings on overlapping actuals.}
5308 @cindex @option{-gnatw.I} (@command{gcc})
5309 This switch disables warnings on overlapping actuals in a call..
5312 @emph{Activate warnings on obsolescent features (Annex J).}
5313 @cindex @option{-gnatwj} (@command{gcc})
5314 @cindex Features, obsolescent
5315 @cindex Obsolescent features
5316 If this warning option is activated, then warnings are generated for
5317 calls to subprograms marked with @code{pragma Obsolescent} and
5318 for use of features in Annex J of the Ada Reference Manual. In the
5319 case of Annex J, not all features are flagged. In particular use
5320 of the renamed packages (like @code{Text_IO}) and use of package
5321 @code{ASCII} are not flagged, since these are very common and
5322 would generate many annoying positive warnings. The default is that
5323 such warnings are not generated. This warning is also turned on by
5324 the use of @option{-gnatwa}.
5326 In addition to the above cases, warnings are also generated for
5327 GNAT features that have been provided in past versions but which
5328 have been superseded (typically by features in the new Ada standard).
5329 For example, @code{pragma Ravenscar} will be flagged since its
5330 function is replaced by @code{pragma Profile(Ravenscar)}.
5332 Note that this warning option functions differently from the
5333 restriction @code{No_Obsolescent_Features} in two respects.
5334 First, the restriction applies only to annex J features.
5335 Second, the restriction does flag uses of package @code{ASCII}.
5338 @emph{Suppress warnings on obsolescent features (Annex J).}
5339 @cindex @option{-gnatwJ} (@command{gcc})
5340 This switch disables warnings on use of obsolescent features.
5343 @emph{Activate warnings on variables that could be constants.}
5344 @cindex @option{-gnatwk} (@command{gcc})
5345 This switch activates warnings for variables that are initialized but
5346 never modified, and then could be declared constants. The default is that
5347 such warnings are not given.
5348 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5351 @emph{Suppress warnings on variables that could be constants.}
5352 @cindex @option{-gnatwK} (@command{gcc})
5353 This switch disables warnings on variables that could be declared constants.
5356 @emph{Activate warnings for elaboration pragmas.}
5357 @cindex @option{-gnatwl} (@command{gcc})
5358 @cindex Elaboration, warnings
5359 This switch activates warnings on missing
5360 @code{Elaborate_All} and @code{Elaborate} pragmas.
5361 See the section in this guide on elaboration checking for details on
5362 when such pragmas should be used. In dynamic elaboration mode, this switch
5363 generations warnings about the need to add elaboration pragmas. Note however,
5364 that if you blindly follow these warnings, and add @code{Elaborate_All}
5365 warnings wherever they are recommended, you basically end up with the
5366 equivalent of the static elaboration model, which may not be what you want for
5367 legacy code for which the static model does not work.
5369 For the static model, the messages generated are labeled "info:" (for
5370 information messages). They are not warnings to add elaboration pragmas,
5371 merely informational messages showing what implicit elaboration pragmas
5372 have been added, for use in analyzing elaboration circularity problems.
5374 Warnings are also generated if you
5375 are using the static mode of elaboration, and a @code{pragma Elaborate}
5376 is encountered. The default is that such warnings
5378 This warning is not automatically turned on by the use of @option{-gnatwa}.
5381 @emph{Suppress warnings for elaboration pragmas.}
5382 @cindex @option{-gnatwL} (@command{gcc})
5383 This switch suppresses warnings on missing Elaborate and Elaborate_All pragmas.
5384 See the section in this guide on elaboration checking for details on
5385 when such pragmas should be used.
5388 @emph{Activate warnings on modified but unreferenced variables.}
5389 @cindex @option{-gnatwm} (@command{gcc})
5390 This switch activates warnings for variables that are assigned (using
5391 an initialization value or with one or more assignment statements) but
5392 whose value is never read. The warning is suppressed for volatile
5393 variables and also for variables that are renamings of other variables
5394 or for which an address clause is given.
5395 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5396 The default is that these warnings are not given.
5399 @emph{Disable warnings on modified but unreferenced variables.}
5400 @cindex @option{-gnatwM} (@command{gcc})
5401 This switch disables warnings for variables that are assigned or
5402 initialized, but never read.
5405 @emph{Activate warnings on suspicious modulus values.}
5406 @cindex @option{-gnatw.m} (@command{gcc})
5407 This switch activates warnings for modulus values that seem suspicious.
5408 The cases caught are where the size is the same as the modulus (e.g.
5409 a modulus of 7 with a size of 7 bits), and modulus values of 32 or 64
5410 with no size clause. The guess in both cases is that 2**x was intended
5411 rather than x. The default is that these warnings are given.
5414 @emph{Disable warnings on suspicious modulus values.}
5415 @cindex @option{-gnatw.M} (@command{gcc})
5416 This switch disables warnings for suspicious modulus values.
5419 @emph{Set normal warnings mode.}
5420 @cindex @option{-gnatwn} (@command{gcc})
5421 This switch sets normal warning mode, in which enabled warnings are
5422 issued and treated as warnings rather than errors. This is the default
5423 mode. the switch @option{-gnatwn} can be used to cancel the effect of
5424 an explicit @option{-gnatws} or
5425 @option{-gnatwe}. It also cancels the effect of the
5426 implicit @option{-gnatwe} that is activated by the
5427 use of @option{-gnatg}.
5430 @emph{Activate warnings on address clause overlays.}
5431 @cindex @option{-gnatwo} (@command{gcc})
5432 @cindex Address Clauses, warnings
5433 This switch activates warnings for possibly unintended initialization
5434 effects of defining address clauses that cause one variable to overlap
5435 another. The default is that such warnings are generated.
5436 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5439 @emph{Suppress warnings on address clause overlays.}
5440 @cindex @option{-gnatwO} (@command{gcc})
5441 This switch suppresses warnings on possibly unintended initialization
5442 effects of defining address clauses that cause one variable to overlap
5446 @emph{Activate warnings on modified but unreferenced out parameters.}
5447 @cindex @option{-gnatw.o} (@command{gcc})
5448 This switch activates warnings for variables that are modified by using
5449 them as actuals for a call to a procedure with an out mode formal, where
5450 the resulting assigned value is never read. It is applicable in the case
5451 where there is more than one out mode formal. If there is only one out
5452 mode formal, the warning is issued by default (controlled by -gnatwu).
5453 The warning is suppressed for volatile
5454 variables and also for variables that are renamings of other variables
5455 or for which an address clause is given.
5456 The default is that these warnings are not given. Note that this warning
5457 is not included in -gnatwa, it must be activated explicitly.
5460 @emph{Disable warnings on modified but unreferenced out parameters.}
5461 @cindex @option{-gnatw.O} (@command{gcc})
5462 This switch suppresses warnings for variables that are modified by using
5463 them as actuals for a call to a procedure with an out mode formal, where
5464 the resulting assigned value is never read.
5467 @emph{Activate warnings on ineffective pragma Inlines.}
5468 @cindex @option{-gnatwp} (@command{gcc})
5469 @cindex Inlining, warnings
5470 This switch activates warnings for failure of front end inlining
5471 (activated by @option{-gnatN}) to inline a particular call. There are
5472 many reasons for not being able to inline a call, including most
5473 commonly that the call is too complex to inline. The default is
5474 that such warnings are not given.
5475 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5476 Warnings on ineffective inlining by the gcc back-end can be activated
5477 separately, using the gcc switch -Winline.
5480 @emph{Suppress warnings on ineffective pragma Inlines.}
5481 @cindex @option{-gnatwP} (@command{gcc})
5482 This switch suppresses warnings on ineffective pragma Inlines. If the
5483 inlining mechanism cannot inline a call, it will simply ignore the
5487 @emph{Activate warnings on parameter ordering.}
5488 @cindex @option{-gnatw.p} (@command{gcc})
5489 @cindex Parameter order, warnings
5490 This switch activates warnings for cases of suspicious parameter
5491 ordering when the list of arguments are all simple identifiers that
5492 match the names of the formals, but are in a different order. The
5493 warning is suppressed if any use of named parameter notation is used,
5494 so this is the appropriate way to suppress a false positive (and
5495 serves to emphasize that the "misordering" is deliberate). The
5497 that such warnings are not given.
5498 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5501 @emph{Suppress warnings on parameter ordering.}
5502 @cindex @option{-gnatw.P} (@command{gcc})
5503 This switch suppresses warnings on cases of suspicious parameter
5507 @emph{Activate warnings on questionable missing parentheses.}
5508 @cindex @option{-gnatwq} (@command{gcc})
5509 @cindex Parentheses, warnings
5510 This switch activates warnings for cases where parentheses are not used and
5511 the result is potential ambiguity from a readers point of view. For example
5512 (not a > b) when a and b are modular means ((not a) > b) and very likely the
5513 programmer intended (not (a > b)). Similarly (-x mod 5) means (-(x mod 5)) and
5514 quite likely ((-x) mod 5) was intended. In such situations it seems best to
5515 follow the rule of always parenthesizing to make the association clear, and
5516 this warning switch warns if such parentheses are not present. The default
5517 is that these warnings are given.
5518 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5521 @emph{Suppress warnings on questionable missing parentheses.}
5522 @cindex @option{-gnatwQ} (@command{gcc})
5523 This switch suppresses warnings for cases where the association is not
5524 clear and the use of parentheses is preferred.
5527 @emph{Activate warnings on redundant constructs.}
5528 @cindex @option{-gnatwr} (@command{gcc})
5529 This switch activates warnings for redundant constructs. The following
5530 is the current list of constructs regarded as redundant:
5534 Assignment of an item to itself.
5536 Type conversion that converts an expression to its own type.
5538 Use of the attribute @code{Base} where @code{typ'Base} is the same
5541 Use of pragma @code{Pack} when all components are placed by a record
5542 representation clause.
5544 Exception handler containing only a reraise statement (raise with no
5545 operand) which has no effect.
5547 Use of the operator abs on an operand that is known at compile time
5550 Comparison of boolean expressions to an explicit True value.
5553 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5554 The default is that warnings for redundant constructs are not given.
5557 @emph{Suppress warnings on redundant constructs.}
5558 @cindex @option{-gnatwR} (@command{gcc})
5559 This switch suppresses warnings for redundant constructs.
5562 @emph{Activate warnings for object renaming function.}
5563 @cindex @option{-gnatw.r} (@command{gcc})
5564 This switch activates warnings for an object renaming that renames a
5565 function call, which is equivalent to a constant declaration (as
5566 opposed to renaming the function itself). The default is that these
5567 warnings are given. This warning can also be turned on using
5571 @emph{Suppress warnings for object renaming function.}
5572 @cindex @option{-gnatwT} (@command{gcc})
5573 This switch suppresses warnings for object renaming function.
5576 @emph{Suppress all warnings.}
5577 @cindex @option{-gnatws} (@command{gcc})
5578 This switch completely suppresses the
5579 output of all warning messages from the GNAT front end.
5580 Note that it does not suppress warnings from the @command{gcc} back end.
5581 To suppress these back end warnings as well, use the switch @option{-w}
5582 in addition to @option{-gnatws}. Also this switch has no effect on the
5583 handling of style check messages.
5586 @emph{Activate warnings for tracking of deleted conditional code.}
5587 @cindex @option{-gnatwt} (@command{gcc})
5588 @cindex Deactivated code, warnings
5589 @cindex Deleted code, warnings
5590 This switch activates warnings for tracking of code in conditionals (IF and
5591 CASE statements) that is detected to be dead code which cannot be executed, and
5592 which is removed by the front end. This warning is off by default, and is not
5593 turned on by @option{-gnatwa}, it has to be turned on explicitly. This may be
5594 useful for detecting deactivated code in certified applications.
5597 @emph{Suppress warnings for tracking of deleted conditional code.}
5598 @cindex @option{-gnatwT} (@command{gcc})
5599 This switch suppresses warnings for tracking of deleted conditional code.
5602 @emph{Activate warnings on unused entities.}
5603 @cindex @option{-gnatwu} (@command{gcc})
5604 This switch activates warnings to be generated for entities that
5605 are declared but not referenced, and for units that are @code{with}'ed
5607 referenced. In the case of packages, a warning is also generated if
5608 no entities in the package are referenced. This means that if the package
5609 is referenced but the only references are in @code{use}
5610 clauses or @code{renames}
5611 declarations, a warning is still generated. A warning is also generated
5612 for a generic package that is @code{with}'ed but never instantiated.
5613 In the case where a package or subprogram body is compiled, and there
5614 is a @code{with} on the corresponding spec
5615 that is only referenced in the body,
5616 a warning is also generated, noting that the
5617 @code{with} can be moved to the body. The default is that
5618 such warnings are not generated.
5619 This switch also activates warnings on unreferenced formals
5620 (it includes the effect of @option{-gnatwf}).
5621 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5624 @emph{Suppress warnings on unused entities.}
5625 @cindex @option{-gnatwU} (@command{gcc})
5626 This switch suppresses warnings for unused entities and packages.
5627 It also turns off warnings on unreferenced formals (and thus includes
5628 the effect of @option{-gnatwF}).
5631 @emph{Activate warnings on unassigned variables.}
5632 @cindex @option{-gnatwv} (@command{gcc})
5633 @cindex Unassigned variable warnings
5634 This switch activates warnings for access to variables which
5635 may not be properly initialized. The default is that
5636 such warnings are generated.
5637 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5640 @emph{Suppress warnings on unassigned variables.}
5641 @cindex @option{-gnatwV} (@command{gcc})
5642 This switch suppresses warnings for access to variables which
5643 may not be properly initialized.
5644 For variables of a composite type, the warning can also be suppressed in
5645 Ada 2005 by using a default initialization with a box. For example, if
5646 Table is an array of records whose components are only partially uninitialized,
5647 then the following code:
5649 @smallexample @c ada
5650 Tab : Table := (others => <>);
5653 will suppress warnings on subsequent statements that access components
5657 @emph{Activate warnings on wrong low bound assumption.}
5658 @cindex @option{-gnatww} (@command{gcc})
5659 @cindex String indexing warnings
5660 This switch activates warnings for indexing an unconstrained string parameter
5661 with a literal or S'Length. This is a case where the code is assuming that the
5662 low bound is one, which is in general not true (for example when a slice is
5663 passed). The default is that such warnings are generated.
5664 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5667 @emph{Suppress warnings on wrong low bound assumption.}
5668 @cindex @option{-gnatwW} (@command{gcc})
5669 This switch suppresses warnings for indexing an unconstrained string parameter
5670 with a literal or S'Length. Note that this warning can also be suppressed
5671 in a particular case by adding an
5672 assertion that the lower bound is 1,
5673 as shown in the following example.
5675 @smallexample @c ada
5676 procedure K (S : String) is
5677 pragma Assert (S'First = 1);
5682 @emph{Activate warnings on unnecessary Warnings Off pragmas}
5683 @cindex @option{-gnatw.w} (@command{gcc})
5684 @cindex Warnings Off control
5685 This switch activates warnings for use of @code{pragma Warnings (Off, entity}
5686 where either the pragma is entirely useless (because it suppresses no
5687 warnings), or it could be replaced by @code{pragma Unreferenced} or
5688 @code{pragma Unmodified}.The default is that these warnings are not given.
5689 Note that this warning is not included in -gnatwa, it must be
5690 activated explicitly.
5693 @emph{Suppress warnings on unnecessary Warnings Off pragmas}
5694 @cindex @option{-gnatw.W} (@command{gcc})
5695 This switch suppresses warnings for use of @code{pragma Warnings (Off, entity}.
5698 @emph{Activate warnings on Export/Import pragmas.}
5699 @cindex @option{-gnatwx} (@command{gcc})
5700 @cindex Export/Import pragma warnings
5701 This switch activates warnings on Export/Import pragmas when
5702 the compiler detects a possible conflict between the Ada and
5703 foreign language calling sequences. For example, the use of
5704 default parameters in a convention C procedure is dubious
5705 because the C compiler cannot supply the proper default, so
5706 a warning is issued. The default is that such warnings are
5708 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5711 @emph{Suppress warnings on Export/Import pragmas.}
5712 @cindex @option{-gnatwX} (@command{gcc})
5713 This switch suppresses warnings on Export/Import pragmas.
5714 The sense of this is that you are telling the compiler that
5715 you know what you are doing in writing the pragma, and it
5716 should not complain at you.
5719 @emph{Activate warnings for No_Exception_Propagation mode.}
5720 @cindex @option{-gnatwm} (@command{gcc})
5721 This switch activates warnings for exception usage when pragma Restrictions
5722 (No_Exception_Propagation) is in effect. Warnings are given for implicit or
5723 explicit exception raises which are not covered by a local handler, and for
5724 exception handlers which do not cover a local raise. The default is that these
5725 warnings are not given.
5728 @emph{Disable warnings for No_Exception_Propagation mode.}
5729 This switch disables warnings for exception usage when pragma Restrictions
5730 (No_Exception_Propagation) is in effect.
5733 @emph{Activate warnings for Ada 2005 compatibility issues.}
5734 @cindex @option{-gnatwy} (@command{gcc})
5735 @cindex Ada 2005 compatibility issues warnings
5736 For the most part Ada 2005 is upwards compatible with Ada 95,
5737 but there are some exceptions (for example the fact that
5738 @code{interface} is now a reserved word in Ada 2005). This
5739 switch activates several warnings to help in identifying
5740 and correcting such incompatibilities. The default is that
5741 these warnings are generated. Note that at one point Ada 2005
5742 was called Ada 0Y, hence the choice of character.
5743 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5746 @emph{Disable warnings for Ada 2005 compatibility issues.}
5747 @cindex @option{-gnatwY} (@command{gcc})
5748 @cindex Ada 2005 compatibility issues warnings
5749 This switch suppresses several warnings intended to help in identifying
5750 incompatibilities between Ada 95 and Ada 2005.
5753 @emph{Activate warnings on unchecked conversions.}
5754 @cindex @option{-gnatwz} (@command{gcc})
5755 @cindex Unchecked_Conversion warnings
5756 This switch activates warnings for unchecked conversions
5757 where the types are known at compile time to have different
5759 is that such warnings are generated. Warnings are also
5760 generated for subprogram pointers with different conventions,
5761 and, on VMS only, for data pointers with different conventions.
5762 This warning can also be turned on using @option{-gnatwa}.
5765 @emph{Suppress warnings on unchecked conversions.}
5766 @cindex @option{-gnatwZ} (@command{gcc})
5767 This switch suppresses warnings for unchecked conversions
5768 where the types are known at compile time to have different
5769 sizes or conventions.
5771 @item ^-Wunused^WARNINGS=UNUSED^
5772 @cindex @option{-Wunused}
5773 The warnings controlled by the @option{-gnatw} switch are generated by
5774 the front end of the compiler. The @option{GCC} back end can provide
5775 additional warnings and they are controlled by the @option{-W} switch.
5776 For example, @option{^-Wunused^WARNINGS=UNUSED^} activates back end
5777 warnings for entities that are declared but not referenced.
5779 @item ^-Wuninitialized^WARNINGS=UNINITIALIZED^
5780 @cindex @option{-Wuninitialized}
5781 Similarly, @option{^-Wuninitialized^WARNINGS=UNINITIALIZED^} activates
5782 the back end warning for uninitialized variables. This switch must be
5783 used in conjunction with an optimization level greater than zero.
5785 @item ^-Wall^/ALL_BACK_END_WARNINGS^
5786 @cindex @option{-Wall}
5787 This switch enables all the above warnings from the @option{GCC} back end.
5788 The code generator detects a number of warning situations that are missed
5789 by the @option{GNAT} front end, and this switch can be used to activate them.
5790 The use of this switch also sets the default front end warning mode to
5791 @option{-gnatwa}, that is, most front end warnings activated as well.
5793 @item ^-w^/NO_BACK_END_WARNINGS^
5795 Conversely, this switch suppresses warnings from the @option{GCC} back end.
5796 The use of this switch also sets the default front end warning mode to
5797 @option{-gnatws}, that is, front end warnings suppressed as well.
5803 A string of warning parameters can be used in the same parameter. For example:
5810 will turn on all optional warnings except for elaboration pragma warnings,
5811 and also specify that warnings should be treated as errors.
5813 When no switch @option{^-gnatw^/WARNINGS^} is used, this is equivalent to:
5838 @node Debugging and Assertion Control
5839 @subsection Debugging and Assertion Control
5843 @cindex @option{-gnata} (@command{gcc})
5849 The pragmas @code{Assert} and @code{Debug} normally have no effect and
5850 are ignored. This switch, where @samp{a} stands for assert, causes
5851 @code{Assert} and @code{Debug} pragmas to be activated.
5853 The pragmas have the form:
5857 @b{pragma} Assert (@var{Boolean-expression} @r{[},
5858 @var{static-string-expression}@r{]})
5859 @b{pragma} Debug (@var{procedure call})
5864 The @code{Assert} pragma causes @var{Boolean-expression} to be tested.
5865 If the result is @code{True}, the pragma has no effect (other than
5866 possible side effects from evaluating the expression). If the result is
5867 @code{False}, the exception @code{Assert_Failure} declared in the package
5868 @code{System.Assertions} is
5869 raised (passing @var{static-string-expression}, if present, as the
5870 message associated with the exception). If no string expression is
5871 given the default is a string giving the file name and line number
5874 The @code{Debug} pragma causes @var{procedure} to be called. Note that
5875 @code{pragma Debug} may appear within a declaration sequence, allowing
5876 debugging procedures to be called between declarations.
5879 @item /DEBUG@r{[}=debug-level@r{]}
5881 Specifies how much debugging information is to be included in
5882 the resulting object file where 'debug-level' is one of the following:
5885 Include both debugger symbol records and traceback
5887 This is the default setting.
5889 Include both debugger symbol records and traceback in
5892 Excludes both debugger symbol records and traceback
5893 the object file. Same as /NODEBUG.
5895 Includes only debugger symbol records in the object
5896 file. Note that this doesn't include traceback information.
5901 @node Validity Checking
5902 @subsection Validity Checking
5903 @findex Validity Checking
5906 The Ada Reference Manual defines the concept of invalid values (see
5907 RM 13.9.1). The primary source of invalid values is uninitialized
5908 variables. A scalar variable that is left uninitialized may contain
5909 an invalid value; the concept of invalid does not apply to access or
5912 It is an error to read an invalid value, but the RM does not require
5913 run-time checks to detect such errors, except for some minimal
5914 checking to prevent erroneous execution (i.e. unpredictable
5915 behavior). This corresponds to the @option{-gnatVd} switch below,
5916 which is the default. For example, by default, if the expression of a
5917 case statement is invalid, it will raise Constraint_Error rather than
5918 causing a wild jump, and if an array index on the left-hand side of an
5919 assignment is invalid, it will raise Constraint_Error rather than
5920 overwriting an arbitrary memory location.
5922 The @option{-gnatVa} may be used to enable additional validity checks,
5923 which are not required by the RM. These checks are often very
5924 expensive (which is why the RM does not require them). These checks
5925 are useful in tracking down uninitialized variables, but they are
5926 not usually recommended for production builds.
5928 The other @option{-gnatV^@var{x}^^} switches below allow finer-grained
5929 control; you can enable whichever validity checks you desire. However,
5930 for most debugging purposes, @option{-gnatVa} is sufficient, and the
5931 default @option{-gnatVd} (i.e. standard Ada behavior) is usually
5932 sufficient for non-debugging use.
5934 The @option{-gnatB} switch tells the compiler to assume that all
5935 values are valid (that is, within their declared subtype range)
5936 except in the context of a use of the Valid attribute. This means
5937 the compiler can generate more efficient code, since the range
5938 of values is better known at compile time. However, an uninitialized
5939 variable can cause wild jumps and memory corruption in this mode.
5941 The @option{-gnatV^@var{x}^^} switch allows control over the validity
5942 checking mode as described below.
5944 The @code{x} argument is a string of letters that
5945 indicate validity checks that are performed or not performed in addition
5946 to the default checks required by Ada as described above.
5949 The options allowed for this qualifier
5950 indicate validity checks that are performed or not performed in addition
5951 to the default checks required by Ada as described above.
5957 @emph{All validity checks.}
5958 @cindex @option{-gnatVa} (@command{gcc})
5959 All validity checks are turned on.
5961 That is, @option{-gnatVa} is
5962 equivalent to @option{gnatVcdfimorst}.
5966 @emph{Validity checks for copies.}
5967 @cindex @option{-gnatVc} (@command{gcc})
5968 The right hand side of assignments, and the initializing values of
5969 object declarations are validity checked.
5972 @emph{Default (RM) validity checks.}
5973 @cindex @option{-gnatVd} (@command{gcc})
5974 Some validity checks are done by default following normal Ada semantics
5976 A check is done in case statements that the expression is within the range
5977 of the subtype. If it is not, Constraint_Error is raised.
5978 For assignments to array components, a check is done that the expression used
5979 as index is within the range. If it is not, Constraint_Error is raised.
5980 Both these validity checks may be turned off using switch @option{-gnatVD}.
5981 They are turned on by default. If @option{-gnatVD} is specified, a subsequent
5982 switch @option{-gnatVd} will leave the checks turned on.
5983 Switch @option{-gnatVD} should be used only if you are sure that all such
5984 expressions have valid values. If you use this switch and invalid values
5985 are present, then the program is erroneous, and wild jumps or memory
5986 overwriting may occur.
5989 @emph{Validity checks for elementary components.}
5990 @cindex @option{-gnatVe} (@command{gcc})
5991 In the absence of this switch, assignments to record or array components are
5992 not validity checked, even if validity checks for assignments generally
5993 (@option{-gnatVc}) are turned on. In Ada, assignment of composite values do not
5994 require valid data, but assignment of individual components does. So for
5995 example, there is a difference between copying the elements of an array with a
5996 slice assignment, compared to assigning element by element in a loop. This
5997 switch allows you to turn off validity checking for components, even when they
5998 are assigned component by component.
6001 @emph{Validity checks for floating-point values.}
6002 @cindex @option{-gnatVf} (@command{gcc})
6003 In the absence of this switch, validity checking occurs only for discrete
6004 values. If @option{-gnatVf} is specified, then validity checking also applies
6005 for floating-point values, and NaNs and infinities are considered invalid,
6006 as well as out of range values for constrained types. Note that this means
6007 that standard IEEE infinity mode is not allowed. The exact contexts
6008 in which floating-point values are checked depends on the setting of other
6009 options. For example,
6010 @option{^-gnatVif^VALIDITY_CHECKING=(IN_PARAMS,FLOATS)^} or
6011 @option{^-gnatVfi^VALIDITY_CHECKING=(FLOATS,IN_PARAMS)^}
6012 (the order does not matter) specifies that floating-point parameters of mode
6013 @code{in} should be validity checked.
6016 @emph{Validity checks for @code{in} mode parameters}
6017 @cindex @option{-gnatVi} (@command{gcc})
6018 Arguments for parameters of mode @code{in} are validity checked in function
6019 and procedure calls at the point of call.
6022 @emph{Validity checks for @code{in out} mode parameters.}
6023 @cindex @option{-gnatVm} (@command{gcc})
6024 Arguments for parameters of mode @code{in out} are validity checked in
6025 procedure calls at the point of call. The @code{'m'} here stands for
6026 modify, since this concerns parameters that can be modified by the call.
6027 Note that there is no specific option to test @code{out} parameters,
6028 but any reference within the subprogram will be tested in the usual
6029 manner, and if an invalid value is copied back, any reference to it
6030 will be subject to validity checking.
6033 @emph{No validity checks.}
6034 @cindex @option{-gnatVn} (@command{gcc})
6035 This switch turns off all validity checking, including the default checking
6036 for case statements and left hand side subscripts. Note that the use of
6037 the switch @option{-gnatp} suppresses all run-time checks, including
6038 validity checks, and thus implies @option{-gnatVn}. When this switch
6039 is used, it cancels any other @option{-gnatV} previously issued.
6042 @emph{Validity checks for operator and attribute operands.}
6043 @cindex @option{-gnatVo} (@command{gcc})
6044 Arguments for predefined operators and attributes are validity checked.
6045 This includes all operators in package @code{Standard},
6046 the shift operators defined as intrinsic in package @code{Interfaces}
6047 and operands for attributes such as @code{Pos}. Checks are also made
6048 on individual component values for composite comparisons, and on the
6049 expressions in type conversions and qualified expressions. Checks are
6050 also made on explicit ranges using @samp{..} (e.g.@: slices, loops etc).
6053 @emph{Validity checks for parameters.}
6054 @cindex @option{-gnatVp} (@command{gcc})
6055 This controls the treatment of parameters within a subprogram (as opposed
6056 to @option{-gnatVi} and @option{-gnatVm} which control validity testing
6057 of parameters on a call. If either of these call options is used, then
6058 normally an assumption is made within a subprogram that the input arguments
6059 have been validity checking at the point of call, and do not need checking
6060 again within a subprogram). If @option{-gnatVp} is set, then this assumption
6061 is not made, and parameters are not assumed to be valid, so their validity
6062 will be checked (or rechecked) within the subprogram.
6065 @emph{Validity checks for function returns.}
6066 @cindex @option{-gnatVr} (@command{gcc})
6067 The expression in @code{return} statements in functions is validity
6071 @emph{Validity checks for subscripts.}
6072 @cindex @option{-gnatVs} (@command{gcc})
6073 All subscripts expressions are checked for validity, whether they appear
6074 on the right side or left side (in default mode only left side subscripts
6075 are validity checked).
6078 @emph{Validity checks for tests.}
6079 @cindex @option{-gnatVt} (@command{gcc})
6080 Expressions used as conditions in @code{if}, @code{while} or @code{exit}
6081 statements are checked, as well as guard expressions in entry calls.
6086 The @option{-gnatV} switch may be followed by
6087 ^a string of letters^a list of options^
6088 to turn on a series of validity checking options.
6090 @option{^-gnatVcr^/VALIDITY_CHECKING=(COPIES, RETURNS)^}
6091 specifies that in addition to the default validity checking, copies and
6092 function return expressions are to be validity checked.
6093 In order to make it easier
6094 to specify the desired combination of effects,
6096 the upper case letters @code{CDFIMORST} may
6097 be used to turn off the corresponding lower case option.
6100 the prefix @code{NO} on an option turns off the corresponding validity
6103 @item @code{NOCOPIES}
6104 @item @code{NODEFAULT}
6105 @item @code{NOFLOATS}
6106 @item @code{NOIN_PARAMS}
6107 @item @code{NOMOD_PARAMS}
6108 @item @code{NOOPERANDS}
6109 @item @code{NORETURNS}
6110 @item @code{NOSUBSCRIPTS}
6111 @item @code{NOTESTS}
6115 @option{^-gnatVaM^/VALIDITY_CHECKING=(ALL, NOMOD_PARAMS)^}
6116 turns on all validity checking options except for
6117 checking of @code{@b{in out}} procedure arguments.
6119 The specification of additional validity checking generates extra code (and
6120 in the case of @option{-gnatVa} the code expansion can be substantial).
6121 However, these additional checks can be very useful in detecting
6122 uninitialized variables, incorrect use of unchecked conversion, and other
6123 errors leading to invalid values. The use of pragma @code{Initialize_Scalars}
6124 is useful in conjunction with the extra validity checking, since this
6125 ensures that wherever possible uninitialized variables have invalid values.
6127 See also the pragma @code{Validity_Checks} which allows modification of
6128 the validity checking mode at the program source level, and also allows for
6129 temporary disabling of validity checks.
6131 @node Style Checking
6132 @subsection Style Checking
6133 @findex Style checking
6136 The @option{-gnaty^x^(option,option,@dots{})^} switch
6137 @cindex @option{-gnaty} (@command{gcc})
6138 causes the compiler to
6139 enforce specified style rules. A limited set of style rules has been used
6140 in writing the GNAT sources themselves. This switch allows user programs
6141 to activate all or some of these checks. If the source program fails a
6142 specified style check, an appropriate message is given, preceded by
6143 the character sequence ``(style)''. This message does not prevent
6144 successful compilation (unless the @option{-gnatwe} switch is used).
6147 @code{(option,option,@dots{})} is a sequence of keywords
6150 The string @var{x} is a sequence of letters or digits
6152 indicating the particular style
6153 checks to be performed. The following checks are defined:
6158 @emph{Specify indentation level.}
6159 If a digit from 1-9 appears
6160 ^in the string after @option{-gnaty}^as an option for /STYLE_CHECKS^
6161 then proper indentation is checked, with the digit indicating the
6162 indentation level required. A value of zero turns off this style check.
6163 The general style of required indentation is as specified by
6164 the examples in the Ada Reference Manual. Full line comments must be
6165 aligned with the @code{--} starting on a column that is a multiple of
6166 the alignment level, or they may be aligned the same way as the following
6167 non-blank line (this is useful when full line comments appear in the middle
6171 @emph{Check attribute casing.}
6172 Attribute names, including the case of keywords such as @code{digits}
6173 used as attributes names, must be written in mixed case, that is, the
6174 initial letter and any letter following an underscore must be uppercase.
6175 All other letters must be lowercase.
6177 @item ^A^ARRAY_INDEXES^
6178 @emph{Use of array index numbers in array attributes.}
6179 When using the array attributes First, Last, Range,
6180 or Length, the index number must be omitted for one-dimensional arrays
6181 and is required for multi-dimensional arrays.
6184 @emph{Blanks not allowed at statement end.}
6185 Trailing blanks are not allowed at the end of statements. The purpose of this
6186 rule, together with h (no horizontal tabs), is to enforce a canonical format
6187 for the use of blanks to separate source tokens.
6189 @item ^B^BOOLEAN_OPERATORS^
6190 @emph{Check Boolean operators.}
6191 The use of AND/OR operators is not permitted except in the cases of modular
6192 operands, array operands, and simple stand-alone boolean variables or
6193 boolean constants. In all other cases AND THEN/OR ELSE are required.
6196 @emph{Check comments.}
6197 Comments must meet the following set of rules:
6202 The ``@code{--}'' that starts the column must either start in column one,
6203 or else at least one blank must precede this sequence.
6206 Comments that follow other tokens on a line must have at least one blank
6207 following the ``@code{--}'' at the start of the comment.
6210 Full line comments must have two blanks following the ``@code{--}'' that
6211 starts the comment, with the following exceptions.
6214 A line consisting only of the ``@code{--}'' characters, possibly preceded
6215 by blanks is permitted.
6218 A comment starting with ``@code{--x}'' where @code{x} is a special character
6220 This allows proper processing of the output generated by specialized tools
6221 including @command{gnatprep} (where ``@code{--!}'' is used) and the SPARK
6223 language (where ``@code{--#}'' is used). For the purposes of this rule, a
6224 special character is defined as being in one of the ASCII ranges
6225 @code{16#21#@dots{}16#2F#} or @code{16#3A#@dots{}16#3F#}.
6226 Note that this usage is not permitted
6227 in GNAT implementation units (i.e., when @option{-gnatg} is used).
6230 A line consisting entirely of minus signs, possibly preceded by blanks, is
6231 permitted. This allows the construction of box comments where lines of minus
6232 signs are used to form the top and bottom of the box.
6235 A comment that starts and ends with ``@code{--}'' is permitted as long as at
6236 least one blank follows the initial ``@code{--}''. Together with the preceding
6237 rule, this allows the construction of box comments, as shown in the following
6240 ---------------------------
6241 -- This is a box comment --
6242 -- with two text lines. --
6243 ---------------------------
6247 @item ^d^DOS_LINE_ENDINGS^
6248 @emph{Check no DOS line terminators present.}
6249 All lines must be terminated by a single ASCII.LF
6250 character (in particular the DOS line terminator sequence CR/LF is not
6254 @emph{Check end/exit labels.}
6255 Optional labels on @code{end} statements ending subprograms and on
6256 @code{exit} statements exiting named loops, are required to be present.
6259 @emph{No form feeds or vertical tabs.}
6260 Neither form feeds nor vertical tab characters are permitted
6264 @emph{GNAT style mode}
6265 The set of style check switches is set to match that used by the GNAT sources.
6266 This may be useful when developing code that is eventually intended to be
6267 incorporated into GNAT. For further details, see GNAT sources.
6270 @emph{No horizontal tabs.}
6271 Horizontal tab characters are not permitted in the source text.
6272 Together with the b (no blanks at end of line) check, this
6273 enforces a canonical form for the use of blanks to separate
6277 @emph{Check if-then layout.}
6278 The keyword @code{then} must appear either on the same
6279 line as corresponding @code{if}, or on a line on its own, lined
6280 up under the @code{if} with at least one non-blank line in between
6281 containing all or part of the condition to be tested.
6284 @emph{check mode IN keywords}
6285 Mode @code{in} (the default mode) is not
6286 allowed to be given explicitly. @code{in out} is fine,
6287 but not @code{in} on its own.
6290 @emph{Check keyword casing.}
6291 All keywords must be in lower case (with the exception of keywords
6292 such as @code{digits} used as attribute names to which this check
6296 @emph{Check layout.}
6297 Layout of statement and declaration constructs must follow the
6298 recommendations in the Ada Reference Manual, as indicated by the
6299 form of the syntax rules. For example an @code{else} keyword must
6300 be lined up with the corresponding @code{if} keyword.
6302 There are two respects in which the style rule enforced by this check
6303 option are more liberal than those in the Ada Reference Manual. First
6304 in the case of record declarations, it is permissible to put the
6305 @code{record} keyword on the same line as the @code{type} keyword, and
6306 then the @code{end} in @code{end record} must line up under @code{type}.
6307 This is also permitted when the type declaration is split on two lines.
6308 For example, any of the following three layouts is acceptable:
6310 @smallexample @c ada
6333 Second, in the case of a block statement, a permitted alternative
6334 is to put the block label on the same line as the @code{declare} or
6335 @code{begin} keyword, and then line the @code{end} keyword up under
6336 the block label. For example both the following are permitted:
6338 @smallexample @c ada
6356 The same alternative format is allowed for loops. For example, both of
6357 the following are permitted:
6359 @smallexample @c ada
6361 Clear : while J < 10 loop
6372 @item ^Lnnn^MAX_NESTING=nnn^
6373 @emph{Set maximum nesting level}
6374 The maximum level of nesting of constructs (including subprograms, loops,
6375 blocks, packages, and conditionals) may not exceed the given value
6376 @option{nnn}. A value of zero disconnects this style check.
6378 @item ^m^LINE_LENGTH^
6379 @emph{Check maximum line length.}
6380 The length of source lines must not exceed 79 characters, including
6381 any trailing blanks. The value of 79 allows convenient display on an
6382 80 character wide device or window, allowing for possible special
6383 treatment of 80 character lines. Note that this count is of
6384 characters in the source text. This means that a tab character counts
6385 as one character in this count but a wide character sequence counts as
6386 a single character (however many bytes are needed in the encoding).
6388 @item ^Mnnn^MAX_LENGTH=nnn^
6389 @emph{Set maximum line length.}
6390 The length of lines must not exceed the
6391 given value @option{nnn}. The maximum value that can be specified is 32767.
6393 @item ^n^STANDARD_CASING^
6394 @emph{Check casing of entities in Standard.}
6395 Any identifier from Standard must be cased
6396 to match the presentation in the Ada Reference Manual (for example,
6397 @code{Integer} and @code{ASCII.NUL}).
6400 @emph{Turn off all style checks}
6401 All style check options are turned off.
6403 @item ^o^ORDERED_SUBPROGRAMS^
6404 @emph{Check order of subprogram bodies.}
6405 All subprogram bodies in a given scope
6406 (e.g.@: a package body) must be in alphabetical order. The ordering
6407 rule uses normal Ada rules for comparing strings, ignoring casing
6408 of letters, except that if there is a trailing numeric suffix, then
6409 the value of this suffix is used in the ordering (e.g.@: Junk2 comes
6412 @item ^O^OVERRIDING_INDICATORS^
6413 @emph{Check that overriding subprograms are explicitly marked as such.}
6414 The declaration of a primitive operation of a type extension that overrides
6415 an inherited operation must carry an overriding indicator.
6418 @emph{Check pragma casing.}
6419 Pragma names must be written in mixed case, that is, the
6420 initial letter and any letter following an underscore must be uppercase.
6421 All other letters must be lowercase.
6423 @item ^r^REFERENCES^
6424 @emph{Check references.}
6425 All identifier references must be cased in the same way as the
6426 corresponding declaration. No specific casing style is imposed on
6427 identifiers. The only requirement is for consistency of references
6430 @item ^S^STATEMENTS_AFTER_THEN_ELSE^
6431 @emph{Check no statements after THEN/ELSE.}
6432 No statements are allowed
6433 on the same line as a THEN or ELSE keyword following the
6434 keyword in an IF statement. OR ELSE and AND THEN are not affected,
6435 and a special exception allows a pragma to appear after ELSE.
6438 @emph{Check separate specs.}
6439 Separate declarations (``specs'') are required for subprograms (a
6440 body is not allowed to serve as its own declaration). The only
6441 exception is that parameterless library level procedures are
6442 not required to have a separate declaration. This exception covers
6443 the most frequent form of main program procedures.
6446 @emph{Check token spacing.}
6447 The following token spacing rules are enforced:
6452 The keywords @code{@b{abs}} and @code{@b{not}} must be followed by a space.
6455 The token @code{=>} must be surrounded by spaces.
6458 The token @code{<>} must be preceded by a space or a left parenthesis.
6461 Binary operators other than @code{**} must be surrounded by spaces.
6462 There is no restriction on the layout of the @code{**} binary operator.
6465 Colon must be surrounded by spaces.
6468 Colon-equal (assignment, initialization) must be surrounded by spaces.
6471 Comma must be the first non-blank character on the line, or be
6472 immediately preceded by a non-blank character, and must be followed
6476 If the token preceding a left parenthesis ends with a letter or digit, then
6477 a space must separate the two tokens.
6480 if the token following a right parenthesis starts with a letter or digit, then
6481 a space must separate the two tokens.
6484 A right parenthesis must either be the first non-blank character on
6485 a line, or it must be preceded by a non-blank character.
6488 A semicolon must not be preceded by a space, and must not be followed by
6489 a non-blank character.
6492 A unary plus or minus may not be followed by a space.
6495 A vertical bar must be surrounded by spaces.
6498 @item ^u^UNNECESSARY_BLANK_LINES^
6499 @emph{Check unnecessary blank lines.}
6500 Unnecessary blank lines are not allowed. A blank line is considered
6501 unnecessary if it appears at the end of the file, or if more than
6502 one blank line occurs in sequence.
6504 @item ^x^XTRA_PARENS^
6505 @emph{Check extra parentheses.}
6506 Unnecessary extra level of parentheses (C-style) are not allowed
6507 around conditions in @code{if} statements, @code{while} statements and
6508 @code{exit} statements.
6510 @item ^y^ALL_BUILTIN^
6511 @emph{Set all standard style check options}
6512 This is equivalent to @code{gnaty3aAbcefhiklmnprst}, that is all checking
6513 options enabled with the exception of @option{-gnatyo}, @option{-gnatyI},
6514 @option{-gnatyS}, @option{-gnatyLnnn},
6515 @option{-gnatyd}, @option{-gnatyu}, and @option{-gnatyx}.
6519 @emph{Remove style check options}
6520 This causes any subsequent options in the string to act as canceling the
6521 corresponding style check option. To cancel maximum nesting level control,
6522 use @option{L} parameter witout any integer value after that, because any
6523 digit following @option{-} in the parameter string of the @option{-gnaty}
6524 option will be threated as canceling indentation check. The same is true
6525 for @option{M} parameter. @option{y} and @option{N} parameters are not
6526 allowed after @option{-}.
6529 This causes any subsequent options in the string to enable the corresponding
6530 style check option. That is, it cancels the effect of a previous ^-^REMOVE^,
6536 @emph{Removing style check options}
6537 If the name of a style check is preceded by @option{NO} then the corresponding
6538 style check is turned off. For example @option{NOCOMMENTS} turns off style
6539 checking for comments.
6544 In the above rules, appearing in column one is always permitted, that is,
6545 counts as meeting either a requirement for a required preceding space,
6546 or as meeting a requirement for no preceding space.
6548 Appearing at the end of a line is also always permitted, that is, counts
6549 as meeting either a requirement for a following space, or as meeting
6550 a requirement for no following space.
6553 If any of these style rules is violated, a message is generated giving
6554 details on the violation. The initial characters of such messages are
6555 always ``@code{(style)}''. Note that these messages are treated as warning
6556 messages, so they normally do not prevent the generation of an object
6557 file. The @option{-gnatwe} switch can be used to treat warning messages,
6558 including style messages, as fatal errors.
6562 @option{-gnaty} on its own (that is not
6563 followed by any letters or digits), then the effect is equivalent
6564 to the use of @option{-gnatyy}, as described above, that is all
6565 built-in standard style check options are enabled.
6569 /STYLE_CHECKS=ALL_BUILTIN enables all checking options with
6570 the exception of ORDERED_SUBPROGRAMS, UNNECESSARY_BLANK_LINES,
6571 XTRA_PARENS, and DOS_LINE_ENDINGS. In addition
6581 clears any previously set style checks.
6583 @node Run-Time Checks
6584 @subsection Run-Time Checks
6585 @cindex Division by zero
6586 @cindex Access before elaboration
6587 @cindex Checks, division by zero
6588 @cindex Checks, access before elaboration
6589 @cindex Checks, stack overflow checking
6592 By default, the following checks are suppressed: integer overflow
6593 checks, stack overflow checks, and checks for access before
6594 elaboration on subprogram calls. All other checks, including range
6595 checks and array bounds checks, are turned on by default. The
6596 following @command{gcc} switches refine this default behavior.
6601 @cindex @option{-gnatp} (@command{gcc})
6602 @cindex Suppressing checks
6603 @cindex Checks, suppressing
6605 This switch causes the unit to be compiled
6606 as though @code{pragma Suppress (All_checks)}
6607 had been present in the source. Validity checks are also eliminated (in
6608 other words @option{-gnatp} also implies @option{-gnatVn}.
6609 Use this switch to improve the performance
6610 of the code at the expense of safety in the presence of invalid data or
6613 Note that when checks are suppressed, the compiler is allowed, but not
6614 required, to omit the checking code. If the run-time cost of the
6615 checking code is zero or near-zero, the compiler will generate it even
6616 if checks are suppressed. In particular, if the compiler can prove
6617 that a certain check will necessarily fail, it will generate code to
6618 do an unconditional ``raise'', even if checks are suppressed. The
6619 compiler warns in this case. Another case in which checks may not be
6620 eliminated is when they are embedded in certain run time routines such
6621 as math library routines.
6623 Of course, run-time checks are omitted whenever the compiler can prove
6624 that they will not fail, whether or not checks are suppressed.
6626 Note that if you suppress a check that would have failed, program
6627 execution is erroneous, which means the behavior is totally
6628 unpredictable. The program might crash, or print wrong answers, or
6629 do anything else. It might even do exactly what you wanted it to do
6630 (and then it might start failing mysteriously next week or next
6631 year). The compiler will generate code based on the assumption that
6632 the condition being checked is true, which can result in disaster if
6633 that assumption is wrong.
6635 The @option{-gnatp} switch has no effect if a subsequent
6636 @option{-gnat-p} switch appears.
6639 @cindex @option{-gnat-p} (@command{gcc})
6640 @cindex Suppressing checks
6641 @cindex Checks, suppressing
6643 This switch cancels the effect of a previous @option{gnatp} switch.
6646 @cindex @option{-gnato} (@command{gcc})
6647 @cindex Overflow checks
6648 @cindex Check, overflow
6649 Enables overflow checking for integer operations.
6650 This causes GNAT to generate slower and larger executable
6651 programs by adding code to check for overflow (resulting in raising
6652 @code{Constraint_Error} as required by standard Ada
6653 semantics). These overflow checks correspond to situations in which
6654 the true value of the result of an operation may be outside the base
6655 range of the result type. The following example shows the distinction:
6657 @smallexample @c ada
6658 X1 : Integer := "Integer'Last";
6659 X2 : Integer range 1 .. 5 := "5";
6660 X3 : Integer := "Integer'Last";
6661 X4 : Integer range 1 .. 5 := "5";
6662 F : Float := "2.0E+20";
6671 Note that if explicit values are assigned at compile time, the
6672 compiler may be able to detect overflow at compile time, in which case
6673 no actual run-time checking code is required, and Constraint_Error
6674 will be raised unconditionally, with or without
6675 @option{-gnato}. That's why the assigned values in the above fragment
6676 are in quotes, the meaning is "assign a value not known to the
6677 compiler that happens to be equal to ...". The remaining discussion
6678 assumes that the compiler cannot detect the values at compile time.
6680 Here the first addition results in a value that is outside the base range
6681 of Integer, and hence requires an overflow check for detection of the
6682 constraint error. Thus the first assignment to @code{X1} raises a
6683 @code{Constraint_Error} exception only if @option{-gnato} is set.
6685 The second increment operation results in a violation of the explicit
6686 range constraint; such range checks are performed by default, and are
6687 unaffected by @option{-gnato}.
6689 The two conversions of @code{F} both result in values that are outside
6690 the base range of type @code{Integer} and thus will raise
6691 @code{Constraint_Error} exceptions only if @option{-gnato} is used.
6692 The fact that the result of the second conversion is assigned to
6693 variable @code{X4} with a restricted range is irrelevant, since the problem
6694 is in the conversion, not the assignment.
6696 Basically the rule is that in the default mode (@option{-gnato} not
6697 used), the generated code assures that all integer variables stay
6698 within their declared ranges, or within the base range if there is
6699 no declared range. This prevents any serious problems like indexes
6700 out of range for array operations.
6702 What is not checked in default mode is an overflow that results in
6703 an in-range, but incorrect value. In the above example, the assignments
6704 to @code{X1}, @code{X2}, @code{X3} all give results that are within the
6705 range of the target variable, but the result is wrong in the sense that
6706 it is too large to be represented correctly. Typically the assignment
6707 to @code{X1} will result in wrap around to the largest negative number.
6708 The conversions of @code{F} will result in some @code{Integer} value
6709 and if that integer value is out of the @code{X4} range then the
6710 subsequent assignment would generate an exception.
6712 @findex Machine_Overflows
6713 Note that the @option{-gnato} switch does not affect the code generated
6714 for any floating-point operations; it applies only to integer
6716 For floating-point, GNAT has the @code{Machine_Overflows}
6717 attribute set to @code{False} and the normal mode of operation is to
6718 generate IEEE NaN and infinite values on overflow or invalid operations
6719 (such as dividing 0.0 by 0.0).
6721 The reason that we distinguish overflow checking from other kinds of
6722 range constraint checking is that a failure of an overflow check, unlike
6723 for example the failure of a range check, can result in an incorrect
6724 value, but cannot cause random memory destruction (like an out of range
6725 subscript), or a wild jump (from an out of range case value). Overflow
6726 checking is also quite expensive in time and space, since in general it
6727 requires the use of double length arithmetic.
6729 Note again that @option{-gnato} is off by default, so overflow checking is
6730 not performed in default mode. This means that out of the box, with the
6731 default settings, GNAT does not do all the checks expected from the
6732 language description in the Ada Reference Manual. If you want all constraint
6733 checks to be performed, as described in this Manual, then you must
6734 explicitly use the -gnato switch either on the @command{gnatmake} or
6735 @command{gcc} command.
6738 @cindex @option{-gnatE} (@command{gcc})
6739 @cindex Elaboration checks
6740 @cindex Check, elaboration
6741 Enables dynamic checks for access-before-elaboration
6742 on subprogram calls and generic instantiations.
6743 Note that @option{-gnatE} is not necessary for safety, because in the
6744 default mode, GNAT ensures statically that the checks would not fail.
6745 For full details of the effect and use of this switch,
6746 @xref{Compiling Using gcc}.
6749 @cindex @option{-fstack-check} (@command{gcc})
6750 @cindex Stack Overflow Checking
6751 @cindex Checks, stack overflow checking
6752 Activates stack overflow checking. For full details of the effect and use of
6753 this switch see @ref{Stack Overflow Checking}.
6758 The setting of these switches only controls the default setting of the
6759 checks. You may modify them using either @code{Suppress} (to remove
6760 checks) or @code{Unsuppress} (to add back suppressed checks) pragmas in
6763 @node Using gcc for Syntax Checking
6764 @subsection Using @command{gcc} for Syntax Checking
6767 @cindex @option{-gnats} (@command{gcc})
6771 The @code{s} stands for ``syntax''.
6774 Run GNAT in syntax checking only mode. For
6775 example, the command
6778 $ gcc -c -gnats x.adb
6782 compiles file @file{x.adb} in syntax-check-only mode. You can check a
6783 series of files in a single command
6785 , and can use wild cards to specify such a group of files.
6786 Note that you must specify the @option{-c} (compile
6787 only) flag in addition to the @option{-gnats} flag.
6790 You may use other switches in conjunction with @option{-gnats}. In
6791 particular, @option{-gnatl} and @option{-gnatv} are useful to control the
6792 format of any generated error messages.
6794 When the source file is empty or contains only empty lines and/or comments,
6795 the output is a warning:
6798 $ gcc -c -gnats -x ada toto.txt
6799 toto.txt:1:01: warning: empty file, contains no compilation units
6803 Otherwise, the output is simply the error messages, if any. No object file or
6804 ALI file is generated by a syntax-only compilation. Also, no units other
6805 than the one specified are accessed. For example, if a unit @code{X}
6806 @code{with}'s a unit @code{Y}, compiling unit @code{X} in syntax
6807 check only mode does not access the source file containing unit
6810 @cindex Multiple units, syntax checking
6811 Normally, GNAT allows only a single unit in a source file. However, this
6812 restriction does not apply in syntax-check-only mode, and it is possible
6813 to check a file containing multiple compilation units concatenated
6814 together. This is primarily used by the @code{gnatchop} utility
6815 (@pxref{Renaming Files Using gnatchop}).
6818 @node Using gcc for Semantic Checking
6819 @subsection Using @command{gcc} for Semantic Checking
6822 @cindex @option{-gnatc} (@command{gcc})
6826 The @code{c} stands for ``check''.
6828 Causes the compiler to operate in semantic check mode,
6829 with full checking for all illegalities specified in the
6830 Ada Reference Manual, but without generation of any object code
6831 (no object file is generated).
6833 Because dependent files must be accessed, you must follow the GNAT
6834 semantic restrictions on file structuring to operate in this mode:
6838 The needed source files must be accessible
6839 (@pxref{Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)}).
6842 Each file must contain only one compilation unit.
6845 The file name and unit name must match (@pxref{File Naming Rules}).
6848 The output consists of error messages as appropriate. No object file is
6849 generated. An @file{ALI} file is generated for use in the context of
6850 cross-reference tools, but this file is marked as not being suitable
6851 for binding (since no object file is generated).
6852 The checking corresponds exactly to the notion of
6853 legality in the Ada Reference Manual.
6855 Any unit can be compiled in semantics-checking-only mode, including
6856 units that would not normally be compiled (subunits,
6857 and specifications where a separate body is present).
6860 @node Compiling Different Versions of Ada
6861 @subsection Compiling Different Versions of Ada
6864 The switches described in this section allow you to explicitly specify
6865 the version of the Ada language that your programs are written in.
6866 By default @value{EDITION} assumes @value{DEFAULTLANGUAGEVERSION},
6867 but you can also specify @value{NONDEFAULTLANGUAGEVERSION} or
6868 indicate Ada 83 compatibility mode.
6871 @cindex Compatibility with Ada 83
6873 @item -gnat83 (Ada 83 Compatibility Mode)
6874 @cindex @option{-gnat83} (@command{gcc})
6875 @cindex ACVC, Ada 83 tests
6879 Although GNAT is primarily an Ada 95 / Ada 2005 compiler, this switch
6880 specifies that the program is to be compiled in Ada 83 mode. With
6881 @option{-gnat83}, GNAT rejects most post-Ada 83 extensions and applies Ada 83
6882 semantics where this can be done easily.
6883 It is not possible to guarantee this switch does a perfect
6884 job; some subtle tests, such as are
6885 found in earlier ACVC tests (and that have been removed from the ACATS suite
6886 for Ada 95), might not compile correctly.
6887 Nevertheless, this switch may be useful in some circumstances, for example
6888 where, due to contractual reasons, existing code needs to be maintained
6889 using only Ada 83 features.
6891 With few exceptions (most notably the need to use @code{<>} on
6892 @cindex Generic formal parameters
6893 unconstrained generic formal parameters, the use of the new Ada 95 / Ada 2005
6894 reserved words, and the use of packages
6895 with optional bodies), it is not necessary to specify the
6896 @option{-gnat83} switch when compiling Ada 83 programs, because, with rare
6897 exceptions, Ada 95 and Ada 2005 are upwardly compatible with Ada 83. Thus
6898 a correct Ada 83 program is usually also a correct program
6899 in these later versions of the language standard.
6900 For further information, please refer to @ref{Compatibility and Porting Guide}.
6902 @item -gnat95 (Ada 95 mode)
6903 @cindex @option{-gnat95} (@command{gcc})
6907 This switch directs the compiler to implement the Ada 95 version of the
6909 Since Ada 95 is almost completely upwards
6910 compatible with Ada 83, Ada 83 programs may generally be compiled using
6911 this switch (see the description of the @option{-gnat83} switch for further
6912 information about Ada 83 mode).
6913 If an Ada 2005 program is compiled in Ada 95 mode,
6914 uses of the new Ada 2005 features will cause error
6915 messages or warnings.
6917 This switch also can be used to cancel the effect of a previous
6918 @option{-gnat83}, @option{-gnat05/2005}, or @option{-gnat12/2012}
6919 switch earlier in the command line.
6921 @item -gnat05 or -gnat2005 (Ada 2005 mode)
6922 @cindex @option{-gnat05} (@command{gcc})
6923 @cindex @option{-gnat2005} (@command{gcc})
6924 @cindex Ada 2005 mode
6927 This switch directs the compiler to implement the Ada 2005 version of the
6928 language, as documented in the official Ada standards document.
6929 Since Ada 2005 is almost completely upwards
6930 compatible with Ada 95 (and thus also with Ada 83), Ada 83 and Ada 95 programs
6931 may generally be compiled using this switch (see the description of the
6932 @option{-gnat83} and @option{-gnat95} switches for further
6935 Note that even though Ada 2005 is the current official version of the
6936 language, GNAT still compiles in Ada 95 mode by default, so if you are
6937 using Ada 2005 features in your program, you must use this switch (or
6938 the equivalent Ada_05 or Ada_2005 configuration pragmas).
6940 @item -gnat12 or -gnat2012 (Ada 2012 mode)
6941 @cindex @option{-gnat12} (@command{gcc})
6942 @cindex @option{-gnat2012} (@command{gcc})
6943 @cindex Ada 2012 mode
6946 This switch directs the compiler to implement the Ada 2012 version of the
6948 Since Ada 2012 is almost completely upwards
6949 compatible with Ada 2005 (and thus also with Ada 83, and Ada 95),
6950 Ada 83 and Ada 95 programs
6951 may generally be compiled using this switch (see the description of the
6952 @option{-gnat83}, @option{-gnat95}, and @option{-gnat05/2005} switches
6953 for further information).
6955 For information about the approved ``Ada Issues'' that have been incorporated
6956 into Ada 2012, see @url{http://www.ada-auth.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb.cgi/AIs}.
6957 Included with GNAT releases is a file @file{features-ada12} that describes
6958 the set of implemented Ada 2012 features.
6960 @item -gnatX (Enable GNAT Extensions)
6961 @cindex @option{-gnatX} (@command{gcc})
6962 @cindex Ada language extensions
6963 @cindex GNAT extensions
6966 This switch directs the compiler to implement the latest version of the
6967 language (currently Ada 2012) and also to enable certain GNAT implementation
6968 extensions that are not part of any Ada standard. For a full list of these
6969 extensions, see the GNAT reference manual.
6973 @node Character Set Control
6974 @subsection Character Set Control
6976 @item ^-gnati^/IDENTIFIER_CHARACTER_SET=^@var{c}
6977 @cindex @option{^-gnati^/IDENTIFIER_CHARACTER_SET^} (@command{gcc})
6980 Normally GNAT recognizes the Latin-1 character set in source program
6981 identifiers, as described in the Ada Reference Manual.
6983 GNAT to recognize alternate character sets in identifiers. @var{c} is a
6984 single character ^^or word^ indicating the character set, as follows:
6988 ISO 8859-1 (Latin-1) identifiers
6991 ISO 8859-2 (Latin-2) letters allowed in identifiers
6994 ISO 8859-3 (Latin-3) letters allowed in identifiers
6997 ISO 8859-4 (Latin-4) letters allowed in identifiers
7000 ISO 8859-5 (Cyrillic) letters allowed in identifiers
7003 ISO 8859-15 (Latin-9) letters allowed in identifiers
7006 IBM PC letters (code page 437) allowed in identifiers
7009 IBM PC letters (code page 850) allowed in identifiers
7011 @item ^f^FULL_UPPER^
7012 Full upper-half codes allowed in identifiers
7015 No upper-half codes allowed in identifiers
7018 Wide-character codes (that is, codes greater than 255)
7019 allowed in identifiers
7022 @xref{Foreign Language Representation}, for full details on the
7023 implementation of these character sets.
7025 @item ^-gnatW^/WIDE_CHARACTER_ENCODING=^@var{e}
7026 @cindex @option{^-gnatW^/WIDE_CHARACTER_ENCODING^} (@command{gcc})
7027 Specify the method of encoding for wide characters.
7028 @var{e} is one of the following:
7033 Hex encoding (brackets coding also recognized)
7036 Upper half encoding (brackets encoding also recognized)
7039 Shift/JIS encoding (brackets encoding also recognized)
7042 EUC encoding (brackets encoding also recognized)
7045 UTF-8 encoding (brackets encoding also recognized)
7048 Brackets encoding only (default value)
7050 For full details on these encoding
7051 methods see @ref{Wide Character Encodings}.
7052 Note that brackets coding is always accepted, even if one of the other
7053 options is specified, so for example @option{-gnatW8} specifies that both
7054 brackets and UTF-8 encodings will be recognized. The units that are
7055 with'ed directly or indirectly will be scanned using the specified
7056 representation scheme, and so if one of the non-brackets scheme is
7057 used, it must be used consistently throughout the program. However,
7058 since brackets encoding is always recognized, it may be conveniently
7059 used in standard libraries, allowing these libraries to be used with
7060 any of the available coding schemes.
7063 If no @option{-gnatW?} parameter is present, then the default
7064 representation is normally Brackets encoding only. However, if the
7065 first three characters of the file are 16#EF# 16#BB# 16#BF# (the standard
7066 byte order mark or BOM for UTF-8), then these three characters are
7067 skipped and the default representation for the file is set to UTF-8.
7069 Note that the wide character representation that is specified (explicitly
7070 or by default) for the main program also acts as the default encoding used
7071 for Wide_Text_IO files if not specifically overridden by a WCEM form
7075 @node File Naming Control
7076 @subsection File Naming Control
7079 @item ^-gnatk^/FILE_NAME_MAX_LENGTH=^@var{n}
7080 @cindex @option{-gnatk} (@command{gcc})
7081 Activates file name ``krunching''. @var{n}, a decimal integer in the range
7082 1-999, indicates the maximum allowable length of a file name (not
7083 including the @file{.ads} or @file{.adb} extension). The default is not
7084 to enable file name krunching.
7086 For the source file naming rules, @xref{File Naming Rules}.
7089 @node Subprogram Inlining Control
7090 @subsection Subprogram Inlining Control
7095 @cindex @option{-gnatn} (@command{gcc})
7097 The @code{n} here is intended to suggest the first syllable of the
7100 GNAT recognizes and processes @code{Inline} pragmas. However, for the
7101 inlining to actually occur, optimization must be enabled. To enable
7102 inlining of subprograms specified by pragma @code{Inline},
7103 you must also specify this switch.
7104 In the absence of this switch, GNAT does not attempt
7105 inlining and does not need to access the bodies of
7106 subprograms for which @code{pragma Inline} is specified if they are not
7107 in the current unit.
7109 If you specify this switch the compiler will access these bodies,
7110 creating an extra source dependency for the resulting object file, and
7111 where possible, the call will be inlined.
7112 For further details on when inlining is possible
7113 see @ref{Inlining of Subprograms}.
7116 @cindex @option{-gnatN} (@command{gcc})
7117 This switch activates front-end inlining which also
7118 generates additional dependencies.
7120 When using a gcc-based back end (in practice this means using any version
7121 of GNAT other than the JGNAT, .NET or GNAAMP versions), then the use of
7122 @option{-gnatN} is deprecated, and the use of @option{-gnatn} is preferred.
7123 Historically front end inlining was more extensive than the gcc back end
7124 inlining, but that is no longer the case.
7127 @node Auxiliary Output Control
7128 @subsection Auxiliary Output Control
7132 @cindex @option{-gnatt} (@command{gcc})
7133 @cindex Writing internal trees
7134 @cindex Internal trees, writing to file
7135 Causes GNAT to write the internal tree for a unit to a file (with the
7136 extension @file{.adt}.
7137 This not normally required, but is used by separate analysis tools.
7139 these tools do the necessary compilations automatically, so you should
7140 not have to specify this switch in normal operation.
7141 Note that the combination of switches @option{-gnatct}
7142 generates a tree in the form required by ASIS applications.
7145 @cindex @option{-gnatu} (@command{gcc})
7146 Print a list of units required by this compilation on @file{stdout}.
7147 The listing includes all units on which the unit being compiled depends
7148 either directly or indirectly.
7151 @item -pass-exit-codes
7152 @cindex @option{-pass-exit-codes} (@command{gcc})
7153 If this switch is not used, the exit code returned by @command{gcc} when
7154 compiling multiple files indicates whether all source files have
7155 been successfully used to generate object files or not.
7157 When @option{-pass-exit-codes} is used, @command{gcc} exits with an extended
7158 exit status and allows an integrated development environment to better
7159 react to a compilation failure. Those exit status are:
7163 There was an error in at least one source file.
7165 At least one source file did not generate an object file.
7167 The compiler died unexpectedly (internal error for example).
7169 An object file has been generated for every source file.
7174 @node Debugging Control
7175 @subsection Debugging Control
7179 @cindex Debugging options
7182 @cindex @option{-gnatd} (@command{gcc})
7183 Activate internal debugging switches. @var{x} is a letter or digit, or
7184 string of letters or digits, which specifies the type of debugging
7185 outputs desired. Normally these are used only for internal development
7186 or system debugging purposes. You can find full documentation for these
7187 switches in the body of the @code{Debug} unit in the compiler source
7188 file @file{debug.adb}.
7192 @cindex @option{-gnatG} (@command{gcc})
7193 This switch causes the compiler to generate auxiliary output containing
7194 a pseudo-source listing of the generated expanded code. Like most Ada
7195 compilers, GNAT works by first transforming the high level Ada code into
7196 lower level constructs. For example, tasking operations are transformed
7197 into calls to the tasking run-time routines. A unique capability of GNAT
7198 is to list this expanded code in a form very close to normal Ada source.
7199 This is very useful in understanding the implications of various Ada
7200 usage on the efficiency of the generated code. There are many cases in
7201 Ada (e.g.@: the use of controlled types), where simple Ada statements can
7202 generate a lot of run-time code. By using @option{-gnatG} you can identify
7203 these cases, and consider whether it may be desirable to modify the coding
7204 approach to improve efficiency.
7206 The optional parameter @code{nn} if present after -gnatG specifies an
7207 alternative maximum line length that overrides the normal default of 72.
7208 This value is in the range 40-999999, values less than 40 being silently
7209 reset to 40. The equal sign is optional.
7211 The format of the output is very similar to standard Ada source, and is
7212 easily understood by an Ada programmer. The following special syntactic
7213 additions correspond to low level features used in the generated code that
7214 do not have any exact analogies in pure Ada source form. The following
7215 is a partial list of these special constructions. See the spec
7216 of package @code{Sprint} in file @file{sprint.ads} for a full list.
7218 If the switch @option{-gnatL} is used in conjunction with
7219 @cindex @option{-gnatL} (@command{gcc})
7220 @option{-gnatG}, then the original source lines are interspersed
7221 in the expanded source (as comment lines with the original line number).
7224 @item new @var{xxx} @r{[}storage_pool = @var{yyy}@r{]}
7225 Shows the storage pool being used for an allocator.
7227 @item at end @var{procedure-name};
7228 Shows the finalization (cleanup) procedure for a scope.
7230 @item (if @var{expr} then @var{expr} else @var{expr})
7231 Conditional expression equivalent to the @code{x?y:z} construction in C.
7233 @item @var{target}^^^(@var{source})
7234 A conversion with floating-point truncation instead of rounding.
7236 @item @var{target}?(@var{source})
7237 A conversion that bypasses normal Ada semantic checking. In particular
7238 enumeration types and fixed-point types are treated simply as integers.
7240 @item @var{target}?^^^(@var{source})
7241 Combines the above two cases.
7243 @item @var{x} #/ @var{y}
7244 @itemx @var{x} #mod @var{y}
7245 @itemx @var{x} #* @var{y}
7246 @itemx @var{x} #rem @var{y}
7247 A division or multiplication of fixed-point values which are treated as
7248 integers without any kind of scaling.
7250 @item free @var{expr} @r{[}storage_pool = @var{xxx}@r{]}
7251 Shows the storage pool associated with a @code{free} statement.
7253 @item [subtype or type declaration]
7254 Used to list an equivalent declaration for an internally generated
7255 type that is referenced elsewhere in the listing.
7257 @c @item freeze @var{type-name} @ovar{actions}
7258 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
7259 @item freeze @var{type-name} @r{[}@var{actions}@r{]}
7260 Shows the point at which @var{type-name} is frozen, with possible
7261 associated actions to be performed at the freeze point.
7263 @item reference @var{itype}
7264 Reference (and hence definition) to internal type @var{itype}.
7266 @item @var{function-name}! (@var{arg}, @var{arg}, @var{arg})
7267 Intrinsic function call.
7269 @item @var{label-name} : label
7270 Declaration of label @var{labelname}.
7272 @item #$ @var{subprogram-name}
7273 An implicit call to a run-time support routine
7274 (to meet the requirement of H.3.1(9) in a
7277 @item @var{expr} && @var{expr} && @var{expr} @dots{} && @var{expr}
7278 A multiple concatenation (same effect as @var{expr} & @var{expr} &
7279 @var{expr}, but handled more efficiently).
7281 @item [constraint_error]
7282 Raise the @code{Constraint_Error} exception.
7284 @item @var{expression}'reference
7285 A pointer to the result of evaluating @var{expression}.
7287 @item @var{target-type}!(@var{source-expression})
7288 An unchecked conversion of @var{source-expression} to @var{target-type}.
7290 @item [@var{numerator}/@var{denominator}]
7291 Used to represent internal real literals (that) have no exact
7292 representation in base 2-16 (for example, the result of compile time
7293 evaluation of the expression 1.0/27.0).
7297 @cindex @option{-gnatD} (@command{gcc})
7298 When used in conjunction with @option{-gnatG}, this switch causes
7299 the expanded source, as described above for
7300 @option{-gnatG} to be written to files with names
7301 @file{^xxx.dg^XXX_DG^}, where @file{xxx} is the normal file name,
7302 instead of to the standard output file. For
7303 example, if the source file name is @file{hello.adb}, then a file
7304 @file{^hello.adb.dg^HELLO.ADB_DG^} will be written. The debugging
7305 information generated by the @command{gcc} @option{^-g^/DEBUG^} switch
7306 will refer to the generated @file{^xxx.dg^XXX_DG^} file. This allows
7307 you to do source level debugging using the generated code which is
7308 sometimes useful for complex code, for example to find out exactly
7309 which part of a complex construction raised an exception. This switch
7310 also suppress generation of cross-reference information (see
7311 @option{-gnatx}) since otherwise the cross-reference information
7312 would refer to the @file{^.dg^.DG^} file, which would cause
7313 confusion since this is not the original source file.
7315 Note that @option{-gnatD} actually implies @option{-gnatG}
7316 automatically, so it is not necessary to give both options.
7317 In other words @option{-gnatD} is equivalent to @option{-gnatDG}).
7319 If the switch @option{-gnatL} is used in conjunction with
7320 @cindex @option{-gnatL} (@command{gcc})
7321 @option{-gnatDG}, then the original source lines are interspersed
7322 in the expanded source (as comment lines with the original line number).
7324 The optional parameter @code{nn} if present after -gnatD specifies an
7325 alternative maximum line length that overrides the normal default of 72.
7326 This value is in the range 40-999999, values less than 40 being silently
7327 reset to 40. The equal sign is optional.
7330 @cindex @option{-gnatr} (@command{gcc})
7331 @cindex pragma Restrictions
7332 This switch causes pragma Restrictions to be treated as Restriction_Warnings
7333 so that violation of restrictions causes warnings rather than illegalities.
7334 This is useful during the development process when new restrictions are added
7335 or investigated. The switch also causes pragma Profile to be treated as
7336 Profile_Warnings, and pragma Restricted_Run_Time and pragma Ravenscar set
7337 restriction warnings rather than restrictions.
7340 @item -gnatR@r{[}0@r{|}1@r{|}2@r{|}3@r{[}s@r{]]}
7341 @cindex @option{-gnatR} (@command{gcc})
7342 This switch controls output from the compiler of a listing showing
7343 representation information for declared types and objects. For
7344 @option{-gnatR0}, no information is output (equivalent to omitting
7345 the @option{-gnatR} switch). For @option{-gnatR1} (which is the default,
7346 so @option{-gnatR} with no parameter has the same effect), size and alignment
7347 information is listed for declared array and record types. For
7348 @option{-gnatR2}, size and alignment information is listed for all
7349 declared types and objects. Finally @option{-gnatR3} includes symbolic
7350 expressions for values that are computed at run time for
7351 variant records. These symbolic expressions have a mostly obvious
7352 format with #n being used to represent the value of the n'th
7353 discriminant. See source files @file{repinfo.ads/adb} in the
7354 @code{GNAT} sources for full details on the format of @option{-gnatR3}
7355 output. If the switch is followed by an s (e.g.@: @option{-gnatR2s}), then
7356 the output is to a file with the name @file{^file.rep^file_REP^} where
7357 file is the name of the corresponding source file.
7360 @item /REPRESENTATION_INFO
7361 @cindex @option{/REPRESENTATION_INFO} (@command{gcc})
7362 This qualifier controls output from the compiler of a listing showing
7363 representation information for declared types and objects. For
7364 @option{/REPRESENTATION_INFO=NONE}, no information is output
7365 (equivalent to omitting the @option{/REPRESENTATION_INFO} qualifier).
7366 @option{/REPRESENTATION_INFO} without option is equivalent to
7367 @option{/REPRESENTATION_INFO=ARRAYS}.
7368 For @option{/REPRESENTATION_INFO=ARRAYS}, size and alignment
7369 information is listed for declared array and record types. For
7370 @option{/REPRESENTATION_INFO=OBJECTS}, size and alignment information
7371 is listed for all expression information for values that are computed
7372 at run time for variant records. These symbolic expressions have a mostly
7373 obvious format with #n being used to represent the value of the n'th
7374 discriminant. See source files @file{REPINFO.ADS/ADB} in the
7375 @code{GNAT} sources for full details on the format of
7376 @option{/REPRESENTATION_INFO=SYMBOLIC} output.
7377 If _FILE is added at the end of an option
7378 (e.g.@: @option{/REPRESENTATION_INFO=ARRAYS_FILE}),
7379 then the output is to a file with the name @file{file_REP} where
7380 file is the name of the corresponding source file.
7382 Note that it is possible for record components to have zero size. In
7383 this case, the component clause uses an obvious extension of permitted
7384 Ada syntax, for example @code{at 0 range 0 .. -1}.
7386 Representation information requires that code be generated (since it is the
7387 code generator that lays out complex data structures). If an attempt is made
7388 to output representation information when no code is generated, for example
7389 when a subunit is compiled on its own, then no information can be generated
7390 and the compiler outputs a message to this effect.
7393 @cindex @option{-gnatS} (@command{gcc})
7394 The use of the switch @option{-gnatS} for an
7395 Ada compilation will cause the compiler to output a
7396 representation of package Standard in a form very
7397 close to standard Ada. It is not quite possible to
7398 do this entirely in standard Ada (since new
7399 numeric base types cannot be created in standard
7400 Ada), but the output is easily
7401 readable to any Ada programmer, and is useful to
7402 determine the characteristics of target dependent
7403 types in package Standard.
7406 @cindex @option{-gnatx} (@command{gcc})
7407 Normally the compiler generates full cross-referencing information in
7408 the @file{ALI} file. This information is used by a number of tools,
7409 including @code{gnatfind} and @code{gnatxref}. The @option{-gnatx} switch
7410 suppresses this information. This saves some space and may slightly
7411 speed up compilation, but means that these tools cannot be used.
7414 @node Exception Handling Control
7415 @subsection Exception Handling Control
7418 GNAT uses two methods for handling exceptions at run-time. The
7419 @code{setjmp/longjmp} method saves the context when entering
7420 a frame with an exception handler. Then when an exception is
7421 raised, the context can be restored immediately, without the
7422 need for tracing stack frames. This method provides very fast
7423 exception propagation, but introduces significant overhead for
7424 the use of exception handlers, even if no exception is raised.
7426 The other approach is called ``zero cost'' exception handling.
7427 With this method, the compiler builds static tables to describe
7428 the exception ranges. No dynamic code is required when entering
7429 a frame containing an exception handler. When an exception is
7430 raised, the tables are used to control a back trace of the
7431 subprogram invocation stack to locate the required exception
7432 handler. This method has considerably poorer performance for
7433 the propagation of exceptions, but there is no overhead for
7434 exception handlers if no exception is raised. Note that in this
7435 mode and in the context of mixed Ada and C/C++ programming,
7436 to propagate an exception through a C/C++ code, the C/C++ code
7437 must be compiled with the @option{-funwind-tables} GCC's
7440 The following switches may be used to control which of the
7441 two exception handling methods is used.
7447 @cindex @option{--RTS=sjlj} (@command{gnatmake})
7448 This switch causes the setjmp/longjmp run-time (when available) to be used
7449 for exception handling. If the default
7450 mechanism for the target is zero cost exceptions, then
7451 this switch can be used to modify this default, and must be
7452 used for all units in the partition.
7453 This option is rarely used. One case in which it may be
7454 advantageous is if you have an application where exception
7455 raising is common and the overall performance of the
7456 application is improved by favoring exception propagation.
7459 @cindex @option{--RTS=zcx} (@command{gnatmake})
7460 @cindex Zero Cost Exceptions
7461 This switch causes the zero cost approach to be used
7462 for exception handling. If this is the default mechanism for the
7463 target (see below), then this switch is unneeded. If the default
7464 mechanism for the target is setjmp/longjmp exceptions, then
7465 this switch can be used to modify this default, and must be
7466 used for all units in the partition.
7467 This option can only be used if the zero cost approach
7468 is available for the target in use, otherwise it will generate an error.
7472 The same option @option{--RTS} must be used both for @command{gcc}
7473 and @command{gnatbind}. Passing this option to @command{gnatmake}
7474 (@pxref{Switches for gnatmake}) will ensure the required consistency
7475 through the compilation and binding steps.
7477 @node Units to Sources Mapping Files
7478 @subsection Units to Sources Mapping Files
7482 @item -gnatem=@var{path}
7483 @cindex @option{-gnatem} (@command{gcc})
7484 A mapping file is a way to communicate to the compiler two mappings:
7485 from unit names to file names (without any directory information) and from
7486 file names to path names (with full directory information). These mappings
7487 are used by the compiler to short-circuit the path search.
7489 The use of mapping files is not required for correct operation of the
7490 compiler, but mapping files can improve efficiency, particularly when
7491 sources are read over a slow network connection. In normal operation,
7492 you need not be concerned with the format or use of mapping files,
7493 and the @option{-gnatem} switch is not a switch that you would use
7494 explicitly. It is intended primarily for use by automatic tools such as
7495 @command{gnatmake} running under the project file facility. The
7496 description here of the format of mapping files is provided
7497 for completeness and for possible use by other tools.
7499 A mapping file is a sequence of sets of three lines. In each set, the
7500 first line is the unit name, in lower case, with @code{%s} appended
7501 for specs and @code{%b} appended for bodies; the second line is the
7502 file name; and the third line is the path name.
7508 /gnat/project1/sources/main.2.ada
7511 When the switch @option{-gnatem} is specified, the compiler will
7512 create in memory the two mappings from the specified file. If there is
7513 any problem (nonexistent file, truncated file or duplicate entries),
7514 no mapping will be created.
7516 Several @option{-gnatem} switches may be specified; however, only the
7517 last one on the command line will be taken into account.
7519 When using a project file, @command{gnatmake} creates a temporary
7520 mapping file and communicates it to the compiler using this switch.
7524 @node Integrated Preprocessing
7525 @subsection Integrated Preprocessing
7528 GNAT sources may be preprocessed immediately before compilation.
7529 In this case, the actual
7530 text of the source is not the text of the source file, but is derived from it
7531 through a process called preprocessing. Integrated preprocessing is specified
7532 through switches @option{-gnatep} and/or @option{-gnateD}. @option{-gnatep}
7533 indicates, through a text file, the preprocessing data to be used.
7534 @option{-gnateD} specifies or modifies the values of preprocessing symbol.
7537 Note that when integrated preprocessing is used, the output from the
7538 preprocessor is not written to any external file. Instead it is passed
7539 internally to the compiler. If you need to preserve the result of
7540 preprocessing in a file, then you should use @command{gnatprep}
7541 to perform the desired preprocessing in stand-alone mode.
7544 It is recommended that @command{gnatmake} switch ^-s^/SWITCH_CHECK^ should be
7545 used when Integrated Preprocessing is used. The reason is that preprocessing
7546 with another Preprocessing Data file without changing the sources will
7547 not trigger recompilation without this switch.
7550 Note that @command{gnatmake} switch ^-m^/MINIMAL_RECOMPILATION^ will almost
7551 always trigger recompilation for sources that are preprocessed,
7552 because @command{gnatmake} cannot compute the checksum of the source after
7556 The actual preprocessing function is described in details in section
7557 @ref{Preprocessing Using gnatprep}. This section only describes how integrated
7558 preprocessing is triggered and parameterized.
7562 @item -gnatep=@var{file}
7563 @cindex @option{-gnatep} (@command{gcc})
7564 This switch indicates to the compiler the file name (without directory
7565 information) of the preprocessor data file to use. The preprocessor data file
7566 should be found in the source directories.
7569 A preprocessing data file is a text file with significant lines indicating
7570 how should be preprocessed either a specific source or all sources not
7571 mentioned in other lines. A significant line is a nonempty, non-comment line.
7572 Comments are similar to Ada comments.
7575 Each significant line starts with either a literal string or the character '*'.
7576 A literal string is the file name (without directory information) of the source
7577 to preprocess. A character '*' indicates the preprocessing for all the sources
7578 that are not specified explicitly on other lines (order of the lines is not
7579 significant). It is an error to have two lines with the same file name or two
7580 lines starting with the character '*'.
7583 After the file name or the character '*', another optional literal string
7584 indicating the file name of the definition file to be used for preprocessing
7585 (@pxref{Form of Definitions File}). The definition files are found by the
7586 compiler in one of the source directories. In some cases, when compiling
7587 a source in a directory other than the current directory, if the definition
7588 file is in the current directory, it may be necessary to add the current
7589 directory as a source directory through switch ^-I.^/SEARCH=[]^, otherwise
7590 the compiler would not find the definition file.
7593 Then, optionally, ^switches^switches^ similar to those of @code{gnatprep} may
7594 be found. Those ^switches^switches^ are:
7599 Causes both preprocessor lines and the lines deleted by
7600 preprocessing to be replaced by blank lines, preserving the line number.
7601 This ^switch^switch^ is always implied; however, if specified after @option{-c}
7602 it cancels the effect of @option{-c}.
7605 Causes both preprocessor lines and the lines deleted
7606 by preprocessing to be retained as comments marked
7607 with the special string ``@code{--! }''.
7609 @item -Dsymbol=value
7610 Define or redefine a symbol, associated with value. A symbol is an Ada
7611 identifier, or an Ada reserved word, with the exception of @code{if},
7612 @code{else}, @code{elsif}, @code{end}, @code{and}, @code{or} and @code{then}.
7613 @code{value} is either a literal string, an Ada identifier or any Ada reserved
7614 word. A symbol declared with this ^switch^switch^ replaces a symbol with the
7615 same name defined in a definition file.
7618 Causes a sorted list of symbol names and values to be
7619 listed on the standard output file.
7622 Causes undefined symbols to be treated as having the value @code{FALSE}
7624 of a preprocessor test. In the absence of this option, an undefined symbol in
7625 a @code{#if} or @code{#elsif} test will be treated as an error.
7630 Examples of valid lines in a preprocessor data file:
7633 "toto.adb" "prep.def" -u
7634 -- preprocess "toto.adb", using definition file "prep.def",
7635 -- undefined symbol are False.
7638 -- preprocess all other sources without a definition file;
7639 -- suppressed lined are commented; symbol VERSION has the value V101.
7641 "titi.adb" "prep2.def" -s
7642 -- preprocess "titi.adb", using definition file "prep2.def";
7643 -- list all symbols with their values.
7646 @item ^-gnateD^/DATA_PREPROCESSING=^symbol@r{[}=value@r{]}
7647 @cindex @option{-gnateD} (@command{gcc})
7648 Define or redefine a preprocessing symbol, associated with value. If no value
7649 is given on the command line, then the value of the symbol is @code{True}.
7650 A symbol is an identifier, following normal Ada (case-insensitive)
7651 rules for its syntax, and value is any sequence (including an empty sequence)
7652 of characters from the set (letters, digits, period, underline).
7653 Ada reserved words may be used as symbols, with the exceptions of @code{if},
7654 @code{else}, @code{elsif}, @code{end}, @code{and}, @code{or} and @code{then}.
7657 A symbol declared with this ^switch^switch^ on the command line replaces a
7658 symbol with the same name either in a definition file or specified with a
7659 ^switch^switch^ -D in the preprocessor data file.
7662 This switch is similar to switch @option{^-D^/ASSOCIATE^} of @code{gnatprep}.
7665 When integrated preprocessing is performed and the preprocessor modifies
7666 the source text, write the result of this preprocessing into a file
7667 <source>^.prep^_prep^.
7671 @node Code Generation Control
7672 @subsection Code Generation Control
7676 The GCC technology provides a wide range of target dependent
7677 @option{-m} switches for controlling
7678 details of code generation with respect to different versions of
7679 architectures. This includes variations in instruction sets (e.g.@:
7680 different members of the power pc family), and different requirements
7681 for optimal arrangement of instructions (e.g.@: different members of
7682 the x86 family). The list of available @option{-m} switches may be
7683 found in the GCC documentation.
7685 Use of these @option{-m} switches may in some cases result in improved
7688 The GNAT Pro technology is tested and qualified without any
7689 @option{-m} switches,
7690 so generally the most reliable approach is to avoid the use of these
7691 switches. However, we generally expect most of these switches to work
7692 successfully with GNAT Pro, and many customers have reported successful
7693 use of these options.
7695 Our general advice is to avoid the use of @option{-m} switches unless
7696 special needs lead to requirements in this area. In particular,
7697 there is no point in using @option{-m} switches to improve performance
7698 unless you actually see a performance improvement.
7702 @subsection Return Codes
7703 @cindex Return Codes
7704 @cindex @option{/RETURN_CODES=VMS}
7707 On VMS, GNAT compiled programs return POSIX-style codes by default,
7708 e.g.@: @option{/RETURN_CODES=POSIX}.
7710 To enable VMS style return codes, use GNAT BIND and LINK with the option
7711 @option{/RETURN_CODES=VMS}. For example:
7714 GNAT BIND MYMAIN.ALI /RETURN_CODES=VMS
7715 GNAT LINK MYMAIN.ALI /RETURN_CODES=VMS
7719 Programs built with /RETURN_CODES=VMS are suitable to be called in
7720 VMS DCL scripts. Programs compiled with the default /RETURN_CODES=POSIX
7721 are suitable for spawning with appropriate GNAT RTL routines.
7725 @node Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)
7726 @section Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)
7729 With the GNAT source-based library system, the compiler must be able to
7730 find source files for units that are needed by the unit being compiled.
7731 Search paths are used to guide this process.
7733 The compiler compiles one source file whose name must be given
7734 explicitly on the command line. In other words, no searching is done
7735 for this file. To find all other source files that are needed (the most
7736 common being the specs of units), the compiler examines the following
7737 directories, in the following order:
7741 The directory containing the source file of the main unit being compiled
7742 (the file name on the command line).
7745 Each directory named by an @option{^-I^/SOURCE_SEARCH^} switch given on the
7746 @command{gcc} command line, in the order given.
7749 @findex ADA_PRJ_INCLUDE_FILE
7750 Each of the directories listed in the text file whose name is given
7751 by the @env{ADA_PRJ_INCLUDE_FILE} ^environment variable^logical name^.
7754 @env{ADA_PRJ_INCLUDE_FILE} is normally set by gnatmake or by the ^gnat^GNAT^
7755 driver when project files are used. It should not normally be set
7759 @findex ADA_INCLUDE_PATH
7760 Each of the directories listed in the value of the
7761 @env{ADA_INCLUDE_PATH} ^environment variable^logical name^.
7763 Construct this value
7764 exactly as the @env{PATH} environment variable: a list of directory
7765 names separated by colons (semicolons when working with the NT version).
7768 Normally, define this value as a logical name containing a comma separated
7769 list of directory names.
7771 This variable can also be defined by means of an environment string
7772 (an argument to the HP C exec* set of functions).
7776 DEFINE ANOTHER_PATH FOO:[BAG]
7777 DEFINE ADA_INCLUDE_PATH ANOTHER_PATH,FOO:[BAM],FOO:[BAR]
7780 By default, the path includes GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_x.2_8_x.DECLIB]
7781 first, followed by the standard Ada
7782 libraries in GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_x.2_8_x.ADAINCLUDE].
7783 If this is not redefined, the user will obtain the HP Ada 83 IO packages
7784 (Text_IO, Sequential_IO, etc)
7785 instead of the standard Ada packages. Thus, in order to get the standard Ada
7786 packages by default, ADA_INCLUDE_PATH must be redefined.
7790 The content of the @file{ada_source_path} file which is part of the GNAT
7791 installation tree and is used to store standard libraries such as the
7792 GNAT Run Time Library (RTL) source files.
7794 @ref{Installing a library}
7799 Specifying the switch @option{^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^}
7800 inhibits the use of the directory
7801 containing the source file named in the command line. You can still
7802 have this directory on your search path, but in this case it must be
7803 explicitly requested with a @option{^-I^/SOURCE_SEARCH^} switch.
7805 Specifying the switch @option{-nostdinc}
7806 inhibits the search of the default location for the GNAT Run Time
7807 Library (RTL) source files.
7809 The compiler outputs its object files and ALI files in the current
7812 Caution: The object file can be redirected with the @option{-o} switch;
7813 however, @command{gcc} and @code{gnat1} have not been coordinated on this
7814 so the @file{ALI} file will not go to the right place. Therefore, you should
7815 avoid using the @option{-o} switch.
7819 The packages @code{Ada}, @code{System}, and @code{Interfaces} and their
7820 children make up the GNAT RTL, together with the simple @code{System.IO}
7821 package used in the @code{"Hello World"} example. The sources for these units
7822 are needed by the compiler and are kept together in one directory. Not
7823 all of the bodies are needed, but all of the sources are kept together
7824 anyway. In a normal installation, you need not specify these directory
7825 names when compiling or binding. Either the environment variables or
7826 the built-in defaults cause these files to be found.
7828 In addition to the language-defined hierarchies (@code{System}, @code{Ada} and
7829 @code{Interfaces}), the GNAT distribution provides a fourth hierarchy,
7830 consisting of child units of @code{GNAT}. This is a collection of generally
7831 useful types, subprograms, etc. @xref{Top, GNAT Reference Manual, About
7832 This Guid, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}, for further details.
7834 Besides simplifying access to the RTL, a major use of search paths is
7835 in compiling sources from multiple directories. This can make
7836 development environments much more flexible.
7838 @node Order of Compilation Issues
7839 @section Order of Compilation Issues
7842 If, in our earlier example, there was a spec for the @code{hello}
7843 procedure, it would be contained in the file @file{hello.ads}; yet this
7844 file would not have to be explicitly compiled. This is the result of the
7845 model we chose to implement library management. Some of the consequences
7846 of this model are as follows:
7850 There is no point in compiling specs (except for package
7851 specs with no bodies) because these are compiled as needed by clients. If
7852 you attempt a useless compilation, you will receive an error message.
7853 It is also useless to compile subunits because they are compiled as needed
7857 There are no order of compilation requirements: performing a
7858 compilation never obsoletes anything. The only way you can obsolete
7859 something and require recompilations is to modify one of the
7860 source files on which it depends.
7863 There is no library as such, apart from the ALI files
7864 (@pxref{The Ada Library Information Files}, for information on the format
7865 of these files). For now we find it convenient to create separate ALI files,
7866 but eventually the information therein may be incorporated into the object
7870 When you compile a unit, the source files for the specs of all units
7871 that it @code{with}'s, all its subunits, and the bodies of any generics it
7872 instantiates must be available (reachable by the search-paths mechanism
7873 described above), or you will receive a fatal error message.
7880 The following are some typical Ada compilation command line examples:
7883 @item $ gcc -c xyz.adb
7884 Compile body in file @file{xyz.adb} with all default options.
7887 @item $ gcc -c -O2 -gnata xyz-def.adb
7890 @item $ GNAT COMPILE /OPTIMIZE=ALL -gnata xyz-def.adb
7893 Compile the child unit package in file @file{xyz-def.adb} with extensive
7894 optimizations, and pragma @code{Assert}/@code{Debug} statements
7897 @item $ gcc -c -gnatc abc-def.adb
7898 Compile the subunit in file @file{abc-def.adb} in semantic-checking-only
7902 @node Binding Using gnatbind
7903 @chapter Binding Using @code{gnatbind}
7907 * Running gnatbind::
7908 * Switches for gnatbind::
7909 * Command-Line Access::
7910 * Search Paths for gnatbind::
7911 * Examples of gnatbind Usage::
7915 This chapter describes the GNAT binder, @code{gnatbind}, which is used
7916 to bind compiled GNAT objects.
7918 Note: to invoke @code{gnatbind} with a project file, use the @code{gnat}
7919 driver (see @ref{The GNAT Driver and Project Files}).
7921 The @code{gnatbind} program performs four separate functions:
7925 Checks that a program is consistent, in accordance with the rules in
7926 Chapter 10 of the Ada Reference Manual. In particular, error
7927 messages are generated if a program uses inconsistent versions of a
7931 Checks that an acceptable order of elaboration exists for the program
7932 and issues an error message if it cannot find an order of elaboration
7933 that satisfies the rules in Chapter 10 of the Ada Language Manual.
7936 Generates a main program incorporating the given elaboration order.
7937 This program is a small Ada package (body and spec) that
7938 must be subsequently compiled
7939 using the GNAT compiler. The necessary compilation step is usually
7940 performed automatically by @command{gnatlink}. The two most important
7941 functions of this program
7942 are to call the elaboration routines of units in an appropriate order
7943 and to call the main program.
7946 Determines the set of object files required by the given main program.
7947 This information is output in the forms of comments in the generated program,
7948 to be read by the @command{gnatlink} utility used to link the Ada application.
7951 @node Running gnatbind
7952 @section Running @code{gnatbind}
7955 The form of the @code{gnatbind} command is
7958 @c $ gnatbind @ovar{switches} @var{mainprog}@r{[}.ali@r{]} @ovar{switches}
7959 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
7960 $ gnatbind @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{mainprog}@r{[}.ali@r{]} @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]}
7964 where @file{@var{mainprog}.adb} is the Ada file containing the main program
7965 unit body. @code{gnatbind} constructs an Ada
7966 package in two files whose names are
7967 @file{b~@var{mainprog}.ads}, and @file{b~@var{mainprog}.adb}.
7968 For example, if given the
7969 parameter @file{hello.ali}, for a main program contained in file
7970 @file{hello.adb}, the binder output files would be @file{b~hello.ads}
7971 and @file{b~hello.adb}.
7973 When doing consistency checking, the binder takes into consideration
7974 any source files it can locate. For example, if the binder determines
7975 that the given main program requires the package @code{Pack}, whose
7977 file is @file{pack.ali} and whose corresponding source spec file is
7978 @file{pack.ads}, it attempts to locate the source file @file{pack.ads}
7979 (using the same search path conventions as previously described for the
7980 @command{gcc} command). If it can locate this source file, it checks that
7982 or source checksums of the source and its references to in @file{ALI} files
7983 match. In other words, any @file{ALI} files that mentions this spec must have
7984 resulted from compiling this version of the source file (or in the case
7985 where the source checksums match, a version close enough that the
7986 difference does not matter).
7988 @cindex Source files, use by binder
7989 The effect of this consistency checking, which includes source files, is
7990 that the binder ensures that the program is consistent with the latest
7991 version of the source files that can be located at bind time. Editing a
7992 source file without compiling files that depend on the source file cause
7993 error messages to be generated by the binder.
7995 For example, suppose you have a main program @file{hello.adb} and a
7996 package @code{P}, from file @file{p.ads} and you perform the following
8001 Enter @code{gcc -c hello.adb} to compile the main program.
8004 Enter @code{gcc -c p.ads} to compile package @code{P}.
8007 Edit file @file{p.ads}.
8010 Enter @code{gnatbind hello}.
8014 At this point, the file @file{p.ali} contains an out-of-date time stamp
8015 because the file @file{p.ads} has been edited. The attempt at binding
8016 fails, and the binder generates the following error messages:
8019 error: "hello.adb" must be recompiled ("p.ads" has been modified)
8020 error: "p.ads" has been modified and must be recompiled
8024 Now both files must be recompiled as indicated, and then the bind can
8025 succeed, generating a main program. You need not normally be concerned
8026 with the contents of this file, but for reference purposes a sample
8027 binder output file is given in @ref{Example of Binder Output File}.
8029 In most normal usage, the default mode of @command{gnatbind} which is to
8030 generate the main package in Ada, as described in the previous section.
8031 In particular, this means that any Ada programmer can read and understand
8032 the generated main program. It can also be debugged just like any other
8033 Ada code provided the @option{^-g^/DEBUG^} switch is used for
8034 @command{gnatbind} and @command{gnatlink}.
8036 @node Switches for gnatbind
8037 @section Switches for @command{gnatbind}
8040 The following switches are available with @code{gnatbind}; details will
8041 be presented in subsequent sections.
8044 * Consistency-Checking Modes::
8045 * Binder Error Message Control::
8046 * Elaboration Control::
8048 * Binding with Non-Ada Main Programs::
8049 * Binding Programs with No Main Subprogram::
8056 @cindex @option{--version} @command{gnatbind}
8057 Display Copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.
8060 @cindex @option{--help} @command{gnatbind}
8061 If @option{--version} was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding
8065 @cindex @option{-a} @command{gnatbind}
8066 Indicates that, if supported by the platform, the adainit procedure should
8067 be treated as an initialisation routine by the linker (a constructor). This
8068 is intended to be used by the Project Manager to automatically initialize
8069 shared Stand-Alone Libraries.
8071 @item ^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH^
8072 @cindex @option{^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH^} (@command{gnatbind})
8073 Specify directory to be searched for ALI files.
8075 @item ^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH^
8076 @cindex @option{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH^} (@command{gnatbind})
8077 Specify directory to be searched for source file.
8079 @item ^-A^/ALI_LIST^@r{[=}@var{filename}@r{]}
8080 @cindex @option{^-A^/ALI_LIST^} (@command{gnatbind})
8081 Output ALI list (to standard output or to the named file).
8083 @item ^-b^/REPORT_ERRORS=BRIEF^
8084 @cindex @option{^-b^/REPORT_ERRORS=BRIEF^} (@command{gnatbind})
8085 Generate brief messages to @file{stderr} even if verbose mode set.
8087 @item ^-c^/NOOUTPUT^
8088 @cindex @option{^-c^/NOOUTPUT^} (@command{gnatbind})
8089 Check only, no generation of binder output file.
8091 @item ^-d^/DEFAULT_STACK_SIZE=^@var{nn}@r{[}k@r{|}m@r{]}
8092 @cindex @option{^-d^/DEFAULT_STACK_SIZE=^@var{nn}@r{[}k@r{|}m@r{]}} (@command{gnatbind})
8093 This switch can be used to change the default task stack size value
8094 to a specified size @var{nn}, which is expressed in bytes by default, or
8095 in kilobytes when suffixed with @var{k} or in megabytes when suffixed
8097 In the absence of a @samp{@r{[}k@r{|}m@r{]}} suffix, this switch is equivalent,
8098 in effect, to completing all task specs with
8099 @smallexample @c ada
8100 pragma Storage_Size (nn);
8102 When they do not already have such a pragma.
8104 @item ^-D^/DEFAULT_SECONDARY_STACK_SIZE=^@var{nn}@r{[}k@r{|}m@r{]}
8105 @cindex @option{^-D^/DEFAULT_SECONDARY_STACK_SIZE=nnnnn^} (@command{gnatbind})
8106 This switch can be used to change the default secondary stack size value
8107 to a specified size @var{nn}, which is expressed in bytes by default, or
8108 in kilobytes when suffixed with @var{k} or in megabytes when suffixed
8111 The secondary stack is used to deal with functions that return a variable
8112 sized result, for example a function returning an unconstrained
8113 String. There are two ways in which this secondary stack is allocated.
8115 For most targets, the secondary stack is growing on demand and is allocated
8116 as a chain of blocks in the heap. The -D option is not very
8117 relevant. It only give some control over the size of the allocated
8118 blocks (whose size is the minimum of the default secondary stack size value,
8119 and the actual size needed for the current allocation request).
8121 For certain targets, notably VxWorks 653,
8122 the secondary stack is allocated by carving off a fixed ratio chunk of the
8123 primary task stack. The -D option is used to define the
8124 size of the environment task's secondary stack.
8126 @item ^-e^/ELABORATION_DEPENDENCIES^
8127 @cindex @option{^-e^/ELABORATION_DEPENDENCIES^} (@command{gnatbind})
8128 Output complete list of elaboration-order dependencies.
8130 @item ^-E^/STORE_TRACEBACKS^
8131 @cindex @option{^-E^/STORE_TRACEBACKS^} (@command{gnatbind})
8132 Store tracebacks in exception occurrences when the target supports it.
8133 This is the default with the zero cost exception mechanism.
8135 @c The following may get moved to an appendix
8136 This option is currently supported on the following targets:
8137 all x86 ports, Solaris, Windows, HP-UX, AIX, PowerPC VxWorks and Alpha VxWorks.
8139 See also the packages @code{GNAT.Traceback} and
8140 @code{GNAT.Traceback.Symbolic} for more information.
8142 Note that on x86 ports, you must not use @option{-fomit-frame-pointer}
8143 @command{gcc} option.
8146 @item ^-F^/FORCE_ELABS_FLAGS^
8147 @cindex @option{^-F^/FORCE_ELABS_FLAGS^} (@command{gnatbind})
8148 Force the checks of elaboration flags. @command{gnatbind} does not normally
8149 generate checks of elaboration flags for the main executable, except when
8150 a Stand-Alone Library is used. However, there are cases when this cannot be
8151 detected by gnatbind. An example is importing an interface of a Stand-Alone
8152 Library through a pragma Import and only specifying through a linker switch
8153 this Stand-Alone Library. This switch is used to guarantee that elaboration
8154 flag checks are generated.
8157 @cindex @option{^-h^/HELP^} (@command{gnatbind})
8158 Output usage (help) information
8161 @cindex @option{^-I^/SEARCH^} (@command{gnatbind})
8162 Specify directory to be searched for source and ALI files.
8164 @item ^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^
8165 @cindex @option{^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^} (@command{gnatbind})
8166 Do not look for sources in the current directory where @code{gnatbind} was
8167 invoked, and do not look for ALI files in the directory containing the
8168 ALI file named in the @code{gnatbind} command line.
8170 @item ^-l^/ORDER_OF_ELABORATION^
8171 @cindex @option{^-l^/ORDER_OF_ELABORATION^} (@command{gnatbind})
8172 Output chosen elaboration order.
8174 @item ^-L@var{xxx}^/BUILD_LIBRARY=@var{xxx}^
8175 @cindex @option{^-L^/BUILD_LIBRARY^} (@command{gnatbind})
8176 Bind the units for library building. In this case the adainit and
8177 adafinal procedures (@pxref{Binding with Non-Ada Main Programs})
8178 are renamed to ^@var{xxx}init^@var{XXX}INIT^ and
8179 ^@var{xxx}final^@var{XXX}FINAL^.
8180 Implies ^-n^/NOCOMPILE^.
8182 (@xref{GNAT and Libraries}, for more details.)
8185 On OpenVMS, these init and final procedures are exported in uppercase
8186 letters. For example if /BUILD_LIBRARY=toto is used, the exported name of
8187 the init procedure will be "TOTOINIT" and the exported name of the final
8188 procedure will be "TOTOFINAL".
8191 @item ^-Mxyz^/RENAME_MAIN=xyz^
8192 @cindex @option{^-M^/RENAME_MAIN^} (@command{gnatbind})
8193 Rename generated main program from main to xyz. This option is
8194 supported on cross environments only.
8196 @item ^-m^/ERROR_LIMIT=^@var{n}
8197 @cindex @option{^-m^/ERROR_LIMIT^} (@command{gnatbind})
8198 Limit number of detected errors or warnings to @var{n}, where @var{n} is
8199 in the range 1..999999. The default value if no switch is
8200 given is 9999. If the number of warnings reaches this limit, then a
8201 message is output and further warnings are suppressed, the bind
8202 continues in this case. If the number of errors reaches this
8203 limit, then a message is output and the bind is abandoned.
8204 A value of zero means that no limit is enforced. The equal
8208 Furthermore, under Windows, the sources pointed to by the libraries path
8209 set in the registry are not searched for.
8213 @cindex @option{^-n^/NOMAIN^} (@command{gnatbind})
8217 @cindex @option{-nostdinc} (@command{gnatbind})
8218 Do not look for sources in the system default directory.
8221 @cindex @option{-nostdlib} (@command{gnatbind})
8222 Do not look for library files in the system default directory.
8224 @item --RTS=@var{rts-path}
8225 @cindex @option{--RTS} (@code{gnatbind})
8226 Specifies the default location of the runtime library. Same meaning as the
8227 equivalent @command{gnatmake} flag (@pxref{Switches for gnatmake}).
8229 @item ^-o ^/OUTPUT=^@var{file}
8230 @cindex @option{^-o ^/OUTPUT^} (@command{gnatbind})
8231 Name the output file @var{file} (default is @file{b~@var{xxx}.adb}).
8232 Note that if this option is used, then linking must be done manually,
8233 gnatlink cannot be used.
8235 @item ^-O^/OBJECT_LIST^@r{[=}@var{filename}@r{]}
8236 @cindex @option{^-O^/OBJECT_LIST^} (@command{gnatbind})
8237 Output object list (to standard output or to the named file).
8239 @item ^-p^/PESSIMISTIC_ELABORATION^
8240 @cindex @option{^-p^/PESSIMISTIC_ELABORATION^} (@command{gnatbind})
8241 Pessimistic (worst-case) elaboration order
8244 @cindex @option{^-R^-R^} (@command{gnatbind})
8245 Output closure source list.
8247 @item ^-s^/READ_SOURCES=ALL^
8248 @cindex @option{^-s^/READ_SOURCES=ALL^} (@command{gnatbind})
8249 Require all source files to be present.
8251 @item ^-S@var{xxx}^/INITIALIZE_SCALARS=@var{xxx}^
8252 @cindex @option{^-S^/INITIALIZE_SCALARS^} (@command{gnatbind})
8253 Specifies the value to be used when detecting uninitialized scalar
8254 objects with pragma Initialize_Scalars.
8255 The @var{xxx} ^string specified with the switch^option^ may be either
8257 @item ``@option{^in^INVALID^}'' requesting an invalid value where possible
8258 @item ``@option{^lo^LOW^}'' for the lowest possible value
8259 @item ``@option{^hi^HIGH^}'' for the highest possible value
8260 @item ``@option{@var{xx}}'' for a value consisting of repeated bytes with the
8261 value @code{16#@var{xx}#} (i.e., @var{xx} is a string of two hexadecimal digits).
8264 In addition, you can specify @option{-Sev} to indicate that the value is
8265 to be set at run time. In this case, the program will look for an environment
8266 @cindex GNAT_INIT_SCALARS
8267 variable of the form @env{GNAT_INIT_SCALARS=@var{xx}}, where @var{xx} is one
8268 of @option{in/lo/hi/@var{xx}} with the same meanings as above.
8269 If no environment variable is found, or if it does not have a valid value,
8270 then the default is @option{in} (invalid values).
8274 @cindex @option{-static} (@code{gnatbind})
8275 Link against a static GNAT run time.
8278 @cindex @option{-shared} (@code{gnatbind})
8279 Link against a shared GNAT run time when available.
8282 @item ^-t^/NOTIME_STAMP_CHECK^
8283 @cindex @option{^-t^/NOTIME_STAMP_CHECK^} (@code{gnatbind})
8284 Tolerate time stamp and other consistency errors
8286 @item ^-T@var{n}^/TIME_SLICE=@var{n}^
8287 @cindex @option{^-T^/TIME_SLICE^} (@code{gnatbind})
8288 Set the time slice value to @var{n} milliseconds. If the system supports
8289 the specification of a specific time slice value, then the indicated value
8290 is used. If the system does not support specific time slice values, but
8291 does support some general notion of round-robin scheduling, then any
8292 nonzero value will activate round-robin scheduling.
8294 A value of zero is treated specially. It turns off time
8295 slicing, and in addition, indicates to the tasking run time that the
8296 semantics should match as closely as possible the Annex D
8297 requirements of the Ada RM, and in particular sets the default
8298 scheduling policy to @code{FIFO_Within_Priorities}.
8300 @item ^-u@var{n}^/DYNAMIC_STACK_USAGE=@var{n}^
8301 @cindex @option{^-u^/DYNAMIC_STACK_USAGE^} (@code{gnatbind})
8302 Enable dynamic stack usage, with @var{n} results stored and displayed
8303 at program termination. A result is generated when a task
8304 terminates. Results that can't be stored are displayed on the fly, at
8305 task termination. This option is currently not supported on Itanium
8306 platforms. (See @ref{Dynamic Stack Usage Analysis} for details.)
8308 @item ^-v^/REPORT_ERRORS=VERBOSE^
8309 @cindex @option{^-v^/REPORT_ERRORS=VERBOSE^} (@code{gnatbind})
8310 Verbose mode. Write error messages, header, summary output to
8315 @cindex @option{-w} (@code{gnatbind})
8316 Warning mode (@var{x}=s/e for suppress/treat as error)
8320 @item /WARNINGS=NORMAL
8321 @cindex @option{/WARNINGS} (@code{gnatbind})
8322 Normal warnings mode. Warnings are issued but ignored
8324 @item /WARNINGS=SUPPRESS
8325 @cindex @option{/WARNINGS} (@code{gnatbind})
8326 All warning messages are suppressed
8328 @item /WARNINGS=ERROR
8329 @cindex @option{/WARNINGS} (@code{gnatbind})
8330 Warning messages are treated as fatal errors
8333 @item ^-Wx^/WIDE_CHARACTER_ENCODING=^@var{e}
8334 @cindex @option{^-Wx^/WIDE_CHARACTER_ENCODING^} (@code{gnatbind})
8335 Override default wide character encoding for standard Text_IO files.
8337 @item ^-x^/READ_SOURCES=NONE^
8338 @cindex @option{^-x^/READ_SOURCES^} (@code{gnatbind})
8339 Exclude source files (check object consistency only).
8342 @item /READ_SOURCES=AVAILABLE
8343 @cindex @option{/READ_SOURCES} (@code{gnatbind})
8344 Default mode, in which sources are checked for consistency only if
8348 @item ^-y^/ENABLE_LEAP_SECONDS^
8349 @cindex @option{^-y^/ENABLE_LEAP_SECONDS^} (@code{gnatbind})
8350 Enable leap seconds support in @code{Ada.Calendar} and its children.
8352 @item ^-z^/ZERO_MAIN^
8353 @cindex @option{^-z^/ZERO_MAIN^} (@code{gnatbind})
8359 You may obtain this listing of switches by running @code{gnatbind} with
8363 @node Consistency-Checking Modes
8364 @subsection Consistency-Checking Modes
8367 As described earlier, by default @code{gnatbind} checks
8368 that object files are consistent with one another and are consistent
8369 with any source files it can locate. The following switches control binder
8374 @item ^-s^/READ_SOURCES=ALL^
8375 @cindex @option{^-s^/READ_SOURCES=ALL^} (@code{gnatbind})
8376 Require source files to be present. In this mode, the binder must be
8377 able to locate all source files that are referenced, in order to check
8378 their consistency. In normal mode, if a source file cannot be located it
8379 is simply ignored. If you specify this switch, a missing source
8382 @item ^-Wx^/WIDE_CHARACTER_ENCODING=^@var{e}
8383 @cindex @option{^-Wx^/WIDE_CHARACTER_ENCODING^} (@code{gnatbind})
8384 Override default wide character encoding for standard Text_IO files.
8385 Normally the default wide character encoding method used for standard
8386 [Wide_[Wide_]]Text_IO files is taken from the encoding specified for
8387 the main source input (see description of switch
8388 @option{^-gnatWx^/WIDE_CHARACTER_ENCODING^} for the compiler). The
8389 use of this switch for the binder (which has the same set of
8390 possible arguments) overrides this default as specified.
8392 @item ^-x^/READ_SOURCES=NONE^
8393 @cindex @option{^-x^/READ_SOURCES=NONE^} (@code{gnatbind})
8394 Exclude source files. In this mode, the binder only checks that ALI
8395 files are consistent with one another. Source files are not accessed.
8396 The binder runs faster in this mode, and there is still a guarantee that
8397 the resulting program is self-consistent.
8398 If a source file has been edited since it was last compiled, and you
8399 specify this switch, the binder will not detect that the object
8400 file is out of date with respect to the source file. Note that this is the
8401 mode that is automatically used by @command{gnatmake} because in this
8402 case the checking against sources has already been performed by
8403 @command{gnatmake} in the course of compilation (i.e.@: before binding).
8406 @item /READ_SOURCES=AVAILABLE
8407 @cindex @code{/READ_SOURCES=AVAILABLE} (@code{gnatbind})
8408 This is the default mode in which source files are checked if they are
8409 available, and ignored if they are not available.
8413 @node Binder Error Message Control
8414 @subsection Binder Error Message Control
8417 The following switches provide control over the generation of error
8418 messages from the binder:
8422 @item ^-v^/REPORT_ERRORS=VERBOSE^
8423 @cindex @option{^-v^/REPORT_ERRORS=VERBOSE^} (@code{gnatbind})
8424 Verbose mode. In the normal mode, brief error messages are generated to
8425 @file{stderr}. If this switch is present, a header is written
8426 to @file{stdout} and any error messages are directed to @file{stdout}.
8427 All that is written to @file{stderr} is a brief summary message.
8429 @item ^-b^/REPORT_ERRORS=BRIEF^
8430 @cindex @option{^-b^/REPORT_ERRORS=BRIEF^} (@code{gnatbind})
8431 Generate brief error messages to @file{stderr} even if verbose mode is
8432 specified. This is relevant only when used with the
8433 @option{^-v^/REPORT_ERRORS=VERBOSE^} switch.
8437 @cindex @option{-m} (@code{gnatbind})
8438 Limits the number of error messages to @var{n}, a decimal integer in the
8439 range 1-999. The binder terminates immediately if this limit is reached.
8442 @cindex @option{-M} (@code{gnatbind})
8443 Renames the generated main program from @code{main} to @code{xxx}.
8444 This is useful in the case of some cross-building environments, where
8445 the actual main program is separate from the one generated
8449 @item ^-ws^/WARNINGS=SUPPRESS^
8450 @cindex @option{^-ws^/WARNINGS=SUPPRESS^} (@code{gnatbind})
8452 Suppress all warning messages.
8454 @item ^-we^/WARNINGS=ERROR^
8455 @cindex @option{^-we^/WARNINGS=ERROR^} (@code{gnatbind})
8456 Treat any warning messages as fatal errors.
8459 @item /WARNINGS=NORMAL
8460 Standard mode with warnings generated, but warnings do not get treated
8464 @item ^-t^/NOTIME_STAMP_CHECK^
8465 @cindex @option{^-t^/NOTIME_STAMP_CHECK^} (@code{gnatbind})
8466 @cindex Time stamp checks, in binder
8467 @cindex Binder consistency checks
8468 @cindex Consistency checks, in binder
8469 The binder performs a number of consistency checks including:
8473 Check that time stamps of a given source unit are consistent
8475 Check that checksums of a given source unit are consistent
8477 Check that consistent versions of @code{GNAT} were used for compilation
8479 Check consistency of configuration pragmas as required
8483 Normally failure of such checks, in accordance with the consistency
8484 requirements of the Ada Reference Manual, causes error messages to be
8485 generated which abort the binder and prevent the output of a binder
8486 file and subsequent link to obtain an executable.
8488 The @option{^-t^/NOTIME_STAMP_CHECK^} switch converts these error messages
8489 into warnings, so that
8490 binding and linking can continue to completion even in the presence of such
8491 errors. The result may be a failed link (due to missing symbols), or a
8492 non-functional executable which has undefined semantics.
8493 @emph{This means that
8494 @option{^-t^/NOTIME_STAMP_CHECK^} should be used only in unusual situations,
8498 @node Elaboration Control
8499 @subsection Elaboration Control
8502 The following switches provide additional control over the elaboration
8503 order. For full details see @ref{Elaboration Order Handling in GNAT}.
8506 @item ^-p^/PESSIMISTIC_ELABORATION^
8507 @cindex @option{^-p^/PESSIMISTIC_ELABORATION^} (@code{gnatbind})
8508 Normally the binder attempts to choose an elaboration order that is
8509 likely to minimize the likelihood of an elaboration order error resulting
8510 in raising a @code{Program_Error} exception. This switch reverses the
8511 action of the binder, and requests that it deliberately choose an order
8512 that is likely to maximize the likelihood of an elaboration error.
8513 This is useful in ensuring portability and avoiding dependence on
8514 accidental fortuitous elaboration ordering.
8516 Normally it only makes sense to use the @option{^-p^/PESSIMISTIC_ELABORATION^}
8518 elaboration checking is used (@option{-gnatE} switch used for compilation).
8519 This is because in the default static elaboration mode, all necessary
8520 @code{Elaborate} and @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas are implicitly inserted.
8521 These implicit pragmas are still respected by the binder in
8522 @option{^-p^/PESSIMISTIC_ELABORATION^} mode, so a
8523 safe elaboration order is assured.
8526 @node Output Control
8527 @subsection Output Control
8530 The following switches allow additional control over the output
8531 generated by the binder.
8536 @item ^-c^/NOOUTPUT^
8537 @cindex @option{^-c^/NOOUTPUT^} (@code{gnatbind})
8538 Check only. Do not generate the binder output file. In this mode the
8539 binder performs all error checks but does not generate an output file.
8541 @item ^-e^/ELABORATION_DEPENDENCIES^
8542 @cindex @option{^-e^/ELABORATION_DEPENDENCIES^} (@code{gnatbind})
8543 Output complete list of elaboration-order dependencies, showing the
8544 reason for each dependency. This output can be rather extensive but may
8545 be useful in diagnosing problems with elaboration order. The output is
8546 written to @file{stdout}.
8549 @cindex @option{^-h^/HELP^} (@code{gnatbind})
8550 Output usage information. The output is written to @file{stdout}.
8552 @item ^-K^/LINKER_OPTION_LIST^
8553 @cindex @option{^-K^/LINKER_OPTION_LIST^} (@code{gnatbind})
8554 Output linker options to @file{stdout}. Includes library search paths,
8555 contents of pragmas Ident and Linker_Options, and libraries added
8558 @item ^-l^/ORDER_OF_ELABORATION^
8559 @cindex @option{^-l^/ORDER_OF_ELABORATION^} (@code{gnatbind})
8560 Output chosen elaboration order. The output is written to @file{stdout}.
8562 @item ^-O^/OBJECT_LIST^
8563 @cindex @option{^-O^/OBJECT_LIST^} (@code{gnatbind})
8564 Output full names of all the object files that must be linked to provide
8565 the Ada component of the program. The output is written to @file{stdout}.
8566 This list includes the files explicitly supplied and referenced by the user
8567 as well as implicitly referenced run-time unit files. The latter are
8568 omitted if the corresponding units reside in shared libraries. The
8569 directory names for the run-time units depend on the system configuration.
8571 @item ^-o ^/OUTPUT=^@var{file}
8572 @cindex @option{^-o^/OUTPUT^} (@code{gnatbind})
8573 Set name of output file to @var{file} instead of the normal
8574 @file{b~@var{mainprog}.adb} default. Note that @var{file} denote the Ada
8575 binder generated body filename.
8576 Note that if this option is used, then linking must be done manually.
8577 It is not possible to use gnatlink in this case, since it cannot locate
8580 @item ^-r^/RESTRICTION_LIST^
8581 @cindex @option{^-r^/RESTRICTION_LIST^} (@code{gnatbind})
8582 Generate list of @code{pragma Restrictions} that could be applied to
8583 the current unit. This is useful for code audit purposes, and also may
8584 be used to improve code generation in some cases.
8588 @node Binding with Non-Ada Main Programs
8589 @subsection Binding with Non-Ada Main Programs
8592 In our description so far we have assumed that the main
8593 program is in Ada, and that the task of the binder is to generate a
8594 corresponding function @code{main} that invokes this Ada main
8595 program. GNAT also supports the building of executable programs where
8596 the main program is not in Ada, but some of the called routines are
8597 written in Ada and compiled using GNAT (@pxref{Mixed Language Programming}).
8598 The following switch is used in this situation:
8602 @cindex @option{^-n^/NOMAIN^} (@code{gnatbind})
8603 No main program. The main program is not in Ada.
8607 In this case, most of the functions of the binder are still required,
8608 but instead of generating a main program, the binder generates a file
8609 containing the following callable routines:
8614 You must call this routine to initialize the Ada part of the program by
8615 calling the necessary elaboration routines. A call to @code{adainit} is
8616 required before the first call to an Ada subprogram.
8618 Note that it is assumed that the basic execution environment must be setup
8619 to be appropriate for Ada execution at the point where the first Ada
8620 subprogram is called. In particular, if the Ada code will do any
8621 floating-point operations, then the FPU must be setup in an appropriate
8622 manner. For the case of the x86, for example, full precision mode is
8623 required. The procedure GNAT.Float_Control.Reset may be used to ensure
8624 that the FPU is in the right state.
8628 You must call this routine to perform any library-level finalization
8629 required by the Ada subprograms. A call to @code{adafinal} is required
8630 after the last call to an Ada subprogram, and before the program
8635 If the @option{^-n^/NOMAIN^} switch
8636 @cindex @option{^-n^/NOMAIN^} (@command{gnatbind})
8637 @cindex Binder, multiple input files
8638 is given, more than one ALI file may appear on
8639 the command line for @code{gnatbind}. The normal @dfn{closure}
8640 calculation is performed for each of the specified units. Calculating
8641 the closure means finding out the set of units involved by tracing
8642 @code{with} references. The reason it is necessary to be able to
8643 specify more than one ALI file is that a given program may invoke two or
8644 more quite separate groups of Ada units.
8646 The binder takes the name of its output file from the last specified ALI
8647 file, unless overridden by the use of the @option{^-o file^/OUTPUT=file^}.
8648 @cindex @option{^-o^/OUTPUT^} (@command{gnatbind})
8649 The output is an Ada unit in source form that can be compiled with GNAT.
8650 This compilation occurs automatically as part of the @command{gnatlink}
8653 Currently the GNAT run time requires a FPU using 80 bits mode
8654 precision. Under targets where this is not the default it is required to
8655 call GNAT.Float_Control.Reset before using floating point numbers (this
8656 include float computation, float input and output) in the Ada code. A
8657 side effect is that this could be the wrong mode for the foreign code
8658 where floating point computation could be broken after this call.
8660 @node Binding Programs with No Main Subprogram
8661 @subsection Binding Programs with No Main Subprogram
8664 It is possible to have an Ada program which does not have a main
8665 subprogram. This program will call the elaboration routines of all the
8666 packages, then the finalization routines.
8668 The following switch is used to bind programs organized in this manner:
8671 @item ^-z^/ZERO_MAIN^
8672 @cindex @option{^-z^/ZERO_MAIN^} (@code{gnatbind})
8673 Normally the binder checks that the unit name given on the command line
8674 corresponds to a suitable main subprogram. When this switch is used,
8675 a list of ALI files can be given, and the execution of the program
8676 consists of elaboration of these units in an appropriate order. Note
8677 that the default wide character encoding method for standard Text_IO
8678 files is always set to Brackets if this switch is set (you can use
8680 @option{^-Wx^WIDE_CHARACTER_ENCODING^} to override this default).
8683 @node Command-Line Access
8684 @section Command-Line Access
8687 The package @code{Ada.Command_Line} provides access to the command-line
8688 arguments and program name. In order for this interface to operate
8689 correctly, the two variables
8701 are declared in one of the GNAT library routines. These variables must
8702 be set from the actual @code{argc} and @code{argv} values passed to the
8703 main program. With no @option{^n^/NOMAIN^} present, @code{gnatbind}
8704 generates the C main program to automatically set these variables.
8705 If the @option{^n^/NOMAIN^} switch is used, there is no automatic way to
8706 set these variables. If they are not set, the procedures in
8707 @code{Ada.Command_Line} will not be available, and any attempt to use
8708 them will raise @code{Constraint_Error}. If command line access is
8709 required, your main program must set @code{gnat_argc} and
8710 @code{gnat_argv} from the @code{argc} and @code{argv} values passed to
8713 @node Search Paths for gnatbind
8714 @section Search Paths for @code{gnatbind}
8717 The binder takes the name of an ALI file as its argument and needs to
8718 locate source files as well as other ALI files to verify object consistency.
8720 For source files, it follows exactly the same search rules as @command{gcc}
8721 (@pxref{Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)}). For ALI files the
8722 directories searched are:
8726 The directory containing the ALI file named in the command line, unless
8727 the switch @option{^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^} is specified.
8730 All directories specified by @option{^-I^/SEARCH^}
8731 switches on the @code{gnatbind}
8732 command line, in the order given.
8735 @findex ADA_PRJ_OBJECTS_FILE
8736 Each of the directories listed in the text file whose name is given
8737 by the @env{ADA_PRJ_OBJECTS_FILE} ^environment variable^logical name^.
8740 @env{ADA_PRJ_OBJECTS_FILE} is normally set by gnatmake or by the ^gnat^GNAT^
8741 driver when project files are used. It should not normally be set
8745 @findex ADA_OBJECTS_PATH
8746 Each of the directories listed in the value of the
8747 @env{ADA_OBJECTS_PATH} ^environment variable^logical name^.
8749 Construct this value
8750 exactly as the @env{PATH} environment variable: a list of directory
8751 names separated by colons (semicolons when working with the NT version
8755 Normally, define this value as a logical name containing a comma separated
8756 list of directory names.
8758 This variable can also be defined by means of an environment string
8759 (an argument to the HP C exec* set of functions).
8763 DEFINE ANOTHER_PATH FOO:[BAG]
8764 DEFINE ADA_OBJECTS_PATH ANOTHER_PATH,FOO:[BAM],FOO:[BAR]
8767 By default, the path includes GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_x.2_8_x.DECLIB]
8768 first, followed by the standard Ada
8769 libraries in GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_x.2_8_x.ADALIB].
8770 If this is not redefined, the user will obtain the HP Ada 83 IO packages
8771 (Text_IO, Sequential_IO, etc)
8772 instead of the standard Ada packages. Thus, in order to get the standard Ada
8773 packages by default, ADA_OBJECTS_PATH must be redefined.
8777 The content of the @file{ada_object_path} file which is part of the GNAT
8778 installation tree and is used to store standard libraries such as the
8779 GNAT Run Time Library (RTL) unless the switch @option{-nostdlib} is
8782 @ref{Installing a library}
8787 In the binder the switch @option{^-I^/SEARCH^}
8788 @cindex @option{^-I^/SEARCH^} (@command{gnatbind})
8789 is used to specify both source and
8790 library file paths. Use @option{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH^}
8791 @cindex @option{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH^} (@command{gnatbind})
8792 instead if you want to specify
8793 source paths only, and @option{^-aO^/LIBRARY_SEARCH^}
8794 @cindex @option{^-aO^/LIBRARY_SEARCH^} (@command{gnatbind})
8795 if you want to specify library paths
8796 only. This means that for the binder
8797 @option{^-I^/SEARCH=^}@var{dir} is equivalent to
8798 @option{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH=^}@var{dir}
8799 @option{^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH=^}@var{dir}.
8800 The binder generates the bind file (a C language source file) in the
8801 current working directory.
8807 The packages @code{Ada}, @code{System}, and @code{Interfaces} and their
8808 children make up the GNAT Run-Time Library, together with the package
8809 GNAT and its children, which contain a set of useful additional
8810 library functions provided by GNAT. The sources for these units are
8811 needed by the compiler and are kept together in one directory. The ALI
8812 files and object files generated by compiling the RTL are needed by the
8813 binder and the linker and are kept together in one directory, typically
8814 different from the directory containing the sources. In a normal
8815 installation, you need not specify these directory names when compiling
8816 or binding. Either the environment variables or the built-in defaults
8817 cause these files to be found.
8819 Besides simplifying access to the RTL, a major use of search paths is
8820 in compiling sources from multiple directories. This can make
8821 development environments much more flexible.
8823 @node Examples of gnatbind Usage
8824 @section Examples of @code{gnatbind} Usage
8827 This section contains a number of examples of using the GNAT binding
8828 utility @code{gnatbind}.
8831 @item gnatbind hello
8832 The main program @code{Hello} (source program in @file{hello.adb}) is
8833 bound using the standard switch settings. The generated main program is
8834 @file{b~hello.adb}. This is the normal, default use of the binder.
8837 @item gnatbind hello -o mainprog.adb
8840 @item gnatbind HELLO.ALI /OUTPUT=Mainprog.ADB
8842 The main program @code{Hello} (source program in @file{hello.adb}) is
8843 bound using the standard switch settings. The generated main program is
8844 @file{mainprog.adb} with the associated spec in
8845 @file{mainprog.ads}. Note that you must specify the body here not the
8846 spec. Note that if this option is used, then linking must be done manually,
8847 since gnatlink will not be able to find the generated file.
8850 @c ------------------------------------
8851 @node Linking Using gnatlink
8852 @chapter Linking Using @command{gnatlink}
8853 @c ------------------------------------
8857 This chapter discusses @command{gnatlink}, a tool that links
8858 an Ada program and builds an executable file. This utility
8859 invokes the system linker ^(via the @command{gcc} command)^^
8860 with a correct list of object files and library references.
8861 @command{gnatlink} automatically determines the list of files and
8862 references for the Ada part of a program. It uses the binder file
8863 generated by the @command{gnatbind} to determine this list.
8865 Note: to invoke @code{gnatlink} with a project file, use the @code{gnat}
8866 driver (see @ref{The GNAT Driver and Project Files}).
8869 * Running gnatlink::
8870 * Switches for gnatlink::
8873 @node Running gnatlink
8874 @section Running @command{gnatlink}
8877 The form of the @command{gnatlink} command is
8880 @c $ gnatlink @ovar{switches} @var{mainprog}@r{[}.ali@r{]}
8881 @c @ovar{non-Ada objects} @ovar{linker options}
8882 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
8883 $ gnatlink @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{mainprog}@r{[}.ali@r{]}
8884 @r{[}@var{non-Ada objects}@r{]} @r{[}@var{linker options}@r{]}
8889 The arguments of @command{gnatlink} (switches, main @file{ALI} file,
8891 or linker options) may be in any order, provided that no non-Ada object may
8892 be mistaken for a main @file{ALI} file.
8893 Any file name @file{F} without the @file{.ali}
8894 extension will be taken as the main @file{ALI} file if a file exists
8895 whose name is the concatenation of @file{F} and @file{.ali}.
8898 @file{@var{mainprog}.ali} references the ALI file of the main program.
8899 The @file{.ali} extension of this file can be omitted. From this
8900 reference, @command{gnatlink} locates the corresponding binder file
8901 @file{b~@var{mainprog}.adb} and, using the information in this file along
8902 with the list of non-Ada objects and linker options, constructs a
8903 linker command file to create the executable.
8905 The arguments other than the @command{gnatlink} switches and the main
8906 @file{ALI} file are passed to the linker uninterpreted.
8907 They typically include the names of
8908 object files for units written in other languages than Ada and any library
8909 references required to resolve references in any of these foreign language
8910 units, or in @code{Import} pragmas in any Ada units.
8912 @var{linker options} is an optional list of linker specific
8914 The default linker called by gnatlink is @command{gcc} which in
8915 turn calls the appropriate system linker.
8916 Standard options for the linker such as @option{-lmy_lib} or
8917 @option{-Ldir} can be added as is.
8918 For options that are not recognized by
8919 @command{gcc} as linker options, use the @command{gcc} switches
8920 @option{-Xlinker} or @option{-Wl,}.
8921 Refer to the GCC documentation for
8922 details. Here is an example showing how to generate a linker map:
8925 $ ^gnatlink my_prog -Wl,-Map,MAPFILE^GNAT LINK my_prog.ali /MAP^
8928 Using @var{linker options} it is possible to set the program stack and
8931 See @ref{Setting Stack Size from gnatlink} and
8932 @ref{Setting Heap Size from gnatlink}.
8935 @command{gnatlink} determines the list of objects required by the Ada
8936 program and prepends them to the list of objects passed to the linker.
8937 @command{gnatlink} also gathers any arguments set by the use of
8938 @code{pragma Linker_Options} and adds them to the list of arguments
8939 presented to the linker.
8942 @command{gnatlink} accepts the following types of extra files on the command
8943 line: objects (@file{.OBJ}), libraries (@file{.OLB}), sharable images
8944 (@file{.EXE}), and options files (@file{.OPT}). These are recognized and
8945 handled according to their extension.
8948 @node Switches for gnatlink
8949 @section Switches for @command{gnatlink}
8952 The following switches are available with the @command{gnatlink} utility:
8958 @cindex @option{--version} @command{gnatlink}
8959 Display Copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.
8962 @cindex @option{--help} @command{gnatlink}
8963 If @option{--version} was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding
8966 @item ^-f^/FORCE_OBJECT_FILE_LIST^
8967 @cindex Command line length
8968 @cindex @option{^-f^/FORCE_OBJECT_FILE_LIST^} (@command{gnatlink})
8969 On some targets, the command line length is limited, and @command{gnatlink}
8970 will generate a separate file for the linker if the list of object files
8972 The @option{^-f^/FORCE_OBJECT_FILE_LIST^} switch forces this file
8973 to be generated even if
8974 the limit is not exceeded. This is useful in some cases to deal with
8975 special situations where the command line length is exceeded.
8978 @cindex Debugging information, including
8979 @cindex @option{^-g^/DEBUG^} (@command{gnatlink})
8980 The option to include debugging information causes the Ada bind file (in
8981 other words, @file{b~@var{mainprog}.adb}) to be compiled with
8982 @option{^-g^/DEBUG^}.
8983 In addition, the binder does not delete the @file{b~@var{mainprog}.adb},
8984 @file{b~@var{mainprog}.o} and @file{b~@var{mainprog}.ali} files.
8985 Without @option{^-g^/DEBUG^}, the binder removes these files by
8986 default. The same procedure apply if a C bind file was generated using
8987 @option{^-C^/BIND_FILE=C^} @code{gnatbind} option, in this case the filenames
8988 are @file{b_@var{mainprog}.c} and @file{b_@var{mainprog}.o}.
8990 @item ^-n^/NOCOMPILE^
8991 @cindex @option{^-n^/NOCOMPILE^} (@command{gnatlink})
8992 Do not compile the file generated by the binder. This may be used when
8993 a link is rerun with different options, but there is no need to recompile
8997 @cindex @option{^-v^/VERBOSE^} (@command{gnatlink})
8998 Causes additional information to be output, including a full list of the
8999 included object files. This switch option is most useful when you want
9000 to see what set of object files are being used in the link step.
9002 @item ^-v -v^/VERBOSE/VERBOSE^
9003 @cindex @option{^-v -v^/VERBOSE/VERBOSE^} (@command{gnatlink})
9004 Very verbose mode. Requests that the compiler operate in verbose mode when
9005 it compiles the binder file, and that the system linker run in verbose mode.
9007 @item ^-o ^/EXECUTABLE=^@var{exec-name}
9008 @cindex @option{^-o^/EXECUTABLE^} (@command{gnatlink})
9009 @var{exec-name} specifies an alternate name for the generated
9010 executable program. If this switch is omitted, the executable has the same
9011 name as the main unit. For example, @code{gnatlink try.ali} creates
9012 an executable called @file{^try^TRY.EXE^}.
9015 @item -b @var{target}
9016 @cindex @option{-b} (@command{gnatlink})
9017 Compile your program to run on @var{target}, which is the name of a
9018 system configuration. You must have a GNAT cross-compiler built if
9019 @var{target} is not the same as your host system.
9022 @cindex @option{-B} (@command{gnatlink})
9023 Load compiler executables (for example, @code{gnat1}, the Ada compiler)
9024 from @var{dir} instead of the default location. Only use this switch
9025 when multiple versions of the GNAT compiler are available.
9026 @xref{Directory Options,,, gcc, The GNU Compiler Collection},
9027 for further details. You would normally use the @option{-b} or
9028 @option{-V} switch instead.
9030 @item --GCC=@var{compiler_name}
9031 @cindex @option{--GCC=compiler_name} (@command{gnatlink})
9032 Program used for compiling the binder file. The default is
9033 @command{gcc}. You need to use quotes around @var{compiler_name} if
9034 @code{compiler_name} contains spaces or other separator characters.
9035 As an example @option{--GCC="foo -x -y"} will instruct @command{gnatlink} to
9036 use @code{foo -x -y} as your compiler. Note that switch @option{-c} is always
9037 inserted after your command name. Thus in the above example the compiler
9038 command that will be used by @command{gnatlink} will be @code{foo -c -x -y}.
9039 A limitation of this syntax is that the name and path name of the executable
9040 itself must not include any embedded spaces. If the compiler executable is
9041 different from the default one (gcc or <prefix>-gcc), then the back-end
9042 switches in the ALI file are not used to compile the binder generated source.
9043 For example, this is the case with @option{--GCC="foo -x -y"}. But the back end
9044 switches will be used for @option{--GCC="gcc -gnatv"}. If several
9045 @option{--GCC=compiler_name} are used, only the last @var{compiler_name}
9046 is taken into account. However, all the additional switches are also taken
9048 @option{--GCC="foo -x -y" --GCC="bar -z -t"} is equivalent to
9049 @option{--GCC="bar -x -y -z -t"}.
9051 @item --LINK=@var{name}
9052 @cindex @option{--LINK=} (@command{gnatlink})
9053 @var{name} is the name of the linker to be invoked. This is especially
9054 useful in mixed language programs since languages such as C++ require
9055 their own linker to be used. When this switch is omitted, the default
9056 name for the linker is @command{gcc}. When this switch is used, the
9057 specified linker is called instead of @command{gcc} with exactly the same
9058 parameters that would have been passed to @command{gcc} so if the desired
9059 linker requires different parameters it is necessary to use a wrapper
9060 script that massages the parameters before invoking the real linker. It
9061 may be useful to control the exact invocation by using the verbose
9067 @item /DEBUG=TRACEBACK
9068 @cindex @code{/DEBUG=TRACEBACK} (@command{gnatlink})
9069 This qualifier causes sufficient information to be included in the
9070 executable file to allow a traceback, but does not include the full
9071 symbol information needed by the debugger.
9073 @item /IDENTIFICATION="<string>"
9074 @code{"<string>"} specifies the string to be stored in the image file
9075 identification field in the image header.
9076 It overrides any pragma @code{Ident} specified string.
9078 @item /NOINHIBIT-EXEC
9079 Generate the executable file even if there are linker warnings.
9081 @item /NOSTART_FILES
9082 Don't link in the object file containing the ``main'' transfer address.
9083 Used when linking with a foreign language main program compiled with an
9087 Prefer linking with object libraries over sharable images, even without
9093 @node The GNAT Make Program gnatmake
9094 @chapter The GNAT Make Program @command{gnatmake}
9098 * Running gnatmake::
9099 * Switches for gnatmake::
9100 * Mode Switches for gnatmake::
9101 * Notes on the Command Line::
9102 * How gnatmake Works::
9103 * Examples of gnatmake Usage::
9106 A typical development cycle when working on an Ada program consists of
9107 the following steps:
9111 Edit some sources to fix bugs.
9117 Compile all sources affected.
9127 The third step can be tricky, because not only do the modified files
9128 @cindex Dependency rules
9129 have to be compiled, but any files depending on these files must also be
9130 recompiled. The dependency rules in Ada can be quite complex, especially
9131 in the presence of overloading, @code{use} clauses, generics and inlined
9134 @command{gnatmake} automatically takes care of the third and fourth steps
9135 of this process. It determines which sources need to be compiled,
9136 compiles them, and binds and links the resulting object files.
9138 Unlike some other Ada make programs, the dependencies are always
9139 accurately recomputed from the new sources. The source based approach of
9140 the GNAT compilation model makes this possible. This means that if
9141 changes to the source program cause corresponding changes in
9142 dependencies, they will always be tracked exactly correctly by
9145 @node Running gnatmake
9146 @section Running @command{gnatmake}
9149 The usual form of the @command{gnatmake} command is
9152 @c $ gnatmake @ovar{switches} @var{file_name}
9153 @c @ovar{file_names} @ovar{mode_switches}
9154 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
9155 $ gnatmake @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{file_name}
9156 @r{[}@var{file_names}@r{]} @r{[}@var{mode_switches}@r{]}
9160 The only required argument is one @var{file_name}, which specifies
9161 a compilation unit that is a main program. Several @var{file_names} can be
9162 specified: this will result in several executables being built.
9163 If @code{switches} are present, they can be placed before the first
9164 @var{file_name}, between @var{file_names} or after the last @var{file_name}.
9165 If @var{mode_switches} are present, they must always be placed after
9166 the last @var{file_name} and all @code{switches}.
9168 If you are using standard file extensions (@file{.adb} and @file{.ads}), then the
9169 extension may be omitted from the @var{file_name} arguments. However, if
9170 you are using non-standard extensions, then it is required that the
9171 extension be given. A relative or absolute directory path can be
9172 specified in a @var{file_name}, in which case, the input source file will
9173 be searched for in the specified directory only. Otherwise, the input
9174 source file will first be searched in the directory where
9175 @command{gnatmake} was invoked and if it is not found, it will be search on
9176 the source path of the compiler as described in
9177 @ref{Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)}.
9179 All @command{gnatmake} output (except when you specify
9180 @option{^-M^/DEPENDENCIES_LIST^}) is to
9181 @file{stderr}. The output produced by the
9182 @option{^-M^/DEPENDENCIES_LIST^} switch is send to
9185 @node Switches for gnatmake
9186 @section Switches for @command{gnatmake}
9189 You may specify any of the following switches to @command{gnatmake}:
9195 @cindex @option{--version} @command{gnatmake}
9196 Display Copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.
9199 @cindex @option{--help} @command{gnatmake}
9200 If @option{--version} was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding
9204 @item --GCC=@var{compiler_name}
9205 @cindex @option{--GCC=compiler_name} (@command{gnatmake})
9206 Program used for compiling. The default is `@command{gcc}'. You need to use
9207 quotes around @var{compiler_name} if @code{compiler_name} contains
9208 spaces or other separator characters. As an example @option{--GCC="foo -x
9209 -y"} will instruct @command{gnatmake} to use @code{foo -x -y} as your
9210 compiler. A limitation of this syntax is that the name and path name of
9211 the executable itself must not include any embedded spaces. Note that
9212 switch @option{-c} is always inserted after your command name. Thus in the
9213 above example the compiler command that will be used by @command{gnatmake}
9214 will be @code{foo -c -x -y}. If several @option{--GCC=compiler_name} are
9215 used, only the last @var{compiler_name} is taken into account. However,
9216 all the additional switches are also taken into account. Thus,
9217 @option{--GCC="foo -x -y" --GCC="bar -z -t"} is equivalent to
9218 @option{--GCC="bar -x -y -z -t"}.
9220 @item --GNATBIND=@var{binder_name}
9221 @cindex @option{--GNATBIND=binder_name} (@command{gnatmake})
9222 Program used for binding. The default is `@code{gnatbind}'. You need to
9223 use quotes around @var{binder_name} if @var{binder_name} contains spaces
9224 or other separator characters. As an example @option{--GNATBIND="bar -x
9225 -y"} will instruct @command{gnatmake} to use @code{bar -x -y} as your
9226 binder. Binder switches that are normally appended by @command{gnatmake}
9227 to `@code{gnatbind}' are now appended to the end of @code{bar -x -y}.
9228 A limitation of this syntax is that the name and path name of the executable
9229 itself must not include any embedded spaces.
9231 @item --GNATLINK=@var{linker_name}
9232 @cindex @option{--GNATLINK=linker_name} (@command{gnatmake})
9233 Program used for linking. The default is `@command{gnatlink}'. You need to
9234 use quotes around @var{linker_name} if @var{linker_name} contains spaces
9235 or other separator characters. As an example @option{--GNATLINK="lan -x
9236 -y"} will instruct @command{gnatmake} to use @code{lan -x -y} as your
9237 linker. Linker switches that are normally appended by @command{gnatmake} to
9238 `@command{gnatlink}' are now appended to the end of @code{lan -x -y}.
9239 A limitation of this syntax is that the name and path name of the executable
9240 itself must not include any embedded spaces.
9244 @item ^--subdirs^/SUBDIRS^=subdir
9245 Actual object directory of each project file is the subdirectory subdir of the
9246 object directory specified or defauted in the project file.
9248 @item ^--unchecked-shared-lib-imports^/UNCHECKED_SHARED_LIB_IMPORTS^
9249 By default, shared library projects are not allowed to import static library
9250 projects. When this switch is used on the command line, this restriction is
9253 @item ^-a^/ALL_FILES^
9254 @cindex @option{^-a^/ALL_FILES^} (@command{gnatmake})
9255 Consider all files in the make process, even the GNAT internal system
9256 files (for example, the predefined Ada library files), as well as any
9257 locked files. Locked files are files whose ALI file is write-protected.
9259 @command{gnatmake} does not check these files,
9260 because the assumption is that the GNAT internal files are properly up
9261 to date, and also that any write protected ALI files have been properly
9262 installed. Note that if there is an installation problem, such that one
9263 of these files is not up to date, it will be properly caught by the
9265 You may have to specify this switch if you are working on GNAT
9266 itself. The switch @option{^-a^/ALL_FILES^} is also useful
9267 in conjunction with @option{^-f^/FORCE_COMPILE^}
9268 if you need to recompile an entire application,
9269 including run-time files, using special configuration pragmas,
9270 such as a @code{Normalize_Scalars} pragma.
9273 @code{gnatmake ^-a^/ALL_FILES^} compiles all GNAT
9276 @code{gcc -c -gnatpg} rather than @code{gcc -c}.
9279 the @code{/CHECKS=SUPPRESS_ALL /STYLE_CHECKS=GNAT} switch.
9282 @item ^-b^/ACTIONS=BIND^
9283 @cindex @option{^-b^/ACTIONS=BIND^} (@command{gnatmake})
9284 Bind only. Can be combined with @option{^-c^/ACTIONS=COMPILE^} to do
9285 compilation and binding, but no link.
9286 Can be combined with @option{^-l^/ACTIONS=LINK^}
9287 to do binding and linking. When not combined with
9288 @option{^-c^/ACTIONS=COMPILE^}
9289 all the units in the closure of the main program must have been previously
9290 compiled and must be up to date. The root unit specified by @var{file_name}
9291 may be given without extension, with the source extension or, if no GNAT
9292 Project File is specified, with the ALI file extension.
9294 @item ^-c^/ACTIONS=COMPILE^
9295 @cindex @option{^-c^/ACTIONS=COMPILE^} (@command{gnatmake})
9296 Compile only. Do not perform binding, except when @option{^-b^/ACTIONS=BIND^}
9297 is also specified. Do not perform linking, except if both
9298 @option{^-b^/ACTIONS=BIND^} and
9299 @option{^-l^/ACTIONS=LINK^} are also specified.
9300 If the root unit specified by @var{file_name} is not a main unit, this is the
9301 default. Otherwise @command{gnatmake} will attempt binding and linking
9302 unless all objects are up to date and the executable is more recent than
9306 @cindex @option{^-C^/MAPPING^} (@command{gnatmake})
9307 Use a temporary mapping file. A mapping file is a way to communicate
9308 to the compiler two mappings: from unit names to file names (without
9309 any directory information) and from file names to path names (with
9310 full directory information). A mapping file can make the compiler's
9311 file searches faster, especially if there are many source directories,
9312 or the sources are read over a slow network connection. If
9313 @option{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^} is used, a mapping file is always used, so
9314 @option{^-C^/MAPPING^} is unnecessary; in this case the mapping file
9315 is initially populated based on the project file. If
9316 @option{^-C^/MAPPING^} is used without
9317 @option{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^},
9318 the mapping file is initially empty. Each invocation of the compiler
9319 will add any newly accessed sources to the mapping file.
9321 @item ^-C=^/USE_MAPPING_FILE=^@var{file}
9322 @cindex @option{^-C=^/USE_MAPPING^} (@command{gnatmake})
9323 Use a specific mapping file. The file, specified as a path name (absolute or
9324 relative) by this switch, should already exist, otherwise the switch is
9325 ineffective. The specified mapping file will be communicated to the compiler.
9326 This switch is not compatible with a project file
9327 (^-P^/PROJECT_FILE=^@var{file}) or with multiple compiling processes
9328 (^-j^/PROCESSES=^nnn, when nnn is greater than 1).
9330 @item ^-d^/DISPLAY_PROGRESS^
9331 @cindex @option{^-d^/DISPLAY_PROGRESS^} (@command{gnatmake})
9332 Display progress for each source, up to date or not, as a single line
9335 completed x out of y (zz%)
9338 If the file needs to be compiled this is displayed after the invocation of
9339 the compiler. These lines are displayed even in quiet output mode.
9341 @item ^-D ^/DIRECTORY_OBJECTS=^@var{dir}
9342 @cindex @option{^-D^/DIRECTORY_OBJECTS^} (@command{gnatmake})
9343 Put all object files and ALI file in directory @var{dir}.
9344 If the @option{^-D^/DIRECTORY_OBJECTS^} switch is not used, all object files
9345 and ALI files go in the current working directory.
9347 This switch cannot be used when using a project file.
9351 @cindex @option{-eL} (@command{gnatmake})
9352 @cindex symbolic links
9353 Follow all symbolic links when processing project files.
9354 This should be used if your project uses symbolic links for files or
9355 directories, but is not needed in other cases.
9357 @cindex naming scheme
9358 This also assumes that no directory matches the naming scheme for files (for
9359 instance that you do not have a directory called "sources.ads" when using the
9360 default GNAT naming scheme).
9362 When you do not have to use this switch (ie by default), gnatmake is able to
9363 save a lot of system calls (several per source file and object file), which
9364 can result in a significant speed up to load and manipulate a project file,
9365 especially when using source files from a remote system.
9369 @item ^-eS^/STANDARD_OUTPUT_FOR_COMMANDS^
9370 @cindex @option{^-eS^/STANDARD_OUTPUT_FOR_COMMANDS^} (@command{gnatmake})
9371 Output the commands for the compiler, the binder and the linker
9372 on ^standard output^SYS$OUTPUT^,
9373 instead of ^standard error^SYS$ERROR^.
9375 @item ^-f^/FORCE_COMPILE^
9376 @cindex @option{^-f^/FORCE_COMPILE^} (@command{gnatmake})
9377 Force recompilations. Recompile all sources, even though some object
9378 files may be up to date, but don't recompile predefined or GNAT internal
9379 files or locked files (files with a write-protected ALI file),
9380 unless the @option{^-a^/ALL_FILES^} switch is also specified.
9382 @item ^-F^/FULL_PATH_IN_BRIEF_MESSAGES^
9383 @cindex @option{^-F^/FULL_PATH_IN_BRIEF_MESSAGES^} (@command{gnatmake})
9384 When using project files, if some errors or warnings are detected during
9385 parsing and verbose mode is not in effect (no use of switch
9386 ^-v^/VERBOSE^), then error lines start with the full path name of the project
9387 file, rather than its simple file name.
9390 @cindex @option{^-g^/DEBUG^} (@command{gnatmake})
9391 Enable debugging. This switch is simply passed to the compiler and to the
9394 @item ^-i^/IN_PLACE^
9395 @cindex @option{^-i^/IN_PLACE^} (@command{gnatmake})
9396 In normal mode, @command{gnatmake} compiles all object files and ALI files
9397 into the current directory. If the @option{^-i^/IN_PLACE^} switch is used,
9398 then instead object files and ALI files that already exist are overwritten
9399 in place. This means that once a large project is organized into separate
9400 directories in the desired manner, then @command{gnatmake} will automatically
9401 maintain and update this organization. If no ALI files are found on the
9402 Ada object path (@ref{Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)}),
9403 the new object and ALI files are created in the
9404 directory containing the source being compiled. If another organization
9405 is desired, where objects and sources are kept in different directories,
9406 a useful technique is to create dummy ALI files in the desired directories.
9407 When detecting such a dummy file, @command{gnatmake} will be forced to
9408 recompile the corresponding source file, and it will be put the resulting
9409 object and ALI files in the directory where it found the dummy file.
9411 @item ^-j^/PROCESSES=^@var{n}
9412 @cindex @option{^-j^/PROCESSES^} (@command{gnatmake})
9413 @cindex Parallel make
9414 Use @var{n} processes to carry out the (re)compilations. On a
9415 multiprocessor machine compilations will occur in parallel. In the
9416 event of compilation errors, messages from various compilations might
9417 get interspersed (but @command{gnatmake} will give you the full ordered
9418 list of failing compiles at the end). If this is problematic, rerun
9419 the make process with n set to 1 to get a clean list of messages.
9421 @item ^-k^/CONTINUE_ON_ERROR^
9422 @cindex @option{^-k^/CONTINUE_ON_ERROR^} (@command{gnatmake})
9423 Keep going. Continue as much as possible after a compilation error. To
9424 ease the programmer's task in case of compilation errors, the list of
9425 sources for which the compile fails is given when @command{gnatmake}
9428 If @command{gnatmake} is invoked with several @file{file_names} and with this
9429 switch, if there are compilation errors when building an executable,
9430 @command{gnatmake} will not attempt to build the following executables.
9432 @item ^-l^/ACTIONS=LINK^
9433 @cindex @option{^-l^/ACTIONS=LINK^} (@command{gnatmake})
9434 Link only. Can be combined with @option{^-b^/ACTIONS=BIND^} to binding
9435 and linking. Linking will not be performed if combined with
9436 @option{^-c^/ACTIONS=COMPILE^}
9437 but not with @option{^-b^/ACTIONS=BIND^}.
9438 When not combined with @option{^-b^/ACTIONS=BIND^}
9439 all the units in the closure of the main program must have been previously
9440 compiled and must be up to date, and the main program needs to have been bound.
9441 The root unit specified by @var{file_name}
9442 may be given without extension, with the source extension or, if no GNAT
9443 Project File is specified, with the ALI file extension.
9445 @item ^-m^/MINIMAL_RECOMPILATION^
9446 @cindex @option{^-m^/MINIMAL_RECOMPILATION^} (@command{gnatmake})
9447 Specify that the minimum necessary amount of recompilations
9448 be performed. In this mode @command{gnatmake} ignores time
9449 stamp differences when the only
9450 modifications to a source file consist in adding/removing comments,
9451 empty lines, spaces or tabs. This means that if you have changed the
9452 comments in a source file or have simply reformatted it, using this
9453 switch will tell @command{gnatmake} not to recompile files that depend on it
9454 (provided other sources on which these files depend have undergone no
9455 semantic modifications). Note that the debugging information may be
9456 out of date with respect to the sources if the @option{-m} switch causes
9457 a compilation to be switched, so the use of this switch represents a
9458 trade-off between compilation time and accurate debugging information.
9460 @item ^-M^/DEPENDENCIES_LIST^
9461 @cindex Dependencies, producing list
9462 @cindex @option{^-M^/DEPENDENCIES_LIST^} (@command{gnatmake})
9463 Check if all objects are up to date. If they are, output the object
9464 dependences to @file{stdout} in a form that can be directly exploited in
9465 a @file{Makefile}. By default, each source file is prefixed with its
9466 (relative or absolute) directory name. This name is whatever you
9467 specified in the various @option{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH^}
9468 and @option{^-I^/SEARCH^} switches. If you use
9469 @code{gnatmake ^-M^/DEPENDENCIES_LIST^}
9470 @option{^-q^/QUIET^}
9471 (see below), only the source file names,
9472 without relative paths, are output. If you just specify the
9473 @option{^-M^/DEPENDENCIES_LIST^}
9474 switch, dependencies of the GNAT internal system files are omitted. This
9475 is typically what you want. If you also specify
9476 the @option{^-a^/ALL_FILES^} switch,
9477 dependencies of the GNAT internal files are also listed. Note that
9478 dependencies of the objects in external Ada libraries (see switch
9479 @option{^-aL^/SKIP_MISSING=^}@var{dir} in the following list)
9482 @item ^-n^/DO_OBJECT_CHECK^
9483 @cindex @option{^-n^/DO_OBJECT_CHECK^} (@command{gnatmake})
9484 Don't compile, bind, or link. Checks if all objects are up to date.
9485 If they are not, the full name of the first file that needs to be
9486 recompiled is printed.
9487 Repeated use of this option, followed by compiling the indicated source
9488 file, will eventually result in recompiling all required units.
9490 @item ^-o ^/EXECUTABLE=^@var{exec_name}
9491 @cindex @option{^-o^/EXECUTABLE^} (@command{gnatmake})
9492 Output executable name. The name of the final executable program will be
9493 @var{exec_name}. If the @option{^-o^/EXECUTABLE^} switch is omitted the default
9494 name for the executable will be the name of the input file in appropriate form
9495 for an executable file on the host system.
9497 This switch cannot be used when invoking @command{gnatmake} with several
9500 @item ^-p or --create-missing-dirs^/CREATE_MISSING_DIRS^
9501 @cindex @option{^-p^/CREATE_MISSING_DIRS^} (@command{gnatmake})
9502 When using project files (^-P^/PROJECT_FILE=^@var{project}), create
9503 automatically missing object directories, library directories and exec
9506 @item ^-P^/PROJECT_FILE=^@var{project}
9507 @cindex @option{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^} (@command{gnatmake})
9508 Use project file @var{project}. Only one such switch can be used.
9509 @xref{gnatmake and Project Files}.
9512 @cindex @option{^-q^/QUIET^} (@command{gnatmake})
9513 Quiet. When this flag is not set, the commands carried out by
9514 @command{gnatmake} are displayed.
9516 @item ^-s^/SWITCH_CHECK/^
9517 @cindex @option{^-s^/SWITCH_CHECK^} (@command{gnatmake})
9518 Recompile if compiler switches have changed since last compilation.
9519 All compiler switches but -I and -o are taken into account in the
9521 orders between different ``first letter'' switches are ignored, but
9522 orders between same switches are taken into account. For example,
9523 @option{-O -O2} is different than @option{-O2 -O}, but @option{-g -O}
9524 is equivalent to @option{-O -g}.
9526 This switch is recommended when Integrated Preprocessing is used.
9529 @cindex @option{^-u^/UNIQUE^} (@command{gnatmake})
9530 Unique. Recompile at most the main files. It implies -c. Combined with
9531 -f, it is equivalent to calling the compiler directly. Note that using
9532 ^-u^/UNIQUE^ with a project file and no main has a special meaning
9533 (@pxref{Project Files and Main Subprograms}).
9535 @item ^-U^/ALL_PROJECTS^
9536 @cindex @option{^-U^/ALL_PROJECTS^} (@command{gnatmake})
9537 When used without a project file or with one or several mains on the command
9538 line, is equivalent to ^-u^/UNIQUE^. When used with a project file and no main
9539 on the command line, all sources of all project files are checked and compiled
9540 if not up to date, and libraries are rebuilt, if necessary.
9543 @cindex @option{^-v^/REASONS^} (@command{gnatmake})
9544 Verbose. Display the reason for all recompilations @command{gnatmake}
9545 decides are necessary, with the highest verbosity level.
9547 @item ^-vl^/LOW_VERBOSITY^
9548 @cindex @option{^-vl^/LOW_VERBOSITY^} (@command{gnatmake})
9549 Verbosity level Low. Display fewer lines than in verbosity Medium.
9551 @item ^-vm^/MEDIUM_VERBOSITY^
9552 @cindex @option{^-vm^/MEDIUM_VERBOSITY^} (@command{gnatmake})
9553 Verbosity level Medium. Potentially display fewer lines than in verbosity High.
9555 @item ^-vh^/HIGH_VERBOSITY^
9556 @cindex @option{^-vm^/HIGH_VERBOSITY^} (@command{gnatmake})
9557 Verbosity level High. Equivalent to ^-v^/REASONS^.
9559 @item ^-vP^/MESSAGES_PROJECT_FILE=^@emph{x}
9560 Indicate the verbosity of the parsing of GNAT project files.
9561 @xref{Switches Related to Project Files}.
9563 @item ^-x^/NON_PROJECT_UNIT_COMPILATION^
9564 @cindex @option{^-x^/NON_PROJECT_UNIT_COMPILATION^} (@command{gnatmake})
9565 Indicate that sources that are not part of any Project File may be compiled.
9566 Normally, when using Project Files, only sources that are part of a Project
9567 File may be compile. When this switch is used, a source outside of all Project
9568 Files may be compiled. The ALI file and the object file will be put in the
9569 object directory of the main Project. The compilation switches used will only
9570 be those specified on the command line. Even when
9571 @option{^-x^/NON_PROJECT_UNIT_COMPILATION^} is used, mains specified on the
9572 command line need to be sources of a project file.
9574 @item ^-X^/EXTERNAL_REFERENCE=^@var{name=value}
9575 Indicate that external variable @var{name} has the value @var{value}.
9576 The Project Manager will use this value for occurrences of
9577 @code{external(name)} when parsing the project file.
9578 @xref{Switches Related to Project Files}.
9581 @cindex @option{^-z^/NOMAIN^} (@command{gnatmake})
9582 No main subprogram. Bind and link the program even if the unit name
9583 given on the command line is a package name. The resulting executable
9584 will execute the elaboration routines of the package and its closure,
9585 then the finalization routines.
9590 @item @command{gcc} @asis{switches}
9592 Any uppercase or multi-character switch that is not a @command{gnatmake} switch
9593 is passed to @command{gcc} (e.g.@: @option{-O}, @option{-gnato,} etc.)
9596 Any qualifier that cannot be recognized as a qualifier for @code{GNAT MAKE}
9597 but is recognizable as a valid qualifier for @code{GNAT COMPILE} is
9598 automatically treated as a compiler switch, and passed on to all
9599 compilations that are carried out.
9604 Source and library search path switches:
9608 @item ^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH=^@var{dir}
9609 @cindex @option{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH^} (@command{gnatmake})
9610 When looking for source files also look in directory @var{dir}.
9611 The order in which source files search is undertaken is
9612 described in @ref{Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)}.
9614 @item ^-aL^/SKIP_MISSING=^@var{dir}
9615 @cindex @option{^-aL^/SKIP_MISSING^} (@command{gnatmake})
9616 Consider @var{dir} as being an externally provided Ada library.
9617 Instructs @command{gnatmake} to skip compilation units whose @file{.ALI}
9618 files have been located in directory @var{dir}. This allows you to have
9619 missing bodies for the units in @var{dir} and to ignore out of date bodies
9620 for the same units. You still need to specify
9621 the location of the specs for these units by using the switches
9622 @option{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH=^@var{dir}}
9623 or @option{^-I^/SEARCH=^@var{dir}}.
9624 Note: this switch is provided for compatibility with previous versions
9625 of @command{gnatmake}. The easier method of causing standard libraries
9626 to be excluded from consideration is to write-protect the corresponding
9629 @item ^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH=^@var{dir}
9630 @cindex @option{^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH^} (@command{gnatmake})
9631 When searching for library and object files, look in directory
9632 @var{dir}. The order in which library files are searched is described in
9633 @ref{Search Paths for gnatbind}.
9635 @item ^-A^/CONDITIONAL_SOURCE_SEARCH=^@var{dir}
9636 @cindex Search paths, for @command{gnatmake}
9637 @cindex @option{^-A^/CONDITIONAL_SOURCE_SEARCH^} (@command{gnatmake})
9638 Equivalent to @option{^-aL^/SKIP_MISSING=^@var{dir}
9639 ^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH=^@var{dir}}.
9641 @item ^-I^/SEARCH=^@var{dir}
9642 @cindex @option{^-I^/SEARCH^} (@command{gnatmake})
9643 Equivalent to @option{^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH=^@var{dir}
9644 ^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH=^@var{dir}}.
9646 @item ^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^
9647 @cindex @option{^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^} (@command{gnatmake})
9648 @cindex Source files, suppressing search
9649 Do not look for source files in the directory containing the source
9650 file named in the command line.
9651 Do not look for ALI or object files in the directory
9652 where @command{gnatmake} was invoked.
9654 @item ^-L^/LIBRARY_SEARCH=^@var{dir}
9655 @cindex @option{^-L^/LIBRARY_SEARCH^} (@command{gnatmake})
9656 @cindex Linker libraries
9657 Add directory @var{dir} to the list of directories in which the linker
9658 will search for libraries. This is equivalent to
9659 @option{-largs ^-L^/LIBRARY_SEARCH=^}@var{dir}.
9661 Furthermore, under Windows, the sources pointed to by the libraries path
9662 set in the registry are not searched for.
9666 @cindex @option{-nostdinc} (@command{gnatmake})
9667 Do not look for source files in the system default directory.
9670 @cindex @option{-nostdlib} (@command{gnatmake})
9671 Do not look for library files in the system default directory.
9673 @item --RTS=@var{rts-path}
9674 @cindex @option{--RTS} (@command{gnatmake})
9675 Specifies the default location of the runtime library. GNAT looks for the
9677 in the following directories, and stops as soon as a valid runtime is found
9678 (@file{adainclude} or @file{ada_source_path}, and @file{adalib} or
9679 @file{ada_object_path} present):
9682 @item <current directory>/$rts_path
9684 @item <default-search-dir>/$rts_path
9686 @item <default-search-dir>/rts-$rts_path
9690 The selected path is handled like a normal RTS path.
9694 @node Mode Switches for gnatmake
9695 @section Mode Switches for @command{gnatmake}
9698 The mode switches (referred to as @code{mode_switches}) allow the
9699 inclusion of switches that are to be passed to the compiler itself, the
9700 binder or the linker. The effect of a mode switch is to cause all
9701 subsequent switches up to the end of the switch list, or up to the next
9702 mode switch, to be interpreted as switches to be passed on to the
9703 designated component of GNAT.
9707 @item -cargs @var{switches}
9708 @cindex @option{-cargs} (@command{gnatmake})
9709 Compiler switches. Here @var{switches} is a list of switches
9710 that are valid switches for @command{gcc}. They will be passed on to
9711 all compile steps performed by @command{gnatmake}.
9713 @item -bargs @var{switches}
9714 @cindex @option{-bargs} (@command{gnatmake})
9715 Binder switches. Here @var{switches} is a list of switches
9716 that are valid switches for @code{gnatbind}. They will be passed on to
9717 all bind steps performed by @command{gnatmake}.
9719 @item -largs @var{switches}
9720 @cindex @option{-largs} (@command{gnatmake})
9721 Linker switches. Here @var{switches} is a list of switches
9722 that are valid switches for @command{gnatlink}. They will be passed on to
9723 all link steps performed by @command{gnatmake}.
9725 @item -margs @var{switches}
9726 @cindex @option{-margs} (@command{gnatmake})
9727 Make switches. The switches are directly interpreted by @command{gnatmake},
9728 regardless of any previous occurrence of @option{-cargs}, @option{-bargs}
9732 @node Notes on the Command Line
9733 @section Notes on the Command Line
9736 This section contains some additional useful notes on the operation
9737 of the @command{gnatmake} command.
9741 @cindex Recompilation, by @command{gnatmake}
9742 If @command{gnatmake} finds no ALI files, it recompiles the main program
9743 and all other units required by the main program.
9744 This means that @command{gnatmake}
9745 can be used for the initial compile, as well as during subsequent steps of
9746 the development cycle.
9749 If you enter @code{gnatmake @var{file}.adb}, where @file{@var{file}.adb}
9750 is a subunit or body of a generic unit, @command{gnatmake} recompiles
9751 @file{@var{file}.adb} (because it finds no ALI) and stops, issuing a
9755 In @command{gnatmake} the switch @option{^-I^/SEARCH^}
9756 is used to specify both source and
9757 library file paths. Use @option{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH^}
9758 instead if you just want to specify
9759 source paths only and @option{^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH^}
9760 if you want to specify library paths
9764 @command{gnatmake} will ignore any files whose ALI file is write-protected.
9765 This may conveniently be used to exclude standard libraries from
9766 consideration and in particular it means that the use of the
9767 @option{^-f^/FORCE_COMPILE^} switch will not recompile these files
9768 unless @option{^-a^/ALL_FILES^} is also specified.
9771 @command{gnatmake} has been designed to make the use of Ada libraries
9772 particularly convenient. Assume you have an Ada library organized
9773 as follows: @i{^obj-dir^[OBJ_DIR]^} contains the objects and ALI files for
9774 of your Ada compilation units,
9775 whereas @i{^include-dir^[INCLUDE_DIR]^} contains the
9776 specs of these units, but no bodies. Then to compile a unit
9777 stored in @code{main.adb}, which uses this Ada library you would just type
9781 $ gnatmake -aI@var{include-dir} -aL@var{obj-dir} main
9784 $ gnatmake /SOURCE_SEARCH=@i{[INCLUDE_DIR]}
9785 /SKIP_MISSING=@i{[OBJ_DIR]} main
9790 Using @command{gnatmake} along with the
9791 @option{^-m (minimal recompilation)^/MINIMAL_RECOMPILATION^}
9792 switch provides a mechanism for avoiding unnecessary recompilations. Using
9794 you can update the comments/format of your
9795 source files without having to recompile everything. Note, however, that
9796 adding or deleting lines in a source files may render its debugging
9797 info obsolete. If the file in question is a spec, the impact is rather
9798 limited, as that debugging info will only be useful during the
9799 elaboration phase of your program. For bodies the impact can be more
9800 significant. In all events, your debugger will warn you if a source file
9801 is more recent than the corresponding object, and alert you to the fact
9802 that the debugging information may be out of date.
9805 @node How gnatmake Works
9806 @section How @command{gnatmake} Works
9809 Generally @command{gnatmake} automatically performs all necessary
9810 recompilations and you don't need to worry about how it works. However,
9811 it may be useful to have some basic understanding of the @command{gnatmake}
9812 approach and in particular to understand how it uses the results of
9813 previous compilations without incorrectly depending on them.
9815 First a definition: an object file is considered @dfn{up to date} if the
9816 corresponding ALI file exists and if all the source files listed in the
9817 dependency section of this ALI file have time stamps matching those in
9818 the ALI file. This means that neither the source file itself nor any
9819 files that it depends on have been modified, and hence there is no need
9820 to recompile this file.
9822 @command{gnatmake} works by first checking if the specified main unit is up
9823 to date. If so, no compilations are required for the main unit. If not,
9824 @command{gnatmake} compiles the main program to build a new ALI file that
9825 reflects the latest sources. Then the ALI file of the main unit is
9826 examined to find all the source files on which the main program depends,
9827 and @command{gnatmake} recursively applies the above procedure on all these
9830 This process ensures that @command{gnatmake} only trusts the dependencies
9831 in an existing ALI file if they are known to be correct. Otherwise it
9832 always recompiles to determine a new, guaranteed accurate set of
9833 dependencies. As a result the program is compiled ``upside down'' from what may
9834 be more familiar as the required order of compilation in some other Ada
9835 systems. In particular, clients are compiled before the units on which
9836 they depend. The ability of GNAT to compile in any order is critical in
9837 allowing an order of compilation to be chosen that guarantees that
9838 @command{gnatmake} will recompute a correct set of new dependencies if
9841 When invoking @command{gnatmake} with several @var{file_names}, if a unit is
9842 imported by several of the executables, it will be recompiled at most once.
9844 Note: when using non-standard naming conventions
9845 (@pxref{Using Other File Names}), changing through a configuration pragmas
9846 file the version of a source and invoking @command{gnatmake} to recompile may
9847 have no effect, if the previous version of the source is still accessible
9848 by @command{gnatmake}. It may be necessary to use the switch
9849 ^-f^/FORCE_COMPILE^.
9851 @node Examples of gnatmake Usage
9852 @section Examples of @command{gnatmake} Usage
9855 @item gnatmake hello.adb
9856 Compile all files necessary to bind and link the main program
9857 @file{hello.adb} (containing unit @code{Hello}) and bind and link the
9858 resulting object files to generate an executable file @file{^hello^HELLO.EXE^}.
9860 @item gnatmake main1 main2 main3
9861 Compile all files necessary to bind and link the main programs
9862 @file{main1.adb} (containing unit @code{Main1}), @file{main2.adb}
9863 (containing unit @code{Main2}) and @file{main3.adb}
9864 (containing unit @code{Main3}) and bind and link the resulting object files
9865 to generate three executable files @file{^main1^MAIN1.EXE^},
9866 @file{^main2^MAIN2.EXE^}
9867 and @file{^main3^MAIN3.EXE^}.
9870 @item gnatmake -q Main_Unit -cargs -O2 -bargs -l
9874 @item gnatmake Main_Unit /QUIET
9875 /COMPILER_QUALIFIERS /OPTIMIZE=ALL
9876 /BINDER_QUALIFIERS /ORDER_OF_ELABORATION
9878 Compile all files necessary to bind and link the main program unit
9879 @code{Main_Unit} (from file @file{main_unit.adb}). All compilations will
9880 be done with optimization level 2 and the order of elaboration will be
9881 listed by the binder. @command{gnatmake} will operate in quiet mode, not
9882 displaying commands it is executing.
9885 @c *************************
9886 @node Improving Performance
9887 @chapter Improving Performance
9888 @cindex Improving performance
9891 This chapter presents several topics related to program performance.
9892 It first describes some of the tradeoffs that need to be considered
9893 and some of the techniques for making your program run faster.
9894 It then documents the @command{gnatelim} tool and unused subprogram/data
9895 elimination feature, which can reduce the size of program executables.
9897 Note: to invoke @command{gnatelim} with a project file, use the @code{gnat}
9898 driver (see @ref{The GNAT Driver and Project Files}).
9902 * Performance Considerations::
9903 * Text_IO Suggestions::
9904 * Reducing Size of Ada Executables with gnatelim::
9905 * Reducing Size of Executables with unused subprogram/data elimination::
9909 @c *****************************
9910 @node Performance Considerations
9911 @section Performance Considerations
9914 The GNAT system provides a number of options that allow a trade-off
9919 performance of the generated code
9922 speed of compilation
9925 minimization of dependences and recompilation
9928 the degree of run-time checking.
9932 The defaults (if no options are selected) aim at improving the speed
9933 of compilation and minimizing dependences, at the expense of performance
9934 of the generated code:
9941 no inlining of subprogram calls
9944 all run-time checks enabled except overflow and elaboration checks
9948 These options are suitable for most program development purposes. This
9949 chapter describes how you can modify these choices, and also provides
9950 some guidelines on debugging optimized code.
9953 * Controlling Run-Time Checks::
9954 * Use of Restrictions::
9955 * Optimization Levels::
9956 * Debugging Optimized Code::
9957 * Inlining of Subprograms::
9958 * Other Optimization Switches::
9959 * Optimization and Strict Aliasing::
9962 * Coverage Analysis::
9966 @node Controlling Run-Time Checks
9967 @subsection Controlling Run-Time Checks
9970 By default, GNAT generates all run-time checks, except integer overflow
9971 checks, stack overflow checks, and checks for access before elaboration on
9972 subprogram calls. The latter are not required in default mode, because all
9973 necessary checking is done at compile time.
9974 @cindex @option{-gnatp} (@command{gcc})
9975 @cindex @option{-gnato} (@command{gcc})
9976 Two gnat switches, @option{-gnatp} and @option{-gnato} allow this default to
9977 be modified. @xref{Run-Time Checks}.
9979 Our experience is that the default is suitable for most development
9982 We treat integer overflow specially because these
9983 are quite expensive and in our experience are not as important as other
9984 run-time checks in the development process. Note that division by zero
9985 is not considered an overflow check, and divide by zero checks are
9986 generated where required by default.
9988 Elaboration checks are off by default, and also not needed by default, since
9989 GNAT uses a static elaboration analysis approach that avoids the need for
9990 run-time checking. This manual contains a full chapter discussing the issue
9991 of elaboration checks, and if the default is not satisfactory for your use,
9992 you should read this chapter.
9994 For validity checks, the minimal checks required by the Ada Reference
9995 Manual (for case statements and assignments to array elements) are on
9996 by default. These can be suppressed by use of the @option{-gnatVn} switch.
9997 Note that in Ada 83, there were no validity checks, so if the Ada 83 mode
9998 is acceptable (or when comparing GNAT performance with an Ada 83 compiler),
9999 it may be reasonable to routinely use @option{-gnatVn}. Validity checks
10000 are also suppressed entirely if @option{-gnatp} is used.
10002 @cindex Overflow checks
10003 @cindex Checks, overflow
10006 @cindex pragma Suppress
10007 @cindex pragma Unsuppress
10008 Note that the setting of the switches controls the default setting of
10009 the checks. They may be modified using either @code{pragma Suppress} (to
10010 remove checks) or @code{pragma Unsuppress} (to add back suppressed
10011 checks) in the program source.
10013 @node Use of Restrictions
10014 @subsection Use of Restrictions
10017 The use of pragma Restrictions allows you to control which features are
10018 permitted in your program. Apart from the obvious point that if you avoid
10019 relatively expensive features like finalization (enforceable by the use
10020 of pragma Restrictions (No_Finalization), the use of this pragma does not
10021 affect the generated code in most cases.
10023 One notable exception to this rule is that the possibility of task abort
10024 results in some distributed overhead, particularly if finalization or
10025 exception handlers are used. The reason is that certain sections of code
10026 have to be marked as non-abortable.
10028 If you use neither the @code{abort} statement, nor asynchronous transfer
10029 of control (@code{select @dots{} then abort}), then this distributed overhead
10030 is removed, which may have a general positive effect in improving
10031 overall performance. Especially code involving frequent use of tasking
10032 constructs and controlled types will show much improved performance.
10033 The relevant restrictions pragmas are
10035 @smallexample @c ada
10036 pragma Restrictions (No_Abort_Statements);
10037 pragma Restrictions (Max_Asynchronous_Select_Nesting => 0);
10041 It is recommended that these restriction pragmas be used if possible. Note
10042 that this also means that you can write code without worrying about the
10043 possibility of an immediate abort at any point.
10045 @node Optimization Levels
10046 @subsection Optimization Levels
10047 @cindex @option{^-O^/OPTIMIZE^} (@command{gcc})
10050 Without any optimization ^option,^qualifier,^
10051 the compiler's goal is to reduce the cost of
10052 compilation and to make debugging produce the expected results.
10053 Statements are independent: if you stop the program with a breakpoint between
10054 statements, you can then assign a new value to any variable or change
10055 the program counter to any other statement in the subprogram and get exactly
10056 the results you would expect from the source code.
10058 Turning on optimization makes the compiler attempt to improve the
10059 performance and/or code size at the expense of compilation time and
10060 possibly the ability to debug the program.
10062 If you use multiple
10063 ^-O options, with or without level numbers,^/OPTIMIZE qualifiers,^
10064 the last such option is the one that is effective.
10067 The default is optimization off. This results in the fastest compile
10068 times, but GNAT makes absolutely no attempt to optimize, and the
10069 generated programs are considerably larger and slower than when
10070 optimization is enabled. You can use the
10072 @option{-O} switch (the permitted forms are @option{-O0}, @option{-O1}
10073 @option{-O2}, @option{-O3}, and @option{-Os})
10076 @code{OPTIMIZE} qualifier
10078 to @command{gcc} to control the optimization level:
10081 @item ^-O0^/OPTIMIZE=NONE^
10082 No optimization (the default);
10083 generates unoptimized code but has
10084 the fastest compilation time.
10086 Note that many other compilers do fairly extensive optimization
10087 even if ``no optimization'' is specified. With gcc, it is
10088 very unusual to use ^-O0^/OPTIMIZE=NONE^ for production if
10089 execution time is of any concern, since ^-O0^/OPTIMIZE=NONE^
10090 really does mean no optimization at all. This difference between
10091 gcc and other compilers should be kept in mind when doing
10092 performance comparisons.
10094 @item ^-O1^/OPTIMIZE=SOME^
10095 Moderate optimization;
10096 optimizes reasonably well but does not
10097 degrade compilation time significantly.
10099 @item ^-O2^/OPTIMIZE=ALL^
10101 @itemx /OPTIMIZE=DEVELOPMENT
10104 generates highly optimized code and has
10105 the slowest compilation time.
10107 @item ^-O3^/OPTIMIZE=INLINING^
10108 Full optimization as in @option{-O2},
10109 and also attempts automatic inlining of small
10110 subprograms within a unit (@pxref{Inlining of Subprograms}).
10112 @item ^-Os^/OPTIMIZE=SPACE^
10113 Optimize space usage of resulting program.
10117 Higher optimization levels perform more global transformations on the
10118 program and apply more expensive analysis algorithms in order to generate
10119 faster and more compact code. The price in compilation time, and the
10120 resulting improvement in execution time,
10121 both depend on the particular application and the hardware environment.
10122 You should experiment to find the best level for your application.
10124 Since the precise set of optimizations done at each level will vary from
10125 release to release (and sometime from target to target), it is best to think
10126 of the optimization settings in general terms.
10127 @xref{Optimize Options,, Options That Control Optimization, gcc, Using
10128 the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC)}, for details about
10129 ^the @option{-O} settings and a number of @option{-f} options that^how to^
10130 individually enable or disable specific optimizations.
10132 Unlike some other compilation systems, ^@command{gcc}^GNAT^ has
10133 been tested extensively at all optimization levels. There are some bugs
10134 which appear only with optimization turned on, but there have also been
10135 bugs which show up only in @emph{unoptimized} code. Selecting a lower
10136 level of optimization does not improve the reliability of the code
10137 generator, which in practice is highly reliable at all optimization
10140 Note regarding the use of @option{-O3}: The use of this optimization level
10141 is generally discouraged with GNAT, since it often results in larger
10142 executables which run more slowly. See further discussion of this point
10143 in @ref{Inlining of Subprograms}.
10145 @node Debugging Optimized Code
10146 @subsection Debugging Optimized Code
10147 @cindex Debugging optimized code
10148 @cindex Optimization and debugging
10151 Although it is possible to do a reasonable amount of debugging at
10153 nonzero optimization levels,
10154 the higher the level the more likely that
10157 @option{/OPTIMIZE} settings other than @code{NONE},
10158 such settings will make it more likely that
10160 source-level constructs will have been eliminated by optimization.
10161 For example, if a loop is strength-reduced, the loop
10162 control variable may be completely eliminated and thus cannot be
10163 displayed in the debugger.
10164 This can only happen at @option{-O2} or @option{-O3}.
10165 Explicit temporary variables that you code might be eliminated at
10166 ^level^setting^ @option{-O1} or higher.
10168 The use of the @option{^-g^/DEBUG^} switch,
10169 @cindex @option{^-g^/DEBUG^} (@command{gcc})
10170 which is needed for source-level debugging,
10171 affects the size of the program executable on disk,
10172 and indeed the debugging information can be quite large.
10173 However, it has no effect on the generated code (and thus does not
10174 degrade performance)
10176 Since the compiler generates debugging tables for a compilation unit before
10177 it performs optimizations, the optimizing transformations may invalidate some
10178 of the debugging data. You therefore need to anticipate certain
10179 anomalous situations that may arise while debugging optimized code.
10180 These are the most common cases:
10184 @i{The ``hopping Program Counter'':} Repeated @code{step} or @code{next}
10186 the PC bouncing back and forth in the code. This may result from any of
10187 the following optimizations:
10191 @i{Common subexpression elimination:} using a single instance of code for a
10192 quantity that the source computes several times. As a result you
10193 may not be able to stop on what looks like a statement.
10196 @i{Invariant code motion:} moving an expression that does not change within a
10197 loop, to the beginning of the loop.
10200 @i{Instruction scheduling:} moving instructions so as to
10201 overlap loads and stores (typically) with other code, or in
10202 general to move computations of values closer to their uses. Often
10203 this causes you to pass an assignment statement without the assignment
10204 happening and then later bounce back to the statement when the
10205 value is actually needed. Placing a breakpoint on a line of code
10206 and then stepping over it may, therefore, not always cause all the
10207 expected side-effects.
10211 @i{The ``big leap'':} More commonly known as @emph{cross-jumping}, in which
10212 two identical pieces of code are merged and the program counter suddenly
10213 jumps to a statement that is not supposed to be executed, simply because
10214 it (and the code following) translates to the same thing as the code
10215 that @emph{was} supposed to be executed. This effect is typically seen in
10216 sequences that end in a jump, such as a @code{goto}, a @code{return}, or
10217 a @code{break} in a C @code{^switch^switch^} statement.
10220 @i{The ``roving variable'':} The symptom is an unexpected value in a variable.
10221 There are various reasons for this effect:
10225 In a subprogram prologue, a parameter may not yet have been moved to its
10229 A variable may be dead, and its register re-used. This is
10230 probably the most common cause.
10233 As mentioned above, the assignment of a value to a variable may
10237 A variable may be eliminated entirely by value propagation or
10238 other means. In this case, GCC may incorrectly generate debugging
10239 information for the variable
10243 In general, when an unexpected value appears for a local variable or parameter
10244 you should first ascertain if that value was actually computed by
10245 your program, as opposed to being incorrectly reported by the debugger.
10247 array elements in an object designated by an access value
10248 are generally less of a problem, once you have ascertained that the access
10250 Typically, this means checking variables in the preceding code and in the
10251 calling subprogram to verify that the value observed is explainable from other
10252 values (one must apply the procedure recursively to those
10253 other values); or re-running the code and stopping a little earlier
10254 (perhaps before the call) and stepping to better see how the variable obtained
10255 the value in question; or continuing to step @emph{from} the point of the
10256 strange value to see if code motion had simply moved the variable's
10261 In light of such anomalies, a recommended technique is to use @option{-O0}
10262 early in the software development cycle, when extensive debugging capabilities
10263 are most needed, and then move to @option{-O1} and later @option{-O2} as
10264 the debugger becomes less critical.
10265 Whether to use the @option{^-g^/DEBUG^} switch in the release version is
10266 a release management issue.
10268 Note that if you use @option{-g} you can then use the @command{strip} program
10269 on the resulting executable,
10270 which removes both debugging information and global symbols.
10273 @node Inlining of Subprograms
10274 @subsection Inlining of Subprograms
10277 A call to a subprogram in the current unit is inlined if all the
10278 following conditions are met:
10282 The optimization level is at least @option{-O1}.
10285 The called subprogram is suitable for inlining: It must be small enough
10286 and not contain something that @command{gcc} cannot support in inlined
10290 @cindex pragma Inline
10292 Either @code{pragma Inline} applies to the subprogram, or it is local
10293 to the unit and called once from within it, or it is small and automatic
10294 inlining (optimization level @option{-O3}) is specified.
10298 Calls to subprograms in @code{with}'ed units are normally not inlined.
10299 To achieve actual inlining (that is, replacement of the call by the code
10300 in the body of the subprogram), the following conditions must all be true.
10304 The optimization level is at least @option{-O1}.
10307 The called subprogram is suitable for inlining: It must be small enough
10308 and not contain something that @command{gcc} cannot support in inlined
10312 The call appears in a body (not in a package spec).
10315 There is a @code{pragma Inline} for the subprogram.
10318 @cindex @option{-gnatn} (@command{gcc})
10319 The @option{^-gnatn^/INLINE^} switch
10320 is used in the @command{gcc} command line
10323 Even if all these conditions are met, it may not be possible for
10324 the compiler to inline the call, due to the length of the body,
10325 or features in the body that make it impossible for the compiler
10326 to do the inlining.
10328 Note that specifying the @option{-gnatn} switch causes additional
10329 compilation dependencies. Consider the following:
10331 @smallexample @c ada
10351 With the default behavior (no @option{-gnatn} switch specified), the
10352 compilation of the @code{Main} procedure depends only on its own source,
10353 @file{main.adb}, and the spec of the package in file @file{r.ads}. This
10354 means that editing the body of @code{R} does not require recompiling
10357 On the other hand, the call @code{R.Q} is not inlined under these
10358 circumstances. If the @option{-gnatn} switch is present when @code{Main}
10359 is compiled, the call will be inlined if the body of @code{Q} is small
10360 enough, but now @code{Main} depends on the body of @code{R} in
10361 @file{r.adb} as well as on the spec. This means that if this body is edited,
10362 the main program must be recompiled. Note that this extra dependency
10363 occurs whether or not the call is in fact inlined by @command{gcc}.
10365 The use of front end inlining with @option{-gnatN} generates similar
10366 additional dependencies.
10368 @cindex @option{^-fno-inline^/INLINE=SUPPRESS^} (@command{gcc})
10369 Note: The @option{^-fno-inline^/INLINE=SUPPRESS^} switch
10370 can be used to prevent
10371 all inlining. This switch overrides all other conditions and ensures
10372 that no inlining occurs. The extra dependences resulting from
10373 @option{-gnatn} will still be active, even if
10374 this switch is used to suppress the resulting inlining actions.
10376 @cindex @option{-fno-inline-functions} (@command{gcc})
10377 Note: The @option{-fno-inline-functions} switch can be used to prevent
10378 automatic inlining of small subprograms if @option{-O3} is used.
10380 @cindex @option{-fno-inline-functions-called-once} (@command{gcc})
10381 Note: The @option{-fno-inline-functions-called-once} switch
10382 can be used to prevent inlining of subprograms local to the unit
10383 and called once from within it if @option{-O1} is used.
10385 Note regarding the use of @option{-O3}: There is no difference in inlining
10386 behavior between @option{-O2} and @option{-O3} for subprograms with an explicit
10387 pragma @code{Inline} assuming the use of @option{-gnatn}
10388 or @option{-gnatN} (the switches that activate inlining). If you have used
10389 pragma @code{Inline} in appropriate cases, then it is usually much better
10390 to use @option{-O2} and @option{-gnatn} and avoid the use of @option{-O3} which
10391 in this case only has the effect of inlining subprograms you did not
10392 think should be inlined. We often find that the use of @option{-O3} slows
10393 down code by performing excessive inlining, leading to increased instruction
10394 cache pressure from the increased code size. So the bottom line here is
10395 that you should not automatically assume that @option{-O3} is better than
10396 @option{-O2}, and indeed you should use @option{-O3} only if tests show that
10397 it actually improves performance.
10399 @node Other Optimization Switches
10400 @subsection Other Optimization Switches
10401 @cindex Optimization Switches
10403 Since @code{GNAT} uses the @command{gcc} back end, all the specialized
10404 @command{gcc} optimization switches are potentially usable. These switches
10405 have not been extensively tested with GNAT but can generally be expected
10406 to work. Examples of switches in this category are
10407 @option{-funroll-loops} and
10408 the various target-specific @option{-m} options (in particular, it has been
10409 observed that @option{-march=pentium4} can significantly improve performance
10410 on appropriate machines). For full details of these switches, see
10411 @ref{Submodel Options,, Hardware Models and Configurations, gcc, Using
10412 the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC)}.
10414 @node Optimization and Strict Aliasing
10415 @subsection Optimization and Strict Aliasing
10417 @cindex Strict Aliasing
10418 @cindex No_Strict_Aliasing
10421 The strong typing capabilities of Ada allow an optimizer to generate
10422 efficient code in situations where other languages would be forced to
10423 make worst case assumptions preventing such optimizations. Consider
10424 the following example:
10426 @smallexample @c ada
10429 type Int1 is new Integer;
10430 type Int2 is new Integer;
10431 type Int1A is access Int1;
10432 type Int2A is access Int2;
10439 for J in Data'Range loop
10440 if Data (J) = Int1V.all then
10441 Int2V.all := Int2V.all + 1;
10450 In this example, since the variable @code{Int1V} can only access objects
10451 of type @code{Int1}, and @code{Int2V} can only access objects of type
10452 @code{Int2}, there is no possibility that the assignment to
10453 @code{Int2V.all} affects the value of @code{Int1V.all}. This means that
10454 the compiler optimizer can "know" that the value @code{Int1V.all} is constant
10455 for all iterations of the loop and avoid the extra memory reference
10456 required to dereference it each time through the loop.
10458 This kind of optimization, called strict aliasing analysis, is
10459 triggered by specifying an optimization level of @option{-O2} or
10460 higher or @option{-Os} and allows @code{GNAT} to generate more efficient code
10461 when access values are involved.
10463 However, although this optimization is always correct in terms of
10464 the formal semantics of the Ada Reference Manual, difficulties can
10465 arise if features like @code{Unchecked_Conversion} are used to break
10466 the typing system. Consider the following complete program example:
10468 @smallexample @c ada
10471 type int1 is new integer;
10472 type int2 is new integer;
10473 type a1 is access int1;
10474 type a2 is access int2;
10479 function to_a2 (Input : a1) return a2;
10482 with Unchecked_Conversion;
10484 function to_a2 (Input : a1) return a2 is
10486 new Unchecked_Conversion (a1, a2);
10488 return to_a2u (Input);
10494 with Text_IO; use Text_IO;
10496 v1 : a1 := new int1;
10497 v2 : a2 := to_a2 (v1);
10501 put_line (int1'image (v1.all));
10507 This program prints out 0 in @option{-O0} or @option{-O1}
10508 mode, but it prints out 1 in @option{-O2} mode. That's
10509 because in strict aliasing mode, the compiler can and
10510 does assume that the assignment to @code{v2.all} could not
10511 affect the value of @code{v1.all}, since different types
10514 This behavior is not a case of non-conformance with the standard, since
10515 the Ada RM specifies that an unchecked conversion where the resulting
10516 bit pattern is not a correct value of the target type can result in an
10517 abnormal value and attempting to reference an abnormal value makes the
10518 execution of a program erroneous. That's the case here since the result
10519 does not point to an object of type @code{int2}. This means that the
10520 effect is entirely unpredictable.
10522 However, although that explanation may satisfy a language
10523 lawyer, in practice an applications programmer expects an
10524 unchecked conversion involving pointers to create true
10525 aliases and the behavior of printing 1 seems plain wrong.
10526 In this case, the strict aliasing optimization is unwelcome.
10528 Indeed the compiler recognizes this possibility, and the
10529 unchecked conversion generates a warning:
10532 p2.adb:5:07: warning: possible aliasing problem with type "a2"
10533 p2.adb:5:07: warning: use -fno-strict-aliasing switch for references
10534 p2.adb:5:07: warning: or use "pragma No_Strict_Aliasing (a2);"
10538 Unfortunately the problem is recognized when compiling the body of
10539 package @code{p2}, but the actual "bad" code is generated while
10540 compiling the body of @code{m} and this latter compilation does not see
10541 the suspicious @code{Unchecked_Conversion}.
10543 As implied by the warning message, there are approaches you can use to
10544 avoid the unwanted strict aliasing optimization in a case like this.
10546 One possibility is to simply avoid the use of @option{-O2}, but
10547 that is a bit drastic, since it throws away a number of useful
10548 optimizations that do not involve strict aliasing assumptions.
10550 A less drastic approach is to compile the program using the
10551 option @option{-fno-strict-aliasing}. Actually it is only the
10552 unit containing the dereferencing of the suspicious pointer
10553 that needs to be compiled. So in this case, if we compile
10554 unit @code{m} with this switch, then we get the expected
10555 value of zero printed. Analyzing which units might need
10556 the switch can be painful, so a more reasonable approach
10557 is to compile the entire program with options @option{-O2}
10558 and @option{-fno-strict-aliasing}. If the performance is
10559 satisfactory with this combination of options, then the
10560 advantage is that the entire issue of possible "wrong"
10561 optimization due to strict aliasing is avoided.
10563 To avoid the use of compiler switches, the configuration
10564 pragma @code{No_Strict_Aliasing} with no parameters may be
10565 used to specify that for all access types, the strict
10566 aliasing optimization should be suppressed.
10568 However, these approaches are still overkill, in that they causes
10569 all manipulations of all access values to be deoptimized. A more
10570 refined approach is to concentrate attention on the specific
10571 access type identified as problematic.
10573 First, if a careful analysis of uses of the pointer shows
10574 that there are no possible problematic references, then
10575 the warning can be suppressed by bracketing the
10576 instantiation of @code{Unchecked_Conversion} to turn
10579 @smallexample @c ada
10580 pragma Warnings (Off);
10582 new Unchecked_Conversion (a1, a2);
10583 pragma Warnings (On);
10587 Of course that approach is not appropriate for this particular
10588 example, since indeed there is a problematic reference. In this
10589 case we can take one of two other approaches.
10591 The first possibility is to move the instantiation of unchecked
10592 conversion to the unit in which the type is declared. In
10593 this example, we would move the instantiation of
10594 @code{Unchecked_Conversion} from the body of package
10595 @code{p2} to the spec of package @code{p1}. Now the
10596 warning disappears. That's because any use of the
10597 access type knows there is a suspicious unchecked
10598 conversion, and the strict aliasing optimization
10599 is automatically suppressed for the type.
10601 If it is not practical to move the unchecked conversion to the same unit
10602 in which the destination access type is declared (perhaps because the
10603 source type is not visible in that unit), you may use pragma
10604 @code{No_Strict_Aliasing} for the type. This pragma must occur in the
10605 same declarative sequence as the declaration of the access type:
10607 @smallexample @c ada
10608 type a2 is access int2;
10609 pragma No_Strict_Aliasing (a2);
10613 Here again, the compiler now knows that the strict aliasing optimization
10614 should be suppressed for any reference to type @code{a2} and the
10615 expected behavior is obtained.
10617 Finally, note that although the compiler can generate warnings for
10618 simple cases of unchecked conversions, there are tricker and more
10619 indirect ways of creating type incorrect aliases which the compiler
10620 cannot detect. Examples are the use of address overlays and unchecked
10621 conversions involving composite types containing access types as
10622 components. In such cases, no warnings are generated, but there can
10623 still be aliasing problems. One safe coding practice is to forbid the
10624 use of address clauses for type overlaying, and to allow unchecked
10625 conversion only for primitive types. This is not really a significant
10626 restriction since any possible desired effect can be achieved by
10627 unchecked conversion of access values.
10629 The aliasing analysis done in strict aliasing mode can certainly
10630 have significant benefits. We have seen cases of large scale
10631 application code where the time is increased by up to 5% by turning
10632 this optimization off. If you have code that includes significant
10633 usage of unchecked conversion, you might want to just stick with
10634 @option{-O1} and avoid the entire issue. If you get adequate
10635 performance at this level of optimization level, that's probably
10636 the safest approach. If tests show that you really need higher
10637 levels of optimization, then you can experiment with @option{-O2}
10638 and @option{-O2 -fno-strict-aliasing} to see how much effect this
10639 has on size and speed of the code. If you really need to use
10640 @option{-O2} with strict aliasing in effect, then you should
10641 review any uses of unchecked conversion of access types,
10642 particularly if you are getting the warnings described above.
10645 @node Coverage Analysis
10646 @subsection Coverage Analysis
10649 GNAT supports the HP Performance Coverage Analyzer (PCA), which allows
10650 the user to determine the distribution of execution time across a program,
10651 @pxref{Profiling} for details of usage.
10655 @node Text_IO Suggestions
10656 @section @code{Text_IO} Suggestions
10657 @cindex @code{Text_IO} and performance
10660 The @code{Ada.Text_IO} package has fairly high overheads due in part to
10661 the requirement of maintaining page and line counts. If performance
10662 is critical, a recommendation is to use @code{Stream_IO} instead of
10663 @code{Text_IO} for volume output, since this package has less overhead.
10665 If @code{Text_IO} must be used, note that by default output to the standard
10666 output and standard error files is unbuffered (this provides better
10667 behavior when output statements are used for debugging, or if the
10668 progress of a program is observed by tracking the output, e.g. by
10669 using the Unix @command{tail -f} command to watch redirected output.
10671 If you are generating large volumes of output with @code{Text_IO} and
10672 performance is an important factor, use a designated file instead
10673 of the standard output file, or change the standard output file to
10674 be buffered using @code{Interfaces.C_Streams.setvbuf}.
10678 @node Reducing Size of Ada Executables with gnatelim
10679 @section Reducing Size of Ada Executables with @code{gnatelim}
10683 This section describes @command{gnatelim}, a tool which detects unused
10684 subprograms and helps the compiler to create a smaller executable for your
10689 * Running gnatelim::
10690 * Processing Precompiled Libraries::
10691 * Correcting the List of Eliminate Pragmas::
10692 * Making Your Executables Smaller::
10693 * Summary of the gnatelim Usage Cycle::
10696 @node About gnatelim
10697 @subsection About @code{gnatelim}
10700 When a program shares a set of Ada
10701 packages with other programs, it may happen that this program uses
10702 only a fraction of the subprograms defined in these packages. The code
10703 created for these unused subprograms increases the size of the executable.
10705 @code{gnatelim} tracks unused subprograms in an Ada program and
10706 outputs a list of GNAT-specific pragmas @code{Eliminate} marking all the
10707 subprograms that are declared but never called. By placing the list of
10708 @code{Eliminate} pragmas in the GNAT configuration file @file{gnat.adc} and
10709 recompiling your program, you may decrease the size of its executable,
10710 because the compiler will not generate the code for 'eliminated' subprograms.
10711 @xref{Pragma Eliminate,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}, for more
10712 information about this pragma.
10714 @code{gnatelim} needs as its input data the name of the main subprogram.
10716 If a set of source files is specified as @code{gnatelim} arguments, it
10717 treats these files as a complete set of sources making up a program to
10718 analyse, and analyses only these sources.
10720 After a full successful build of the main subprogram @code{gnatelim} can be
10721 called without specifying sources to analyse, in this case it computes
10722 the source closure of the main unit from the @file{ALI} files.
10724 The following command will create the set of @file{ALI} files needed for
10728 $ gnatmake ^-c Main_Prog^/ACTIONS=COMPILE MAIN_PROG^
10731 Note that @code{gnatelim} does not need object files.
10733 @node Running gnatelim
10734 @subsection Running @code{gnatelim}
10737 @code{gnatelim} has the following command-line interface:
10740 $ gnatelim [@var{switches}] ^-main^?MAIN^=@var{main_unit_name} @{@var{filename}@} @r{[}-cargs @var{gcc_switches}@r{]}
10744 @var{main_unit_name} should be a name of a source file that contains the main
10745 subprogram of a program (partition).
10747 Each @var{filename} is the name (including the extension) of a source
10748 file to process. ``Wildcards'' are allowed, and
10749 the file name may contain path information.
10751 @samp{@var{gcc_switches}} is a list of switches for
10752 @command{gcc}. They will be passed on to all compiler invocations made by
10753 @command{gnatelim} to generate the ASIS trees. Here you can provide
10754 @option{^-I^/INCLUDE_DIRS=^} switches to form the source search path,
10755 use the @option{-gnatec} switch to set the configuration file etc.
10757 @code{gnatelim} has the following switches:
10761 @item ^-files^/FILES^=@var{filename}
10762 @cindex @option{^-files^/FILES^} (@code{gnatelim})
10763 Take the argument source files from the specified file. This file should be an
10764 ordinary text file containing file names separated by spaces or
10765 line breaks. You can use this switch more than once in the same call to
10766 @command{gnatelim}. You also can combine this switch with
10767 an explicit list of files.
10770 @cindex @option{^-log^/LOG^} (@command{gnatelim})
10771 Duplicate all the output sent to @file{stderr} into a log file. The log file
10772 is named @file{gnatelim.log} and is located in the current directory.
10774 @item ^-log^/LOGFILE^=@var{filename}
10775 @cindex @option{^-log^/LOGFILE^} (@command{gnatelim})
10776 Duplicate all the output sent to @file{stderr} into a specified log file.
10778 @cindex @option{^--no-elim-dispatch^/NO_DISPATCH^} (@command{gnatelim})
10779 @item ^--no-elim-dispatch^/NO_DISPATCH^
10780 Do not generate pragmas for dispatching operations.
10782 @cindex @option{^-o^/OUTPUT^} (@command{gnatelim})
10783 @item ^-o^/OUTPUT^=@var{report_file}
10784 Put @command{gnatelim} output into a specified file. If this file already exists,
10785 it is overridden. If this switch is not used, @command{gnatelim} outputs its results
10789 @cindex @option{^-q^/QUIET^} (@command{gnatelim})
10790 Quiet mode: by default @code{gnatelim} outputs to the standard error
10791 stream the number of program units left to be processed. This option turns
10794 @cindex @option{^-t^/TIME^} (@command{gnatelim})
10796 Print out execution time.
10798 @item ^-v^/VERBOSE^
10799 @cindex @option{^-v^/VERBOSE^} (@command{gnatelim})
10800 Verbose mode: @code{gnatelim} version information is printed as Ada
10801 comments to the standard output stream. Also, in addition to the number of
10802 program units left @code{gnatelim} will output the name of the current unit
10805 @item ^-wq^/WARNINGS=QUIET^
10806 @cindex @option{^-wq^/WARNINGS=QUIET^} (@command{gnatelim})
10807 Quet warning mode - some warnings are suppressed. In particular warnings that
10808 indicate that the analysed set of sources is incomplete to make up a
10809 partition and that some subprogram bodies are missing are not generated.
10812 @node Processing Precompiled Libraries
10813 @subsection Processing Precompiled Libraries
10816 If some program uses a precompiled Ada library, it can be processed by
10817 @code{gnatelim} in a usual way. @code{gnatelim} will newer generate an
10818 Eliminate pragma for a subprogram if the body of this subprogram has not
10819 been analysed, this is a typical case for subprograms from precompiled
10820 libraries. Switch @option{^-wq^/WARNINGS=QUIET^} may be used to suppress
10821 warnings about missing source files and non-analyzed subprogram bodies
10822 that can be generated when processing precompiled Ada libraries.
10824 @node Correcting the List of Eliminate Pragmas
10825 @subsection Correcting the List of Eliminate Pragmas
10828 In some rare cases @code{gnatelim} may try to eliminate
10829 subprograms that are actually called in the program. In this case, the
10830 compiler will generate an error message of the form:
10833 main.adb:4:08: cannot reference subprogram "P" eliminated at elim.out:5
10837 You will need to manually remove the wrong @code{Eliminate} pragmas from
10838 the configuration file indicated in the error message. You should recompile
10839 your program from scratch after that, because you need a consistent
10840 configuration file(s) during the entire compilation.
10842 @node Making Your Executables Smaller
10843 @subsection Making Your Executables Smaller
10846 In order to get a smaller executable for your program you now have to
10847 recompile the program completely with the configuration file containing
10848 pragmas Eliminate generated by gnatelim. If these pragmas are placed in
10849 @file{gnat.adc} file located in your current directory, just do:
10852 $ gnatmake ^-f main_prog^/FORCE_COMPILE MAIN_PROG^
10856 (Use the @option{^-f^/FORCE_COMPILE^} option for @command{gnatmake} to
10857 recompile everything
10858 with the set of pragmas @code{Eliminate} that you have obtained with
10859 @command{gnatelim}).
10861 Be aware that the set of @code{Eliminate} pragmas is specific to each
10862 program. It is not recommended to merge sets of @code{Eliminate}
10863 pragmas created for different programs in one configuration file.
10865 @node Summary of the gnatelim Usage Cycle
10866 @subsection Summary of the @code{gnatelim} Usage Cycle
10869 Here is a quick summary of the steps to be taken in order to reduce
10870 the size of your executables with @code{gnatelim}. You may use
10871 other GNAT options to control the optimization level,
10872 to produce the debugging information, to set search path, etc.
10876 Create a complete set of @file{ALI} files (if the program has not been
10880 $ gnatmake ^-c main_prog^/ACTIONS=COMPILE MAIN_PROG^
10884 Generate a list of @code{Eliminate} pragmas in default configuration file
10885 @file{gnat.adc} in the current directory
10888 $ PIPE GNAT ELIM MAIN_PROG > GNAT.ADC
10891 $ gnatelim main_prog >@r{[}>@r{]} gnat.adc
10896 Recompile the application
10899 $ gnatmake ^-f main_prog^/FORCE_COMPILE MAIN_PROG^
10904 @node Reducing Size of Executables with unused subprogram/data elimination
10905 @section Reducing Size of Executables with Unused Subprogram/Data Elimination
10906 @findex unused subprogram/data elimination
10909 This section describes how you can eliminate unused subprograms and data from
10910 your executable just by setting options at compilation time.
10913 * About unused subprogram/data elimination::
10914 * Compilation options::
10915 * Example of unused subprogram/data elimination::
10918 @node About unused subprogram/data elimination
10919 @subsection About unused subprogram/data elimination
10922 By default, an executable contains all code and data of its composing objects
10923 (directly linked or coming from statically linked libraries), even data or code
10924 never used by this executable.
10926 This feature will allow you to eliminate such unused code from your
10927 executable, making it smaller (in disk and in memory).
10929 This functionality is available on all Linux platforms except for the IA-64
10930 architecture and on all cross platforms using the ELF binary file format.
10931 In both cases GNU binutils version 2.16 or later are required to enable it.
10933 @node Compilation options
10934 @subsection Compilation options
10937 The operation of eliminating the unused code and data from the final executable
10938 is directly performed by the linker.
10940 In order to do this, it has to work with objects compiled with the
10942 @option{-ffunction-sections} @option{-fdata-sections}.
10943 @cindex @option{-ffunction-sections} (@command{gcc})
10944 @cindex @option{-fdata-sections} (@command{gcc})
10945 These options are usable with C and Ada files.
10946 They will place respectively each
10947 function or data in a separate section in the resulting object file.
10949 Once the objects and static libraries are created with these options, the
10950 linker can perform the dead code elimination. You can do this by setting
10951 the @option{-Wl,--gc-sections} option to gcc command or in the
10952 @option{-largs} section of @command{gnatmake}. This will perform a
10953 garbage collection of code and data never referenced.
10955 If the linker performs a partial link (@option{-r} ld linker option), then you
10956 will need to provide one or several entry point using the
10957 @option{-e} / @option{--entry} ld option.
10959 Note that objects compiled without the @option{-ffunction-sections} and
10960 @option{-fdata-sections} options can still be linked with the executable.
10961 However, no dead code elimination will be performed on those objects (they will
10964 The GNAT static library is now compiled with -ffunction-sections and
10965 -fdata-sections on some platforms. This allows you to eliminate the unused code
10966 and data of the GNAT library from your executable.
10968 @node Example of unused subprogram/data elimination
10969 @subsection Example of unused subprogram/data elimination
10972 Here is a simple example:
10974 @smallexample @c ada
10983 Used_Data : Integer;
10984 Unused_Data : Integer;
10986 procedure Used (Data : Integer);
10987 procedure Unused (Data : Integer);
10990 package body Aux is
10991 procedure Used (Data : Integer) is
10996 procedure Unused (Data : Integer) is
10998 Unused_Data := Data;
11004 @code{Unused} and @code{Unused_Data} are never referenced in this code
11005 excerpt, and hence they may be safely removed from the final executable.
11010 $ nm test | grep used
11011 020015f0 T aux__unused
11012 02005d88 B aux__unused_data
11013 020015cc T aux__used
11014 02005d84 B aux__used_data
11016 $ gnatmake test -cargs -fdata-sections -ffunction-sections \
11017 -largs -Wl,--gc-sections
11019 $ nm test | grep used
11020 02005350 T aux__used
11021 0201ffe0 B aux__used_data
11025 It can be observed that the procedure @code{Unused} and the object
11026 @code{Unused_Data} are removed by the linker when using the
11027 appropriate options.
11029 @c ********************************
11030 @node Renaming Files Using gnatchop
11031 @chapter Renaming Files Using @code{gnatchop}
11035 This chapter discusses how to handle files with multiple units by using
11036 the @code{gnatchop} utility. This utility is also useful in renaming
11037 files to meet the standard GNAT default file naming conventions.
11040 * Handling Files with Multiple Units::
11041 * Operating gnatchop in Compilation Mode::
11042 * Command Line for gnatchop::
11043 * Switches for gnatchop::
11044 * Examples of gnatchop Usage::
11047 @node Handling Files with Multiple Units
11048 @section Handling Files with Multiple Units
11051 The basic compilation model of GNAT requires that a file submitted to the
11052 compiler have only one unit and there be a strict correspondence
11053 between the file name and the unit name.
11055 The @code{gnatchop} utility allows both of these rules to be relaxed,
11056 allowing GNAT to process files which contain multiple compilation units
11057 and files with arbitrary file names. @code{gnatchop}
11058 reads the specified file and generates one or more output files,
11059 containing one unit per file. The unit and the file name correspond,
11060 as required by GNAT.
11062 If you want to permanently restructure a set of ``foreign'' files so that
11063 they match the GNAT rules, and do the remaining development using the
11064 GNAT structure, you can simply use @command{gnatchop} once, generate the
11065 new set of files and work with them from that point on.
11067 Alternatively, if you want to keep your files in the ``foreign'' format,
11068 perhaps to maintain compatibility with some other Ada compilation
11069 system, you can set up a procedure where you use @command{gnatchop} each
11070 time you compile, regarding the source files that it writes as temporary
11071 files that you throw away.
11073 Note that if your file containing multiple units starts with a byte order
11074 mark (BOM) specifying UTF-8 encoding, then the files generated by gnatchop
11075 will each start with a copy of this BOM, meaning that they can be compiled
11076 automatically in UTF-8 mode without needing to specify an explicit encoding.
11078 @node Operating gnatchop in Compilation Mode
11079 @section Operating gnatchop in Compilation Mode
11082 The basic function of @code{gnatchop} is to take a file with multiple units
11083 and split it into separate files. The boundary between files is reasonably
11084 clear, except for the issue of comments and pragmas. In default mode, the
11085 rule is that any pragmas between units belong to the previous unit, except
11086 that configuration pragmas always belong to the following unit. Any comments
11087 belong to the following unit. These rules
11088 almost always result in the right choice of
11089 the split point without needing to mark it explicitly and most users will
11090 find this default to be what they want. In this default mode it is incorrect to
11091 submit a file containing only configuration pragmas, or one that ends in
11092 configuration pragmas, to @code{gnatchop}.
11094 However, using a special option to activate ``compilation mode'',
11096 can perform another function, which is to provide exactly the semantics
11097 required by the RM for handling of configuration pragmas in a compilation.
11098 In the absence of configuration pragmas (at the main file level), this
11099 option has no effect, but it causes such configuration pragmas to be handled
11100 in a quite different manner.
11102 First, in compilation mode, if @code{gnatchop} is given a file that consists of
11103 only configuration pragmas, then this file is appended to the
11104 @file{gnat.adc} file in the current directory. This behavior provides
11105 the required behavior described in the RM for the actions to be taken
11106 on submitting such a file to the compiler, namely that these pragmas
11107 should apply to all subsequent compilations in the same compilation
11108 environment. Using GNAT, the current directory, possibly containing a
11109 @file{gnat.adc} file is the representation
11110 of a compilation environment. For more information on the
11111 @file{gnat.adc} file, see @ref{Handling of Configuration Pragmas}.
11113 Second, in compilation mode, if @code{gnatchop}
11114 is given a file that starts with
11115 configuration pragmas, and contains one or more units, then these
11116 configuration pragmas are prepended to each of the chopped files. This
11117 behavior provides the required behavior described in the RM for the
11118 actions to be taken on compiling such a file, namely that the pragmas
11119 apply to all units in the compilation, but not to subsequently compiled
11122 Finally, if configuration pragmas appear between units, they are appended
11123 to the previous unit. This results in the previous unit being illegal,
11124 since the compiler does not accept configuration pragmas that follow
11125 a unit. This provides the required RM behavior that forbids configuration
11126 pragmas other than those preceding the first compilation unit of a
11129 For most purposes, @code{gnatchop} will be used in default mode. The
11130 compilation mode described above is used only if you need exactly
11131 accurate behavior with respect to compilations, and you have files
11132 that contain multiple units and configuration pragmas. In this
11133 circumstance the use of @code{gnatchop} with the compilation mode
11134 switch provides the required behavior, and is for example the mode
11135 in which GNAT processes the ACVC tests.
11137 @node Command Line for gnatchop
11138 @section Command Line for @code{gnatchop}
11141 The @code{gnatchop} command has the form:
11144 @c $ gnatchop switches @var{file name} @r{[}@var{file name} @dots{}@r{]}
11145 @c @ovar{directory}
11146 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
11147 $ gnatchop switches @var{file name} @r{[}@var{file name} @dots{}@r{]}
11148 @r{[}@var{directory}@r{]}
11152 The only required argument is the file name of the file to be chopped.
11153 There are no restrictions on the form of this file name. The file itself
11154 contains one or more Ada units, in normal GNAT format, concatenated
11155 together. As shown, more than one file may be presented to be chopped.
11157 When run in default mode, @code{gnatchop} generates one output file in
11158 the current directory for each unit in each of the files.
11160 @var{directory}, if specified, gives the name of the directory to which
11161 the output files will be written. If it is not specified, all files are
11162 written to the current directory.
11164 For example, given a
11165 file called @file{hellofiles} containing
11167 @smallexample @c ada
11172 with Text_IO; use Text_IO;
11175 Put_Line ("Hello");
11185 $ gnatchop ^hellofiles^HELLOFILES.^
11189 generates two files in the current directory, one called
11190 @file{hello.ads} containing the single line that is the procedure spec,
11191 and the other called @file{hello.adb} containing the remaining text. The
11192 original file is not affected. The generated files can be compiled in
11196 When gnatchop is invoked on a file that is empty or that contains only empty
11197 lines and/or comments, gnatchop will not fail, but will not produce any
11200 For example, given a
11201 file called @file{toto.txt} containing
11203 @smallexample @c ada
11215 $ gnatchop ^toto.txt^TOT.TXT^
11219 will not produce any new file and will result in the following warnings:
11222 toto.txt:1:01: warning: empty file, contains no compilation units
11223 no compilation units found
11224 no source files written
11227 @node Switches for gnatchop
11228 @section Switches for @code{gnatchop}
11231 @command{gnatchop} recognizes the following switches:
11237 @cindex @option{--version} @command{gnatchop}
11238 Display Copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.
11241 @cindex @option{--help} @command{gnatchop}
11242 If @option{--version} was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding
11245 @item ^-c^/COMPILATION^
11246 @cindex @option{^-c^/COMPILATION^} (@code{gnatchop})
11247 Causes @code{gnatchop} to operate in compilation mode, in which
11248 configuration pragmas are handled according to strict RM rules. See
11249 previous section for a full description of this mode.
11252 @item -gnat@var{xxx}
11253 This passes the given @option{-gnat@var{xxx}} switch to @code{gnat} which is
11254 used to parse the given file. Not all @var{xxx} options make sense,
11255 but for example, the use of @option{-gnati2} allows @code{gnatchop} to
11256 process a source file that uses Latin-2 coding for identifiers.
11260 Causes @code{gnatchop} to generate a brief help summary to the standard
11261 output file showing usage information.
11263 @item ^-k@var{mm}^/FILE_NAME_MAX_LENGTH=@var{mm}^
11264 @cindex @option{^-k^/FILE_NAME_MAX_LENGTH^} (@code{gnatchop})
11265 Limit generated file names to the specified number @code{mm}
11267 This is useful if the
11268 resulting set of files is required to be interoperable with systems
11269 which limit the length of file names.
11271 If no value is given, or
11272 if no @code{/FILE_NAME_MAX_LENGTH} qualifier is given,
11273 a default of 39, suitable for OpenVMS Alpha
11274 Systems, is assumed
11277 No space is allowed between the @option{-k} and the numeric value. The numeric
11278 value may be omitted in which case a default of @option{-k8},
11280 with DOS-like file systems, is used. If no @option{-k} switch
11282 there is no limit on the length of file names.
11285 @item ^-p^/PRESERVE^
11286 @cindex @option{^-p^/PRESERVE^} (@code{gnatchop})
11287 Causes the file ^modification^creation^ time stamp of the input file to be
11288 preserved and used for the time stamp of the output file(s). This may be
11289 useful for preserving coherency of time stamps in an environment where
11290 @code{gnatchop} is used as part of a standard build process.
11293 @cindex @option{^-q^/QUIET^} (@code{gnatchop})
11294 Causes output of informational messages indicating the set of generated
11295 files to be suppressed. Warnings and error messages are unaffected.
11297 @item ^-r^/REFERENCE^
11298 @cindex @option{^-r^/REFERENCE^} (@code{gnatchop})
11299 @findex Source_Reference
11300 Generate @code{Source_Reference} pragmas. Use this switch if the output
11301 files are regarded as temporary and development is to be done in terms
11302 of the original unchopped file. This switch causes
11303 @code{Source_Reference} pragmas to be inserted into each of the
11304 generated files to refers back to the original file name and line number.
11305 The result is that all error messages refer back to the original
11307 In addition, the debugging information placed into the object file (when
11308 the @option{^-g^/DEBUG^} switch of @command{gcc} or @command{gnatmake} is
11310 also refers back to this original file so that tools like profilers and
11311 debuggers will give information in terms of the original unchopped file.
11313 If the original file to be chopped itself contains
11314 a @code{Source_Reference}
11315 pragma referencing a third file, then gnatchop respects
11316 this pragma, and the generated @code{Source_Reference} pragmas
11317 in the chopped file refer to the original file, with appropriate
11318 line numbers. This is particularly useful when @code{gnatchop}
11319 is used in conjunction with @code{gnatprep} to compile files that
11320 contain preprocessing statements and multiple units.
11322 @item ^-v^/VERBOSE^
11323 @cindex @option{^-v^/VERBOSE^} (@code{gnatchop})
11324 Causes @code{gnatchop} to operate in verbose mode. The version
11325 number and copyright notice are output, as well as exact copies of
11326 the gnat1 commands spawned to obtain the chop control information.
11328 @item ^-w^/OVERWRITE^
11329 @cindex @option{^-w^/OVERWRITE^} (@code{gnatchop})
11330 Overwrite existing file names. Normally @code{gnatchop} regards it as a
11331 fatal error if there is already a file with the same name as a
11332 file it would otherwise output, in other words if the files to be
11333 chopped contain duplicated units. This switch bypasses this
11334 check, and causes all but the last instance of such duplicated
11335 units to be skipped.
11338 @item --GCC=@var{xxxx}
11339 @cindex @option{--GCC=} (@code{gnatchop})
11340 Specify the path of the GNAT parser to be used. When this switch is used,
11341 no attempt is made to add the prefix to the GNAT parser executable.
11345 @node Examples of gnatchop Usage
11346 @section Examples of @code{gnatchop} Usage
11350 @item gnatchop /OVERWRITE HELLO_S.ADA [PRERELEASE.FILES]
11353 @item gnatchop -w hello_s.ada prerelease/files
11356 Chops the source file @file{hello_s.ada}. The output files will be
11357 placed in the directory @file{^prerelease/files^[PRERELEASE.FILES]^},
11359 files with matching names in that directory (no files in the current
11360 directory are modified).
11362 @item gnatchop ^archive^ARCHIVE.^
11363 Chops the source file @file{^archive^ARCHIVE.^}
11364 into the current directory. One
11365 useful application of @code{gnatchop} is in sending sets of sources
11366 around, for example in email messages. The required sources are simply
11367 concatenated (for example, using a ^Unix @code{cat}^VMS @code{APPEND/NEW}^
11369 @command{gnatchop} is used at the other end to reconstitute the original
11372 @item gnatchop file1 file2 file3 direc
11373 Chops all units in files @file{file1}, @file{file2}, @file{file3}, placing
11374 the resulting files in the directory @file{direc}. Note that if any units
11375 occur more than once anywhere within this set of files, an error message
11376 is generated, and no files are written. To override this check, use the
11377 @option{^-w^/OVERWRITE^} switch,
11378 in which case the last occurrence in the last file will
11379 be the one that is output, and earlier duplicate occurrences for a given
11380 unit will be skipped.
11383 @node Configuration Pragmas
11384 @chapter Configuration Pragmas
11385 @cindex Configuration pragmas
11386 @cindex Pragmas, configuration
11389 Configuration pragmas include those pragmas described as
11390 such in the Ada Reference Manual, as well as
11391 implementation-dependent pragmas that are configuration pragmas.
11392 @xref{Implementation Defined Pragmas,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual},
11393 for details on these additional GNAT-specific configuration pragmas.
11394 Most notably, the pragma @code{Source_File_Name}, which allows
11395 specifying non-default names for source files, is a configuration
11396 pragma. The following is a complete list of configuration pragmas
11397 recognized by GNAT:
11407 Assume_No_Invalid_Values
11412 Compile_Time_Warning
11414 Component_Alignment
11415 Convention_Identifier
11423 External_Name_Casing
11426 Float_Representation
11439 Priority_Specific_Dispatching
11442 Propagate_Exceptions
11445 Restricted_Run_Time
11447 Restrictions_Warnings
11449 Short_Circuit_And_Or
11451 Source_File_Name_Project
11454 Suppress_Exception_Locations
11455 Task_Dispatching_Policy
11461 Wide_Character_Encoding
11466 * Handling of Configuration Pragmas::
11467 * The Configuration Pragmas Files::
11470 @node Handling of Configuration Pragmas
11471 @section Handling of Configuration Pragmas
11473 Configuration pragmas may either appear at the start of a compilation
11474 unit, in which case they apply only to that unit, or they may apply to
11475 all compilations performed in a given compilation environment.
11477 GNAT also provides the @code{gnatchop} utility to provide an automatic
11478 way to handle configuration pragmas following the semantics for
11479 compilations (that is, files with multiple units), described in the RM.
11480 See @ref{Operating gnatchop in Compilation Mode} for details.
11481 However, for most purposes, it will be more convenient to edit the
11482 @file{gnat.adc} file that contains configuration pragmas directly,
11483 as described in the following section.
11485 @node The Configuration Pragmas Files
11486 @section The Configuration Pragmas Files
11487 @cindex @file{gnat.adc}
11490 In GNAT a compilation environment is defined by the current
11491 directory at the time that a compile command is given. This current
11492 directory is searched for a file whose name is @file{gnat.adc}. If
11493 this file is present, it is expected to contain one or more
11494 configuration pragmas that will be applied to the current compilation.
11495 However, if the switch @option{-gnatA} is used, @file{gnat.adc} is not
11498 Configuration pragmas may be entered into the @file{gnat.adc} file
11499 either by running @code{gnatchop} on a source file that consists only of
11500 configuration pragmas, or more conveniently by
11501 direct editing of the @file{gnat.adc} file, which is a standard format
11504 In addition to @file{gnat.adc}, additional files containing configuration
11505 pragmas may be applied to the current compilation using the switch
11506 @option{-gnatec}@var{path}. @var{path} must designate an existing file that
11507 contains only configuration pragmas. These configuration pragmas are
11508 in addition to those found in @file{gnat.adc} (provided @file{gnat.adc}
11509 is present and switch @option{-gnatA} is not used).
11511 It is allowed to specify several switches @option{-gnatec}, all of which
11512 will be taken into account.
11514 If you are using project file, a separate mechanism is provided using
11515 project attributes, see @ref{Specifying Configuration Pragmas} for more
11519 Of special interest to GNAT OpenVMS Alpha is the following
11520 configuration pragma:
11522 @smallexample @c ada
11524 pragma Extend_System (Aux_DEC);
11529 In the presence of this pragma, GNAT adds to the definition of the
11530 predefined package SYSTEM all the additional types and subprograms that are
11531 defined in HP Ada. See @ref{Compatibility with HP Ada} for details.
11534 @node Handling Arbitrary File Naming Conventions Using gnatname
11535 @chapter Handling Arbitrary File Naming Conventions Using @code{gnatname}
11536 @cindex Arbitrary File Naming Conventions
11539 * Arbitrary File Naming Conventions::
11540 * Running gnatname::
11541 * Switches for gnatname::
11542 * Examples of gnatname Usage::
11545 @node Arbitrary File Naming Conventions
11546 @section Arbitrary File Naming Conventions
11549 The GNAT compiler must be able to know the source file name of a compilation
11550 unit. When using the standard GNAT default file naming conventions
11551 (@code{.ads} for specs, @code{.adb} for bodies), the GNAT compiler
11552 does not need additional information.
11555 When the source file names do not follow the standard GNAT default file naming
11556 conventions, the GNAT compiler must be given additional information through
11557 a configuration pragmas file (@pxref{Configuration Pragmas})
11559 When the non-standard file naming conventions are well-defined,
11560 a small number of pragmas @code{Source_File_Name} specifying a naming pattern
11561 (@pxref{Alternative File Naming Schemes}) may be sufficient. However,
11562 if the file naming conventions are irregular or arbitrary, a number
11563 of pragma @code{Source_File_Name} for individual compilation units
11565 To help maintain the correspondence between compilation unit names and
11566 source file names within the compiler,
11567 GNAT provides a tool @code{gnatname} to generate the required pragmas for a
11570 @node Running gnatname
11571 @section Running @code{gnatname}
11574 The usual form of the @code{gnatname} command is
11577 @c $ gnatname @ovar{switches} @var{naming_pattern} @ovar{naming_patterns}
11578 @c @r{[}--and @ovar{switches} @var{naming_pattern} @ovar{naming_patterns}@r{]}
11579 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
11580 $ gnatname @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{naming_pattern} @r{[}@var{naming_patterns}@r{]}
11581 @r{[}--and @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{naming_pattern} @r{[}@var{naming_patterns}@r{]}@r{]}
11585 All of the arguments are optional. If invoked without any argument,
11586 @code{gnatname} will display its usage.
11589 When used with at least one naming pattern, @code{gnatname} will attempt to
11590 find all the compilation units in files that follow at least one of the
11591 naming patterns. To find these compilation units,
11592 @code{gnatname} will use the GNAT compiler in syntax-check-only mode on all
11596 One or several Naming Patterns may be given as arguments to @code{gnatname}.
11597 Each Naming Pattern is enclosed between double quotes (or single
11598 quotes on Windows).
11599 A Naming Pattern is a regular expression similar to the wildcard patterns
11600 used in file names by the Unix shells or the DOS prompt.
11603 @code{gnatname} may be called with several sections of directories/patterns.
11604 Sections are separated by switch @code{--and}. In each section, there must be
11605 at least one pattern. If no directory is specified in a section, the current
11606 directory (or the project directory is @code{-P} is used) is implied.
11607 The options other that the directory switches and the patterns apply globally
11608 even if they are in different sections.
11611 Examples of Naming Patterns are
11620 For a more complete description of the syntax of Naming Patterns,
11621 see the second kind of regular expressions described in @file{g-regexp.ads}
11622 (the ``Glob'' regular expressions).
11625 When invoked with no switch @code{-P}, @code{gnatname} will create a
11626 configuration pragmas file @file{gnat.adc} in the current working directory,
11627 with pragmas @code{Source_File_Name} for each file that contains a valid Ada
11630 @node Switches for gnatname
11631 @section Switches for @code{gnatname}
11634 Switches for @code{gnatname} must precede any specified Naming Pattern.
11637 You may specify any of the following switches to @code{gnatname}:
11643 @cindex @option{--version} @command{gnatname}
11644 Display Copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.
11647 @cindex @option{--help} @command{gnatname}
11648 If @option{--version} was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding
11652 Start another section of directories/patterns.
11654 @item ^-c^/CONFIG_FILE=^@file{file}
11655 @cindex @option{^-c^/CONFIG_FILE^} (@code{gnatname})
11656 Create a configuration pragmas file @file{file} (instead of the default
11659 There may be zero, one or more space between @option{-c} and
11662 @file{file} may include directory information. @file{file} must be
11663 writable. There may be only one switch @option{^-c^/CONFIG_FILE^}.
11664 When a switch @option{^-c^/CONFIG_FILE^} is
11665 specified, no switch @option{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^} may be specified (see below).
11667 @item ^-d^/SOURCE_DIRS=^@file{dir}
11668 @cindex @option{^-d^/SOURCE_DIRS^} (@code{gnatname})
11669 Look for source files in directory @file{dir}. There may be zero, one or more
11670 spaces between @option{^-d^/SOURCE_DIRS=^} and @file{dir}.
11671 When a switch @option{^-d^/SOURCE_DIRS^}
11672 is specified, the current working directory will not be searched for source
11673 files, unless it is explicitly specified with a @option{^-d^/SOURCE_DIRS^}
11674 or @option{^-D^/DIR_FILES^} switch.
11675 Several switches @option{^-d^/SOURCE_DIRS^} may be specified.
11676 If @file{dir} is a relative path, it is relative to the directory of
11677 the configuration pragmas file specified with switch
11678 @option{^-c^/CONFIG_FILE^},
11679 or to the directory of the project file specified with switch
11680 @option{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^} or,
11681 if neither switch @option{^-c^/CONFIG_FILE^}
11682 nor switch @option{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^} are specified, it is relative to the
11683 current working directory. The directory
11684 specified with switch @option{^-d^/SOURCE_DIRS^} must exist and be readable.
11686 @item ^-D^/DIRS_FILE=^@file{file}
11687 @cindex @option{^-D^/DIRS_FILE^} (@code{gnatname})
11688 Look for source files in all directories listed in text file @file{file}.
11689 There may be zero, one or more spaces between @option{^-D^/DIRS_FILE=^}
11691 @file{file} must be an existing, readable text file.
11692 Each nonempty line in @file{file} must be a directory.
11693 Specifying switch @option{^-D^/DIRS_FILE^} is equivalent to specifying as many
11694 switches @option{^-d^/SOURCE_DIRS^} as there are nonempty lines in
11697 @item ^-f^/FOREIGN_PATTERN=^@file{pattern}
11698 @cindex @option{^-f^/FOREIGN_PATTERN^} (@code{gnatname})
11699 Foreign patterns. Using this switch, it is possible to add sources of languages
11700 other than Ada to the list of sources of a project file.
11701 It is only useful if a ^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^ switch is used.
11704 gnatname ^-Pprj -f"*.c"^/PROJECT_FILE=PRJ /FOREIGN_PATTERN=*.C^ "*.ada"
11707 will look for Ada units in all files with the @file{.ada} extension,
11708 and will add to the list of file for project @file{prj.gpr} the C files
11709 with extension @file{.^c^C^}.
11712 @cindex @option{^-h^/HELP^} (@code{gnatname})
11713 Output usage (help) information. The output is written to @file{stdout}.
11715 @item ^-P^/PROJECT_FILE=^@file{proj}
11716 @cindex @option{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^} (@code{gnatname})
11717 Create or update project file @file{proj}. There may be zero, one or more space
11718 between @option{-P} and @file{proj}. @file{proj} may include directory
11719 information. @file{proj} must be writable.
11720 There may be only one switch @option{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^}.
11721 When a switch @option{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^} is specified,
11722 no switch @option{^-c^/CONFIG_FILE^} may be specified.
11724 @item ^-v^/VERBOSE^
11725 @cindex @option{^-v^/VERBOSE^} (@code{gnatname})
11726 Verbose mode. Output detailed explanation of behavior to @file{stdout}.
11727 This includes name of the file written, the name of the directories to search
11728 and, for each file in those directories whose name matches at least one of
11729 the Naming Patterns, an indication of whether the file contains a unit,
11730 and if so the name of the unit.
11732 @item ^-v -v^/VERBOSE /VERBOSE^
11733 @cindex @option{^-v -v^/VERBOSE /VERBOSE^} (@code{gnatname})
11734 Very Verbose mode. In addition to the output produced in verbose mode,
11735 for each file in the searched directories whose name matches none of
11736 the Naming Patterns, an indication is given that there is no match.
11738 @item ^-x^/EXCLUDED_PATTERN=^@file{pattern}
11739 @cindex @option{^-x^/EXCLUDED_PATTERN^} (@code{gnatname})
11740 Excluded patterns. Using this switch, it is possible to exclude some files
11741 that would match the name patterns. For example,
11743 gnatname ^-x "*_nt.ada"^/EXCLUDED_PATTERN=*_nt.ada^ "*.ada"
11746 will look for Ada units in all files with the @file{.ada} extension,
11747 except those whose names end with @file{_nt.ada}.
11751 @node Examples of gnatname Usage
11752 @section Examples of @code{gnatname} Usage
11756 $ gnatname /CONFIG_FILE=[HOME.ME]NAMES.ADC /SOURCE_DIRS=SOURCES "[a-z]*.ada*"
11762 $ gnatname -c /home/me/names.adc -d sources "[a-z]*.ada*"
11767 In this example, the directory @file{^/home/me^[HOME.ME]^} must already exist
11768 and be writable. In addition, the directory
11769 @file{^/home/me/sources^[HOME.ME.SOURCES]^} (specified by
11770 @option{^-d sources^/SOURCE_DIRS=SOURCES^}) must exist and be readable.
11773 Note the optional spaces after @option{-c} and @option{-d}.
11778 $ gnatname -P/home/me/proj -x "*_nt_body.ada"
11779 -dsources -dsources/plus -Dcommon_dirs.txt "body_*" "spec_*"
11782 $ gnatname /PROJECT_FILE=[HOME.ME]PROJ
11783 /EXCLUDED_PATTERN=*_nt_body.ada
11784 /SOURCE_DIRS=(SOURCES,[SOURCES.PLUS])
11785 /DIRS_FILE=COMMON_DIRS.TXT "body_*" "spec_*"
11789 Note that several switches @option{^-d^/SOURCE_DIRS^} may be used,
11790 even in conjunction with one or several switches
11791 @option{^-D^/DIRS_FILE^}. Several Naming Patterns and one excluded pattern
11792 are used in this example.
11794 @c *****************************************
11795 @c * G N A T P r o j e c t M a n a g e r *
11796 @c *****************************************
11798 @c ------ macros for projects.texi
11799 @c These macros are needed when building the gprbuild documentation, but
11800 @c should have no effect in the gnat user's guide
11802 @macro CODESAMPLE{TXT}
11810 @macro PROJECTFILE{TXT}
11814 @c simulates a newline when in a @CODESAMPLE
11825 @macro TIPHTML{TXT}
11829 @macro IMPORTANT{TXT}
11844 @include projects.texi
11846 @c *****************************************
11847 @c * Cross-referencing tools
11848 @c *****************************************
11850 @node The Cross-Referencing Tools gnatxref and gnatfind
11851 @chapter The Cross-Referencing Tools @code{gnatxref} and @code{gnatfind}
11856 The compiler generates cross-referencing information (unless
11857 you set the @samp{-gnatx} switch), which are saved in the @file{.ali} files.
11858 This information indicates where in the source each entity is declared and
11859 referenced. Note that entities in package Standard are not included, but
11860 entities in all other predefined units are included in the output.
11862 Before using any of these two tools, you need to compile successfully your
11863 application, so that GNAT gets a chance to generate the cross-referencing
11866 The two tools @code{gnatxref} and @code{gnatfind} take advantage of this
11867 information to provide the user with the capability to easily locate the
11868 declaration and references to an entity. These tools are quite similar,
11869 the difference being that @code{gnatfind} is intended for locating
11870 definitions and/or references to a specified entity or entities, whereas
11871 @code{gnatxref} is oriented to generating a full report of all
11874 To use these tools, you must not compile your application using the
11875 @option{-gnatx} switch on the @command{gnatmake} command line
11876 (@pxref{The GNAT Make Program gnatmake}). Otherwise, cross-referencing
11877 information will not be generated.
11879 Note: to invoke @code{gnatxref} or @code{gnatfind} with a project file,
11880 use the @code{gnat} driver (see @ref{The GNAT Driver and Project Files}).
11883 * Switches for gnatxref::
11884 * Switches for gnatfind::
11885 * Project Files for gnatxref and gnatfind::
11886 * Regular Expressions in gnatfind and gnatxref::
11887 * Examples of gnatxref Usage::
11888 * Examples of gnatfind Usage::
11891 @node Switches for gnatxref
11892 @section @code{gnatxref} Switches
11895 The command invocation for @code{gnatxref} is:
11897 @c $ gnatxref @ovar{switches} @var{sourcefile1} @r{[}@var{sourcefile2} @dots{}@r{]}
11898 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
11899 $ gnatxref @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{sourcefile1} @r{[}@var{sourcefile2} @dots{}@r{]}
11908 identifies the source files for which a report is to be generated. The
11909 ``with''ed units will be processed too. You must provide at least one file.
11911 These file names are considered to be regular expressions, so for instance
11912 specifying @file{source*.adb} is the same as giving every file in the current
11913 directory whose name starts with @file{source} and whose extension is
11916 You shouldn't specify any directory name, just base names. @command{gnatxref}
11917 and @command{gnatfind} will be able to locate these files by themselves using
11918 the source path. If you specify directories, no result is produced.
11923 The switches can be:
11927 @cindex @option{--version} @command{gnatxref}
11928 Display Copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.
11931 @cindex @option{--help} @command{gnatxref}
11932 If @option{--version} was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding
11935 @item ^-a^/ALL_FILES^
11936 @cindex @option{^-a^/ALL_FILES^} (@command{gnatxref})
11937 If this switch is present, @code{gnatfind} and @code{gnatxref} will parse
11938 the read-only files found in the library search path. Otherwise, these files
11939 will be ignored. This option can be used to protect Gnat sources or your own
11940 libraries from being parsed, thus making @code{gnatfind} and @code{gnatxref}
11941 much faster, and their output much smaller. Read-only here refers to access
11942 or permissions status in the file system for the current user.
11945 @cindex @option{-aIDIR} (@command{gnatxref})
11946 When looking for source files also look in directory DIR. The order in which
11947 source file search is undertaken is the same as for @command{gnatmake}.
11950 @cindex @option{-aODIR} (@command{gnatxref})
11951 When searching for library and object files, look in directory
11952 DIR. The order in which library files are searched is the same as for
11953 @command{gnatmake}.
11956 @cindex @option{-nostdinc} (@command{gnatxref})
11957 Do not look for sources in the system default directory.
11960 @cindex @option{-nostdlib} (@command{gnatxref})
11961 Do not look for library files in the system default directory.
11963 @item --ext=@var{extension}
11964 @cindex @option{--ext} (@command{gnatxref})
11965 Specify an alternate ali file extension. The default is @code{ali} and other
11966 extensions (e.g. @code{sli} for SPARK library files) may be specified via this
11967 switch. Note that if this switch overrides the default, which means that only
11968 the new extension will be considered.
11970 @item --RTS=@var{rts-path}
11971 @cindex @option{--RTS} (@command{gnatxref})
11972 Specifies the default location of the runtime library. Same meaning as the
11973 equivalent @command{gnatmake} flag (@pxref{Switches for gnatmake}).
11975 @item ^-d^/DERIVED_TYPES^
11976 @cindex @option{^-d^/DERIVED_TYPES^} (@command{gnatxref})
11977 If this switch is set @code{gnatxref} will output the parent type
11978 reference for each matching derived types.
11980 @item ^-f^/FULL_PATHNAME^
11981 @cindex @option{^-f^/FULL_PATHNAME^} (@command{gnatxref})
11982 If this switch is set, the output file names will be preceded by their
11983 directory (if the file was found in the search path). If this switch is
11984 not set, the directory will not be printed.
11986 @item ^-g^/IGNORE_LOCALS^
11987 @cindex @option{^-g^/IGNORE_LOCALS^} (@command{gnatxref})
11988 If this switch is set, information is output only for library-level
11989 entities, ignoring local entities. The use of this switch may accelerate
11990 @code{gnatfind} and @code{gnatxref}.
11993 @cindex @option{-IDIR} (@command{gnatxref})
11994 Equivalent to @samp{-aODIR -aIDIR}.
11997 @cindex @option{-pFILE} (@command{gnatxref})
11998 Specify a project file to use @xref{GNAT Project Manager}.
11999 If you need to use the @file{.gpr}
12000 project files, you should use gnatxref through the GNAT driver
12001 (@command{gnat xref -Pproject}).
12003 By default, @code{gnatxref} and @code{gnatfind} will try to locate a
12004 project file in the current directory.
12006 If a project file is either specified or found by the tools, then the content
12007 of the source directory and object directory lines are added as if they
12008 had been specified respectively by @samp{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH^}
12009 and @samp{^-aO^OBJECT_SEARCH^}.
12011 Output only unused symbols. This may be really useful if you give your
12012 main compilation unit on the command line, as @code{gnatxref} will then
12013 display every unused entity and 'with'ed package.
12017 Instead of producing the default output, @code{gnatxref} will generate a
12018 @file{tags} file that can be used by vi. For examples how to use this
12019 feature, see @ref{Examples of gnatxref Usage}. The tags file is output
12020 to the standard output, thus you will have to redirect it to a file.
12026 All these switches may be in any order on the command line, and may even
12027 appear after the file names. They need not be separated by spaces, thus
12028 you can say @samp{gnatxref ^-ag^/ALL_FILES/IGNORE_LOCALS^} instead of
12029 @samp{gnatxref ^-a -g^/ALL_FILES /IGNORE_LOCALS^}.
12031 @node Switches for gnatfind
12032 @section @code{gnatfind} Switches
12035 The command line for @code{gnatfind} is:
12038 @c $ gnatfind @ovar{switches} @var{pattern}@r{[}:@var{sourcefile}@r{[}:@var{line}@r{[}:@var{column}@r{]]]}
12039 @c @r{[}@var{file1} @var{file2} @dots{}]
12040 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
12041 $ gnatfind @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{pattern}@r{[}:@var{sourcefile}@r{[}:@var{line}@r{[}:@var{column}@r{]]]}
12042 @r{[}@var{file1} @var{file2} @dots{}@r{]}
12050 An entity will be output only if it matches the regular expression found
12051 in @var{pattern}, see @ref{Regular Expressions in gnatfind and gnatxref}.
12053 Omitting the pattern is equivalent to specifying @samp{*}, which
12054 will match any entity. Note that if you do not provide a pattern, you
12055 have to provide both a sourcefile and a line.
12057 Entity names are given in Latin-1, with uppercase/lowercase equivalence
12058 for matching purposes. At the current time there is no support for
12059 8-bit codes other than Latin-1, or for wide characters in identifiers.
12062 @code{gnatfind} will look for references, bodies or declarations
12063 of symbols referenced in @file{@var{sourcefile}}, at line @var{line}
12064 and column @var{column}. See @ref{Examples of gnatfind Usage}
12065 for syntax examples.
12068 is a decimal integer identifying the line number containing
12069 the reference to the entity (or entities) to be located.
12072 is a decimal integer identifying the exact location on the
12073 line of the first character of the identifier for the
12074 entity reference. Columns are numbered from 1.
12076 @item file1 file2 @dots{}
12077 The search will be restricted to these source files. If none are given, then
12078 the search will be done for every library file in the search path.
12079 These file must appear only after the pattern or sourcefile.
12081 These file names are considered to be regular expressions, so for instance
12082 specifying @file{source*.adb} is the same as giving every file in the current
12083 directory whose name starts with @file{source} and whose extension is
12086 The location of the spec of the entity will always be displayed, even if it
12087 isn't in one of @file{@var{file1}}, @file{@var{file2}},@enddots{} The
12088 occurrences of the entity in the separate units of the ones given on the
12089 command line will also be displayed.
12091 Note that if you specify at least one file in this part, @code{gnatfind} may
12092 sometimes not be able to find the body of the subprograms.
12097 At least one of 'sourcefile' or 'pattern' has to be present on
12100 The following switches are available:
12104 @cindex @option{--version} @command{gnatfind}
12105 Display Copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.
12108 @cindex @option{--help} @command{gnatfind}
12109 If @option{--version} was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding
12112 @item ^-a^/ALL_FILES^
12113 @cindex @option{^-a^/ALL_FILES^} (@command{gnatfind})
12114 If this switch is present, @code{gnatfind} and @code{gnatxref} will parse
12115 the read-only files found in the library search path. Otherwise, these files
12116 will be ignored. This option can be used to protect Gnat sources or your own
12117 libraries from being parsed, thus making @code{gnatfind} and @code{gnatxref}
12118 much faster, and their output much smaller. Read-only here refers to access
12119 or permission status in the file system for the current user.
12122 @cindex @option{-aIDIR} (@command{gnatfind})
12123 When looking for source files also look in directory DIR. The order in which
12124 source file search is undertaken is the same as for @command{gnatmake}.
12127 @cindex @option{-aODIR} (@command{gnatfind})
12128 When searching for library and object files, look in directory
12129 DIR. The order in which library files are searched is the same as for
12130 @command{gnatmake}.
12133 @cindex @option{-nostdinc} (@command{gnatfind})
12134 Do not look for sources in the system default directory.
12137 @cindex @option{-nostdlib} (@command{gnatfind})
12138 Do not look for library files in the system default directory.
12140 @item --ext=@var{extension}
12141 @cindex @option{--ext} (@command{gnatfind})
12142 Specify an alternate ali file extension. The default is @code{ali} and other
12143 extensions (e.g. @code{sli} for SPARK library files) may be specified via this
12144 switch. Note that if this switch overrides the default, which means that only
12145 the new extension will be considered.
12147 @item --RTS=@var{rts-path}
12148 @cindex @option{--RTS} (@command{gnatfind})
12149 Specifies the default location of the runtime library. Same meaning as the
12150 equivalent @command{gnatmake} flag (@pxref{Switches for gnatmake}).
12152 @item ^-d^/DERIVED_TYPE_INFORMATION^
12153 @cindex @option{^-d^/DERIVED_TYPE_INFORMATION^} (@code{gnatfind})
12154 If this switch is set, then @code{gnatfind} will output the parent type
12155 reference for each matching derived types.
12157 @item ^-e^/EXPRESSIONS^
12158 @cindex @option{^-e^/EXPRESSIONS^} (@command{gnatfind})
12159 By default, @code{gnatfind} accept the simple regular expression set for
12160 @samp{pattern}. If this switch is set, then the pattern will be
12161 considered as full Unix-style regular expression.
12163 @item ^-f^/FULL_PATHNAME^
12164 @cindex @option{^-f^/FULL_PATHNAME^} (@command{gnatfind})
12165 If this switch is set, the output file names will be preceded by their
12166 directory (if the file was found in the search path). If this switch is
12167 not set, the directory will not be printed.
12169 @item ^-g^/IGNORE_LOCALS^
12170 @cindex @option{^-g^/IGNORE_LOCALS^} (@command{gnatfind})
12171 If this switch is set, information is output only for library-level
12172 entities, ignoring local entities. The use of this switch may accelerate
12173 @code{gnatfind} and @code{gnatxref}.
12176 @cindex @option{-IDIR} (@command{gnatfind})
12177 Equivalent to @samp{-aODIR -aIDIR}.
12180 @cindex @option{-pFILE} (@command{gnatfind})
12181 Specify a project file (@pxref{GNAT Project Manager}) to use.
12182 By default, @code{gnatxref} and @code{gnatfind} will try to locate a
12183 project file in the current directory.
12185 If a project file is either specified or found by the tools, then the content
12186 of the source directory and object directory lines are added as if they
12187 had been specified respectively by @samp{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH^} and
12188 @samp{^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH^}.
12190 @item ^-r^/REFERENCES^
12191 @cindex @option{^-r^/REFERENCES^} (@command{gnatfind})
12192 By default, @code{gnatfind} will output only the information about the
12193 declaration, body or type completion of the entities. If this switch is
12194 set, the @code{gnatfind} will locate every reference to the entities in
12195 the files specified on the command line (or in every file in the search
12196 path if no file is given on the command line).
12198 @item ^-s^/PRINT_LINES^
12199 @cindex @option{^-s^/PRINT_LINES^} (@command{gnatfind})
12200 If this switch is set, then @code{gnatfind} will output the content
12201 of the Ada source file lines were the entity was found.
12203 @item ^-t^/TYPE_HIERARCHY^
12204 @cindex @option{^-t^/TYPE_HIERARCHY^} (@command{gnatfind})
12205 If this switch is set, then @code{gnatfind} will output the type hierarchy for
12206 the specified type. It act like -d option but recursively from parent
12207 type to parent type. When this switch is set it is not possible to
12208 specify more than one file.
12213 All these switches may be in any order on the command line, and may even
12214 appear after the file names. They need not be separated by spaces, thus
12215 you can say @samp{gnatxref ^-ag^/ALL_FILES/IGNORE_LOCALS^} instead of
12216 @samp{gnatxref ^-a -g^/ALL_FILES /IGNORE_LOCALS^}.
12218 As stated previously, gnatfind will search in every directory in the
12219 search path. You can force it to look only in the current directory if
12220 you specify @code{*} at the end of the command line.
12222 @node Project Files for gnatxref and gnatfind
12223 @section Project Files for @command{gnatxref} and @command{gnatfind}
12226 Project files allow a programmer to specify how to compile its
12227 application, where to find sources, etc. These files are used
12229 primarily by GPS, but they can also be used
12232 @code{gnatxref} and @code{gnatfind}.
12234 A project file name must end with @file{.gpr}. If a single one is
12235 present in the current directory, then @code{gnatxref} and @code{gnatfind} will
12236 extract the information from it. If multiple project files are found, none of
12237 them is read, and you have to use the @samp{-p} switch to specify the one
12240 The following lines can be included, even though most of them have default
12241 values which can be used in most cases.
12242 The lines can be entered in any order in the file.
12243 Except for @file{src_dir} and @file{obj_dir}, you can only have one instance of
12244 each line. If you have multiple instances, only the last one is taken into
12249 [default: @code{"^./^[]^"}]
12250 specifies a directory where to look for source files. Multiple @code{src_dir}
12251 lines can be specified and they will be searched in the order they
12255 [default: @code{"^./^[]^"}]
12256 specifies a directory where to look for object and library files. Multiple
12257 @code{obj_dir} lines can be specified, and they will be searched in the order
12260 @item comp_opt=SWITCHES
12261 [default: @code{""}]
12262 creates a variable which can be referred to subsequently by using
12263 the @code{$@{comp_opt@}} notation. This is intended to store the default
12264 switches given to @command{gnatmake} and @command{gcc}.
12266 @item bind_opt=SWITCHES
12267 [default: @code{""}]
12268 creates a variable which can be referred to subsequently by using
12269 the @samp{$@{bind_opt@}} notation. This is intended to store the default
12270 switches given to @command{gnatbind}.
12272 @item link_opt=SWITCHES
12273 [default: @code{""}]
12274 creates a variable which can be referred to subsequently by using
12275 the @samp{$@{link_opt@}} notation. This is intended to store the default
12276 switches given to @command{gnatlink}.
12278 @item main=EXECUTABLE
12279 [default: @code{""}]
12280 specifies the name of the executable for the application. This variable can
12281 be referred to in the following lines by using the @samp{$@{main@}} notation.
12284 @item comp_cmd=COMMAND
12285 [default: @code{"GNAT COMPILE /SEARCH=$@{src_dir@} /DEBUG /TRY_SEMANTICS"}]
12288 @item comp_cmd=COMMAND
12289 [default: @code{"gcc -c -I$@{src_dir@} -g -gnatq"}]
12291 specifies the command used to compile a single file in the application.
12294 @item make_cmd=COMMAND
12295 [default: @code{"GNAT MAKE $@{main@}
12296 /SOURCE_SEARCH=$@{src_dir@} /OBJECT_SEARCH=$@{obj_dir@}
12297 /DEBUG /TRY_SEMANTICS /COMPILER_QUALIFIERS $@{comp_opt@}
12298 /BINDER_QUALIFIERS $@{bind_opt@} /LINKER_QUALIFIERS $@{link_opt@}"}]
12301 @item make_cmd=COMMAND
12302 [default: @code{"gnatmake $@{main@} -aI$@{src_dir@}
12303 -aO$@{obj_dir@} -g -gnatq -cargs $@{comp_opt@}
12304 -bargs $@{bind_opt@} -largs $@{link_opt@}"}]
12306 specifies the command used to recompile the whole application.
12308 @item run_cmd=COMMAND
12309 [default: @code{"$@{main@}"}]
12310 specifies the command used to run the application.
12312 @item debug_cmd=COMMAND
12313 [default: @code{"gdb $@{main@}"}]
12314 specifies the command used to debug the application
12319 @command{gnatxref} and @command{gnatfind} only take into account the
12320 @code{src_dir} and @code{obj_dir} lines, and ignore the others.
12322 @node Regular Expressions in gnatfind and gnatxref
12323 @section Regular Expressions in @code{gnatfind} and @code{gnatxref}
12326 As specified in the section about @command{gnatfind}, the pattern can be a
12327 regular expression. Actually, there are to set of regular expressions
12328 which are recognized by the program:
12331 @item globbing patterns
12332 These are the most usual regular expression. They are the same that you
12333 generally used in a Unix shell command line, or in a DOS session.
12335 Here is a more formal grammar:
12342 term ::= elmt -- matches elmt
12343 term ::= elmt elmt -- concatenation (elmt then elmt)
12344 term ::= * -- any string of 0 or more characters
12345 term ::= ? -- matches any character
12346 term ::= [char @{char@}] -- matches any character listed
12347 term ::= [char - char] -- matches any character in range
12351 @item full regular expression
12352 The second set of regular expressions is much more powerful. This is the
12353 type of regular expressions recognized by utilities such a @file{grep}.
12355 The following is the form of a regular expression, expressed in Ada
12356 reference manual style BNF is as follows
12363 regexp ::= term @{| term@} -- alternation (term or term @dots{})
12365 term ::= item @{item@} -- concatenation (item then item)
12367 item ::= elmt -- match elmt
12368 item ::= elmt * -- zero or more elmt's
12369 item ::= elmt + -- one or more elmt's
12370 item ::= elmt ? -- matches elmt or nothing
12373 elmt ::= nschar -- matches given character
12374 elmt ::= [nschar @{nschar@}] -- matches any character listed
12375 elmt ::= [^^^ nschar @{nschar@}] -- matches any character not listed
12376 elmt ::= [char - char] -- matches chars in given range
12377 elmt ::= \ char -- matches given character
12378 elmt ::= . -- matches any single character
12379 elmt ::= ( regexp ) -- parens used for grouping
12381 char ::= any character, including special characters
12382 nschar ::= any character except ()[].*+?^^^
12386 Following are a few examples:
12390 will match any of the two strings @samp{abcde} and @samp{fghi},
12393 will match any string like @samp{abd}, @samp{abcd}, @samp{abccd},
12394 @samp{abcccd}, and so on,
12397 will match any string which has only lowercase characters in it (and at
12398 least one character.
12403 @node Examples of gnatxref Usage
12404 @section Examples of @code{gnatxref} Usage
12406 @subsection General Usage
12409 For the following examples, we will consider the following units:
12411 @smallexample @c ada
12417 3: procedure Foo (B : in Integer);
12424 1: package body Main is
12425 2: procedure Foo (B : in Integer) is
12436 2: procedure Print (B : Integer);
12445 The first thing to do is to recompile your application (for instance, in
12446 that case just by doing a @samp{gnatmake main}, so that GNAT generates
12447 the cross-referencing information.
12448 You can then issue any of the following commands:
12450 @item gnatxref main.adb
12451 @code{gnatxref} generates cross-reference information for main.adb
12452 and every unit 'with'ed by main.adb.
12454 The output would be:
12462 Decl: main.ads 3:20
12463 Body: main.adb 2:20
12464 Ref: main.adb 4:13 5:13 6:19
12467 Ref: main.adb 6:8 7:8
12477 Decl: main.ads 3:15
12478 Body: main.adb 2:15
12481 Body: main.adb 1:14
12484 Ref: main.adb 6:12 7:12
12488 that is the entity @code{Main} is declared in main.ads, line 2, column 9,
12489 its body is in main.adb, line 1, column 14 and is not referenced any where.
12491 The entity @code{Print} is declared in bar.ads, line 2, column 15 and it
12492 it referenced in main.adb, line 6 column 12 and line 7 column 12.
12494 @item gnatxref package1.adb package2.ads
12495 @code{gnatxref} will generates cross-reference information for
12496 package1.adb, package2.ads and any other package 'with'ed by any
12502 @subsection Using gnatxref with vi
12504 @code{gnatxref} can generate a tags file output, which can be used
12505 directly from @command{vi}. Note that the standard version of @command{vi}
12506 will not work properly with overloaded symbols. Consider using another
12507 free implementation of @command{vi}, such as @command{vim}.
12510 $ gnatxref -v gnatfind.adb > tags
12514 will generate the tags file for @code{gnatfind} itself (if the sources
12515 are in the search path!).
12517 From @command{vi}, you can then use the command @samp{:tag @var{entity}}
12518 (replacing @var{entity} by whatever you are looking for), and vi will
12519 display a new file with the corresponding declaration of entity.
12522 @node Examples of gnatfind Usage
12523 @section Examples of @code{gnatfind} Usage
12527 @item gnatfind ^-f^/FULL_PATHNAME^ xyz:main.adb
12528 Find declarations for all entities xyz referenced at least once in
12529 main.adb. The references are search in every library file in the search
12532 The directories will be printed as well (as the @samp{^-f^/FULL_PATHNAME^}
12535 The output will look like:
12537 ^directory/^[directory]^main.ads:106:14: xyz <= declaration
12538 ^directory/^[directory]^main.adb:24:10: xyz <= body
12539 ^directory/^[directory]^foo.ads:45:23: xyz <= declaration
12543 that is to say, one of the entities xyz found in main.adb is declared at
12544 line 12 of main.ads (and its body is in main.adb), and another one is
12545 declared at line 45 of foo.ads
12547 @item gnatfind ^-fs^/FULL_PATHNAME/SOURCE_LINE^ xyz:main.adb
12548 This is the same command as the previous one, instead @code{gnatfind} will
12549 display the content of the Ada source file lines.
12551 The output will look like:
12554 ^directory/^[directory]^main.ads:106:14: xyz <= declaration
12556 ^directory/^[directory]^main.adb:24:10: xyz <= body
12558 ^directory/^[directory]^foo.ads:45:23: xyz <= declaration
12563 This can make it easier to find exactly the location your are looking
12566 @item gnatfind ^-r^/REFERENCES^ "*x*":main.ads:123 foo.adb
12567 Find references to all entities containing an x that are
12568 referenced on line 123 of main.ads.
12569 The references will be searched only in main.ads and foo.adb.
12571 @item gnatfind main.ads:123
12572 Find declarations and bodies for all entities that are referenced on
12573 line 123 of main.ads.
12575 This is the same as @code{gnatfind "*":main.adb:123}.
12577 @item gnatfind ^mydir/^[mydir]^main.adb:123:45
12578 Find the declaration for the entity referenced at column 45 in
12579 line 123 of file main.adb in directory mydir. Note that it
12580 is usual to omit the identifier name when the column is given,
12581 since the column position identifies a unique reference.
12583 The column has to be the beginning of the identifier, and should not
12584 point to any character in the middle of the identifier.
12588 @c *********************************
12589 @node The GNAT Pretty-Printer gnatpp
12590 @chapter The GNAT Pretty-Printer @command{gnatpp}
12592 @cindex Pretty-Printer
12595 ^The @command{gnatpp} tool^GNAT PRETTY^ is an ASIS-based utility
12596 for source reformatting / pretty-printing.
12597 It takes an Ada source file as input and generates a reformatted
12599 You can specify various style directives via switches; e.g.,
12600 identifier case conventions, rules of indentation, and comment layout.
12602 To produce a reformatted file, @command{gnatpp} generates and uses the ASIS
12603 tree for the input source and thus requires the input to be syntactically and
12604 semantically legal.
12605 If this condition is not met, @command{gnatpp} will terminate with an
12606 error message; no output file will be generated.
12608 If the source files presented to @command{gnatpp} contain
12609 preprocessing directives, then the output file will
12610 correspond to the generated source after all
12611 preprocessing is carried out. There is no way
12612 using @command{gnatpp} to obtain pretty printed files that
12613 include the preprocessing directives.
12615 If the compilation unit
12616 contained in the input source depends semantically upon units located
12617 outside the current directory, you have to provide the source search path
12618 when invoking @command{gnatpp}, if these units are contained in files with
12619 names that do not follow the GNAT file naming rules, you have to provide
12620 the configuration file describing the corresponding naming scheme;
12621 see the description of the @command{gnatpp}
12622 switches below. Another possibility is to use a project file and to
12623 call @command{gnatpp} through the @command{gnat} driver
12625 The @command{gnatpp} command has the form
12628 @c $ gnatpp @ovar{switches} @var{filename}
12629 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
12630 $ gnatpp @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{filename} @r{[}-cargs @var{gcc_switches}@r{]}
12637 @var{switches} is an optional sequence of switches defining such properties as
12638 the formatting rules, the source search path, and the destination for the
12642 @var{filename} is the name (including the extension) of the source file to
12643 reformat; ``wildcards'' or several file names on the same gnatpp command are
12644 allowed. The file name may contain path information; it does not have to
12645 follow the GNAT file naming rules
12648 @samp{@var{gcc_switches}} is a list of switches for
12649 @command{gcc}. They will be passed on to all compiler invocations made by
12650 @command{gnatelim} to generate the ASIS trees. Here you can provide
12651 @option{^-I^/INCLUDE_DIRS=^} switches to form the source search path,
12652 use the @option{-gnatec} switch to set the configuration file etc.
12656 * Switches for gnatpp::
12657 * Formatting Rules::
12660 @node Switches for gnatpp
12661 @section Switches for @command{gnatpp}
12664 The following subsections describe the various switches accepted by
12665 @command{gnatpp}, organized by category.
12668 You specify a switch by supplying a name and generally also a value.
12669 In many cases the values for a switch with a given name are incompatible with
12671 (for example the switch that controls the casing of a reserved word may have
12672 exactly one value: upper case, lower case, or
12673 mixed case) and thus exactly one such switch can be in effect for an
12674 invocation of @command{gnatpp}.
12675 If more than one is supplied, the last one is used.
12676 However, some values for the same switch are mutually compatible.
12677 You may supply several such switches to @command{gnatpp}, but then
12678 each must be specified in full, with both the name and the value.
12679 Abbreviated forms (the name appearing once, followed by each value) are
12681 For example, to set
12682 the alignment of the assignment delimiter both in declarations and in
12683 assignment statements, you must write @option{-A2A3}
12684 (or @option{-A2 -A3}), but not @option{-A23}.
12688 In many cases the set of options for a given qualifier are incompatible with
12689 each other (for example the qualifier that controls the casing of a reserved
12690 word may have exactly one option, which specifies either upper case, lower
12691 case, or mixed case), and thus exactly one such option can be in effect for
12692 an invocation of @command{gnatpp}.
12693 If more than one is supplied, the last one is used.
12694 However, some qualifiers have options that are mutually compatible,
12695 and then you may then supply several such options when invoking
12699 In most cases, it is obvious whether or not the
12700 ^values for a switch with a given name^options for a given qualifier^
12701 are compatible with each other.
12702 When the semantics might not be evident, the summaries below explicitly
12703 indicate the effect.
12706 * Alignment Control::
12708 * Construct Layout Control::
12709 * General Text Layout Control::
12710 * Other Formatting Options::
12711 * Setting the Source Search Path::
12712 * Output File Control::
12713 * Other gnatpp Switches::
12716 @node Alignment Control
12717 @subsection Alignment Control
12718 @cindex Alignment control in @command{gnatpp}
12721 Programs can be easier to read if certain constructs are vertically aligned.
12722 By default all alignments are set ON.
12723 Through the @option{^-A0^/ALIGN=OFF^} switch you may reset the default to
12724 OFF, and then use one or more of the other
12725 ^@option{-A@var{n}} switches^@option{/ALIGN} options^
12726 to activate alignment for specific constructs.
12729 @cindex @option{^-A@var{n}^/ALIGN^} (@command{gnatpp})
12733 Set all alignments to ON
12736 @item ^-A0^/ALIGN=OFF^
12737 Set all alignments to OFF
12739 @item ^-A1^/ALIGN=COLONS^
12740 Align @code{:} in declarations
12742 @item ^-A2^/ALIGN=DECLARATIONS^
12743 Align @code{:=} in initializations in declarations
12745 @item ^-A3^/ALIGN=STATEMENTS^
12746 Align @code{:=} in assignment statements
12748 @item ^-A4^/ALIGN=ARROWS^
12749 Align @code{=>} in associations
12751 @item ^-A5^/ALIGN=COMPONENT_CLAUSES^
12752 Align @code{at} keywords in the component clauses in record
12753 representation clauses
12757 The @option{^-A^/ALIGN^} switches are mutually compatible; any combination
12760 @node Casing Control
12761 @subsection Casing Control
12762 @cindex Casing control in @command{gnatpp}
12765 @command{gnatpp} allows you to specify the casing for reserved words,
12766 pragma names, attribute designators and identifiers.
12767 For identifiers you may define a
12768 general rule for name casing but also override this rule
12769 via a set of dictionary files.
12771 Three types of casing are supported: lower case, upper case, and mixed case.
12772 Lower and upper case are self-explanatory (but since some letters in
12773 Latin1 and other GNAT-supported character sets
12774 exist only in lower-case form, an upper case conversion will have no
12776 ``Mixed case'' means that the first letter, and also each letter immediately
12777 following an underscore, are converted to their uppercase forms;
12778 all the other letters are converted to their lowercase forms.
12781 @cindex @option{^-a@var{x}^/ATTRIBUTE^} (@command{gnatpp})
12782 @item ^-aL^/ATTRIBUTE_CASING=LOWER_CASE^
12783 Attribute designators are lower case
12785 @item ^-aU^/ATTRIBUTE_CASING=UPPER_CASE^
12786 Attribute designators are upper case
12788 @item ^-aM^/ATTRIBUTE_CASING=MIXED_CASE^
12789 Attribute designators are mixed case (this is the default)
12791 @cindex @option{^-k@var{x}^/KEYWORD_CASING^} (@command{gnatpp})
12792 @item ^-kL^/KEYWORD_CASING=LOWER_CASE^
12793 Keywords (technically, these are known in Ada as @emph{reserved words}) are
12794 lower case (this is the default)
12796 @item ^-kU^/KEYWORD_CASING=UPPER_CASE^
12797 Keywords are upper case
12799 @cindex @option{^-n@var{x}^/NAME_CASING^} (@command{gnatpp})
12800 @item ^-nD^/NAME_CASING=AS_DECLARED^
12801 Name casing for defining occurrences are as they appear in the source file
12802 (this is the default)
12804 @item ^-nU^/NAME_CASING=UPPER_CASE^
12805 Names are in upper case
12807 @item ^-nL^/NAME_CASING=LOWER_CASE^
12808 Names are in lower case
12810 @item ^-nM^/NAME_CASING=MIXED_CASE^
12811 Names are in mixed case
12813 @cindex @option{^-p@var{x}^/PRAGMA_CASING^} (@command{gnatpp})
12814 @item ^-pL^/PRAGMA_CASING=LOWER_CASE^
12815 Pragma names are lower case
12817 @item ^-pU^/PRAGMA_CASING=UPPER_CASE^
12818 Pragma names are upper case
12820 @item ^-pM^/PRAGMA_CASING=MIXED_CASE^
12821 Pragma names are mixed case (this is the default)
12823 @item ^-D@var{file}^/DICTIONARY=@var{file}^
12824 @cindex @option{^-D^/DICTIONARY^} (@command{gnatpp})
12825 Use @var{file} as a @emph{dictionary file} that defines
12826 the casing for a set of specified names,
12827 thereby overriding the effect on these names by
12828 any explicit or implicit
12829 ^-n^/NAME_CASING^ switch.
12830 To supply more than one dictionary file,
12831 use ^several @option{-D} switches^a list of files as options^.
12834 @option{gnatpp} implicitly uses a @emph{default dictionary file}
12835 to define the casing for the Ada predefined names and
12836 the names declared in the GNAT libraries.
12838 @item ^-D-^/SPECIFIC_CASING^
12839 @cindex @option{^-D-^/SPECIFIC_CASING^} (@command{gnatpp})
12840 Do not use the default dictionary file;
12841 instead, use the casing
12842 defined by a @option{^-n^/NAME_CASING^} switch and any explicit
12847 The structure of a dictionary file, and details on the conventions
12848 used in the default dictionary file, are defined in @ref{Name Casing}.
12850 The @option{^-D-^/SPECIFIC_CASING^} and
12851 @option{^-D@var{file}^/DICTIONARY=@var{file}^} switches are mutually
12854 @node Construct Layout Control
12855 @subsection Construct Layout Control
12856 @cindex Layout control in @command{gnatpp}
12859 This group of @command{gnatpp} switches controls the layout of comments and
12860 complex syntactic constructs. See @ref{Formatting Comments} for details
12864 @cindex @option{^-c@var{n}^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT^} (@command{gnatpp})
12865 @item ^-c0^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=UNTOUCHED^
12866 All the comments remain unchanged
12868 @item ^-c1^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=DEFAULT^
12869 GNAT-style comment line indentation (this is the default).
12871 @item ^-c2^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=STANDARD_INDENT^
12872 Reference-manual comment line indentation.
12874 @item ^-c3^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=GNAT_BEGINNING^
12875 GNAT-style comment beginning
12877 @item ^-c4^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=REFORMAT^
12878 Reformat comment blocks
12880 @item ^-c5^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=KEEP_SPECIAL^
12881 Keep unchanged special form comments
12883 Reformat comment blocks
12885 @cindex @option{^-l@var{n}^/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT^} (@command{gnatpp})
12886 @item ^-l1^/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT=GNAT^
12887 GNAT-style layout (this is the default)
12889 @item ^-l2^/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT=COMPACT^
12892 @item ^-l3^/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT=UNCOMPACT^
12895 @cindex @option{^-N^/NOTABS^} (@command{gnatpp})
12897 All the VT characters are removed from the comment text. All the HT characters
12898 are expanded with the sequences of space characters to get to the next tab
12901 @cindex @option{^--no-separate-is^/NO_SEPARATE_IS^} (@command{gnatpp})
12902 @item ^--no-separate-is^/NO_SEPARATE_IS^
12903 Do not place the keyword @code{is} on a separate line in a subprogram body in
12904 case if the spec occupies more then one line.
12906 @cindex @option{^--separate-label^/SEPARATE_LABEL^} (@command{gnatpp})
12907 @item ^--separate-label^/SEPARATE_LABEL^
12908 Place statement label(s) on a separate line, with the following statement
12911 @cindex @option{^--separate-loop-then^/SEPARATE_LOOP_THEN^} (@command{gnatpp})
12912 @item ^--separate-loop-then^/SEPARATE_LOOP_THEN^
12913 Place the keyword @code{loop} in FOR and WHILE loop statements and the
12914 keyword @code{then} in IF statements on a separate line.
12916 @cindex @option{^--no-separate-loop-then^/NO_SEPARATE_LOOP_THEN^} (@command{gnatpp})
12917 @item ^--no-separate-loop-then^/NO_SEPARATE_LOOP_THEN^
12918 Do not place the keyword @code{loop} in FOR and WHILE loop statements and the
12919 keyword @code{then} in IF statements on a separate line. This option is
12920 incompatible with @option{^--separate-loop-then^/SEPARATE_LOOP_THEN^} option.
12922 @cindex @option{^--use-on-new-line^/USE_ON_NEW_LINE^} (@command{gnatpp})
12923 @item ^--use-on-new-line^/USE_ON_NEW_LINE^
12924 Start each USE clause in a context clause from a separate line.
12926 @cindex @option{^--separate-stmt-name^/STMT_NAME_ON_NEW_LINE^} (@command{gnatpp})
12927 @item ^--separate-stmt-name^/STMT_NAME_ON_NEW_LINE^
12928 Use a separate line for a loop or block statement name, but do not use an extra
12929 indentation level for the statement itself.
12935 The @option{-c1} and @option{-c2} switches are incompatible.
12936 The @option{-c3} and @option{-c4} switches are compatible with each other and
12937 also with @option{-c1} and @option{-c2}. The @option{-c0} switch disables all
12938 the other comment formatting switches.
12940 The @option{-l1}, @option{-l2}, and @option{-l3} switches are incompatible.
12945 For the @option{/COMMENTS_LAYOUT} qualifier:
12948 The @option{DEFAULT} and @option{STANDARD_INDENT} options are incompatible.
12950 The @option{GNAT_BEGINNING} and @option{REFORMAT} options are compatible with
12951 each other and also with @option{DEFAULT} and @option{STANDARD_INDENT}.
12955 The @option{GNAT}, @option{COMPACT}, and @option{UNCOMPACT} options for the
12956 @option{/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT} qualifier are incompatible.
12959 @node General Text Layout Control
12960 @subsection General Text Layout Control
12963 These switches allow control over line length and indentation.
12966 @item ^-M@var{nnn}^/LINE_LENGTH_MAX=@var{nnn}^
12967 @cindex @option{^-M^/LINE_LENGTH^} (@command{gnatpp})
12968 Maximum line length, @var{nnn} from 32@dots{}256, the default value is 79
12970 @item ^-i@var{nnn}^/INDENTATION_LEVEL=@var{nnn}^
12971 @cindex @option{^-i^/INDENTATION_LEVEL^} (@command{gnatpp})
12972 Indentation level, @var{nnn} from 1@dots{}9, the default value is 3
12974 @item ^-cl@var{nnn}^/CONTINUATION_INDENT=@var{nnn}^
12975 @cindex @option{^-cl^/CONTINUATION_INDENT^} (@command{gnatpp})
12976 Indentation level for continuation lines (relative to the line being
12977 continued), @var{nnn} from 1@dots{}9.
12979 value is one less then the (normal) indentation level, unless the
12980 indentation is set to 1 (in which case the default value for continuation
12981 line indentation is also 1)
12984 @node Other Formatting Options
12985 @subsection Other Formatting Options
12988 These switches control the inclusion of missing end/exit labels, and
12989 the indentation level in @b{case} statements.
12992 @item ^-e^/NO_MISSED_LABELS^
12993 @cindex @option{^-e^/NO_MISSED_LABELS^} (@command{gnatpp})
12994 Do not insert missing end/exit labels. An end label is the name of
12995 a construct that may optionally be repeated at the end of the
12996 construct's declaration;
12997 e.g., the names of packages, subprograms, and tasks.
12998 An exit label is the name of a loop that may appear as target
12999 of an exit statement within the loop.
13000 By default, @command{gnatpp} inserts these end/exit labels when
13001 they are absent from the original source. This option suppresses such
13002 insertion, so that the formatted source reflects the original.
13004 @item ^-ff^/FORM_FEED_AFTER_PRAGMA_PAGE^
13005 @cindex @option{^-ff^/FORM_FEED_AFTER_PRAGMA_PAGE^} (@command{gnatpp})
13006 Insert a Form Feed character after a pragma Page.
13008 @item ^-T@var{nnn}^/MAX_INDENT=@var{nnn}^
13009 @cindex @option{^-T^/MAX_INDENT^} (@command{gnatpp})
13010 Do not use an additional indentation level for @b{case} alternatives
13011 and variants if there are @var{nnn} or more (the default
13013 If @var{nnn} is 0, an additional indentation level is
13014 used for @b{case} alternatives and variants regardless of their number.
13017 @node Setting the Source Search Path
13018 @subsection Setting the Source Search Path
13021 To define the search path for the input source file, @command{gnatpp}
13022 uses the same switches as the GNAT compiler, with the same effects.
13025 @item ^-I^/SEARCH=^@var{dir}
13026 @cindex @option{^-I^/SEARCH^} (@code{gnatpp})
13027 The same as the corresponding gcc switch
13029 @item ^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^
13030 @cindex @option{^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^} (@code{gnatpp})
13031 The same as the corresponding gcc switch
13033 @item ^-gnatec^/CONFIGURATION_PRAGMAS_FILE^=@var{path}
13034 @cindex @option{^-gnatec^/CONFIGURATION_PRAGMAS_FILE^} (@code{gnatpp})
13035 The same as the corresponding gcc switch
13037 @item ^--RTS^/RUNTIME_SYSTEM^=@var{path}
13038 @cindex @option{^--RTS^/RUNTIME_SYSTEM^} (@code{gnatpp})
13039 The same as the corresponding gcc switch
13043 @node Output File Control
13044 @subsection Output File Control
13047 By default the output is sent to the file whose name is obtained by appending
13048 the ^@file{.pp}^@file{$PP}^ suffix to the name of the input file
13049 (if the file with this name already exists, it is unconditionally overwritten).
13050 Thus if the input file is @file{^my_ada_proc.adb^MY_ADA_PROC.ADB^} then
13051 @command{gnatpp} will produce @file{^my_ada_proc.adb.pp^MY_ADA_PROC.ADB$PP^}
13053 The output may be redirected by the following switches:
13056 @item ^-pipe^/STANDARD_OUTPUT^
13057 @cindex @option{^-pipe^/STANDARD_OUTPUT^} (@code{gnatpp})
13058 Send the output to @code{Standard_Output}
13060 @item ^-o @var{output_file}^/OUTPUT=@var{output_file}^
13061 @cindex @option{^-o^/OUTPUT^} (@code{gnatpp})
13062 Write the output into @var{output_file}.
13063 If @var{output_file} already exists, @command{gnatpp} terminates without
13064 reading or processing the input file.
13066 @item ^-of ^/FORCED_OUTPUT=^@var{output_file}
13067 @cindex @option{^-of^/FORCED_OUTPUT^} (@code{gnatpp})
13068 Write the output into @var{output_file}, overwriting the existing file
13069 (if one is present).
13071 @item ^-r^/REPLACE^
13072 @cindex @option{^-r^/REPLACE^} (@code{gnatpp})
13073 Replace the input source file with the reformatted output, and copy the
13074 original input source into the file whose name is obtained by appending the
13075 ^@file{.npp}^@file{$NPP}^ suffix to the name of the input file.
13076 If a file with this name already exists, @command{gnatpp} terminates without
13077 reading or processing the input file.
13079 @item ^-rf^/OVERRIDING_REPLACE^
13080 @cindex @option{^-rf^/OVERRIDING_REPLACE^} (@code{gnatpp})
13081 Like @option{^-r^/REPLACE^} except that if the file with the specified name
13082 already exists, it is overwritten.
13084 @item ^-rnb^/REPLACE_NO_BACKUP^
13085 @cindex @option{^-rnb^/REPLACE_NO_BACKUP^} (@code{gnatpp})
13086 Replace the input source file with the reformatted output without
13087 creating any backup copy of the input source.
13089 @item ^--eol=@var{xxx}^/END_OF_LINE=@var{xxx}^
13090 @cindex @option{^--eol^/END_OF_LINE^} (@code{gnatpp})
13091 Specifies the format of the reformatted output file. The @var{xxx}
13092 ^string specified with the switch^option^ may be either
13094 @item ``@option{^dos^DOS^}'' MS DOS style, lines end with CR LF characters
13095 @item ``@option{^crlf^CRLF^}''
13096 the same as @option{^crlf^CRLF^}
13097 @item ``@option{^unix^UNIX^}'' UNIX style, lines end with LF character
13098 @item ``@option{^lf^LF^}''
13099 the same as @option{^unix^UNIX^}
13102 @item ^-W^/RESULT_ENCODING=^@var{e}
13103 @cindex @option{^-W^/RESULT_ENCODING=^} (@command{gnatpp})
13104 Specify the wide character encoding method used to write the code in the
13106 @var{e} is one of the following:
13114 Upper half encoding
13116 @item ^s^SHIFT_JIS^
13126 Brackets encoding (default value)
13132 Options @option{^-pipe^/STANDARD_OUTPUT^},
13133 @option{^-o^/OUTPUT^} and
13134 @option{^-of^/FORCED_OUTPUT^} are allowed only if the call to gnatpp
13135 contains only one file to reformat.
13137 @option{^--eol^/END_OF_LINE^}
13139 @option{^-W^/RESULT_ENCODING^}
13140 cannot be used together
13141 with @option{^-pipe^/STANDARD_OUTPUT^} option.
13143 @node Other gnatpp Switches
13144 @subsection Other @code{gnatpp} Switches
13147 The additional @command{gnatpp} switches are defined in this subsection.
13150 @item ^-files @var{filename}^/FILES=@var{filename}^
13151 @cindex @option{^-files^/FILES^} (@code{gnatpp})
13152 Take the argument source files from the specified file. This file should be an
13153 ordinary text file containing file names separated by spaces or
13154 line breaks. You can use this switch more than once in the same call to
13155 @command{gnatpp}. You also can combine this switch with an explicit list of
13158 @item ^-v^/VERBOSE^
13159 @cindex @option{^-v^/VERBOSE^} (@code{gnatpp})
13161 @command{gnatpp} generates version information and then
13162 a trace of the actions it takes to produce or obtain the ASIS tree.
13164 @item ^-w^/WARNINGS^
13165 @cindex @option{^-w^/WARNINGS^} (@code{gnatpp})
13167 @command{gnatpp} generates a warning whenever it cannot provide
13168 a required layout in the result source.
13171 @node Formatting Rules
13172 @section Formatting Rules
13175 The following subsections show how @command{gnatpp} treats ``white space'',
13176 comments, program layout, and name casing.
13177 They provide the detailed descriptions of the switches shown above.
13180 * White Space and Empty Lines::
13181 * Formatting Comments::
13182 * Construct Layout::
13186 @node White Space and Empty Lines
13187 @subsection White Space and Empty Lines
13190 @command{gnatpp} does not have an option to control space characters.
13191 It will add or remove spaces according to the style illustrated by the
13192 examples in the @cite{Ada Reference Manual}.
13194 The only format effectors
13195 (see @cite{Ada Reference Manual}, paragraph 2.1(13))
13196 that will appear in the output file are platform-specific line breaks,
13197 and also format effectors within (but not at the end of) comments.
13198 In particular, each horizontal tab character that is not inside
13199 a comment will be treated as a space and thus will appear in the
13200 output file as zero or more spaces depending on
13201 the reformatting of the line in which it appears.
13202 The only exception is a Form Feed character, which is inserted after a
13203 pragma @code{Page} when @option{-ff} is set.
13205 The output file will contain no lines with trailing ``white space'' (spaces,
13208 Empty lines in the original source are preserved
13209 only if they separate declarations or statements.
13210 In such contexts, a
13211 sequence of two or more empty lines is replaced by exactly one empty line.
13212 Note that a blank line will be removed if it separates two ``comment blocks''
13213 (a comment block is a sequence of whole-line comments).
13214 In order to preserve a visual separation between comment blocks, use an
13215 ``empty comment'' (a line comprising only hyphens) rather than an empty line.
13216 Likewise, if for some reason you wish to have a sequence of empty lines,
13217 use a sequence of empty comments instead.
13219 @node Formatting Comments
13220 @subsection Formatting Comments
13223 Comments in Ada code are of two kinds:
13226 a @emph{whole-line comment}, which appears by itself (possibly preceded by
13227 ``white space'') on a line
13230 an @emph{end-of-line comment}, which follows some other Ada lexical element
13235 The indentation of a whole-line comment is that of either
13236 the preceding or following line in
13237 the formatted source, depending on switch settings as will be described below.
13239 For an end-of-line comment, @command{gnatpp} leaves the same number of spaces
13240 between the end of the preceding Ada lexical element and the beginning
13241 of the comment as appear in the original source,
13242 unless either the comment has to be split to
13243 satisfy the line length limitation, or else the next line contains a
13244 whole line comment that is considered a continuation of this end-of-line
13245 comment (because it starts at the same position).
13247 cases, the start of the end-of-line comment is moved right to the nearest
13248 multiple of the indentation level.
13249 This may result in a ``line overflow'' (the right-shifted comment extending
13250 beyond the maximum line length), in which case the comment is split as
13253 There is a difference between @option{^-c1^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=DEFAULT^}
13254 (GNAT-style comment line indentation)
13255 and @option{^-c2^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=STANDARD_INDENT^}
13256 (reference-manual comment line indentation).
13257 With reference-manual style, a whole-line comment is indented as if it
13258 were a declaration or statement at the same place
13259 (i.e., according to the indentation of the preceding line(s)).
13260 With GNAT style, a whole-line comment that is immediately followed by an
13261 @b{if} or @b{case} statement alternative, a record variant, or the reserved
13262 word @b{begin}, is indented based on the construct that follows it.
13265 @smallexample @c ada
13277 Reference-manual indentation produces:
13279 @smallexample @c ada
13291 while GNAT-style indentation produces:
13293 @smallexample @c ada
13305 The @option{^-c3^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=GNAT_BEGINNING^} switch
13306 (GNAT style comment beginning) has the following
13311 For each whole-line comment that does not end with two hyphens,
13312 @command{gnatpp} inserts spaces if necessary after the starting two hyphens
13313 to ensure that there are at least two spaces between these hyphens and the
13314 first non-blank character of the comment.
13318 For an end-of-line comment, if in the original source the next line is a
13319 whole-line comment that starts at the same position
13320 as the end-of-line comment,
13321 then the whole-line comment (and all whole-line comments
13322 that follow it and that start at the same position)
13323 will start at this position in the output file.
13326 That is, if in the original source we have:
13328 @smallexample @c ada
13331 A := B + C; -- B must be in the range Low1..High1
13332 -- C must be in the range Low2..High2
13333 --B+C will be in the range Low1+Low2..High1+High2
13339 Then in the formatted source we get
13341 @smallexample @c ada
13344 A := B + C; -- B must be in the range Low1..High1
13345 -- C must be in the range Low2..High2
13346 -- B+C will be in the range Low1+Low2..High1+High2
13352 A comment that exceeds the line length limit will be split.
13354 @option{^-c4^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=REFORMAT^} (reformat comment blocks) is set and
13355 the line belongs to a reformattable block, splitting the line generates a
13356 @command{gnatpp} warning.
13357 The @option{^-c4^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=REFORMAT^} switch specifies that whole-line
13358 comments may be reformatted in typical
13359 word processor style (that is, moving words between lines and putting as
13360 many words in a line as possible).
13363 The @option{^-c5^/COMMENTS_LAYOUT=KEEP_SPECIAL^} switch specifies, that comments
13364 that has a special format (that is, a character that is neither a letter nor digit
13365 not white space nor line break immediately following the leading @code{--} of
13366 the comment) should be without any change moved from the argument source
13367 into reformatted source. This switch allows to preserve comments that are used
13368 as a special marks in the code (e.g.@: SPARK annotation).
13370 @node Construct Layout
13371 @subsection Construct Layout
13374 In several cases the suggested layout in the Ada Reference Manual includes
13375 an extra level of indentation that many programmers prefer to avoid. The
13376 affected cases include:
13380 @item Record type declaration (RM 3.8)
13382 @item Record representation clause (RM 13.5.1)
13384 @item Loop statement in case if a loop has a statement identifier (RM 5.6)
13386 @item Block statement in case if a block has a statement identifier (RM 5.6)
13390 In compact mode (when GNAT style layout or compact layout is set),
13391 the pretty printer uses one level of indentation instead
13392 of two. This is achieved in the record definition and record representation
13393 clause cases by putting the @code{record} keyword on the same line as the
13394 start of the declaration or representation clause, and in the block and loop
13395 case by putting the block or loop header on the same line as the statement
13399 The difference between GNAT style @option{^-l1^/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT=GNAT^}
13400 and compact @option{^-l2^/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT=COMPACT^}
13401 layout on the one hand, and uncompact layout
13402 @option{^-l3^/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT=UNCOMPACT^} on the other hand,
13403 can be illustrated by the following examples:
13407 @multitable @columnfractions .5 .5
13408 @item @i{GNAT style, compact layout} @tab @i{Uncompact layout}
13411 @smallexample @c ada
13418 @smallexample @c ada
13427 @smallexample @c ada
13429 a at 0 range 0 .. 31;
13430 b at 4 range 0 .. 31;
13434 @smallexample @c ada
13437 a at 0 range 0 .. 31;
13438 b at 4 range 0 .. 31;
13443 @smallexample @c ada
13451 @smallexample @c ada
13461 @smallexample @c ada
13462 Clear : for J in 1 .. 10 loop
13467 @smallexample @c ada
13469 for J in 1 .. 10 loop
13480 GNAT style, compact layout Uncompact layout
13482 type q is record type q is
13483 a : integer; record
13484 b : integer; a : integer;
13485 end record; b : integer;
13488 for q use record for q use
13489 a at 0 range 0 .. 31; record
13490 b at 4 range 0 .. 31; a at 0 range 0 .. 31;
13491 end record; b at 4 range 0 .. 31;
13494 Block : declare Block :
13495 A : Integer := 3; declare
13496 begin A : Integer := 3;
13498 end Block; Proc (A, A);
13501 Clear : for J in 1 .. 10 loop Clear :
13502 A (J) := 0; for J in 1 .. 10 loop
13503 end loop Clear; A (J) := 0;
13510 A further difference between GNAT style layout and compact layout is that
13511 GNAT style layout inserts empty lines as separation for
13512 compound statements, return statements and bodies.
13514 Note that the layout specified by
13515 @option{^--separate-stmt-name^/STMT_NAME_ON_NEW_LINE^}
13516 for named block and loop statements overrides the layout defined by these
13517 constructs by @option{^-l1^/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT=GNAT^},
13518 @option{^-l2^/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT=COMPACT^} or
13519 @option{^-l3^/CONSTRUCT_LAYOUT=UNCOMPACT^} option.
13522 @subsection Name Casing
13525 @command{gnatpp} always converts the usage occurrence of a (simple) name to
13526 the same casing as the corresponding defining identifier.
13528 You control the casing for defining occurrences via the
13529 @option{^-n^/NAME_CASING^} switch.
13531 With @option{-nD} (``as declared'', which is the default),
13534 With @option{/NAME_CASING=AS_DECLARED}, which is the default,
13536 defining occurrences appear exactly as in the source file
13537 where they are declared.
13538 The other ^values for this switch^options for this qualifier^ ---
13539 @option{^-nU^UPPER_CASE^},
13540 @option{^-nL^LOWER_CASE^},
13541 @option{^-nM^MIXED_CASE^} ---
13543 ^upper, lower, or mixed case, respectively^the corresponding casing^.
13544 If @command{gnatpp} changes the casing of a defining
13545 occurrence, it analogously changes the casing of all the
13546 usage occurrences of this name.
13548 If the defining occurrence of a name is not in the source compilation unit
13549 currently being processed by @command{gnatpp}, the casing of each reference to
13550 this name is changed according to the value of the @option{^-n^/NAME_CASING^}
13551 switch (subject to the dictionary file mechanism described below).
13552 Thus @command{gnatpp} acts as though the @option{^-n^/NAME_CASING^} switch
13554 casing for the defining occurrence of the name.
13556 Some names may need to be spelled with casing conventions that are not
13557 covered by the upper-, lower-, and mixed-case transformations.
13558 You can arrange correct casing by placing such names in a
13559 @emph{dictionary file},
13560 and then supplying a @option{^-D^/DICTIONARY^} switch.
13561 The casing of names from dictionary files overrides
13562 any @option{^-n^/NAME_CASING^} switch.
13564 To handle the casing of Ada predefined names and the names from GNAT libraries,
13565 @command{gnatpp} assumes a default dictionary file.
13566 The name of each predefined entity is spelled with the same casing as is used
13567 for the entity in the @cite{Ada Reference Manual}.
13568 The name of each entity in the GNAT libraries is spelled with the same casing
13569 as is used in the declaration of that entity.
13571 The @w{@option{^-D-^/SPECIFIC_CASING^}} switch suppresses the use of the
13572 default dictionary file.
13573 Instead, the casing for predefined and GNAT-defined names will be established
13574 by the @option{^-n^/NAME_CASING^} switch or explicit dictionary files.
13575 For example, by default the names @code{Ada.Text_IO} and @code{GNAT.OS_Lib}
13576 will appear as just shown,
13577 even in the presence of a @option{^-nU^/NAME_CASING=UPPER_CASE^} switch.
13578 To ensure that even such names are rendered in uppercase,
13579 additionally supply the @w{@option{^-D-^/SPECIFIC_CASING^}} switch
13580 (or else, less conveniently, place these names in upper case in a dictionary
13583 A dictionary file is
13584 a plain text file; each line in this file can be either a blank line
13585 (containing only space characters and ASCII.HT characters), an Ada comment
13586 line, or the specification of exactly one @emph{casing schema}.
13588 A casing schema is a string that has the following syntax:
13592 @var{casing_schema} ::= @var{identifier} | *@var{simple_identifier}*
13594 @var{simple_identifier} ::= @var{letter}@{@var{letter_or_digit}@}
13599 (See @cite{Ada Reference Manual}, Section 2.3) for the definition of the
13600 @var{identifier} lexical element and the @var{letter_or_digit} category.)
13602 The casing schema string can be followed by white space and/or an Ada-style
13603 comment; any amount of white space is allowed before the string.
13605 If a dictionary file is passed as
13607 the value of a @option{-D@var{file}} switch
13610 an option to the @option{/DICTIONARY} qualifier
13613 simple name and every identifier, @command{gnatpp} checks if the dictionary
13614 defines the casing for the name or for some of its parts (the term ``subword''
13615 is used below to denote the part of a name which is delimited by ``_'' or by
13616 the beginning or end of the word and which does not contain any ``_'' inside):
13620 if the whole name is in the dictionary, @command{gnatpp} uses for this name
13621 the casing defined by the dictionary; no subwords are checked for this word
13624 for every subword @command{gnatpp} checks if the dictionary contains the
13625 corresponding string of the form @code{*@var{simple_identifier}*},
13626 and if it does, the casing of this @var{simple_identifier} is used
13630 if the whole name does not contain any ``_'' inside, and if for this name
13631 the dictionary contains two entries - one of the form @var{identifier},
13632 and another - of the form *@var{simple_identifier}*, then the first one
13633 is applied to define the casing of this name
13636 if more than one dictionary file is passed as @command{gnatpp} switches, each
13637 dictionary adds new casing exceptions and overrides all the existing casing
13638 exceptions set by the previous dictionaries
13641 when @command{gnatpp} checks if the word or subword is in the dictionary,
13642 this check is not case sensitive
13646 For example, suppose we have the following source to reformat:
13648 @smallexample @c ada
13651 name1 : integer := 1;
13652 name4_name3_name2 : integer := 2;
13653 name2_name3_name4 : Boolean;
13656 name2_name3_name4 := name4_name3_name2 > name1;
13662 And suppose we have two dictionaries:
13679 If @command{gnatpp} is called with the following switches:
13683 @command{gnatpp -nM -D dict1 -D dict2 test.adb}
13686 @command{gnatpp test.adb /NAME_CASING=MIXED_CASE /DICTIONARY=(dict1, dict2)}
13691 then we will get the following name casing in the @command{gnatpp} output:
13693 @smallexample @c ada
13696 NAME1 : Integer := 1;
13697 Name4_NAME3_Name2 : Integer := 2;
13698 Name2_NAME3_Name4 : Boolean;
13701 Name2_NAME3_Name4 := Name4_NAME3_Name2 > NAME1;
13706 @c *********************************
13707 @node The GNAT Metric Tool gnatmetric
13708 @chapter The GNAT Metric Tool @command{gnatmetric}
13710 @cindex Metric tool
13713 ^The @command{gnatmetric} tool^@command{GNAT METRIC}^ is an ASIS-based utility
13714 for computing various program metrics.
13715 It takes an Ada source file as input and generates a file containing the
13716 metrics data as output. Various switches control which
13717 metrics are computed and output.
13719 @command{gnatmetric} generates and uses the ASIS
13720 tree for the input source and thus requires the input to be syntactically and
13721 semantically legal.
13722 If this condition is not met, @command{gnatmetric} will generate
13723 an error message; no metric information for this file will be
13724 computed and reported.
13726 If the compilation unit contained in the input source depends semantically
13727 upon units in files located outside the current directory, you have to provide
13728 the source search path when invoking @command{gnatmetric}.
13729 If it depends semantically upon units that are contained
13730 in files with names that do not follow the GNAT file naming rules, you have to
13731 provide the configuration file describing the corresponding naming scheme (see
13732 the description of the @command{gnatmetric} switches below.)
13733 Alternatively, you may use a project file and invoke @command{gnatmetric}
13734 through the @command{gnat} driver.
13736 The @command{gnatmetric} command has the form
13739 @c $ gnatmetric @ovar{switches} @{@var{filename}@} @r{[}-cargs @var{gcc_switches}@r{]}
13740 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
13741 $ gnatmetric @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @{@var{filename}@} @r{[}-cargs @var{gcc_switches}@r{]}
13748 @var{switches} specify the metrics to compute and define the destination for
13752 Each @var{filename} is the name (including the extension) of a source
13753 file to process. ``Wildcards'' are allowed, and
13754 the file name may contain path information.
13755 If no @var{filename} is supplied, then the @var{switches} list must contain
13757 @option{-files} switch (@pxref{Other gnatmetric Switches}).
13758 Including both a @option{-files} switch and one or more
13759 @var{filename} arguments is permitted.
13762 @samp{@var{gcc_switches}} is a list of switches for
13763 @command{gcc}. They will be passed on to all compiler invocations made by
13764 @command{gnatmetric} to generate the ASIS trees. Here you can provide
13765 @option{^-I^/INCLUDE_DIRS=^} switches to form the source search path,
13766 and use the @option{-gnatec} switch to set the configuration file.
13770 * Switches for gnatmetric::
13773 @node Switches for gnatmetric
13774 @section Switches for @command{gnatmetric}
13777 The following subsections describe the various switches accepted by
13778 @command{gnatmetric}, organized by category.
13781 * Output Files Control::
13782 * Disable Metrics For Local Units::
13783 * Specifying a set of metrics to compute::
13784 * Other gnatmetric Switches::
13785 * Generate project-wide metrics::
13788 @node Output Files Control
13789 @subsection Output File Control
13790 @cindex Output file control in @command{gnatmetric}
13793 @command{gnatmetric} has two output formats. It can generate a
13794 textual (human-readable) form, and also XML. By default only textual
13795 output is generated.
13797 When generating the output in textual form, @command{gnatmetric} creates
13798 for each Ada source file a corresponding text file
13799 containing the computed metrics, except for the case when the set of metrics
13800 specified by gnatmetric parameters consists only of metrics that are computed
13801 for the whole set of analyzed sources, but not for each Ada source.
13802 By default, this file is placed in the same directory as where the source
13803 file is located, and its name is obtained
13804 by appending the ^@file{.metrix}^@file{$METRIX}^ suffix to the name of the
13807 All the output information generated in XML format is placed in a single
13808 file. By default this file is placed in the current directory and has the
13809 name ^@file{metrix.xml}^@file{METRIX$XML}^.
13811 Some of the computed metrics are summed over the units passed to
13812 @command{gnatmetric}; for example, the total number of lines of code.
13813 By default this information is sent to @file{stdout}, but a file
13814 can be specified with the @option{-og} switch.
13816 The following switches control the @command{gnatmetric} output:
13819 @cindex @option{^-x^/XML^} (@command{gnatmetric})
13821 Generate the XML output
13823 @cindex @option{^-xs^/XSD^} (@command{gnatmetric})
13825 Generate the XML output and the XML schema file that describes the structure
13826 of the XML metric report, this schema is assigned to the XML file. The schema
13827 file has the same name as the XML output file with @file{.xml} suffix replaced
13830 @cindex @option{^-nt^/NO_TEXT^} (@command{gnatmetric})
13831 @item ^-nt^/NO_TEXT^
13832 Do not generate the output in text form (implies @option{^-x^/XML^})
13834 @cindex @option{^-d^/DIRECTORY^} (@command{gnatmetric})
13835 @item ^-d @var{output_dir}^/DIRECTORY=@var{output_dir}^
13836 Put text files with detailed metrics into @var{output_dir}
13838 @cindex @option{^-o^/SUFFIX_DETAILS^} (@command{gnatmetric})
13839 @item ^-o @var{file_suffix}^/SUFFIX_DETAILS=@var{file_suffix}^
13840 Use @var{file_suffix}, instead of ^@file{.metrix}^@file{$METRIX}^
13841 in the name of the output file.
13843 @cindex @option{^-og^/GLOBAL_OUTPUT^} (@command{gnatmetric})
13844 @item ^-og @var{file_name}^/GLOBAL_OUTPUT=@var{file_name}^
13845 Put global metrics into @var{file_name}
13847 @cindex @option{^-ox^/XML_OUTPUT^} (@command{gnatmetric})
13848 @item ^-ox @var{file_name}^/XML_OUTPUT=@var{file_name}^
13849 Put the XML output into @var{file_name} (also implies @option{^-x^/XML^})
13851 @cindex @option{^-sfn^/SHORT_SOURCE_FILE_NAME^} (@command{gnatmetric})
13852 @item ^-sfn^/SHORT_SOURCE_FILE_NAME^
13853 Use ``short'' source file names in the output. (The @command{gnatmetric}
13854 output includes the name(s) of the Ada source file(s) from which the metrics
13855 are computed. By default each name includes the absolute path. The
13856 @option{^-sfn^/SHORT_SOURCE_FILE_NAME^} switch causes @command{gnatmetric}
13857 to exclude all directory information from the file names that are output.)
13861 @node Disable Metrics For Local Units
13862 @subsection Disable Metrics For Local Units
13863 @cindex Disable Metrics For Local Units in @command{gnatmetric}
13866 @command{gnatmetric} relies on the GNAT compilation model @minus{}
13868 unit per one source file. It computes line metrics for the whole source
13869 file, and it also computes syntax
13870 and complexity metrics for the file's outermost unit.
13872 By default, @command{gnatmetric} will also compute all metrics for certain
13873 kinds of locally declared program units:
13877 subprogram (and generic subprogram) bodies;
13880 package (and generic package) specs and bodies;
13883 task object and type specifications and bodies;
13886 protected object and type specifications and bodies.
13890 These kinds of entities will be referred to as
13891 @emph{eligible local program units}, or simply @emph{eligible local units},
13892 @cindex Eligible local unit (for @command{gnatmetric})
13893 in the discussion below.
13895 Note that a subprogram declaration, generic instantiation,
13896 or renaming declaration only receives metrics
13897 computation when it appear as the outermost entity
13900 Suppression of metrics computation for eligible local units can be
13901 obtained via the following switch:
13904 @cindex @option{^-n@var{x}^/SUPPRESS^} (@command{gnatmetric})
13905 @item ^-nolocal^/SUPPRESS=LOCAL_DETAILS^
13906 Do not compute detailed metrics for eligible local program units
13910 @node Specifying a set of metrics to compute
13911 @subsection Specifying a set of metrics to compute
13914 By default all the metrics are computed and reported. The switches
13915 described in this subsection allow you to control, on an individual
13916 basis, whether metrics are computed and
13917 reported. If at least one positive metric
13918 switch is specified (that is, a switch that defines that a given
13919 metric or set of metrics is to be computed), then only
13920 explicitly specified metrics are reported.
13923 * Line Metrics Control::
13924 * Syntax Metrics Control::
13925 * Complexity Metrics Control::
13926 * Object-Oriented Metrics Control::
13929 @node Line Metrics Control
13930 @subsubsection Line Metrics Control
13931 @cindex Line metrics control in @command{gnatmetric}
13934 For any (legal) source file, and for each of its
13935 eligible local program units, @command{gnatmetric} computes the following
13940 the total number of lines;
13943 the total number of code lines (i.e., non-blank lines that are not comments)
13946 the number of comment lines
13949 the number of code lines containing end-of-line comments;
13952 the comment percentage: the ratio between the number of lines that contain
13953 comments and the number of all non-blank lines, expressed as a percentage;
13956 the number of empty lines and lines containing only space characters and/or
13957 format effectors (blank lines)
13960 the average number of code lines in subprogram bodies, task bodies, entry
13961 bodies and statement sequences in package bodies (this metric is only computed
13962 across the whole set of the analyzed units)
13967 @command{gnatmetric} sums the values of the line metrics for all the
13968 files being processed and then generates the cumulative results. The tool
13969 also computes for all the files being processed the average number of code
13972 You can use the following switches to select the specific line metrics
13973 to be computed and reported.
13976 @cindex @option{^--lines@var{x}^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS^} (@command{gnatmetric})
13979 @cindex @option{--no-lines@var{x}}
13982 @item ^--lines-all^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=ALL^
13983 Report all the line metrics
13985 @item ^--no-lines-all^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=NONE^
13986 Do not report any of line metrics
13988 @item ^--lines^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=ALL_LINES^
13989 Report the number of all lines
13991 @item ^--no-lines^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=NOALL_LINES^
13992 Do not report the number of all lines
13994 @item ^--lines-code^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=CODE_LINES^
13995 Report the number of code lines
13997 @item ^--no-lines-code^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=NOCODE_LINES^
13998 Do not report the number of code lines
14000 @item ^--lines-comment^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=COMMENT_LINES^
14001 Report the number of comment lines
14003 @item ^--no-lines-comment^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=NOCOMMENT_LINES^
14004 Do not report the number of comment lines
14006 @item ^--lines-eol-comment^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=CODE_COMMENT_LINES^
14007 Report the number of code lines containing
14008 end-of-line comments
14010 @item ^--no-lines-eol-comment^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=NOCODE_COMMENT_LINES^
14011 Do not report the number of code lines containing
14012 end-of-line comments
14014 @item ^--lines-ratio^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=COMMENT_PERCENTAGE^
14015 Report the comment percentage in the program text
14017 @item ^--no-lines-ratio^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=NOCOMMENT_PERCENTAGE^
14018 Do not report the comment percentage in the program text
14020 @item ^--lines-blank^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=BLANK_LINES^
14021 Report the number of blank lines
14023 @item ^--no-lines-blank^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=NOBLANK_LINES^
14024 Do not report the number of blank lines
14026 @item ^--lines-average^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=AVERAGE_BODY_LINES^
14027 Report the average number of code lines in subprogram bodies, task bodies,
14028 entry bodies and statement sequences in package bodies. The metric is computed
14029 and reported for the whole set of processed Ada sources only.
14031 @item ^--no-lines-average^/LINE_COUNT_METRICS=NOAVERAGE_BODY_LINES^
14032 Do not report the average number of code lines in subprogram bodies,
14033 task bodies, entry bodies and statement sequences in package bodies.
14037 @node Syntax Metrics Control
14038 @subsubsection Syntax Metrics Control
14039 @cindex Syntax metrics control in @command{gnatmetric}
14042 @command{gnatmetric} computes various syntactic metrics for the
14043 outermost unit and for each eligible local unit:
14046 @item LSLOC (``Logical Source Lines Of Code'')
14047 The total number of declarations and the total number of statements
14049 @item Maximal static nesting level of inner program units
14051 @cite{Ada Reference Manual}, 10.1(1), ``A program unit is either a
14052 package, a task unit, a protected unit, a
14053 protected entry, a generic unit, or an explicitly declared subprogram other
14054 than an enumeration literal.''
14056 @item Maximal nesting level of composite syntactic constructs
14057 This corresponds to the notion of the
14058 maximum nesting level in the GNAT built-in style checks
14059 (@pxref{Style Checking})
14063 For the outermost unit in the file, @command{gnatmetric} additionally computes
14064 the following metrics:
14067 @item Public subprograms
14068 This metric is computed for package specs. It is the
14069 number of subprograms and generic subprograms declared in the visible
14070 part (including the visible part of nested packages, protected objects, and
14073 @item All subprograms
14074 This metric is computed for bodies and subunits. The
14075 metric is equal to a total number of subprogram bodies in the compilation
14077 Neither generic instantiations nor renamings-as-a-body nor body stubs
14078 are counted. Any subprogram body is counted, independently of its nesting
14079 level and enclosing constructs. Generic bodies and bodies of protected
14080 subprograms are counted in the same way as ``usual'' subprogram bodies.
14083 This metric is computed for package specs and
14084 generic package declarations. It is the total number of types
14085 that can be referenced from outside this compilation unit, plus the
14086 number of types from all the visible parts of all the visible generic
14087 packages. Generic formal types are not counted. Only types, not subtypes,
14091 Along with the total number of public types, the following
14092 types are counted and reported separately:
14099 Root tagged types (abstract, non-abstract, private, non-private). Type
14100 extensions are @emph{not} counted
14103 Private types (including private extensions)
14114 This metric is computed for any compilation unit. It is equal to the total
14115 number of the declarations of different types given in the compilation unit.
14116 The private and the corresponding full type declaration are counted as one
14117 type declaration. Incomplete type declarations and generic formal types
14119 No distinction is made among different kinds of types (abstract,
14120 private etc.); the total number of types is computed and reported.
14125 By default, all the syntax metrics are computed and reported. You can use the
14126 following switches to select specific syntax metrics.
14130 @cindex @option{^--syntax@var{x}^/SYNTAX_METRICS^} (@command{gnatmetric})
14133 @cindex @option{--no-syntax@var{x}} (@command{gnatmetric})
14136 @item ^--syntax-all^/SYNTAX_METRICS=ALL^
14137 Report all the syntax metrics
14139 @item ^--no-syntax-all^/SYNTAX_METRICS=NONE^
14140 Do not report any of syntax metrics
14142 @item ^--declarations^/SYNTAX_METRICS=DECLARATIONS^
14143 Report the total number of declarations
14145 @item ^--no-declarations^/SYNTAX_METRICS=NODECLARATIONS^
14146 Do not report the total number of declarations
14148 @item ^--statements^/SYNTAX_METRICS=STATEMENTS^
14149 Report the total number of statements
14151 @item ^--no-statements^/SYNTAX_METRICS=NOSTATEMENTS^
14152 Do not report the total number of statements
14154 @item ^--public-subprograms^/SYNTAX_METRICS=PUBLIC_SUBPROGRAMS^
14155 Report the number of public subprograms in a compilation unit
14157 @item ^--no-public-subprograms^/SYNTAX_METRICS=NOPUBLIC_SUBPROGRAMS^
14158 Do not report the number of public subprograms in a compilation unit
14160 @item ^--all-subprograms^/SYNTAX_METRICS=ALL_SUBPROGRAMS^
14161 Report the number of all the subprograms in a compilation unit
14163 @item ^--no-all-subprograms^/SYNTAX_METRICS=NOALL_SUBPROGRAMS^
14164 Do not report the number of all the subprograms in a compilation unit
14166 @item ^--public-types^/SYNTAX_METRICS=PUBLIC_TYPES^
14167 Report the number of public types in a compilation unit
14169 @item ^--no-public-types^/SYNTAX_METRICS=NOPUBLIC_TYPES^
14170 Do not report the number of public types in a compilation unit
14172 @item ^--all-types^/SYNTAX_METRICS=ALL_TYPES^
14173 Report the number of all the types in a compilation unit
14175 @item ^--no-all-types^/SYNTAX_METRICS=NOALL_TYPES^
14176 Do not report the number of all the types in a compilation unit
14178 @item ^--unit-nesting^/SYNTAX_METRICS=UNIT_NESTING^
14179 Report the maximal program unit nesting level
14181 @item ^--no-unit-nesting^/SYNTAX_METRICS=UNIT_NESTING_OFF^
14182 Do not report the maximal program unit nesting level
14184 @item ^--construct-nesting^/SYNTAX_METRICS=CONSTRUCT_NESTING^
14185 Report the maximal construct nesting level
14187 @item ^--no-construct-nesting^/SYNTAX_METRICS=NOCONSTRUCT_NESTING^
14188 Do not report the maximal construct nesting level
14192 @node Complexity Metrics Control
14193 @subsubsection Complexity Metrics Control
14194 @cindex Complexity metrics control in @command{gnatmetric}
14197 For a program unit that is an executable body (a subprogram body (including
14198 generic bodies), task body, entry body or a package body containing
14199 its own statement sequence) @command{gnatmetric} computes the following
14200 complexity metrics:
14204 McCabe cyclomatic complexity;
14207 McCabe essential complexity;
14210 maximal loop nesting level
14215 The McCabe complexity metrics are defined
14216 in @url{http://www.mccabe.com/pdf/nist235r.pdf}
14218 According to McCabe, both control statements and short-circuit control forms
14219 should be taken into account when computing cyclomatic complexity. For each
14220 body, we compute three metric values:
14224 the complexity introduced by control
14225 statements only, without taking into account short-circuit forms,
14228 the complexity introduced by short-circuit control forms only, and
14232 cyclomatic complexity, which is the sum of these two values.
14236 When computing cyclomatic and essential complexity, @command{gnatmetric} skips
14237 the code in the exception handlers and in all the nested program units.
14239 By default, all the complexity metrics are computed and reported.
14240 For more fine-grained control you can use
14241 the following switches:
14244 @cindex @option{^-complexity@var{x}^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS^} (@command{gnatmetric})
14247 @cindex @option{--no-complexity@var{x}}
14250 @item ^--complexity-all^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS=ALL^
14251 Report all the complexity metrics
14253 @item ^--no-complexity-all^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS=NONE^
14254 Do not report any of complexity metrics
14256 @item ^--complexity-cyclomatic^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS=CYCLOMATIC^
14257 Report the McCabe Cyclomatic Complexity
14259 @item ^--no-complexity-cyclomatic^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS=NOCYCLOMATIC^
14260 Do not report the McCabe Cyclomatic Complexity
14262 @item ^--complexity-essential^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS=ESSENTIAL^
14263 Report the Essential Complexity
14265 @item ^--no-complexity-essential^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS=NOESSENTIAL^
14266 Do not report the Essential Complexity
14268 @item ^--loop-nesting^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS=LOOP_NESTING_ON^
14269 Report maximal loop nesting level
14271 @item ^--no-loop-nesting^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS=NOLOOP_NESTING^
14272 Do not report maximal loop nesting level
14274 @item ^--complexity-average^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS=AVERAGE_COMPLEXITY^
14275 Report the average McCabe Cyclomatic Complexity for all the subprogram bodies,
14276 task bodies, entry bodies and statement sequences in package bodies.
14277 The metric is computed and reported for whole set of processed Ada sources
14280 @item ^--no-complexity-average^/COMPLEXITY_METRICS=NOAVERAGE_COMPLEXITY^
14281 Do not report the average McCabe Cyclomatic Complexity for all the subprogram
14282 bodies, task bodies, entry bodies and statement sequences in package bodies
14284 @cindex @option{^-ne^/NO_EXITS_AS_GOTOS^} (@command{gnatmetric})
14285 @item ^-ne^/NO_EXITS_AS_GOTOS^
14286 Do not consider @code{exit} statements as @code{goto}s when
14287 computing Essential Complexity
14289 @item ^--extra-exit-points^/EXTRA_EXIT_POINTS^
14290 Report the extra exit points for subprogram bodies. As an exit point, this
14291 metric counts @code{return} statements and raise statements in case when the
14292 raised exception is not handled in the same body. In case of a function this
14293 metric subtracts 1 from the number of exit points, because a function body
14294 must contain at least one @code{return} statement.
14296 @item ^--no-extra-exit-points^/NOEXTRA_EXIT_POINTS^
14297 Do not report the extra exit points for subprogram bodies
14301 @node Object-Oriented Metrics Control
14302 @subsubsection Object-Oriented Metrics Control
14303 @cindex Object-Oriented metrics control in @command{gnatmetric}
14306 @cindex Coupling metrics (in in @command{gnatmetric})
14307 Coupling metrics are object-oriented metrics that measure the
14308 dependencies between a given class (or a group of classes) and the
14309 ``external world'' (that is, the other classes in the program). In this
14310 subsection the term ``class'' is used in its
14311 traditional object-oriented programming sense
14312 (an instantiable module that contains data and/or method members).
14313 A @emph{category} (of classes)
14314 is a group of closely related classes that are reused and/or
14317 A class @code{K}'s @emph{efferent coupling} is the number of classes
14318 that @code{K} depends upon.
14319 A category's efferent coupling is the number of classes outside the
14320 category that the classes inside the category depend upon.
14322 A class @code{K}'s @emph{afferent coupling} is the number of classes
14323 that depend upon @code{K}.
14324 A category's afferent coupling is the number of classes outside the
14325 category that depend on classes belonging to the category.
14327 Ada's implementation of the object-oriented paradigm does not use the
14328 traditional class notion, so the definition of the coupling
14329 metrics for Ada maps the class and class category notions
14330 onto Ada constructs.
14332 For the coupling metrics, several kinds of modules -- a library package,
14333 a library generic package, and a library generic package instantiation --
14334 that define a tagged type or an interface type are
14335 considered to be a class. A category consists of a library package (or
14336 a library generic package) that defines a tagged or an interface type,
14337 together with all its descendant (generic) packages that define tagged
14338 or interface types. For any package counted as a class,
14339 its body and subunits (if any) are considered
14340 together with its spec when counting the dependencies, and coupling
14341 metrics are reported for spec units only. For dependencies
14342 between classes, the Ada semantic dependencies are considered.
14343 For coupling metrics, only dependencies on units that are considered as
14344 classes, are considered.
14346 When computing coupling metrics, @command{gnatmetric} counts only
14347 dependencies between units that are arguments of the gnatmetric call.
14348 Coupling metrics are program-wide (or project-wide) metrics, so to
14349 get a valid result, you should call @command{gnatmetric} for
14350 the whole set of sources that make up your program. It can be done
14351 by calling @command{gnatmetric} from the GNAT driver with @option{-U}
14352 option (see See @ref{The GNAT Driver and Project Files} for details.
14354 By default, all the coupling metrics are disabled. You can use the following
14355 switches to specify the coupling metrics to be computed and reported:
14360 @cindex @option{--package@var{x}} (@command{gnatmetric})
14361 @cindex @option{--no-package@var{x}} (@command{gnatmetric})
14362 @cindex @option{--category@var{x}} (@command{gnatmetric})
14363 @cindex @option{--no-category@var{x}} (@command{gnatmetric})
14367 @cindex @option{/COUPLING_METRICS} (@command{gnatmetric})
14370 @item ^--coupling-all^/COUPLING_METRICS=ALL^
14371 Report all the coupling metrics
14373 @item ^--no-coupling-all^/COUPLING_METRICS=NONE^
14374 Do not report any of metrics
14376 @item ^--package-efferent-coupling^/COUPLING_METRICS=PACKAGE_EFFERENT^
14377 Report package efferent coupling
14379 @item ^--no-package-efferent-coupling^/COUPLING_METRICS=NOPACKAGE_EFFERENT^
14380 Do not report package efferent coupling
14382 @item ^--package-afferent-coupling^/COUPLING_METRICS=PACKAGE_AFFERENT^
14383 Report package afferent coupling
14385 @item ^--no-package-afferent-coupling^/COUPLING_METRICS=NOPACKAGE_AFFERENT^
14386 Do not report package afferent coupling
14388 @item ^--category-efferent-coupling^/COUPLING_METRICS=CATEGORY_EFFERENT^
14389 Report category efferent coupling
14391 @item ^--no-category-efferent-coupling^/COUPLING_METRICS=NOCATEGORY_EFFERENT^
14392 Do not report category efferent coupling
14394 @item ^--category-afferent-coupling^/COUPLING_METRICS=CATEGORY_AFFERENT^
14395 Report category afferent coupling
14397 @item ^--no-category-afferent-coupling^/COUPLING_METRICS=NOCATEGORY_AFFERENT^
14398 Do not report category afferent coupling
14402 @node Other gnatmetric Switches
14403 @subsection Other @code{gnatmetric} Switches
14406 Additional @command{gnatmetric} switches are as follows:
14409 @item ^-files @var{filename}^/FILES=@var{filename}^
14410 @cindex @option{^-files^/FILES^} (@code{gnatmetric})
14411 Take the argument source files from the specified file. This file should be an
14412 ordinary text file containing file names separated by spaces or
14413 line breaks. You can use this switch more than once in the same call to
14414 @command{gnatmetric}. You also can combine this switch with
14415 an explicit list of files.
14417 @item ^-v^/VERBOSE^
14418 @cindex @option{^-v^/VERBOSE^} (@code{gnatmetric})
14420 @command{gnatmetric} generates version information and then
14421 a trace of sources being processed.
14423 @item ^-dv^/DEBUG_OUTPUT^
14424 @cindex @option{^-dv^/DEBUG_OUTPUT^} (@code{gnatmetric})
14426 @command{gnatmetric} generates various messages useful to understand what
14427 happens during the metrics computation
14430 @cindex @option{^-q^/QUIET^} (@code{gnatmetric})
14434 @node Generate project-wide metrics
14435 @subsection Generate project-wide metrics
14437 In order to compute metrics on all units of a given project, you can use
14438 the @command{gnat} driver along with the @option{-P} option:
14444 If the project @code{proj} depends upon other projects, you can compute
14445 the metrics on the project closure using the @option{-U} option:
14447 gnat metric -Pproj -U
14451 Finally, if not all the units are relevant to a particular main
14452 program in the project closure, you can generate metrics for the set
14453 of units needed to create a given main program (unit closure) using
14454 the @option{-U} option followed by the name of the main unit:
14456 gnat metric -Pproj -U main
14460 @c ***********************************
14461 @node File Name Krunching Using gnatkr
14462 @chapter File Name Krunching Using @code{gnatkr}
14466 This chapter discusses the method used by the compiler to shorten
14467 the default file names chosen for Ada units so that they do not
14468 exceed the maximum length permitted. It also describes the
14469 @code{gnatkr} utility that can be used to determine the result of
14470 applying this shortening.
14474 * Krunching Method::
14475 * Examples of gnatkr Usage::
14479 @section About @code{gnatkr}
14482 The default file naming rule in GNAT
14483 is that the file name must be derived from
14484 the unit name. The exact default rule is as follows:
14487 Take the unit name and replace all dots by hyphens.
14489 If such a replacement occurs in the
14490 second character position of a name, and the first character is
14491 ^@samp{a}, @samp{g}, @samp{s}, or @samp{i}, ^@samp{A}, @samp{G}, @samp{S}, or @samp{I},^
14492 then replace the dot by the character
14493 ^@samp{~} (tilde)^@samp{$} (dollar sign)^
14494 instead of a minus.
14496 The reason for this exception is to avoid clashes
14497 with the standard names for children of System, Ada, Interfaces,
14498 and GNAT, which use the prefixes
14499 ^@samp{s-}, @samp{a-}, @samp{i-}, and @samp{g-},^@samp{S-}, @samp{A-}, @samp{I-}, and @samp{G-},^
14502 The @option{^-gnatk^/FILE_NAME_MAX_LENGTH=^@var{nn}}
14503 switch of the compiler activates a ``krunching''
14504 circuit that limits file names to nn characters (where nn is a decimal
14505 integer). For example, using OpenVMS,
14506 where the maximum file name length is
14507 39, the value of nn is usually set to 39, but if you want to generate
14508 a set of files that would be usable if ported to a system with some
14509 different maximum file length, then a different value can be specified.
14510 The default value of 39 for OpenVMS need not be specified.
14512 The @code{gnatkr} utility can be used to determine the krunched name for
14513 a given file, when krunched to a specified maximum length.
14516 @section Using @code{gnatkr}
14519 The @code{gnatkr} command has the form
14523 @c $ gnatkr @var{name} @ovar{length}
14524 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
14525 $ gnatkr @var{name} @r{[}@var{length}@r{]}
14531 $ gnatkr @var{name} /COUNT=nn
14536 @var{name} is the uncrunched file name, derived from the name of the unit
14537 in the standard manner described in the previous section (i.e., in particular
14538 all dots are replaced by hyphens). The file name may or may not have an
14539 extension (defined as a suffix of the form period followed by arbitrary
14540 characters other than period). If an extension is present then it will
14541 be preserved in the output. For example, when krunching @file{hellofile.ads}
14542 to eight characters, the result will be hellofil.ads.
14544 Note: for compatibility with previous versions of @code{gnatkr} dots may
14545 appear in the name instead of hyphens, but the last dot will always be
14546 taken as the start of an extension. So if @code{gnatkr} is given an argument
14547 such as @file{Hello.World.adb} it will be treated exactly as if the first
14548 period had been a hyphen, and for example krunching to eight characters
14549 gives the result @file{hellworl.adb}.
14551 Note that the result is always all lower case (except on OpenVMS where it is
14552 all upper case). Characters of the other case are folded as required.
14554 @var{length} represents the length of the krunched name. The default
14555 when no argument is given is ^8^39^ characters. A length of zero stands for
14556 unlimited, in other words do not chop except for system files where the
14557 implied crunching length is always eight characters.
14560 The output is the krunched name. The output has an extension only if the
14561 original argument was a file name with an extension.
14563 @node Krunching Method
14564 @section Krunching Method
14567 The initial file name is determined by the name of the unit that the file
14568 contains. The name is formed by taking the full expanded name of the
14569 unit and replacing the separating dots with hyphens and
14570 using ^lowercase^uppercase^
14571 for all letters, except that a hyphen in the second character position is
14572 replaced by a ^tilde^dollar sign^ if the first character is
14573 ^@samp{a}, @samp{i}, @samp{g}, or @samp{s}^@samp{A}, @samp{I}, @samp{G}, or @samp{S}^.
14574 The extension is @code{.ads} for a
14575 spec and @code{.adb} for a body.
14576 Krunching does not affect the extension, but the file name is shortened to
14577 the specified length by following these rules:
14581 The name is divided into segments separated by hyphens, tildes or
14582 underscores and all hyphens, tildes, and underscores are
14583 eliminated. If this leaves the name short enough, we are done.
14586 If the name is too long, the longest segment is located (left-most
14587 if there are two of equal length), and shortened by dropping
14588 its last character. This is repeated until the name is short enough.
14590 As an example, consider the krunching of @*@file{our-strings-wide_fixed.adb}
14591 to fit the name into 8 characters as required by some operating systems.
14594 our-strings-wide_fixed 22
14595 our strings wide fixed 19
14596 our string wide fixed 18
14597 our strin wide fixed 17
14598 our stri wide fixed 16
14599 our stri wide fixe 15
14600 our str wide fixe 14
14601 our str wid fixe 13
14607 Final file name: oustwifi.adb
14611 The file names for all predefined units are always krunched to eight
14612 characters. The krunching of these predefined units uses the following
14613 special prefix replacements:
14617 replaced by @file{^a^A^-}
14620 replaced by @file{^g^G^-}
14623 replaced by @file{^i^I^-}
14626 replaced by @file{^s^S^-}
14629 These system files have a hyphen in the second character position. That
14630 is why normal user files replace such a character with a
14631 ^tilde^dollar sign^, to
14632 avoid confusion with system file names.
14634 As an example of this special rule, consider
14635 @*@file{ada-strings-wide_fixed.adb}, which gets krunched as follows:
14638 ada-strings-wide_fixed 22
14639 a- strings wide fixed 18
14640 a- string wide fixed 17
14641 a- strin wide fixed 16
14642 a- stri wide fixed 15
14643 a- stri wide fixe 14
14644 a- str wide fixe 13
14650 Final file name: a-stwifi.adb
14654 Of course no file shortening algorithm can guarantee uniqueness over all
14655 possible unit names, and if file name krunching is used then it is your
14656 responsibility to ensure that no name clashes occur. The utility
14657 program @code{gnatkr} is supplied for conveniently determining the
14658 krunched name of a file.
14660 @node Examples of gnatkr Usage
14661 @section Examples of @code{gnatkr} Usage
14668 $ gnatkr very_long_unit_name.ads --> velounna.ads
14669 $ gnatkr grandparent-parent-child.ads --> grparchi.ads
14670 $ gnatkr Grandparent.Parent.Child.ads --> grparchi.ads
14671 $ gnatkr grandparent-parent-child --> grparchi
14673 $ gnatkr very_long_unit_name.ads/count=6 --> vlunna.ads
14674 $ gnatkr very_long_unit_name.ads/count=0 --> very_long_unit_name.ads
14677 @node Preprocessing Using gnatprep
14678 @chapter Preprocessing Using @code{gnatprep}
14682 This chapter discusses how to use GNAT's @code{gnatprep} utility for simple
14684 Although designed for use with GNAT, @code{gnatprep} does not depend on any
14685 special GNAT features.
14686 For further discussion of conditional compilation in general, see
14687 @ref{Conditional Compilation}.
14690 * Preprocessing Symbols::
14692 * Switches for gnatprep::
14693 * Form of Definitions File::
14694 * Form of Input Text for gnatprep::
14697 @node Preprocessing Symbols
14698 @section Preprocessing Symbols
14701 Preprocessing symbols are defined in definition files and referred to in
14702 sources to be preprocessed. A Preprocessing symbol is an identifier, following
14703 normal Ada (case-insensitive) rules for its syntax, with the restriction that
14704 all characters need to be in the ASCII set (no accented letters).
14706 @node Using gnatprep
14707 @section Using @code{gnatprep}
14710 To call @code{gnatprep} use
14713 @c $ gnatprep @ovar{switches} @var{infile} @var{outfile} @ovar{deffile}
14714 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
14715 $ gnatprep @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{infile} @var{outfile} @r{[}@var{deffile}@r{]}
14722 is an optional sequence of switches as described in the next section.
14725 is the full name of the input file, which is an Ada source
14726 file containing preprocessor directives.
14729 is the full name of the output file, which is an Ada source
14730 in standard Ada form. When used with GNAT, this file name will
14731 normally have an ads or adb suffix.
14734 is the full name of a text file containing definitions of
14735 preprocessing symbols to be referenced by the preprocessor. This argument is
14736 optional, and can be replaced by the use of the @option{-D} switch.
14740 @node Switches for gnatprep
14741 @section Switches for @code{gnatprep}
14746 @item ^-b^/BLANK_LINES^
14747 @cindex @option{^-b^/BLANK_LINES^} (@command{gnatprep})
14748 Causes both preprocessor lines and the lines deleted by
14749 preprocessing to be replaced by blank lines in the output source file,
14750 preserving line numbers in the output file.
14752 @item ^-c^/COMMENTS^
14753 @cindex @option{^-c^/COMMENTS^} (@command{gnatprep})
14754 Causes both preprocessor lines and the lines deleted
14755 by preprocessing to be retained in the output source as comments marked
14756 with the special string @code{"--! "}. This option will result in line numbers
14757 being preserved in the output file.
14759 @item ^-C^/REPLACE_IN_COMMENTS^
14760 @cindex @option{^-C^/REPLACE_IN_COMMENTS^} (@command{gnatprep})
14761 Causes comments to be scanned. Normally comments are ignored by gnatprep.
14762 If this option is specified, then comments are scanned and any $symbol
14763 substitutions performed as in program text. This is particularly useful
14764 when structured comments are used (e.g., when writing programs in the
14765 SPARK dialect of Ada). Note that this switch is not available when
14766 doing integrated preprocessing (it would be useless in this context
14767 since comments are ignored by the compiler in any case).
14769 @item ^-Dsymbol=value^/ASSOCIATE="symbol=value"^
14770 @cindex @option{^-D^/ASSOCIATE^} (@command{gnatprep})
14771 Defines a new preprocessing symbol, associated with value. If no value is given
14772 on the command line, then symbol is considered to be @code{True}. This switch
14773 can be used in place of a definition file.
14777 @cindex @option{/REMOVE} (@command{gnatprep})
14778 This is the default setting which causes lines deleted by preprocessing
14779 to be entirely removed from the output file.
14782 @item ^-r^/REFERENCE^
14783 @cindex @option{^-r^/REFERENCE^} (@command{gnatprep})
14784 Causes a @code{Source_Reference} pragma to be generated that
14785 references the original input file, so that error messages will use
14786 the file name of this original file. The use of this switch implies
14787 that preprocessor lines are not to be removed from the file, so its
14788 use will force @option{^-b^/BLANK_LINES^} mode if
14789 @option{^-c^/COMMENTS^}
14790 has not been specified explicitly.
14792 Note that if the file to be preprocessed contains multiple units, then
14793 it will be necessary to @code{gnatchop} the output file from
14794 @code{gnatprep}. If a @code{Source_Reference} pragma is present
14795 in the preprocessed file, it will be respected by
14796 @code{gnatchop ^-r^/REFERENCE^}
14797 so that the final chopped files will correctly refer to the original
14798 input source file for @code{gnatprep}.
14800 @item ^-s^/SYMBOLS^
14801 @cindex @option{^-s^/SYMBOLS^} (@command{gnatprep})
14802 Causes a sorted list of symbol names and values to be
14803 listed on the standard output file.
14805 @item ^-u^/UNDEFINED^
14806 @cindex @option{^-u^/UNDEFINED^} (@command{gnatprep})
14807 Causes undefined symbols to be treated as having the value FALSE in the context
14808 of a preprocessor test. In the absence of this option, an undefined symbol in
14809 a @code{#if} or @code{#elsif} test will be treated as an error.
14815 Note: if neither @option{-b} nor @option{-c} is present,
14816 then preprocessor lines and
14817 deleted lines are completely removed from the output, unless -r is
14818 specified, in which case -b is assumed.
14821 @node Form of Definitions File
14822 @section Form of Definitions File
14825 The definitions file contains lines of the form
14832 where symbol is a preprocessing symbol, and value is one of the following:
14836 Empty, corresponding to a null substitution
14838 A string literal using normal Ada syntax
14840 Any sequence of characters from the set
14841 (letters, digits, period, underline).
14845 Comment lines may also appear in the definitions file, starting with
14846 the usual @code{--},
14847 and comments may be added to the definitions lines.
14849 @node Form of Input Text for gnatprep
14850 @section Form of Input Text for @code{gnatprep}
14853 The input text may contain preprocessor conditional inclusion lines,
14854 as well as general symbol substitution sequences.
14856 The preprocessor conditional inclusion commands have the form
14861 #if @i{expression} @r{[}then@r{]}
14863 #elsif @i{expression} @r{[}then@r{]}
14865 #elsif @i{expression} @r{[}then@r{]}
14876 In this example, @i{expression} is defined by the following grammar:
14878 @i{expression} ::= <symbol>
14879 @i{expression} ::= <symbol> = "<value>"
14880 @i{expression} ::= <symbol> = <symbol>
14881 @i{expression} ::= <symbol> 'Defined
14882 @i{expression} ::= not @i{expression}
14883 @i{expression} ::= @i{expression} and @i{expression}
14884 @i{expression} ::= @i{expression} or @i{expression}
14885 @i{expression} ::= @i{expression} and then @i{expression}
14886 @i{expression} ::= @i{expression} or else @i{expression}
14887 @i{expression} ::= ( @i{expression} )
14890 The following restriction exists: it is not allowed to have "and" or "or"
14891 following "not" in the same expression without parentheses. For example, this
14898 This should be one of the following:
14906 For the first test (@i{expression} ::= <symbol>) the symbol must have
14907 either the value true or false, that is to say the right-hand of the
14908 symbol definition must be one of the (case-insensitive) literals
14909 @code{True} or @code{False}. If the value is true, then the
14910 corresponding lines are included, and if the value is false, they are
14913 The test (@i{expression} ::= <symbol> @code{'Defined}) is true only if
14914 the symbol has been defined in the definition file or by a @option{-D}
14915 switch on the command line. Otherwise, the test is false.
14917 The equality tests are case insensitive, as are all the preprocessor lines.
14919 If the symbol referenced is not defined in the symbol definitions file,
14920 then the effect depends on whether or not switch @option{-u}
14921 is specified. If so, then the symbol is treated as if it had the value
14922 false and the test fails. If this switch is not specified, then
14923 it is an error to reference an undefined symbol. It is also an error to
14924 reference a symbol that is defined with a value other than @code{True}
14927 The use of the @code{not} operator inverts the sense of this logical test.
14928 The @code{not} operator cannot be combined with the @code{or} or @code{and}
14929 operators, without parentheses. For example, "if not X or Y then" is not
14930 allowed, but "if (not X) or Y then" and "if not (X or Y) then" are.
14932 The @code{then} keyword is optional as shown
14934 The @code{#} must be the first non-blank character on a line, but
14935 otherwise the format is free form. Spaces or tabs may appear between
14936 the @code{#} and the keyword. The keywords and the symbols are case
14937 insensitive as in normal Ada code. Comments may be used on a
14938 preprocessor line, but other than that, no other tokens may appear on a
14939 preprocessor line. Any number of @code{elsif} clauses can be present,
14940 including none at all. The @code{else} is optional, as in Ada.
14942 The @code{#} marking the start of a preprocessor line must be the first
14943 non-blank character on the line, i.e., it must be preceded only by
14944 spaces or horizontal tabs.
14946 Symbol substitution outside of preprocessor lines is obtained by using
14954 anywhere within a source line, except in a comment or within a
14955 string literal. The identifier
14956 following the @code{$} must match one of the symbols defined in the symbol
14957 definition file, and the result is to substitute the value of the
14958 symbol in place of @code{$symbol} in the output file.
14960 Note that although the substitution of strings within a string literal
14961 is not possible, it is possible to have a symbol whose defined value is
14962 a string literal. So instead of setting XYZ to @code{hello} and writing:
14965 Header : String := "$XYZ";
14969 you should set XYZ to @code{"hello"} and write:
14972 Header : String := $XYZ;
14976 and then the substitution will occur as desired.
14979 @node The GNAT Run-Time Library Builder gnatlbr
14980 @chapter The GNAT Run-Time Library Builder @code{gnatlbr}
14982 @cindex Library builder
14985 @code{gnatlbr} is a tool for rebuilding the GNAT run time with user
14986 supplied configuration pragmas.
14989 * Running gnatlbr::
14990 * Switches for gnatlbr::
14991 * Examples of gnatlbr Usage::
14994 @node Running gnatlbr
14995 @section Running @code{gnatlbr}
14998 The @code{gnatlbr} command has the form
15001 $ GNAT LIBRARY /@r{[}CREATE@r{|}SET@r{|}DELETE@r{]}=directory @r{[}/CONFIG=file@r{]}
15004 @node Switches for gnatlbr
15005 @section Switches for @code{gnatlbr}
15008 @code{gnatlbr} recognizes the following switches:
15012 @item /CREATE=directory
15013 @cindex @code{/CREATE} (@code{gnatlbr})
15014 Create the new run-time library in the specified directory.
15016 @item /SET=directory
15017 @cindex @code{/SET} (@code{gnatlbr})
15018 Make the library in the specified directory the current run-time library.
15020 @item /DELETE=directory
15021 @cindex @code{/DELETE} (@code{gnatlbr})
15022 Delete the run-time library in the specified directory.
15025 @cindex @code{/CONFIG} (@code{gnatlbr})
15026 With /CREATE: Use the configuration pragmas in the specified file when
15027 building the library.
15029 With /SET: Use the configuration pragmas in the specified file when
15034 @node Examples of gnatlbr Usage
15035 @section Example of @code{gnatlbr} Usage
15038 Contents of VAXFLOAT.ADC:
15039 pragma Float_Representation (VAX_Float);
15041 $ GNAT LIBRARY /CREATE=[.VAXFLOAT] /CONFIG=VAXFLOAT.ADC
15043 GNAT LIBRARY rebuilds the run-time library in directory [.VAXFLOAT]
15048 @node The GNAT Library Browser gnatls
15049 @chapter The GNAT Library Browser @code{gnatls}
15051 @cindex Library browser
15054 @code{gnatls} is a tool that outputs information about compiled
15055 units. It gives the relationship between objects, unit names and source
15056 files. It can also be used to check the source dependencies of a unit
15057 as well as various characteristics.
15059 Note: to invoke @code{gnatls} with a project file, use the @code{gnat}
15060 driver (see @ref{The GNAT Driver and Project Files}).
15064 * Switches for gnatls::
15065 * Examples of gnatls Usage::
15068 @node Running gnatls
15069 @section Running @code{gnatls}
15072 The @code{gnatls} command has the form
15075 $ gnatls switches @var{object_or_ali_file}
15079 The main argument is the list of object or @file{ali} files
15080 (@pxref{The Ada Library Information Files})
15081 for which information is requested.
15083 In normal mode, without additional option, @code{gnatls} produces a
15084 four-column listing. Each line represents information for a specific
15085 object. The first column gives the full path of the object, the second
15086 column gives the name of the principal unit in this object, the third
15087 column gives the status of the source and the fourth column gives the
15088 full path of the source representing this unit.
15089 Here is a simple example of use:
15093 ^./^[]^demo1.o demo1 DIF demo1.adb
15094 ^./^[]^demo2.o demo2 OK demo2.adb
15095 ^./^[]^hello.o h1 OK hello.adb
15096 ^./^[]^instr-child.o instr.child MOK instr-child.adb
15097 ^./^[]^instr.o instr OK instr.adb
15098 ^./^[]^tef.o tef DIF tef.adb
15099 ^./^[]^text_io_example.o text_io_example OK text_io_example.adb
15100 ^./^[]^tgef.o tgef DIF tgef.adb
15104 The first line can be interpreted as follows: the main unit which is
15106 object file @file{demo1.o} is demo1, whose main source is in
15107 @file{demo1.adb}. Furthermore, the version of the source used for the
15108 compilation of demo1 has been modified (DIF). Each source file has a status
15109 qualifier which can be:
15112 @item OK (unchanged)
15113 The version of the source file used for the compilation of the
15114 specified unit corresponds exactly to the actual source file.
15116 @item MOK (slightly modified)
15117 The version of the source file used for the compilation of the
15118 specified unit differs from the actual source file but not enough to
15119 require recompilation. If you use gnatmake with the qualifier
15120 @option{^-m (minimal recompilation)^/MINIMAL_RECOMPILATION^}, a file marked
15121 MOK will not be recompiled.
15123 @item DIF (modified)
15124 No version of the source found on the path corresponds to the source
15125 used to build this object.
15127 @item ??? (file not found)
15128 No source file was found for this unit.
15130 @item HID (hidden, unchanged version not first on PATH)
15131 The version of the source that corresponds exactly to the source used
15132 for compilation has been found on the path but it is hidden by another
15133 version of the same source that has been modified.
15137 @node Switches for gnatls
15138 @section Switches for @code{gnatls}
15141 @code{gnatls} recognizes the following switches:
15145 @cindex @option{--version} @command{gnatls}
15146 Display Copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.
15149 @cindex @option{--help} @command{gnatls}
15150 If @option{--version} was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding
15153 @item ^-a^/ALL_UNITS^
15154 @cindex @option{^-a^/ALL_UNITS^} (@code{gnatls})
15155 Consider all units, including those of the predefined Ada library.
15156 Especially useful with @option{^-d^/DEPENDENCIES^}.
15158 @item ^-d^/DEPENDENCIES^
15159 @cindex @option{^-d^/DEPENDENCIES^} (@code{gnatls})
15160 List sources from which specified units depend on.
15162 @item ^-h^/OUTPUT=OPTIONS^
15163 @cindex @option{^-h^/OUTPUT=OPTIONS^} (@code{gnatls})
15164 Output the list of options.
15166 @item ^-o^/OUTPUT=OBJECTS^
15167 @cindex @option{^-o^/OUTPUT=OBJECTS^} (@code{gnatls})
15168 Only output information about object files.
15170 @item ^-s^/OUTPUT=SOURCES^
15171 @cindex @option{^-s^/OUTPUT=SOURCES^} (@code{gnatls})
15172 Only output information about source files.
15174 @item ^-u^/OUTPUT=UNITS^
15175 @cindex @option{^-u^/OUTPUT=UNITS^} (@code{gnatls})
15176 Only output information about compilation units.
15178 @item ^-files^/FILES^=@var{file}
15179 @cindex @option{^-files^/FILES^} (@code{gnatls})
15180 Take as arguments the files listed in text file @var{file}.
15181 Text file @var{file} may contain empty lines that are ignored.
15182 Each nonempty line should contain the name of an existing file.
15183 Several such switches may be specified simultaneously.
15185 @item ^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH=^@var{dir}
15186 @itemx ^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH=^@var{dir}
15187 @itemx ^-I^/SEARCH=^@var{dir}
15188 @itemx ^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^
15190 @cindex @option{^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH^} (@code{gnatls})
15191 @cindex @option{^-aI^/SOURCE_SEARCH^} (@code{gnatls})
15192 @cindex @option{^-I^/SEARCH^} (@code{gnatls})
15193 @cindex @option{^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^} (@code{gnatls})
15194 Source path manipulation. Same meaning as the equivalent @command{gnatmake}
15195 flags (@pxref{Switches for gnatmake}).
15197 @item --RTS=@var{rts-path}
15198 @cindex @option{--RTS} (@code{gnatls})
15199 Specifies the default location of the runtime library. Same meaning as the
15200 equivalent @command{gnatmake} flag (@pxref{Switches for gnatmake}).
15202 @item ^-v^/OUTPUT=VERBOSE^
15203 @cindex @option{^-v^/OUTPUT=VERBOSE^} (@code{gnatls})
15204 Verbose mode. Output the complete source, object and project paths. Do not use
15205 the default column layout but instead use long format giving as much as
15206 information possible on each requested units, including special
15207 characteristics such as:
15210 @item Preelaborable
15211 The unit is preelaborable in the Ada sense.
15214 No elaboration code has been produced by the compiler for this unit.
15217 The unit is pure in the Ada sense.
15219 @item Elaborate_Body
15220 The unit contains a pragma Elaborate_Body.
15223 The unit contains a pragma Remote_Types.
15225 @item Shared_Passive
15226 The unit contains a pragma Shared_Passive.
15229 This unit is part of the predefined environment and cannot be modified
15232 @item Remote_Call_Interface
15233 The unit contains a pragma Remote_Call_Interface.
15239 @node Examples of gnatls Usage
15240 @section Example of @code{gnatls} Usage
15244 Example of using the verbose switch. Note how the source and
15245 object paths are affected by the -I switch.
15248 $ gnatls -v -I.. demo1.o
15250 GNATLS 5.03w (20041123-34)
15251 Copyright 1997-2004 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
15253 Source Search Path:
15254 <Current_Directory>
15256 /home/comar/local/adainclude/
15258 Object Search Path:
15259 <Current_Directory>
15261 /home/comar/local/lib/gcc-lib/x86-linux/3.4.3/adalib/
15263 Project Search Path:
15264 <Current_Directory>
15265 /home/comar/local/lib/gnat/
15270 Kind => subprogram body
15271 Flags => No_Elab_Code
15272 Source => demo1.adb modified
15276 The following is an example of use of the dependency list.
15277 Note the use of the -s switch
15278 which gives a straight list of source files. This can be useful for
15279 building specialized scripts.
15282 $ gnatls -d demo2.o
15283 ./demo2.o demo2 OK demo2.adb
15289 $ gnatls -d -s -a demo1.o
15291 /home/comar/local/adainclude/ada.ads
15292 /home/comar/local/adainclude/a-finali.ads
15293 /home/comar/local/adainclude/a-filico.ads
15294 /home/comar/local/adainclude/a-stream.ads
15295 /home/comar/local/adainclude/a-tags.ads
15298 /home/comar/local/adainclude/gnat.ads
15299 /home/comar/local/adainclude/g-io.ads
15301 /home/comar/local/adainclude/system.ads
15302 /home/comar/local/adainclude/s-exctab.ads
15303 /home/comar/local/adainclude/s-finimp.ads
15304 /home/comar/local/adainclude/s-finroo.ads
15305 /home/comar/local/adainclude/s-secsta.ads
15306 /home/comar/local/adainclude/s-stalib.ads
15307 /home/comar/local/adainclude/s-stoele.ads
15308 /home/comar/local/adainclude/s-stratt.ads
15309 /home/comar/local/adainclude/s-tasoli.ads
15310 /home/comar/local/adainclude/s-unstyp.ads
15311 /home/comar/local/adainclude/unchconv.ads
15317 GNAT LIST /DEPENDENCIES /OUTPUT=SOURCES /ALL_UNITS DEMO1.ADB
15319 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]ada.ads
15320 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]a-finali.ads
15321 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]a-filico.ads
15322 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]a-stream.ads
15323 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]a-tags.ads
15327 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]gnat.ads
15328 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]g-io.ads
15330 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]system.ads
15331 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]s-exctab.ads
15332 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]s-finimp.ads
15333 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]s-finroo.ads
15334 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]s-secsta.ads
15335 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]s-stalib.ads
15336 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]s-stoele.ads
15337 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]s-stratt.ads
15338 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]s-tasoli.ads
15339 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]s-unstyp.ads
15340 GNU:[LIB.OPENVMS7_1.2_8_1.ADALIB]unchconv.ads
15344 @node Cleaning Up Using gnatclean
15345 @chapter Cleaning Up Using @code{gnatclean}
15347 @cindex Cleaning tool
15350 @code{gnatclean} is a tool that allows the deletion of files produced by the
15351 compiler, binder and linker, including ALI files, object files, tree files,
15352 expanded source files, library files, interface copy source files, binder
15353 generated files and executable files.
15356 * Running gnatclean::
15357 * Switches for gnatclean::
15358 @c * Examples of gnatclean Usage::
15361 @node Running gnatclean
15362 @section Running @code{gnatclean}
15365 The @code{gnatclean} command has the form:
15368 $ gnatclean switches @var{names}
15372 @var{names} is a list of source file names. Suffixes @code{.^ads^ADS^} and
15373 @code{^adb^ADB^} may be omitted. If a project file is specified using switch
15374 @code{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE=^}, then @var{names} may be completely omitted.
15377 In normal mode, @code{gnatclean} delete the files produced by the compiler and,
15378 if switch @code{^-c^/COMPILER_FILES_ONLY^} is not specified, by the binder and
15379 the linker. In informative-only mode, specified by switch
15380 @code{^-n^/NODELETE^}, the list of files that would have been deleted in
15381 normal mode is listed, but no file is actually deleted.
15383 @node Switches for gnatclean
15384 @section Switches for @code{gnatclean}
15387 @code{gnatclean} recognizes the following switches:
15391 @cindex @option{--version} @command{gnatclean}
15392 Display Copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.
15395 @cindex @option{--help} @command{gnatclean}
15396 If @option{--version} was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding
15399 @item ^--subdirs^/SUBDIRS^=subdir
15400 Actual object directory of each project file is the subdirectory subdir of the
15401 object directory specified or defauted in the project file.
15403 @item ^--unchecked-shared-lib-imports^/UNCHECKED_SHARED_LIB_IMPORTS^
15404 By default, shared library projects are not allowed to import static library
15405 projects. When this switch is used on the command line, this restriction is
15408 @item ^-c^/COMPILER_FILES_ONLY^
15409 @cindex @option{^-c^/COMPILER_FILES_ONLY^} (@code{gnatclean})
15410 Only attempt to delete the files produced by the compiler, not those produced
15411 by the binder or the linker. The files that are not to be deleted are library
15412 files, interface copy files, binder generated files and executable files.
15414 @item ^-D ^/DIRECTORY_OBJECTS=^@var{dir}
15415 @cindex @option{^-D^/DIRECTORY_OBJECTS^} (@code{gnatclean})
15416 Indicate that ALI and object files should normally be found in directory
15419 @item ^-F^/FULL_PATH_IN_BRIEF_MESSAGES^
15420 @cindex @option{^-F^/FULL_PATH_IN_BRIEF_MESSAGES^} (@code{gnatclean})
15421 When using project files, if some errors or warnings are detected during
15422 parsing and verbose mode is not in effect (no use of switch
15423 ^-v^/VERBOSE^), then error lines start with the full path name of the project
15424 file, rather than its simple file name.
15427 @cindex @option{^-h^/HELP^} (@code{gnatclean})
15428 Output a message explaining the usage of @code{^gnatclean^gnatclean^}.
15430 @item ^-n^/NODELETE^
15431 @cindex @option{^-n^/NODELETE^} (@code{gnatclean})
15432 Informative-only mode. Do not delete any files. Output the list of the files
15433 that would have been deleted if this switch was not specified.
15435 @item ^-P^/PROJECT_FILE=^@var{project}
15436 @cindex @option{^-P^/PROJECT_FILE^} (@code{gnatclean})
15437 Use project file @var{project}. Only one such switch can be used.
15438 When cleaning a project file, the files produced by the compilation of the
15439 immediate sources or inherited sources of the project files are to be
15440 deleted. This is not depending on the presence or not of executable names
15441 on the command line.
15444 @cindex @option{^-q^/QUIET^} (@code{gnatclean})
15445 Quiet output. If there are no errors, do not output anything, except in
15446 verbose mode (switch ^-v^/VERBOSE^) or in informative-only mode
15447 (switch ^-n^/NODELETE^).
15449 @item ^-r^/RECURSIVE^
15450 @cindex @option{^-r^/RECURSIVE^} (@code{gnatclean})
15451 When a project file is specified (using switch ^-P^/PROJECT_FILE=^),
15452 clean all imported and extended project files, recursively. If this switch
15453 is not specified, only the files related to the main project file are to be
15454 deleted. This switch has no effect if no project file is specified.
15456 @item ^-v^/VERBOSE^
15457 @cindex @option{^-v^/VERBOSE^} (@code{gnatclean})
15460 @item ^-vP^/MESSAGES_PROJECT_FILE=^@emph{x}
15461 @cindex @option{^-vP^/MESSAGES_PROJECT_FILE^} (@code{gnatclean})
15462 Indicates the verbosity of the parsing of GNAT project files.
15463 @xref{Switches Related to Project Files}.
15465 @item ^-X^/EXTERNAL_REFERENCE=^@var{name=value}
15466 @cindex @option{^-X^/EXTERNAL_REFERENCE^} (@code{gnatclean})
15467 Indicates that external variable @var{name} has the value @var{value}.
15468 The Project Manager will use this value for occurrences of
15469 @code{external(name)} when parsing the project file.
15470 @xref{Switches Related to Project Files}.
15472 @item ^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH=^@var{dir}
15473 @cindex @option{^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH^} (@code{gnatclean})
15474 When searching for ALI and object files, look in directory
15477 @item ^-I^/SEARCH=^@var{dir}
15478 @cindex @option{^-I^/SEARCH^} (@code{gnatclean})
15479 Equivalent to @option{^-aO^/OBJECT_SEARCH=^@var{dir}}.
15481 @item ^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^
15482 @cindex @option{^-I-^/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY^} (@code{gnatclean})
15483 @cindex Source files, suppressing search
15484 Do not look for ALI or object files in the directory
15485 where @code{gnatclean} was invoked.
15489 @c @node Examples of gnatclean Usage
15490 @c @section Examples of @code{gnatclean} Usage
15493 @node GNAT and Libraries
15494 @chapter GNAT and Libraries
15495 @cindex Library, building, installing, using
15498 This chapter describes how to build and use libraries with GNAT, and also shows
15499 how to recompile the GNAT run-time library. You should be familiar with the
15500 Project Manager facility (@pxref{GNAT Project Manager}) before reading this
15504 * Introduction to Libraries in GNAT::
15505 * General Ada Libraries::
15506 * Stand-alone Ada Libraries::
15507 * Rebuilding the GNAT Run-Time Library::
15510 @node Introduction to Libraries in GNAT
15511 @section Introduction to Libraries in GNAT
15514 A library is, conceptually, a collection of objects which does not have its
15515 own main thread of execution, but rather provides certain services to the
15516 applications that use it. A library can be either statically linked with the
15517 application, in which case its code is directly included in the application,
15518 or, on platforms that support it, be dynamically linked, in which case
15519 its code is shared by all applications making use of this library.
15521 GNAT supports both types of libraries.
15522 In the static case, the compiled code can be provided in different ways. The
15523 simplest approach is to provide directly the set of objects resulting from
15524 compilation of the library source files. Alternatively, you can group the
15525 objects into an archive using whatever commands are provided by the operating
15526 system. For the latter case, the objects are grouped into a shared library.
15528 In the GNAT environment, a library has three types of components:
15534 @xref{The Ada Library Information Files}.
15536 Object files, an archive or a shared library.
15540 A GNAT library may expose all its source files, which is useful for
15541 documentation purposes. Alternatively, it may expose only the units needed by
15542 an external user to make use of the library. That is to say, the specs
15543 reflecting the library services along with all the units needed to compile
15544 those specs, which can include generic bodies or any body implementing an
15545 inlined routine. In the case of @emph{stand-alone libraries} those exposed
15546 units are called @emph{interface units} (@pxref{Stand-alone Ada Libraries}).
15548 All compilation units comprising an application, including those in a library,
15549 need to be elaborated in an order partially defined by Ada's semantics. GNAT
15550 computes the elaboration order from the @file{ALI} files and this is why they
15551 constitute a mandatory part of GNAT libraries.
15552 @emph{Stand-alone libraries} are the exception to this rule because a specific
15553 library elaboration routine is produced independently of the application(s)
15556 @node General Ada Libraries
15557 @section General Ada Libraries
15560 * Building a library::
15561 * Installing a library::
15562 * Using a library::
15565 @node Building a library
15566 @subsection Building a library
15569 The easiest way to build a library is to use the Project Manager,
15570 which supports a special type of project called a @emph{Library Project}
15571 (@pxref{Library Projects}).
15573 A project is considered a library project, when two project-level attributes
15574 are defined in it: @code{Library_Name} and @code{Library_Dir}. In order to
15575 control different aspects of library configuration, additional optional
15576 project-level attributes can be specified:
15579 This attribute controls whether the library is to be static or dynamic
15581 @item Library_Version
15582 This attribute specifies the library version; this value is used
15583 during dynamic linking of shared libraries to determine if the currently
15584 installed versions of the binaries are compatible.
15586 @item Library_Options
15588 These attributes specify additional low-level options to be used during
15589 library generation, and redefine the actual application used to generate
15594 The GNAT Project Manager takes full care of the library maintenance task,
15595 including recompilation of the source files for which objects do not exist
15596 or are not up to date, assembly of the library archive, and installation of
15597 the library (i.e., copying associated source, object and @file{ALI} files
15598 to the specified location).
15600 Here is a simple library project file:
15601 @smallexample @c ada
15603 for Source_Dirs use ("src1", "src2");
15604 for Object_Dir use "obj";
15605 for Library_Name use "mylib";
15606 for Library_Dir use "lib";
15607 for Library_Kind use "dynamic";
15612 and the compilation command to build and install the library:
15614 @smallexample @c ada
15615 $ gnatmake -Pmy_lib
15619 It is not entirely trivial to perform manually all the steps required to
15620 produce a library. We recommend that you use the GNAT Project Manager
15621 for this task. In special cases where this is not desired, the necessary
15622 steps are discussed below.
15624 There are various possibilities for compiling the units that make up the
15625 library: for example with a Makefile (@pxref{Using the GNU make Utility}) or
15626 with a conventional script. For simple libraries, it is also possible to create
15627 a dummy main program which depends upon all the packages that comprise the
15628 interface of the library. This dummy main program can then be given to
15629 @command{gnatmake}, which will ensure that all necessary objects are built.
15631 After this task is accomplished, you should follow the standard procedure
15632 of the underlying operating system to produce the static or shared library.
15634 Here is an example of such a dummy program:
15635 @smallexample @c ada
15637 with My_Lib.Service1;
15638 with My_Lib.Service2;
15639 with My_Lib.Service3;
15640 procedure My_Lib_Dummy is
15648 Here are the generic commands that will build an archive or a shared library.
15651 # compiling the library
15652 $ gnatmake -c my_lib_dummy.adb
15654 # we don't need the dummy object itself
15655 $ rm my_lib_dummy.o my_lib_dummy.ali
15657 # create an archive with the remaining objects
15658 $ ar rc libmy_lib.a *.o
15659 # some systems may require "ranlib" to be run as well
15661 # or create a shared library
15662 $ gcc -shared -o libmy_lib.so *.o
15663 # some systems may require the code to have been compiled with -fPIC
15665 # remove the object files that are now in the library
15668 # Make the ALI files read-only so that gnatmake will not try to
15669 # regenerate the objects that are in the library
15674 Please note that the library must have a name of the form @file{lib@var{xxx}.a}
15675 or @file{lib@var{xxx}.so} (or @file{lib@var{xxx}.dll} on Windows) in order to
15676 be accessed by the directive @option{-l@var{xxx}} at link time.
15678 @node Installing a library
15679 @subsection Installing a library
15680 @cindex @code{ADA_PROJECT_PATH}
15681 @cindex @code{GPR_PROJECT_PATH}
15684 If you use project files, library installation is part of the library build
15685 process (@pxref{Installing a library with project files}).
15687 When project files are not an option, it is also possible, but not recommended,
15688 to install the library so that the sources needed to use the library are on the
15689 Ada source path and the ALI files & libraries be on the Ada Object path (see
15690 @ref{Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)}. Alternatively, the system
15691 administrator can place general-purpose libraries in the default compiler
15692 paths, by specifying the libraries' location in the configuration files
15693 @file{ada_source_path} and @file{ada_object_path}. These configuration files
15694 must be located in the GNAT installation tree at the same place as the gcc spec
15695 file. The location of the gcc spec file can be determined as follows:
15701 The configuration files mentioned above have a simple format: each line
15702 must contain one unique directory name.
15703 Those names are added to the corresponding path
15704 in their order of appearance in the file. The names can be either absolute
15705 or relative; in the latter case, they are relative to where theses files
15708 The files @file{ada_source_path} and @file{ada_object_path} might not be
15710 GNAT installation, in which case, GNAT will look for its run-time library in
15711 the directories @file{adainclude} (for the sources) and @file{adalib} (for the
15712 objects and @file{ALI} files). When the files exist, the compiler does not
15713 look in @file{adainclude} and @file{adalib}, and thus the
15714 @file{ada_source_path} file
15715 must contain the location for the GNAT run-time sources (which can simply
15716 be @file{adainclude}). In the same way, the @file{ada_object_path} file must
15717 contain the location for the GNAT run-time objects (which can simply
15720 You can also specify a new default path to the run-time library at compilation
15721 time with the switch @option{--RTS=rts-path}. You can thus choose / change
15722 the run-time library you want your program to be compiled with. This switch is
15723 recognized by @command{gcc}, @command{gnatmake}, @command{gnatbind},
15724 @command{gnatls}, @command{gnatfind} and @command{gnatxref}.
15726 It is possible to install a library before or after the standard GNAT
15727 library, by reordering the lines in the configuration files. In general, a
15728 library must be installed before the GNAT library if it redefines
15731 @node Using a library
15732 @subsection Using a library
15734 @noindent Once again, the project facility greatly simplifies the use of
15735 libraries. In this context, using a library is just a matter of adding a
15736 @code{with} clause in the user project. For instance, to make use of the
15737 library @code{My_Lib} shown in examples in earlier sections, you can
15740 @smallexample @c projectfile
15747 Even if you have a third-party, non-Ada library, you can still use GNAT's
15748 Project Manager facility to provide a wrapper for it. For example, the
15749 following project, when @code{with}ed by your main project, will link with the
15750 third-party library @file{liba.a}:
15752 @smallexample @c projectfile
15755 for Externally_Built use "true";
15756 for Source_Files use ();
15757 for Library_Dir use "lib";
15758 for Library_Name use "a";
15759 for Library_Kind use "static";
15763 This is an alternative to the use of @code{pragma Linker_Options}. It is
15764 especially interesting in the context of systems with several interdependent
15765 static libraries where finding a proper linker order is not easy and best be
15766 left to the tools having visibility over project dependence information.
15769 In order to use an Ada library manually, you need to make sure that this
15770 library is on both your source and object path
15771 (see @ref{Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)}
15772 and @ref{Search Paths for gnatbind}). Furthermore, when the objects are grouped
15773 in an archive or a shared library, you need to specify the desired
15774 library at link time.
15776 For example, you can use the library @file{mylib} installed in
15777 @file{/dir/my_lib_src} and @file{/dir/my_lib_obj} with the following commands:
15780 $ gnatmake -aI/dir/my_lib_src -aO/dir/my_lib_obj my_appl \
15785 This can be expressed more simply:
15790 when the following conditions are met:
15793 @file{/dir/my_lib_src} has been added by the user to the environment
15794 variable @env{ADA_INCLUDE_PATH}, or by the administrator to the file
15795 @file{ada_source_path}
15797 @file{/dir/my_lib_obj} has been added by the user to the environment
15798 variable @env{ADA_OBJECTS_PATH}, or by the administrator to the file
15799 @file{ada_object_path}
15801 a pragma @code{Linker_Options} has been added to one of the sources.
15804 @smallexample @c ada
15805 pragma Linker_Options ("-lmy_lib");
15809 @node Stand-alone Ada Libraries
15810 @section Stand-alone Ada Libraries
15811 @cindex Stand-alone library, building, using
15814 * Introduction to Stand-alone Libraries::
15815 * Building a Stand-alone Library::
15816 * Creating a Stand-alone Library to be used in a non-Ada context::
15817 * Restrictions in Stand-alone Libraries::
15820 @node Introduction to Stand-alone Libraries
15821 @subsection Introduction to Stand-alone Libraries
15824 A Stand-alone Library (abbreviated ``SAL'') is a library that contains the
15826 elaborate the Ada units that are included in the library. In contrast with
15827 an ordinary library, which consists of all sources, objects and @file{ALI}
15829 library, a SAL may specify a restricted subset of compilation units
15830 to serve as a library interface. In this case, the fully
15831 self-sufficient set of files will normally consist of an objects
15832 archive, the sources of interface units' specs, and the @file{ALI}
15833 files of interface units.
15834 If an interface spec contains a generic unit or an inlined subprogram,
15836 source must also be provided; if the units that must be provided in the source
15837 form depend on other units, the source and @file{ALI} files of those must
15840 The main purpose of a SAL is to minimize the recompilation overhead of client
15841 applications when a new version of the library is installed. Specifically,
15842 if the interface sources have not changed, client applications do not need to
15843 be recompiled. If, furthermore, a SAL is provided in the shared form and its
15844 version, controlled by @code{Library_Version} attribute, is not changed,
15845 then the clients do not need to be relinked.
15847 SALs also allow the library providers to minimize the amount of library source
15848 text exposed to the clients. Such ``information hiding'' might be useful or
15849 necessary for various reasons.
15851 Stand-alone libraries are also well suited to be used in an executable whose
15852 main routine is not written in Ada.
15854 @node Building a Stand-alone Library
15855 @subsection Building a Stand-alone Library
15858 GNAT's Project facility provides a simple way of building and installing
15859 stand-alone libraries; see @ref{Stand-alone Library Projects}.
15860 To be a Stand-alone Library Project, in addition to the two attributes
15861 that make a project a Library Project (@code{Library_Name} and
15862 @code{Library_Dir}; see @ref{Library Projects}), the attribute
15863 @code{Library_Interface} must be defined. For example:
15865 @smallexample @c projectfile
15867 for Library_Dir use "lib_dir";
15868 for Library_Name use "dummy";
15869 for Library_Interface use ("int1", "int1.child");
15874 Attribute @code{Library_Interface} has a non-empty string list value,
15875 each string in the list designating a unit contained in an immediate source
15876 of the project file.
15878 When a Stand-alone Library is built, first the binder is invoked to build
15879 a package whose name depends on the library name
15880 (@file{^b~dummy.ads/b^B$DUMMY.ADS/B^} in the example above).
15881 This binder-generated package includes initialization and
15882 finalization procedures whose
15883 names depend on the library name (@code{dummyinit} and @code{dummyfinal}
15885 above). The object corresponding to this package is included in the library.
15887 You must ensure timely (e.g., prior to any use of interfaces in the SAL)
15888 calling of these procedures if a static SAL is built, or if a shared SAL
15890 with the project-level attribute @code{Library_Auto_Init} set to
15893 For a Stand-Alone Library, only the @file{ALI} files of the Interface Units
15894 (those that are listed in attribute @code{Library_Interface}) are copied to
15895 the Library Directory. As a consequence, only the Interface Units may be
15896 imported from Ada units outside of the library. If other units are imported,
15897 the binding phase will fail.
15899 The attribute @code{Library_Src_Dir} may be specified for a
15900 Stand-Alone Library. @code{Library_Src_Dir} is a simple attribute that has a
15901 single string value. Its value must be the path (absolute or relative to the
15902 project directory) of an existing directory. This directory cannot be the
15903 object directory or one of the source directories, but it can be the same as
15904 the library directory. The sources of the Interface
15905 Units of the library that are needed by an Ada client of the library will be
15906 copied to the designated directory, called the Interface Copy directory.
15907 These sources include the specs of the Interface Units, but they may also
15908 include bodies and subunits, when pragmas @code{Inline} or @code{Inline_Always}
15909 are used, or when there is a generic unit in the spec. Before the sources
15910 are copied to the Interface Copy directory, an attempt is made to delete all
15911 files in the Interface Copy directory.
15913 Building stand-alone libraries by hand is somewhat tedious, but for those
15914 occasions when it is necessary here are the steps that you need to perform:
15917 Compile all library sources.
15920 Invoke the binder with the switch @option{-n} (No Ada main program),
15921 with all the @file{ALI} files of the interfaces, and
15922 with the switch @option{-L} to give specific names to the @code{init}
15923 and @code{final} procedures. For example:
15925 gnatbind -n int1.ali int2.ali -Lsal1
15929 Compile the binder generated file:
15935 Link the dynamic library with all the necessary object files,
15936 indicating to the linker the names of the @code{init} (and possibly
15937 @code{final}) procedures for automatic initialization (and finalization).
15938 The built library should be placed in a directory different from
15939 the object directory.
15942 Copy the @code{ALI} files of the interface to the library directory,
15943 add in this copy an indication that it is an interface to a SAL
15944 (i.e., add a word @option{SL} on the line in the @file{ALI} file that starts
15945 with letter ``P'') and make the modified copy of the @file{ALI} file
15950 Using SALs is not different from using other libraries
15951 (see @ref{Using a library}).
15953 @node Creating a Stand-alone Library to be used in a non-Ada context
15954 @subsection Creating a Stand-alone Library to be used in a non-Ada context
15957 It is easy to adapt the SAL build procedure discussed above for use of a SAL in
15960 The only extra step required is to ensure that library interface subprograms
15961 are compatible with the main program, by means of @code{pragma Export}
15962 or @code{pragma Convention}.
15964 Here is an example of simple library interface for use with C main program:
15966 @smallexample @c ada
15967 package My_Package is
15969 procedure Do_Something;
15970 pragma Export (C, Do_Something, "do_something");
15972 procedure Do_Something_Else;
15973 pragma Export (C, Do_Something_Else, "do_something_else");
15979 On the foreign language side, you must provide a ``foreign'' view of the
15980 library interface; remember that it should contain elaboration routines in
15981 addition to interface subprograms.
15983 The example below shows the content of @code{mylib_interface.h} (note
15984 that there is no rule for the naming of this file, any name can be used)
15986 /* the library elaboration procedure */
15987 extern void mylibinit (void);
15989 /* the library finalization procedure */
15990 extern void mylibfinal (void);
15992 /* the interface exported by the library */
15993 extern void do_something (void);
15994 extern void do_something_else (void);
15998 Libraries built as explained above can be used from any program, provided
15999 that the elaboration procedures (named @code{mylibinit} in the previous
16000 example) are called before the library services are used. Any number of
16001 libraries can be used simultaneously, as long as the elaboration
16002 procedure of each library is called.
16004 Below is an example of a C program that uses the @code{mylib} library.
16007 #include "mylib_interface.h"
16012 /* First, elaborate the library before using it */
16015 /* Main program, using the library exported entities */
16017 do_something_else ();
16019 /* Library finalization at the end of the program */
16026 Note that invoking any library finalization procedure generated by
16027 @code{gnatbind} shuts down the Ada run-time environment.
16029 finalization of all Ada libraries must be performed at the end of the program.
16030 No call to these libraries or to the Ada run-time library should be made
16031 after the finalization phase.
16033 @node Restrictions in Stand-alone Libraries
16034 @subsection Restrictions in Stand-alone Libraries
16037 The pragmas listed below should be used with caution inside libraries,
16038 as they can create incompatibilities with other Ada libraries:
16040 @item pragma @code{Locking_Policy}
16041 @item pragma @code{Queuing_Policy}
16042 @item pragma @code{Task_Dispatching_Policy}
16043 @item pragma @code{Unreserve_All_Interrupts}
16047 When using a library that contains such pragmas, the user must make sure
16048 that all libraries use the same pragmas with the same values. Otherwise,
16049 @code{Program_Error} will
16050 be raised during the elaboration of the conflicting
16051 libraries. The usage of these pragmas and its consequences for the user
16052 should therefore be well documented.
16054 Similarly, the traceback in the exception occurrence mechanism should be
16055 enabled or disabled in a consistent manner across all libraries.
16056 Otherwise, Program_Error will be raised during the elaboration of the
16057 conflicting libraries.
16059 If the @code{Version} or @code{Body_Version}
16060 attributes are used inside a library, then you need to
16061 perform a @code{gnatbind} step that specifies all @file{ALI} files in all
16062 libraries, so that version identifiers can be properly computed.
16063 In practice these attributes are rarely used, so this is unlikely
16064 to be a consideration.
16066 @node Rebuilding the GNAT Run-Time Library
16067 @section Rebuilding the GNAT Run-Time Library
16068 @cindex GNAT Run-Time Library, rebuilding
16069 @cindex Building the GNAT Run-Time Library
16070 @cindex Rebuilding the GNAT Run-Time Library
16071 @cindex Run-Time Library, rebuilding
16074 It may be useful to recompile the GNAT library in various contexts, the
16075 most important one being the use of partition-wide configuration pragmas
16076 such as @code{Normalize_Scalars}. A special Makefile called
16077 @code{Makefile.adalib} is provided to that effect and can be found in
16078 the directory containing the GNAT library. The location of this
16079 directory depends on the way the GNAT environment has been installed and can
16080 be determined by means of the command:
16087 The last entry in the object search path usually contains the
16088 gnat library. This Makefile contains its own documentation and in
16089 particular the set of instructions needed to rebuild a new library and
16092 @node Using the GNU make Utility
16093 @chapter Using the GNU @code{make} Utility
16097 This chapter offers some examples of makefiles that solve specific
16098 problems. It does not explain how to write a makefile (@pxref{Top,, GNU
16099 make, make, GNU @code{make}}), nor does it try to replace the
16100 @command{gnatmake} utility (@pxref{The GNAT Make Program gnatmake}).
16102 All the examples in this section are specific to the GNU version of
16103 make. Although @command{make} is a standard utility, and the basic language
16104 is the same, these examples use some advanced features found only in
16108 * Using gnatmake in a Makefile::
16109 * Automatically Creating a List of Directories::
16110 * Generating the Command Line Switches::
16111 * Overcoming Command Line Length Limits::
16114 @node Using gnatmake in a Makefile
16115 @section Using gnatmake in a Makefile
16120 Complex project organizations can be handled in a very powerful way by
16121 using GNU make combined with gnatmake. For instance, here is a Makefile
16122 which allows you to build each subsystem of a big project into a separate
16123 shared library. Such a makefile allows you to significantly reduce the link
16124 time of very big applications while maintaining full coherence at
16125 each step of the build process.
16127 The list of dependencies are handled automatically by
16128 @command{gnatmake}. The Makefile is simply used to call gnatmake in each of
16129 the appropriate directories.
16131 Note that you should also read the example on how to automatically
16132 create the list of directories
16133 (@pxref{Automatically Creating a List of Directories})
16134 which might help you in case your project has a lot of subdirectories.
16139 @font@heightrm=cmr8
16142 ## This Makefile is intended to be used with the following directory
16144 ## - The sources are split into a series of csc (computer software components)
16145 ## Each of these csc is put in its own directory.
16146 ## Their name are referenced by the directory names.
16147 ## They will be compiled into shared library (although this would also work
16148 ## with static libraries
16149 ## - The main program (and possibly other packages that do not belong to any
16150 ## csc is put in the top level directory (where the Makefile is).
16151 ## toplevel_dir __ first_csc (sources) __ lib (will contain the library)
16152 ## \_ second_csc (sources) __ lib (will contain the library)
16154 ## Although this Makefile is build for shared library, it is easy to modify
16155 ## to build partial link objects instead (modify the lines with -shared and
16158 ## With this makefile, you can change any file in the system or add any new
16159 ## file, and everything will be recompiled correctly (only the relevant shared
16160 ## objects will be recompiled, and the main program will be re-linked).
16162 # The list of computer software component for your project. This might be
16163 # generated automatically.
16166 # Name of the main program (no extension)
16169 # If we need to build objects with -fPIC, uncomment the following line
16172 # The following variable should give the directory containing libgnat.so
16173 # You can get this directory through 'gnatls -v'. This is usually the last
16174 # directory in the Object_Path.
16177 # The directories for the libraries
16178 # (This macro expands the list of CSC to the list of shared libraries, you
16179 # could simply use the expanded form:
16180 # LIB_DIR=aa/lib/libaa.so bb/lib/libbb.so cc/lib/libcc.so
16181 LIB_DIR=$@{foreach dir,$@{CSC_LIST@},$@{dir@}/lib/lib$@{dir@}.so@}
16183 $@{MAIN@}: objects $@{LIB_DIR@}
16184 gnatbind $@{MAIN@} $@{CSC_LIST:%=-aO%/lib@} -shared
16185 gnatlink $@{MAIN@} $@{CSC_LIST:%=-l%@}
16188 # recompile the sources
16189 gnatmake -c -i $@{MAIN@}.adb $@{NEED_FPIC@} $@{CSC_LIST:%=-I%@}
16191 # Note: In a future version of GNAT, the following commands will be simplified
16192 # by a new tool, gnatmlib
16194 mkdir -p $@{dir $@@ @}
16195 cd $@{dir $@@ @} && gcc -shared -o $@{notdir $@@ @} ../*.o -L$@{GLIB@} -lgnat
16196 cd $@{dir $@@ @} && cp -f ../*.ali .
16198 # The dependencies for the modules
16199 # Note that we have to force the expansion of *.o, since in some cases
16200 # make won't be able to do it itself.
16201 aa/lib/libaa.so: $@{wildcard aa/*.o@}
16202 bb/lib/libbb.so: $@{wildcard bb/*.o@}
16203 cc/lib/libcc.so: $@{wildcard cc/*.o@}
16205 # Make sure all of the shared libraries are in the path before starting the
16208 LD_LIBRARY_PATH=`pwd`/aa/lib:`pwd`/bb/lib:`pwd`/cc/lib ./$@{MAIN@}
16211 $@{RM@} -rf $@{CSC_LIST:%=%/lib@}
16212 $@{RM@} $@{CSC_LIST:%=%/*.ali@}
16213 $@{RM@} $@{CSC_LIST:%=%/*.o@}
16214 $@{RM@} *.o *.ali $@{MAIN@}
16217 @node Automatically Creating a List of Directories
16218 @section Automatically Creating a List of Directories
16221 In most makefiles, you will have to specify a list of directories, and
16222 store it in a variable. For small projects, it is often easier to
16223 specify each of them by hand, since you then have full control over what
16224 is the proper order for these directories, which ones should be
16227 However, in larger projects, which might involve hundreds of
16228 subdirectories, it might be more convenient to generate this list
16231 The example below presents two methods. The first one, although less
16232 general, gives you more control over the list. It involves wildcard
16233 characters, that are automatically expanded by @command{make}. Its
16234 shortcoming is that you need to explicitly specify some of the
16235 organization of your project, such as for instance the directory tree
16236 depth, whether some directories are found in a separate tree, @enddots{}
16238 The second method is the most general one. It requires an external
16239 program, called @command{find}, which is standard on all Unix systems. All
16240 the directories found under a given root directory will be added to the
16246 @font@heightrm=cmr8
16249 # The examples below are based on the following directory hierarchy:
16250 # All the directories can contain any number of files
16251 # ROOT_DIRECTORY -> a -> aa -> aaa
16254 # -> b -> ba -> baa
16257 # This Makefile creates a variable called DIRS, that can be reused any time
16258 # you need this list (see the other examples in this section)
16260 # The root of your project's directory hierarchy
16264 # First method: specify explicitly the list of directories
16265 # This allows you to specify any subset of all the directories you need.
16268 DIRS := a/aa/ a/ab/ b/ba/
16271 # Second method: use wildcards
16272 # Note that the argument(s) to wildcard below should end with a '/'.
16273 # Since wildcards also return file names, we have to filter them out
16274 # to avoid duplicate directory names.
16275 # We thus use make's @code{dir} and @code{sort} functions.
16276 # It sets DIRs to the following value (note that the directories aaa and baa
16277 # are not given, unless you change the arguments to wildcard).
16278 # DIRS= ./a/a/ ./b/ ./a/aa/ ./a/ab/ ./a/ac/ ./b/ba/ ./b/bb/ ./b/bc/
16281 DIRS := $@{sort $@{dir $@{wildcard $@{ROOT_DIRECTORY@}/*/
16282 $@{ROOT_DIRECTORY@}/*/*/@}@}@}
16285 # Third method: use an external program
16286 # This command is much faster if run on local disks, avoiding NFS slowdowns.
16287 # This is the most complete command: it sets DIRs to the following value:
16288 # DIRS= ./a ./a/aa ./a/aa/aaa ./a/ab ./a/ac ./b ./b/ba ./b/ba/baa ./b/bb ./b/bc
16291 DIRS := $@{shell find $@{ROOT_DIRECTORY@} -type d -print@}
16295 @node Generating the Command Line Switches
16296 @section Generating the Command Line Switches
16299 Once you have created the list of directories as explained in the
16300 previous section (@pxref{Automatically Creating a List of Directories}),
16301 you can easily generate the command line arguments to pass to gnatmake.
16303 For the sake of completeness, this example assumes that the source path
16304 is not the same as the object path, and that you have two separate lists
16308 # see "Automatically creating a list of directories" to create
16313 GNATMAKE_SWITCHES := $@{patsubst %,-aI%,$@{SOURCE_DIRS@}@}
16314 GNATMAKE_SWITCHES += $@{patsubst %,-aO%,$@{OBJECT_DIRS@}@}
16317 gnatmake $@{GNATMAKE_SWITCHES@} main_unit
16320 @node Overcoming Command Line Length Limits
16321 @section Overcoming Command Line Length Limits
16324 One problem that might be encountered on big projects is that many
16325 operating systems limit the length of the command line. It is thus hard to give
16326 gnatmake the list of source and object directories.
16328 This example shows how you can set up environment variables, which will
16329 make @command{gnatmake} behave exactly as if the directories had been
16330 specified on the command line, but have a much higher length limit (or
16331 even none on most systems).
16333 It assumes that you have created a list of directories in your Makefile,
16334 using one of the methods presented in
16335 @ref{Automatically Creating a List of Directories}.
16336 For the sake of completeness, we assume that the object
16337 path (where the ALI files are found) is different from the sources patch.
16339 Note a small trick in the Makefile below: for efficiency reasons, we
16340 create two temporary variables (SOURCE_LIST and OBJECT_LIST), that are
16341 expanded immediately by @code{make}. This way we overcome the standard
16342 make behavior which is to expand the variables only when they are
16345 On Windows, if you are using the standard Windows command shell, you must
16346 replace colons with semicolons in the assignments to these variables.
16351 @font@heightrm=cmr8
16354 # In this example, we create both ADA_INCLUDE_PATH and ADA_OBJECT_PATH.
16355 # This is the same thing as putting the -I arguments on the command line.
16356 # (the equivalent of using -aI on the command line would be to define
16357 # only ADA_INCLUDE_PATH, the equivalent of -aO is ADA_OBJECT_PATH).
16358 # You can of course have different values for these variables.
16360 # Note also that we need to keep the previous values of these variables, since
16361 # they might have been set before running 'make' to specify where the GNAT
16362 # library is installed.
16364 # see "Automatically creating a list of directories" to create these
16370 space:=$@{empty@} $@{empty@}
16371 SOURCE_LIST := $@{subst $@{space@},:,$@{SOURCE_DIRS@}@}
16372 OBJECT_LIST := $@{subst $@{space@},:,$@{OBJECT_DIRS@}@}
16373 ADA_INCLUDE_PATH += $@{SOURCE_LIST@}
16374 ADA_OBJECT_PATH += $@{OBJECT_LIST@}
16375 export ADA_INCLUDE_PATH
16376 export ADA_OBJECT_PATH
16383 @node Memory Management Issues
16384 @chapter Memory Management Issues
16387 This chapter describes some useful memory pools provided in the GNAT library
16388 and in particular the GNAT Debug Pool facility, which can be used to detect
16389 incorrect uses of access values (including ``dangling references'').
16391 It also describes the @command{gnatmem} tool, which can be used to track down
16396 * Some Useful Memory Pools::
16397 * The GNAT Debug Pool Facility::
16399 * The gnatmem Tool::
16403 @node Some Useful Memory Pools
16404 @section Some Useful Memory Pools
16405 @findex Memory Pool
16406 @cindex storage, pool
16409 The @code{System.Pool_Global} package offers the Unbounded_No_Reclaim_Pool
16410 storage pool. Allocations use the standard system call @code{malloc} while
16411 deallocations use the standard system call @code{free}. No reclamation is
16412 performed when the pool goes out of scope. For performance reasons, the
16413 standard default Ada allocators/deallocators do not use any explicit storage
16414 pools but if they did, they could use this storage pool without any change in
16415 behavior. That is why this storage pool is used when the user
16416 manages to make the default implicit allocator explicit as in this example:
16417 @smallexample @c ada
16418 type T1 is access Something;
16419 -- no Storage pool is defined for T2
16420 type T2 is access Something_Else;
16421 for T2'Storage_Pool use T1'Storage_Pool;
16422 -- the above is equivalent to
16423 for T2'Storage_Pool use System.Pool_Global.Global_Pool_Object;
16427 The @code{System.Pool_Local} package offers the Unbounded_Reclaim_Pool storage
16428 pool. The allocation strategy is similar to @code{Pool_Local}'s
16429 except that the all
16430 storage allocated with this pool is reclaimed when the pool object goes out of
16431 scope. This pool provides a explicit mechanism similar to the implicit one
16432 provided by several Ada 83 compilers for allocations performed through a local
16433 access type and whose purpose was to reclaim memory when exiting the
16434 scope of a given local access. As an example, the following program does not
16435 leak memory even though it does not perform explicit deallocation:
16437 @smallexample @c ada
16438 with System.Pool_Local;
16439 procedure Pooloc1 is
16440 procedure Internal is
16441 type A is access Integer;
16442 X : System.Pool_Local.Unbounded_Reclaim_Pool;
16443 for A'Storage_Pool use X;
16446 for I in 1 .. 50 loop
16451 for I in 1 .. 100 loop
16458 The @code{System.Pool_Size} package implements the Stack_Bounded_Pool used when
16459 @code{Storage_Size} is specified for an access type.
16460 The whole storage for the pool is
16461 allocated at once, usually on the stack at the point where the access type is
16462 elaborated. It is automatically reclaimed when exiting the scope where the
16463 access type is defined. This package is not intended to be used directly by the
16464 user and it is implicitly used for each such declaration:
16466 @smallexample @c ada
16467 type T1 is access Something;
16468 for T1'Storage_Size use 10_000;
16471 @node The GNAT Debug Pool Facility
16472 @section The GNAT Debug Pool Facility
16474 @cindex storage, pool, memory corruption
16477 The use of unchecked deallocation and unchecked conversion can easily
16478 lead to incorrect memory references. The problems generated by such
16479 references are usually difficult to tackle because the symptoms can be
16480 very remote from the origin of the problem. In such cases, it is
16481 very helpful to detect the problem as early as possible. This is the
16482 purpose of the Storage Pool provided by @code{GNAT.Debug_Pools}.
16484 In order to use the GNAT specific debugging pool, the user must
16485 associate a debug pool object with each of the access types that may be
16486 related to suspected memory problems. See Ada Reference Manual 13.11.
16487 @smallexample @c ada
16488 type Ptr is access Some_Type;
16489 Pool : GNAT.Debug_Pools.Debug_Pool;
16490 for Ptr'Storage_Pool use Pool;
16494 @code{GNAT.Debug_Pools} is derived from a GNAT-specific kind of
16495 pool: the @code{Checked_Pool}. Such pools, like standard Ada storage pools,
16496 allow the user to redefine allocation and deallocation strategies. They
16497 also provide a checkpoint for each dereference, through the use of
16498 the primitive operation @code{Dereference} which is implicitly called at
16499 each dereference of an access value.
16501 Once an access type has been associated with a debug pool, operations on
16502 values of the type may raise four distinct exceptions,
16503 which correspond to four potential kinds of memory corruption:
16506 @code{GNAT.Debug_Pools.Accessing_Not_Allocated_Storage}
16508 @code{GNAT.Debug_Pools.Accessing_Deallocated_Storage}
16510 @code{GNAT.Debug_Pools.Freeing_Not_Allocated_Storage}
16512 @code{GNAT.Debug_Pools.Freeing_Deallocated_Storage }
16516 For types associated with a Debug_Pool, dynamic allocation is performed using
16517 the standard GNAT allocation routine. References to all allocated chunks of
16518 memory are kept in an internal dictionary. Several deallocation strategies are
16519 provided, whereupon the user can choose to release the memory to the system,
16520 keep it allocated for further invalid access checks, or fill it with an easily
16521 recognizable pattern for debug sessions. The memory pattern is the old IBM
16522 hexadecimal convention: @code{16#DEADBEEF#}.
16524 See the documentation in the file g-debpoo.ads for more information on the
16525 various strategies.
16527 Upon each dereference, a check is made that the access value denotes a
16528 properly allocated memory location. Here is a complete example of use of
16529 @code{Debug_Pools}, that includes typical instances of memory corruption:
16530 @smallexample @c ada
16534 with Gnat.Io; use Gnat.Io;
16535 with Unchecked_Deallocation;
16536 with Unchecked_Conversion;
16537 with GNAT.Debug_Pools;
16538 with System.Storage_Elements;
16539 with Ada.Exceptions; use Ada.Exceptions;
16540 procedure Debug_Pool_Test is
16542 type T is access Integer;
16543 type U is access all T;
16545 P : GNAT.Debug_Pools.Debug_Pool;
16546 for T'Storage_Pool use P;
16548 procedure Free is new Unchecked_Deallocation (Integer, T);
16549 function UC is new Unchecked_Conversion (U, T);
16552 procedure Info is new GNAT.Debug_Pools.Print_Info(Put_Line);
16562 Put_Line (Integer'Image(B.all));
16564 when E : others => Put_Line ("raised: " & Exception_Name (E));
16569 when E : others => Put_Line ("raised: " & Exception_Name (E));
16573 Put_Line (Integer'Image(B.all));
16575 when E : others => Put_Line ("raised: " & Exception_Name (E));
16580 when E : others => Put_Line ("raised: " & Exception_Name (E));
16583 end Debug_Pool_Test;
16587 The debug pool mechanism provides the following precise diagnostics on the
16588 execution of this erroneous program:
16591 Total allocated bytes : 0
16592 Total deallocated bytes : 0
16593 Current Water Mark: 0
16597 Total allocated bytes : 8
16598 Total deallocated bytes : 0
16599 Current Water Mark: 8
16602 raised: GNAT.DEBUG_POOLS.ACCESSING_DEALLOCATED_STORAGE
16603 raised: GNAT.DEBUG_POOLS.FREEING_DEALLOCATED_STORAGE
16604 raised: GNAT.DEBUG_POOLS.ACCESSING_NOT_ALLOCATED_STORAGE
16605 raised: GNAT.DEBUG_POOLS.FREEING_NOT_ALLOCATED_STORAGE
16607 Total allocated bytes : 8
16608 Total deallocated bytes : 4
16609 Current Water Mark: 4
16614 @node The gnatmem Tool
16615 @section The @command{gnatmem} Tool
16619 The @code{gnatmem} utility monitors dynamic allocation and
16620 deallocation activity in a program, and displays information about
16621 incorrect deallocations and possible sources of memory leaks.
16622 It is designed to work in association with a static runtime library
16623 only and in this context provides three types of information:
16626 General information concerning memory management, such as the total
16627 number of allocations and deallocations, the amount of allocated
16628 memory and the high water mark, i.e.@: the largest amount of allocated
16629 memory in the course of program execution.
16632 Backtraces for all incorrect deallocations, that is to say deallocations
16633 which do not correspond to a valid allocation.
16636 Information on each allocation that is potentially the origin of a memory
16641 * Running gnatmem::
16642 * Switches for gnatmem::
16643 * Example of gnatmem Usage::
16646 @node Running gnatmem
16647 @subsection Running @code{gnatmem}
16650 @code{gnatmem} makes use of the output created by the special version of
16651 allocation and deallocation routines that record call information. This
16652 allows to obtain accurate dynamic memory usage history at a minimal cost to
16653 the execution speed. Note however, that @code{gnatmem} is not supported on
16654 all platforms (currently, it is supported on AIX, HP-UX, GNU/Linux,
16655 Solaris and Windows NT/2000/XP (x86).
16658 The @code{gnatmem} command has the form
16661 @c $ gnatmem @ovar{switches} user_program
16662 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
16663 $ gnatmem @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{user_program}
16667 The program must have been linked with the instrumented version of the
16668 allocation and deallocation routines. This is done by linking with the
16669 @file{libgmem.a} library. For correct symbolic backtrace information,
16670 the user program should be compiled with debugging options
16671 (see @ref{Switches for gcc}). For example to build @file{my_program}:
16674 $ gnatmake -g my_program -largs -lgmem
16678 As library @file{libgmem.a} contains an alternate body for package
16679 @code{System.Memory}, @file{s-memory.adb} should not be compiled and linked
16680 when an executable is linked with library @file{libgmem.a}. It is then not
16681 recommended to use @command{gnatmake} with switch @option{^-a^/ALL_FILES^}.
16684 When @file{my_program} is executed, the file @file{gmem.out} is produced.
16685 This file contains information about all allocations and deallocations
16686 performed by the program. It is produced by the instrumented allocations and
16687 deallocations routines and will be used by @code{gnatmem}.
16689 In order to produce symbolic backtrace information for allocations and
16690 deallocations performed by the GNAT run-time library, you need to use a
16691 version of that library that has been compiled with the @option{-g} switch
16692 (see @ref{Rebuilding the GNAT Run-Time Library}).
16694 Gnatmem must be supplied with the @file{gmem.out} file and the executable to
16695 examine. If the location of @file{gmem.out} file was not explicitly supplied by
16696 @option{-i} switch, gnatmem will assume that this file can be found in the
16697 current directory. For example, after you have executed @file{my_program},
16698 @file{gmem.out} can be analyzed by @code{gnatmem} using the command:
16701 $ gnatmem my_program
16705 This will produce the output with the following format:
16707 *************** debut cc
16709 $ gnatmem my_program
16713 Total number of allocations : 45
16714 Total number of deallocations : 6
16715 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 11.29 Kilobytes
16716 High Water Mark : 11.40 Kilobytes
16721 Allocation Root # 2
16722 -------------------
16723 Number of non freed allocations : 11
16724 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 1.16 Kilobytes
16725 High Water Mark : 1.27 Kilobytes
16727 my_program.adb:23 my_program.alloc
16733 The first block of output gives general information. In this case, the
16734 Ada construct ``@code{@b{new}}'' was executed 45 times, and only 6 calls to an
16735 Unchecked_Deallocation routine occurred.
16738 Subsequent paragraphs display information on all allocation roots.
16739 An allocation root is a specific point in the execution of the program
16740 that generates some dynamic allocation, such as a ``@code{@b{new}}''
16741 construct. This root is represented by an execution backtrace (or subprogram
16742 call stack). By default the backtrace depth for allocations roots is 1, so
16743 that a root corresponds exactly to a source location. The backtrace can
16744 be made deeper, to make the root more specific.
16746 @node Switches for gnatmem
16747 @subsection Switches for @code{gnatmem}
16750 @code{gnatmem} recognizes the following switches:
16755 @cindex @option{-q} (@code{gnatmem})
16756 Quiet. Gives the minimum output needed to identify the origin of the
16757 memory leaks. Omits statistical information.
16760 @cindex @var{N} (@code{gnatmem})
16761 N is an integer literal (usually between 1 and 10) which controls the
16762 depth of the backtraces defining allocation root. The default value for
16763 N is 1. The deeper the backtrace, the more precise the localization of
16764 the root. Note that the total number of roots can depend on this
16765 parameter. This parameter must be specified @emph{before} the name of the
16766 executable to be analyzed, to avoid ambiguity.
16769 @cindex @option{-b} (@code{gnatmem})
16770 This switch has the same effect as just depth parameter.
16772 @item -i @var{file}
16773 @cindex @option{-i} (@code{gnatmem})
16774 Do the @code{gnatmem} processing starting from @file{file}, rather than
16775 @file{gmem.out} in the current directory.
16778 @cindex @option{-m} (@code{gnatmem})
16779 This switch causes @code{gnatmem} to mask the allocation roots that have less
16780 than n leaks. The default value is 1. Specifying the value of 0 will allow to
16781 examine even the roots that didn't result in leaks.
16784 @cindex @option{-s} (@code{gnatmem})
16785 This switch causes @code{gnatmem} to sort the allocation roots according to the
16786 specified order of sort criteria, each identified by a single letter. The
16787 currently supported criteria are @code{n, h, w} standing respectively for
16788 number of unfreed allocations, high watermark, and final watermark
16789 corresponding to a specific root. The default order is @code{nwh}.
16793 @node Example of gnatmem Usage
16794 @subsection Example of @code{gnatmem} Usage
16797 The following example shows the use of @code{gnatmem}
16798 on a simple memory-leaking program.
16799 Suppose that we have the following Ada program:
16801 @smallexample @c ada
16804 with Unchecked_Deallocation;
16805 procedure Test_Gm is
16807 type T is array (1..1000) of Integer;
16808 type Ptr is access T;
16809 procedure Free is new Unchecked_Deallocation (T, Ptr);
16812 procedure My_Alloc is
16817 procedure My_DeAlloc is
16825 for I in 1 .. 5 loop
16826 for J in I .. 5 loop
16837 The program needs to be compiled with debugging option and linked with
16838 @code{gmem} library:
16841 $ gnatmake -g test_gm -largs -lgmem
16845 Then we execute the program as usual:
16852 Then @code{gnatmem} is invoked simply with
16858 which produces the following output (result may vary on different platforms):
16863 Total number of allocations : 18
16864 Total number of deallocations : 5
16865 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 53.00 Kilobytes
16866 High Water Mark : 56.90 Kilobytes
16868 Allocation Root # 1
16869 -------------------
16870 Number of non freed allocations : 11
16871 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 42.97 Kilobytes
16872 High Water Mark : 46.88 Kilobytes
16874 test_gm.adb:11 test_gm.my_alloc
16876 Allocation Root # 2
16877 -------------------
16878 Number of non freed allocations : 1
16879 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 10.02 Kilobytes
16880 High Water Mark : 10.02 Kilobytes
16882 s-secsta.adb:81 system.secondary_stack.ss_init
16884 Allocation Root # 3
16885 -------------------
16886 Number of non freed allocations : 1
16887 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 12 Bytes
16888 High Water Mark : 12 Bytes
16890 s-secsta.adb:181 system.secondary_stack.ss_init
16894 Note that the GNAT run time contains itself a certain number of
16895 allocations that have no corresponding deallocation,
16896 as shown here for root #2 and root
16897 #3. This is a normal behavior when the number of non-freed allocations
16898 is one, it allocates dynamic data structures that the run time needs for
16899 the complete lifetime of the program. Note also that there is only one
16900 allocation root in the user program with a single line back trace:
16901 test_gm.adb:11 test_gm.my_alloc, whereas a careful analysis of the
16902 program shows that 'My_Alloc' is called at 2 different points in the
16903 source (line 21 and line 24). If those two allocation roots need to be
16904 distinguished, the backtrace depth parameter can be used:
16907 $ gnatmem 3 test_gm
16911 which will give the following output:
16916 Total number of allocations : 18
16917 Total number of deallocations : 5
16918 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 53.00 Kilobytes
16919 High Water Mark : 56.90 Kilobytes
16921 Allocation Root # 1
16922 -------------------
16923 Number of non freed allocations : 10
16924 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 39.06 Kilobytes
16925 High Water Mark : 42.97 Kilobytes
16927 test_gm.adb:11 test_gm.my_alloc
16928 test_gm.adb:24 test_gm
16929 b_test_gm.c:52 main
16931 Allocation Root # 2
16932 -------------------
16933 Number of non freed allocations : 1
16934 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 10.02 Kilobytes
16935 High Water Mark : 10.02 Kilobytes
16937 s-secsta.adb:81 system.secondary_stack.ss_init
16938 s-secsta.adb:283 <system__secondary_stack___elabb>
16939 b_test_gm.c:33 adainit
16941 Allocation Root # 3
16942 -------------------
16943 Number of non freed allocations : 1
16944 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 3.91 Kilobytes
16945 High Water Mark : 3.91 Kilobytes
16947 test_gm.adb:11 test_gm.my_alloc
16948 test_gm.adb:21 test_gm
16949 b_test_gm.c:52 main
16951 Allocation Root # 4
16952 -------------------
16953 Number of non freed allocations : 1
16954 Final Water Mark (non freed mem) : 12 Bytes
16955 High Water Mark : 12 Bytes
16957 s-secsta.adb:181 system.secondary_stack.ss_init
16958 s-secsta.adb:283 <system__secondary_stack___elabb>
16959 b_test_gm.c:33 adainit
16963 The allocation root #1 of the first example has been split in 2 roots #1
16964 and #3 thanks to the more precise associated backtrace.
16968 @node Stack Related Facilities
16969 @chapter Stack Related Facilities
16972 This chapter describes some useful tools associated with stack
16973 checking and analysis. In
16974 particular, it deals with dynamic and static stack usage measurements.
16977 * Stack Overflow Checking::
16978 * Static Stack Usage Analysis::
16979 * Dynamic Stack Usage Analysis::
16982 @node Stack Overflow Checking
16983 @section Stack Overflow Checking
16984 @cindex Stack Overflow Checking
16985 @cindex -fstack-check
16988 For most operating systems, @command{gcc} does not perform stack overflow
16989 checking by default. This means that if the main environment task or
16990 some other task exceeds the available stack space, then unpredictable
16991 behavior will occur. Most native systems offer some level of protection by
16992 adding a guard page at the end of each task stack. This mechanism is usually
16993 not enough for dealing properly with stack overflow situations because
16994 a large local variable could ``jump'' above the guard page.
16995 Furthermore, when the
16996 guard page is hit, there may not be any space left on the stack for executing
16997 the exception propagation code. Enabling stack checking avoids
17000 To activate stack checking, compile all units with the gcc option
17001 @option{-fstack-check}. For example:
17004 gcc -c -fstack-check package1.adb
17008 Units compiled with this option will generate extra instructions to check
17009 that any use of the stack (for procedure calls or for declaring local
17010 variables in declare blocks) does not exceed the available stack space.
17011 If the space is exceeded, then a @code{Storage_Error} exception is raised.
17013 For declared tasks, the stack size is controlled by the size
17014 given in an applicable @code{Storage_Size} pragma or by the value specified
17015 at bind time with @option{-d} (@pxref{Switches for gnatbind}) or is set to
17016 the default size as defined in the GNAT runtime otherwise.
17018 For the environment task, the stack size depends on
17019 system defaults and is unknown to the compiler. Stack checking
17020 may still work correctly if a fixed
17021 size stack is allocated, but this cannot be guaranteed.
17023 To ensure that a clean exception is signalled for stack
17024 overflow, set the environment variable
17025 @env{GNAT_STACK_LIMIT} to indicate the maximum
17026 stack area that can be used, as in:
17027 @cindex GNAT_STACK_LIMIT
17030 SET GNAT_STACK_LIMIT 1600
17034 The limit is given in kilobytes, so the above declaration would
17035 set the stack limit of the environment task to 1.6 megabytes.
17036 Note that the only purpose of this usage is to limit the amount
17037 of stack used by the environment task. If it is necessary to
17038 increase the amount of stack for the environment task, then this
17039 is an operating systems issue, and must be addressed with the
17040 appropriate operating systems commands.
17043 To have a fixed size stack in the environment task, the stack must be put
17044 in the P0 address space and its size specified. Use these switches to
17048 gnatmake my_progs -largs "-Wl,--opt=STACK=4000,/p0image"
17052 The quotes are required to keep case. The number after @samp{STACK=} is the
17053 size of the environmental task stack in pagelets (512 bytes). In this example
17054 the stack size is about 2 megabytes.
17057 A consequence of the @option{/p0image} qualifier is also to makes RMS buffers
17058 be placed in P0 space. Refer to @cite{HP OpenVMS Linker Utility Manual} for
17059 more details about the @option{/p0image} qualifier and the @option{stack}
17063 @node Static Stack Usage Analysis
17064 @section Static Stack Usage Analysis
17065 @cindex Static Stack Usage Analysis
17066 @cindex -fstack-usage
17069 A unit compiled with @option{-fstack-usage} will generate an extra file
17071 the maximum amount of stack used, on a per-function basis.
17072 The file has the same
17073 basename as the target object file with a @file{.su} extension.
17074 Each line of this file is made up of three fields:
17078 The name of the function.
17082 One or more qualifiers: @code{static}, @code{dynamic}, @code{bounded}.
17085 The second field corresponds to the size of the known part of the function
17088 The qualifier @code{static} means that the function frame size
17090 It usually means that all local variables have a static size.
17091 In this case, the second field is a reliable measure of the function stack
17094 The qualifier @code{dynamic} means that the function frame size is not static.
17095 It happens mainly when some local variables have a dynamic size. When this
17096 qualifier appears alone, the second field is not a reliable measure
17097 of the function stack analysis. When it is qualified with @code{bounded}, it
17098 means that the second field is a reliable maximum of the function stack
17101 @node Dynamic Stack Usage Analysis
17102 @section Dynamic Stack Usage Analysis
17105 It is possible to measure the maximum amount of stack used by a task, by
17106 adding a switch to @command{gnatbind}, as:
17109 $ gnatbind -u0 file
17113 With this option, at each task termination, its stack usage is output on
17115 It is not always convenient to output the stack usage when the program
17116 is still running. Hence, it is possible to delay this output until program
17117 termination. for a given number of tasks specified as the argument of the
17118 @option{-u} option. For instance:
17121 $ gnatbind -u100 file
17125 will buffer the stack usage information of the first 100 tasks to terminate and
17126 output this info at program termination. Results are displayed in four
17130 Index | Task Name | Stack Size | Stack Usage [Value +/- Variation]
17137 is a number associated with each task.
17140 is the name of the task analyzed.
17143 is the maximum size for the stack.
17146 is the measure done by the stack analyzer. In order to prevent overflow, the stack
17147 is not entirely analyzed, and it's not possible to know exactly how
17148 much has actually been used. The report thus contains the theoretical stack usage
17149 (Value) and the possible variation (Variation) around this value.
17154 The environment task stack, e.g., the stack that contains the main unit, is
17155 only processed when the environment variable GNAT_STACK_LIMIT is set.
17158 @c *********************************
17160 @c *********************************
17161 @node Verifying Properties Using gnatcheck
17162 @chapter Verifying Properties Using @command{gnatcheck}
17164 @cindex @command{gnatcheck}
17167 The @command{gnatcheck} tool is an ASIS-based utility that checks properties
17168 of Ada source files according to a given set of semantic rules.
17171 In order to check compliance with a given rule, @command{gnatcheck} has to
17172 semantically analyze the Ada sources.
17173 Therefore, checks can only be performed on
17174 legal Ada units. Moreover, when a unit depends semantically upon units located
17175 outside the current directory, the source search path has to be provided when
17176 calling @command{gnatcheck}, either through a specified project file or
17177 through @command{gnatcheck} switches as described below.
17179 A number of rules are predefined in @command{gnatcheck} and are described
17180 later in this chapter.
17181 You can also add new rules, by modifying the @command{gnatcheck} code and
17182 rebuilding the tool. In order to add a simple rule making some local checks,
17183 a small amount of straightforward ASIS-based programming is usually needed.
17185 Project support for @command{gnatcheck} is provided by the GNAT
17186 driver (see @ref{The GNAT Driver and Project Files}).
17188 Invoking @command{gnatcheck} on the command line has the form:
17191 @c $ gnatcheck @ovar{switches} @{@var{filename}@}
17192 @c @r{[}^-files^/FILES^=@{@var{arg_list_filename}@}@r{]}
17193 @c @r{[}-cargs @var{gcc_switches}@r{]} -rules @var{rule_options}
17194 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
17195 $ gnatcheck @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @{@var{filename}@}
17196 @r{[}^-files^/FILES^=@{@var{arg_list_filename}@}@r{]}
17197 @r{[}-cargs @var{gcc_switches}@r{]} -rules @var{rule_options}
17204 @var{switches} specify the general tool options
17207 Each @var{filename} is the name (including the extension) of a source
17208 file to process. ``Wildcards'' are allowed, and
17209 the file name may contain path information.
17212 Each @var{arg_list_filename} is the name (including the extension) of a text
17213 file containing the names of the source files to process, separated by spaces
17217 @var{gcc_switches} is a list of switches for
17218 @command{gcc}. They will be passed on to all compiler invocations made by
17219 @command{gnatcheck} to generate the ASIS trees. Here you can provide
17220 @option{^-I^/INCLUDE_DIRS=^} switches to form the source search path,
17221 and use the @option{-gnatec} switch to set the configuration file.
17224 @var{rule_options} is a list of options for controlling a set of
17225 rules to be checked by @command{gnatcheck} (@pxref{gnatcheck Rule Options}).
17229 Either a @file{@var{filename}} or an @file{@var{arg_list_filename}} must be
17233 * Format of the Report File::
17234 * General gnatcheck Switches::
17235 * gnatcheck Rule Options::
17236 * Adding the Results of Compiler Checks to gnatcheck Output::
17237 * Project-Wide Checks::
17239 * Predefined Rules::
17240 * Example of gnatcheck Usage::
17243 @node Format of the Report File
17244 @section Format of the Report File
17245 @cindex Report file (for @code{gnatcheck})
17248 The @command{gnatcheck} tool outputs on @file{stdout} all messages concerning
17250 It also creates a text file that
17251 contains the complete report of the last gnatcheck run. By default this file
17252 is named named @file{^gnatcheck.out^GNATCHECK.OUT^} and it is located in the
17253 current directory; the @option{^-o^/OUTPUT^} option can be used to change the
17254 name and/or location of the report file. This report contains:
17256 @item date and time of @command{gnatcheck} run, the version of
17257 the tool that has generated this report and the full parameters
17258 of the @command{gnatcheck} invocation;
17259 @item list of enabled rules;
17260 @item total number of detected violations;
17261 @item list of source files where rule violations have been detected;
17262 @item list of source files where no violations have been detected.
17265 @node General gnatcheck Switches
17266 @section General @command{gnatcheck} Switches
17269 The following switches control the general @command{gnatcheck} behavior
17273 @cindex @option{^-a^/ALL^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17275 Process all units including those with read-only ALI files such as
17276 those from the GNAT Run-Time library.
17280 @cindex @option{-d} (@command{gnatcheck})
17285 @cindex @option{-dd} (@command{gnatcheck})
17287 Progress indicator mode (for use in GPS).
17290 @cindex @option{^-h^/HELP^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17292 List the predefined and user-defined rules. For more details see
17293 @ref{Predefined Rules}.
17295 @cindex @option{^-l^/LOCS^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17297 Use full source locations references in the report file. For a construct from
17298 a generic instantiation a full source location is a chain from the location
17299 of this construct in the generic unit to the place where this unit is
17302 @cindex @option{^-log^/LOG^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17304 Duplicate all the output sent to @file{stderr} into a log file. The log file
17305 is named @file{gnatcheck.log} and is located in the current directory.
17307 @cindex @option{^-m^/DIAGNOSTIC_LIMIT^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17308 @item ^-m@i{nnnn}^/DIAGNOSTIC_LIMIT=@i{nnnn}^
17309 Maximum number of diagnostics to be sent to @file{stdout}, where @i{nnnn} is in
17310 the range 0@dots{}1000;
17311 the default value is 500. Zero means that there is no limitation on
17312 the number of diagnostic messages to be output.
17314 @cindex @option{^-q^/QUIET^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17316 Quiet mode. All the diagnostics about rule violations are placed in the
17317 @command{gnatcheck} report file only, without duplication on @file{stdout}.
17319 @cindex @option{^-s^/SHORT^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17321 Short format of the report file (no version information, no list of applied
17322 rules, no list of checked sources is included)
17324 @cindex @option{^--include-file=@var{file}^/INCLUDE_FILE=@var{file}^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17325 @item ^--include-file^/INCLUDE_FILE^
17326 Append the content of the specified text file to the report file
17328 @cindex @option{^-t^/TIME^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17330 Print out execution time.
17332 @cindex @option{^-v^/VERBOSE^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17333 @item ^-v^/VERBOSE^
17334 Verbose mode; @command{gnatcheck} generates version information and then
17335 a trace of sources being processed.
17337 @cindex @option{^-o ^/OUTPUT^} (@command{gnatcheck})
17338 @item ^-o ^/OUTPUT=^@var{report_file}
17339 Set name of report file file to @var{report_file} .
17343 @node gnatcheck Rule Options
17344 @section @command{gnatcheck} Rule Options
17347 The following options control the processing performed by
17348 @command{gnatcheck}.
17351 @cindex @option{+ALL} (@command{gnatcheck})
17353 Turn all the rule checks ON.
17355 @cindex @option{-ALL} (@command{gnatcheck})
17357 Turn all the rule checks OFF.
17359 @cindex @option{+R} (@command{gnatcheck})
17360 @item +R@var{rule_id}@r{[}:@var{param}@r{]}
17361 Turn on the check for a specified rule with the specified parameter, if any.
17362 @var{rule_id} must be the identifier of one of the currently implemented rules
17363 (use @option{^-h^/HELP^} for the list of implemented rules). Rule identifiers
17364 are not case-sensitive. The @var{param} item must
17365 be a string representing a valid parameter(s) for the specified rule.
17366 If it contains any space characters then this string must be enclosed in
17369 @cindex @option{-R} (@command{gnatcheck})
17370 @item -R@var{rule_id}@r{[}:@var{param}@r{]}
17371 Turn off the check for a specified rule with the specified parameter, if any.
17373 @cindex @option{-from} (@command{gnatcheck})
17374 @item -from=@var{rule_option_filename}
17375 Read the rule options from the text file @var{rule_option_filename}, referred
17376 to as a ``coding standard file'' below.
17381 The default behavior is that all the rule checks are disabled.
17383 A coding standard file is a text file that contains a set of rule options
17385 @cindex Coding standard file (for @code{gnatcheck})
17386 The file may contain empty lines and Ada-style comments (comment
17387 lines and end-of-line comments). There can be several rule options on a
17388 single line (separated by a space).
17390 A coding standard file may reference other coding standard files by including
17391 more @option{-from=@var{rule_option_filename}}
17392 options, each such option being replaced with the content of the
17393 corresponding coding standard file during processing. In case a
17394 cycle is detected (that is, @file{@var{rule_file_1}} reads rule options
17395 from @file{@var{rule_file_2}}, and @file{@var{rule_file_2}} reads
17396 (directly or indirectly) rule options from @file{@var{rule_file_1}}),
17397 processing fails with an error message.
17400 @node Adding the Results of Compiler Checks to gnatcheck Output
17401 @section Adding the Results of Compiler Checks to @command{gnatcheck} Output
17404 The @command{gnatcheck} tool can include in the generated diagnostic messages
17406 the report file the results of the checks performed by the compiler. Though
17407 disabled by default, this effect may be obtained by using @option{+R} with
17408 the following rule identifiers and parameters:
17412 To record restrictions violations (which are performed by the compiler if the
17413 pragma @code{Restrictions} or @code{Restriction_Warnings} are given),
17414 use the @code{Restrictions} rule
17415 with the same parameters as pragma
17416 @code{Restrictions} or @code{Restriction_Warnings}.
17419 To record compiler style checks (@pxref{Style Checking}), use the
17420 @code{Style_Checks} rule.
17421 This rule takes a parameter in one of the following forms:
17425 which enables the standard style checks corresponding to the @option{-gnatyy}
17426 GNAT style check option, or
17429 a string with the same
17430 structure and semantics as the @code{string_LITERAL} parameter of the
17431 GNAT pragma @code{Style_Checks}
17432 (for further information about this pragma,
17433 @pxref{Pragma Style_Checks,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}).
17438 @code{+RStyle_Checks:O} rule option activates
17439 the compiler style check that corresponds to
17440 @code{-gnatyO} style check option.
17443 To record compiler warnings (@pxref{Warning Message Control}), use the
17444 @code{Warnings} rule with a parameter that is a valid
17445 @i{static_string_expression} argument of the GNAT pragma @code{Warnings}
17446 (for further information about this pragma,
17447 @pxref{Pragma Warnings,,,gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}).
17448 Note that in case of gnatcheck
17449 's' parameter, that corresponds to the GNAT @option{-gnatws} option, disables
17450 all the specific warnings, but not suppresses the warning mode,
17451 and 'e' parameter, corresponding to @option{-gnatwe} that means
17452 "treat warnings as errors", does not have any effect.
17456 To disable a specific restriction check, use @code{-RStyle_Checks} gnatcheck
17457 option with the corresponding restriction name as a parameter. @code{-R} is
17458 not available for @code{Style_Checks} and @code{Warnings} options, to disable
17459 warnings and style checks, use the corresponding warning and style options.
17461 @node Project-Wide Checks
17462 @section Project-Wide Checks
17463 @cindex Project-wide checks (for @command{gnatcheck})
17466 In order to perform checks on all units of a given project, you can use
17467 the GNAT driver along with the @option{-P} option:
17469 gnat check -Pproj -rules -from=my_rules
17473 If the project @code{proj} depends upon other projects, you can perform
17474 checks on the project closure using the @option{-U} option:
17476 gnat check -Pproj -U -rules -from=my_rules
17480 Finally, if not all the units are relevant to a particular main
17481 program in the project closure, you can perform checks for the set
17482 of units needed to create a given main program (unit closure) using
17483 the @option{-U} option followed by the name of the main unit:
17485 gnat check -Pproj -U main -rules -from=my_rules
17489 @node Rule exemption
17490 @section Rule exemption
17491 @cindex Rule exemption (for @command{gnatcheck})
17494 One of the most useful applications of @command{gnatcheck} is to
17495 automate the enforcement of project-specific coding standards,
17496 for example in safety-critical systems where particular features
17497 must be restricted in order to simplify the certification effort.
17498 However, it may sometimes be appropriate to violate a coding standard rule,
17499 and in such cases the rationale for the violation should be provided
17500 in the source program itself so that the individuals
17501 reviewing or maintaining the program can immediately understand the intent.
17503 The @command{gnatcheck} tool supports this practice with the notion of
17504 a ``rule exemption'' covering a specific source code section. Normally
17505 rule violation messages are issued both on @file{stderr}
17506 and in a report file. In contrast, exempted violations are not listed on
17507 @file{stderr}; thus users invoking @command{gnatcheck} interactively
17508 (e.g. in its GPS interface) do not need to pay attention to known and
17509 justified violations. However, exempted violations along with their
17510 justification are documented in a special section of the report file that
17511 @command{gnatcheck} generates.
17514 * Using pragma Annotate to Control Rule Exemption::
17515 * gnatcheck Annotations Rules::
17518 @node Using pragma Annotate to Control Rule Exemption
17519 @subsection Using pragma @code{Annotate} to Control Rule Exemption
17520 @cindex Using pragma Annotate to control rule exemption
17523 Rule exemption is controlled by pragma @code{Annotate} when its first
17524 argument is ``gnatcheck''. The syntax of @command{gnatcheck}'s
17525 exemption control annotations is as follows:
17527 @smallexample @c ada
17529 pragma Annotate (gnatcheck, @i{exemption_control}, @i{Rule_Name}, [@i{justification}]);
17531 @i{exemption_control} ::= Exempt_On | Exempt_Off
17533 @i{Rule_Name} ::= string_literal
17535 @i{justification} ::= string_literal
17540 When a @command{gnatcheck} annotation has more then four arguments,
17541 @command{gnatcheck} issues a warning and ignores the additional arguments.
17542 If the additional arguments do not follow the syntax above,
17543 @command{gnatcheck} emits a warning and ignores the annotation.
17545 The @i{@code{Rule_Name}} argument should be the name of some existing
17546 @command{gnatcheck} rule.
17547 Otherwise a warning message is generated and the pragma is
17548 ignored. If @code{Rule_Name} denotes a rule that is not activated by the given
17549 @command{gnatcheck} call, the pragma is ignored and no warning is issued.
17551 A source code section where an exemption is active for a given rule is
17552 delimited by an @code{exempt_on} and @code{exempt_off} annotation pair:
17554 @smallexample @c ada
17555 pragma Annotate (gnatcheck, Exempt_On, Rule_Name, "justification");
17556 -- source code section
17557 pragma Annotate (gnatcheck, Exempt_Off, Rule_Name);
17561 @node gnatcheck Annotations Rules
17562 @subsection @command{gnatcheck} Annotations Rules
17563 @cindex @command{gnatcheck} annotations rules
17568 An ``Exempt_Off'' annotation can only appear after a corresponding
17569 ``Exempt_On'' annotation.
17572 Exempted source code sections are only based on the source location of the
17573 annotations. Any source construct between the two
17574 annotations is part of the exempted source code section.
17577 Exempted source code sections for different rules are independent. They can
17578 be nested or intersect with one another without limitation.
17579 Creating nested or intersecting source code sections for the same rule is
17583 Malformed exempted source code sections are reported by a warning, and
17584 the corresponding rule exemptions are ignored.
17587 When an exempted source code section does not contain at least one violation
17588 of the exempted rule, a warning is emitted on @file{stderr}.
17591 If an ``Exempt_On'' annotation pragma does not have a matching
17592 ``Exempt_Off'' annotation pragma in the same compilation unit, then the
17593 exemption for the given rule is ignored and a warning is issued.
17597 @node Predefined Rules
17598 @section Predefined Rules
17599 @cindex Predefined rules (for @command{gnatcheck})
17602 @c (Jan 2007) Since the global rules are still under development and are not
17603 @c documented, there is no point in explaining the difference between
17604 @c global and local rules
17606 A rule in @command{gnatcheck} is either local or global.
17607 A @emph{local rule} is a rule that applies to a well-defined section
17608 of a program and that can be checked by analyzing only this section.
17609 A @emph{global rule} requires analysis of some global properties of the
17610 whole program (mostly related to the program call graph).
17611 As of @value{NOW}, the implementation of global rules should be
17612 considered to be at a preliminary stage. You can use the
17613 @option{+GLOBAL} option to enable all the global rules, and the
17614 @option{-GLOBAL} rule option to disable all the global rules.
17616 All the global rules in the list below are
17617 so indicated by marking them ``GLOBAL''.
17618 This +GLOBAL and -GLOBAL options are not
17619 included in the list of gnatcheck options above, because at the moment they
17620 are considered as a temporary debug options.
17622 @command{gnatcheck} performs rule checks for generic
17623 instances only for global rules. This limitation may be relaxed in a later
17628 The predefined rules implemented in @command{gnatcheck}
17629 are described in a companion document,
17630 @cite{GNATcheck Reference Manual -- Predefined Rules}.
17631 The rule identifier is
17632 used as a parameter of @command{gnatcheck}'s @option{+R} or @option{-R}
17636 @node Example of gnatcheck Usage
17637 @section Example of @command{gnatcheck} Usage
17640 Here is a simple example. Suppose that in the current directory we have a
17641 project file named @file{gnatcheck_example.gpr} with the following content:
17643 @smallexample @c projectfile
17644 project Gnatcheck_Example is
17646 for Source_Dirs use ("src");
17647 for Object_Dir use "obj";
17648 for Main use ("main.adb");
17651 for Default_Switches ("ada") use ("-rules", "-from=coding_standard");
17654 end Gnatcheck_Example;
17658 And the file named @file{coding_standard} is also located in the current
17659 directory and has the following content:
17662 -----------------------------------------------------
17663 -- This is a sample gnatcheck coding standard file --
17664 -----------------------------------------------------
17666 -- First, turning on rules, that are directly implemented in gnatcheck
17667 +RAbstract_Type_Declarations
17670 +RFloat_Equality_Checks
17671 +REXIT_Statements_With_No_Loop_Name
17673 -- Then, activating compiler checks of interest:
17675 -- This style check checks if a unit name is present on END keyword that
17676 -- is the end of the unit declaration
17680 And the subdirectory @file{src} contains the following Ada sources:
17684 @smallexample @c ada
17686 type T is abstract tagged private;
17687 procedure P (X : T) is abstract;
17690 type My_Float is digits 8;
17691 function Is_Equal (L, R : My_Float) return Boolean;
17694 type T is abstract tagged null record;
17701 @smallexample @c ada
17702 package body Pack is
17703 package body Inner is
17704 function Is_Equal (L, R : My_Float) return Boolean is
17713 and @file{main.adb}
17715 @smallexample @c ada
17716 with Pack; use Pack;
17720 (gnatcheck, Exempt_On, "Anonymous_Arrays", "this one is fine");
17721 Float_Array : array (1 .. 10) of Inner.My_Float;
17722 pragma Annotate (gnatcheck, Exempt_Off, "Anonymous_Arrays");
17724 Another_Float_Array : array (1 .. 10) of Inner.My_Float;
17728 B : Boolean := False;
17731 for J in Float_Array'Range loop
17732 if Is_Equal (Float_Array (J), Another_Float_Array (J)) then
17741 And suppose we call @command{gnatcheck} from the current directory using
17742 the @command{gnat} driver:
17745 gnat check -Pgnatcheck_example.gpr
17749 As a result, @command{gnatcheck} is called to check all the files from the
17750 project @file{gnatcheck_example.gpr} using the coding standard defined by
17751 the file @file{coding_standard}. As the result, the @command{gnatcheck}
17752 report file named @file{gnatcheck.out} will be created in the current
17753 directory, and it will have the following content:
17756 RULE CHECKING REPORT
17760 Date and time of execution: 2009.10.28 14:17
17761 Tool version: GNATCHECK (built with ASIS 2.0.R for GNAT Pro 6.3.0w (20091016))
17764 gnatcheck -files=.../GNAT-TEMP-000004.TMP -cargs -gnatec=.../GNAT-TEMP-000003.TMP -rules -from=coding_standard
17766 Coding standard (applied rules):
17767 Abstract_Type_Declarations
17769 EXIT_Statements_With_No_Loop_Name
17770 Float_Equality_Checks
17773 Compiler style checks: -gnatye
17775 Number of coding standard violations: 6
17776 Number of exempted coding standard violations: 1
17778 2. DETECTED RULE VIOLATIONS
17780 2.1. NON-EXEMPTED VIOLATIONS
17782 Source files with non-exempted violations
17787 List of violations grouped by files, and ordered by increasing source location:
17789 pack.ads:2:4: declaration of abstract type
17790 pack.ads:5:4: declaration of local package
17791 pack.ads:10:30: declaration of abstract type
17792 pack.ads:11:1: (style) "end Pack" required
17793 pack.adb:5:19: use of equality operation for float values
17794 pack.adb:6:7: (style) "end Is_Equal" required
17795 main.adb:9:26: anonymous array type
17796 main.adb:19:10: exit statement with no loop name
17798 2.2. EXEMPTED VIOLATIONS
17800 Source files with exempted violations
17803 List of violations grouped by files, and ordered by increasing source location:
17805 main.adb:6:18: anonymous array type
17808 2.3. SOURCE FILES WITH NO VIOLATION
17810 No files without violations
17816 @c *********************************
17817 @node Creating Sample Bodies Using gnatstub
17818 @chapter Creating Sample Bodies Using @command{gnatstub}
17822 @command{gnatstub} creates body stubs, that is, empty but compilable bodies
17823 for library unit declarations.
17825 Note: to invoke @code{gnatstub} with a project file, use the @code{gnat}
17826 driver (see @ref{The GNAT Driver and Project Files}).
17828 To create a body stub, @command{gnatstub} has to compile the library
17829 unit declaration. Therefore, bodies can be created only for legal
17830 library units. Moreover, if a library unit depends semantically upon
17831 units located outside the current directory, you have to provide
17832 the source search path when calling @command{gnatstub}, see the description
17833 of @command{gnatstub} switches below.
17835 By default, all the program unit body stubs generated by @code{gnatstub}
17836 raise the predefined @code{Program_Error} exception, which will catch
17837 accidental calls of generated stubs. This behavior can be changed with
17838 option @option{^--no-exception^/NO_EXCEPTION^} (see below).
17841 * Running gnatstub::
17842 * Switches for gnatstub::
17845 @node Running gnatstub
17846 @section Running @command{gnatstub}
17849 @command{gnatstub} has the command-line interface of the form
17852 @c $ gnatstub @ovar{switches} @var{filename} @ovar{directory}
17853 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
17854 $ gnatstub @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{filename} @r{[}@var{directory}@r{]} @r{[}-cargs @var{gcc_switches}@r{]}
17861 is the name of the source file that contains a library unit declaration
17862 for which a body must be created. The file name may contain the path
17864 The file name does not have to follow the GNAT file name conventions. If the
17866 does not follow GNAT file naming conventions, the name of the body file must
17868 explicitly as the value of the @option{^-o^/BODY=^@var{body-name}} option.
17869 If the file name follows the GNAT file naming
17870 conventions and the name of the body file is not provided,
17873 of the body file from the argument file name by replacing the @file{.ads}
17875 with the @file{.adb} suffix.
17878 indicates the directory in which the body stub is to be placed (the default
17882 @item @samp{@var{gcc_switches}} is a list of switches for
17883 @command{gcc}. They will be passed on to all compiler invocations made by
17884 @command{gnatelim} to generate the ASIS trees. Here you can provide
17885 @option{^-I^/INCLUDE_DIRS=^} switches to form the source search path,
17886 use the @option{-gnatec} switch to set the configuration file etc.
17889 is an optional sequence of switches as described in the next section
17892 @node Switches for gnatstub
17893 @section Switches for @command{gnatstub}
17899 @cindex @option{^-f^/FULL^} (@command{gnatstub})
17900 If the destination directory already contains a file with the name of the
17902 for the argument spec file, replace it with the generated body stub.
17904 @item ^-hs^/HEADER=SPEC^
17905 @cindex @option{^-hs^/HEADER=SPEC^} (@command{gnatstub})
17906 Put the comment header (i.e., all the comments preceding the
17907 compilation unit) from the source of the library unit declaration
17908 into the body stub.
17910 @item ^-hg^/HEADER=GENERAL^
17911 @cindex @option{^-hg^/HEADER=GENERAL^} (@command{gnatstub})
17912 Put a sample comment header into the body stub.
17914 @item ^--header-file=@var{filename}^/FROM_HEADER_FILE=@var{filename}^
17915 @cindex @option{^--header-file^/FROM_HEADER_FILE=^} (@command{gnatstub})
17916 Use the content of the file as the comment header for a generated body stub.
17920 @cindex @option{-IDIR} (@command{gnatstub})
17922 @cindex @option{-I-} (@command{gnatstub})
17925 @item /NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY
17926 @cindex @option{/NOCURRENT_DIRECTORY} (@command{gnatstub})
17928 ^These switches have ^This switch has^ the same meaning as in calls to
17930 ^They define ^It defines ^ the source search path in the call to
17931 @command{gcc} issued
17932 by @command{gnatstub} to compile an argument source file.
17934 @item ^-gnatec^/CONFIGURATION_PRAGMAS_FILE=^@var{PATH}
17935 @cindex @option{^-gnatec^/CONFIGURATION_PRAGMAS_FILE^} (@command{gnatstub})
17936 This switch has the same meaning as in calls to @command{gcc}.
17937 It defines the additional configuration file to be passed to the call to
17938 @command{gcc} issued
17939 by @command{gnatstub} to compile an argument source file.
17941 @item ^-gnatyM^/MAX_LINE_LENGTH=^@var{n}
17942 @cindex @option{^-gnatyM^/MAX_LINE_LENGTH^} (@command{gnatstub})
17943 (@var{n} is a non-negative integer). Set the maximum line length in the
17944 body stub to @var{n}; the default is 79. The maximum value that can be
17945 specified is 32767. Note that in the special case of configuration
17946 pragma files, the maximum is always 32767 regardless of whether or
17947 not this switch appears.
17949 @item ^-gnaty^/STYLE_CHECKS=^@var{n}
17950 @cindex @option{^-gnaty^/STYLE_CHECKS=^} (@command{gnatstub})
17951 (@var{n} is a non-negative integer from 1 to 9). Set the indentation level in
17952 the generated body sample to @var{n}.
17953 The default indentation is 3.
17955 @item ^-gnatyo^/ORDERED_SUBPROGRAMS^
17956 @cindex @option{^-gnato^/ORDERED_SUBPROGRAMS^} (@command{gnatstub})
17957 Order local bodies alphabetically. (By default local bodies are ordered
17958 in the same way as the corresponding local specs in the argument spec file.)
17960 @item ^-i^/INDENTATION=^@var{n}
17961 @cindex @option{^-i^/INDENTATION^} (@command{gnatstub})
17962 Same as @option{^-gnaty^/STYLE_CHECKS=^@var{n}}
17964 @item ^-k^/TREE_FILE=SAVE^
17965 @cindex @option{^-k^/TREE_FILE=SAVE^} (@command{gnatstub})
17966 Do not remove the tree file (i.e., the snapshot of the compiler internal
17967 structures used by @command{gnatstub}) after creating the body stub.
17969 @item ^-l^/LINE_LENGTH=^@var{n}
17970 @cindex @option{^-l^/LINE_LENGTH^} (@command{gnatstub})
17971 Same as @option{^-gnatyM^/MAX_LINE_LENGTH=^@var{n}}
17973 @item ^--no-exception^/NO_EXCEPTION^
17974 @cindex @option{^--no-exception^/NO_EXCEPTION^} (@command{gnatstub})
17975 Avoind raising PROGRAM_ERROR in the generated bodies of program unit stubs.
17976 This is not always possible for function stubs.
17978 @item ^--no-local-header^/NO_LOCAL_HEADER^
17979 @cindex @option{^--no-local-header^/NO_LOCAL_HEADER^} (@command{gnatstub})
17980 Do not place local comment header with unit name before body stub for a
17983 @item ^-o ^/BODY=^@var{body-name}
17984 @cindex @option{^-o^/BODY^} (@command{gnatstub})
17985 Body file name. This should be set if the argument file name does not
17987 the GNAT file naming
17988 conventions. If this switch is omitted the default name for the body will be
17990 from the argument file name according to the GNAT file naming conventions.
17993 @cindex @option{^-q^/QUIET^} (@command{gnatstub})
17994 Quiet mode: do not generate a confirmation when a body is
17995 successfully created, and do not generate a message when a body is not
17999 @item ^-r^/TREE_FILE=REUSE^
18000 @cindex @option{^-r^/TREE_FILE=REUSE^} (@command{gnatstub})
18001 Reuse the tree file (if it exists) instead of creating it. Instead of
18002 creating the tree file for the library unit declaration, @command{gnatstub}
18003 tries to find it in the current directory and use it for creating
18004 a body. If the tree file is not found, no body is created. This option
18005 also implies @option{^-k^/SAVE^}, whether or not
18006 the latter is set explicitly.
18008 @item ^-t^/TREE_FILE=OVERWRITE^
18009 @cindex @option{^-t^/TREE_FILE=OVERWRITE^} (@command{gnatstub})
18010 Overwrite the existing tree file. If the current directory already
18011 contains the file which, according to the GNAT file naming rules should
18012 be considered as a tree file for the argument source file,
18014 will refuse to create the tree file needed to create a sample body
18015 unless this option is set.
18017 @item ^-v^/VERBOSE^
18018 @cindex @option{^-v^/VERBOSE^} (@command{gnatstub})
18019 Verbose mode: generate version information.
18023 @c *********************************
18024 @node Generating Ada Bindings for C and C++ headers
18025 @chapter Generating Ada Bindings for C and C++ headers
18029 GNAT now comes with a binding generator for C and C++ headers which is
18030 intended to do 95% of the tedious work of generating Ada specs from C
18031 or C++ header files.
18033 Note that this capability is not intended to generate 100% correct Ada specs,
18034 and will is some cases require manual adjustments, although it can often
18035 be used out of the box in practice.
18037 Some of the known limitations include:
18040 @item only very simple character constant macros are translated into Ada
18041 constants. Function macros (macros with arguments) are partially translated
18042 as comments, to be completed manually if needed.
18043 @item some extensions (e.g. vector types) are not supported
18044 @item pointers to pointers or complex structures are mapped to System.Address
18047 The code generated is using the Ada 2005 syntax, which makes it
18048 easier to interface with other languages than previous versions of Ada.
18051 * Running the binding generator::
18052 * Generating bindings for C++ headers::
18056 @node Running the binding generator
18057 @section Running the binding generator
18060 The binding generator is part of the @command{gcc} compiler and can be
18061 invoked via the @option{-fdump-ada-spec} switch, which will generate Ada
18062 spec files for the header files specified on the command line, and all
18063 header files needed by these files transitivitely. For example:
18066 $ g++ -c -fdump-ada-spec -C /usr/include/time.h
18067 $ gcc -c -gnat05 *.ads
18070 will generate, under GNU/Linux, the following files: @file{time_h.ads},
18071 @file{bits_time_h.ads}, @file{stddef_h.ads}, @file{bits_types_h.ads} which
18072 correspond to the files @file{/usr/include/time.h},
18073 @file{/usr/include/bits/time.h}, etc@dots{}, and will then compile in Ada 2005
18074 mode these Ada specs.
18076 The @code{-C} switch tells @command{gcc} to extract comments from headers,
18077 and will attempt to generate corresponding Ada comments.
18079 If you want to generate a single Ada file and not the transitive closure, you
18080 can use instead the @option{-fdump-ada-spec-slim} switch.
18082 Note that we recommend when possible to use the @command{g++} driver to
18083 generate bindings, even for most C headers, since this will in general
18084 generate better Ada specs. For generating bindings for C++ headers, it is
18085 mandatory to use the @command{g++} command, or @command{gcc -x c++} which
18086 is equivalent in this case. If @command{g++} cannot work on your C headers
18087 because of incompatibilities between C and C++, then you can fallback to
18088 @command{gcc} instead.
18090 For an example of better bindings generated from the C++ front-end,
18091 the name of the parameters (when available) are actually ignored by the C
18092 front-end. Consider the following C header:
18095 extern void foo (int variable);
18098 with the C front-end, @code{variable} is ignored, and the above is handled as:
18101 extern void foo (int);
18104 generating a generic:
18107 procedure foo (param1 : int);
18110 with the C++ front-end, the name is available, and we generate:
18113 procedure foo (variable : int);
18116 In some cases, the generated bindings will be more complete or more meaningful
18117 when defining some macros, which you can do via the @option{-D} switch. This
18118 is for example the case with @file{Xlib.h} under GNU/Linux:
18121 g++ -c -fdump-ada-spec -DXLIB_ILLEGAL_ACCESS -C /usr/include/X11/Xlib.h
18124 The above will generate more complete bindings than a straight call without
18125 the @option{-DXLIB_ILLEGAL_ACCESS} switch.
18127 In other cases, it is not possible to parse a header file in a stand alone
18128 manner, because other include files need to be included first. In this
18129 case, the solution is to create a small header file including the needed
18130 @code{#include} and possible @code{#define} directives. For example, to
18131 generate Ada bindings for @file{readline/readline.h}, you need to first
18132 include @file{stdio.h}, so you can create a file with the following two
18133 lines in e.g. @file{readline1.h}:
18137 #include <readline/readline.h>
18140 and then generate Ada bindings from this file:
18143 $ g++ -c -fdump-ada-spec readline1.h
18146 @node Generating bindings for C++ headers
18147 @section Generating bindings for C++ headers
18150 Generating bindings for C++ headers is done using the same options, always
18151 with the @command{g++} compiler.
18153 In this mode, C++ classes will be mapped to Ada tagged types, constructors
18154 will be mapped using the @code{CPP_Constructor} pragma, and when possible,
18155 multiple inheritance of abstract classes will be mapped to Ada interfaces
18156 (@xref{Interfacing to C++,,,gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}, for additional
18157 information on interfacing to C++).
18159 For example, given the following C++ header file:
18166 virtual int Number_Of_Teeth () = 0;
18171 virtual void Set_Owner (char* Name) = 0;
18177 virtual void Set_Age (int New_Age);
18180 class Dog : Animal, Carnivore, Domestic @{
18185 virtual int Number_Of_Teeth ();
18186 virtual void Set_Owner (char* Name);
18194 The corresponding Ada code is generated:
18196 @smallexample @c ada
18199 package Class_Carnivore is
18200 type Carnivore is limited interface;
18201 pragma Import (CPP, Carnivore);
18203 function Number_Of_Teeth (this : access Carnivore) return int is abstract;
18205 use Class_Carnivore;
18207 package Class_Domestic is
18208 type Domestic is limited interface;
18209 pragma Import (CPP, Domestic);
18211 procedure Set_Owner
18212 (this : access Domestic;
18213 Name : Interfaces.C.Strings.chars_ptr) is abstract;
18215 use Class_Domestic;
18217 package Class_Animal is
18218 type Animal is tagged limited record
18219 Age_Count : aliased int;
18221 pragma Import (CPP, Animal);
18223 procedure Set_Age (this : access Animal; New_Age : int);
18224 pragma Import (CPP, Set_Age, "_ZN6Animal7Set_AgeEi");
18228 package Class_Dog is
18229 type Dog is new Animal and Carnivore and Domestic with record
18230 Tooth_Count : aliased int;
18231 Owner : Interfaces.C.Strings.chars_ptr;
18233 pragma Import (CPP, Dog);
18235 function Number_Of_Teeth (this : access Dog) return int;
18236 pragma Import (CPP, Number_Of_Teeth, "_ZN3Dog15Number_Of_TeethEv");
18238 procedure Set_Owner
18239 (this : access Dog; Name : Interfaces.C.Strings.chars_ptr);
18240 pragma Import (CPP, Set_Owner, "_ZN3Dog9Set_OwnerEPc");
18242 function New_Dog return Dog;
18243 pragma CPP_Constructor (New_Dog);
18244 pragma Import (CPP, New_Dog, "_ZN3DogC1Ev");
18255 @item -fdump-ada-spec
18256 @cindex @option{-fdump-ada-spec} (@command{gcc})
18257 Generate Ada spec files for the given header files transitively (including
18258 all header files that these headers depend upon).
18260 @item -fdump-ada-spec-slim
18261 @cindex @option{-fdump-ada-spec-slim} (@command{gcc})
18262 Generate Ada spec files for the header files specified on the command line
18266 @cindex @option{-C} (@command{gcc})
18267 Extract comments from headers and generate Ada comments in the Ada spec files.
18270 @node Other Utility Programs
18271 @chapter Other Utility Programs
18274 This chapter discusses some other utility programs available in the Ada
18278 * Using Other Utility Programs with GNAT::
18279 * The External Symbol Naming Scheme of GNAT::
18280 * Converting Ada Files to html with gnathtml::
18281 * Installing gnathtml::
18288 @node Using Other Utility Programs with GNAT
18289 @section Using Other Utility Programs with GNAT
18292 The object files generated by GNAT are in standard system format and in
18293 particular the debugging information uses this format. This means
18294 programs generated by GNAT can be used with existing utilities that
18295 depend on these formats.
18298 In general, any utility program that works with C will also often work with
18299 Ada programs generated by GNAT. This includes software utilities such as
18300 gprof (a profiling program), @code{gdb} (the FSF debugger), and utilities such
18304 @node The External Symbol Naming Scheme of GNAT
18305 @section The External Symbol Naming Scheme of GNAT
18308 In order to interpret the output from GNAT, when using tools that are
18309 originally intended for use with other languages, it is useful to
18310 understand the conventions used to generate link names from the Ada
18313 All link names are in all lowercase letters. With the exception of library
18314 procedure names, the mechanism used is simply to use the full expanded
18315 Ada name with dots replaced by double underscores. For example, suppose
18316 we have the following package spec:
18318 @smallexample @c ada
18329 The variable @code{MN} has a full expanded Ada name of @code{QRS.MN}, so
18330 the corresponding link name is @code{qrs__mn}.
18332 Of course if a @code{pragma Export} is used this may be overridden:
18334 @smallexample @c ada
18339 pragma Export (Var1, C, External_Name => "var1_name");
18341 pragma Export (Var2, C, Link_Name => "var2_link_name");
18348 In this case, the link name for @var{Var1} is whatever link name the
18349 C compiler would assign for the C function @var{var1_name}. This typically
18350 would be either @var{var1_name} or @var{_var1_name}, depending on operating
18351 system conventions, but other possibilities exist. The link name for
18352 @var{Var2} is @var{var2_link_name}, and this is not operating system
18356 One exception occurs for library level procedures. A potential ambiguity
18357 arises between the required name @code{_main} for the C main program,
18358 and the name we would otherwise assign to an Ada library level procedure
18359 called @code{Main} (which might well not be the main program).
18361 To avoid this ambiguity, we attach the prefix @code{_ada_} to such
18362 names. So if we have a library level procedure such as
18364 @smallexample @c ada
18367 procedure Hello (S : String);
18373 the external name of this procedure will be @var{_ada_hello}.
18376 @node Converting Ada Files to html with gnathtml
18377 @section Converting Ada Files to HTML with @code{gnathtml}
18380 This @code{Perl} script allows Ada source files to be browsed using
18381 standard Web browsers. For installation procedure, see the section
18382 @xref{Installing gnathtml}.
18384 Ada reserved keywords are highlighted in a bold font and Ada comments in
18385 a blue font. Unless your program was compiled with the gcc @option{-gnatx}
18386 switch to suppress the generation of cross-referencing information, user
18387 defined variables and types will appear in a different color; you will
18388 be able to click on any identifier and go to its declaration.
18390 The command line is as follow:
18392 @c $ perl gnathtml.pl @ovar{^switches^options^} @var{ada-files}
18393 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
18394 $ perl gnathtml.pl @r{[}@var{^switches^options^}@r{]} @var{ada-files}
18398 You can pass it as many Ada files as you want. @code{gnathtml} will generate
18399 an html file for every ada file, and a global file called @file{index.htm}.
18400 This file is an index of every identifier defined in the files.
18402 The available ^switches^options^ are the following ones:
18406 @cindex @option{-83} (@code{gnathtml})
18407 Only the Ada 83 subset of keywords will be highlighted.
18409 @item -cc @var{color}
18410 @cindex @option{-cc} (@code{gnathtml})
18411 This option allows you to change the color used for comments. The default
18412 value is green. The color argument can be any name accepted by html.
18415 @cindex @option{-d} (@code{gnathtml})
18416 If the Ada files depend on some other files (for instance through
18417 @code{with} clauses, the latter files will also be converted to html.
18418 Only the files in the user project will be converted to html, not the files
18419 in the run-time library itself.
18422 @cindex @option{-D} (@code{gnathtml})
18423 This command is the same as @option{-d} above, but @command{gnathtml} will
18424 also look for files in the run-time library, and generate html files for them.
18426 @item -ext @var{extension}
18427 @cindex @option{-ext} (@code{gnathtml})
18428 This option allows you to change the extension of the generated HTML files.
18429 If you do not specify an extension, it will default to @file{htm}.
18432 @cindex @option{-f} (@code{gnathtml})
18433 By default, gnathtml will generate html links only for global entities
18434 ('with'ed units, global variables and types,@dots{}). If you specify
18435 @option{-f} on the command line, then links will be generated for local
18438 @item -l @var{number}
18439 @cindex @option{-l} (@code{gnathtml})
18440 If this ^switch^option^ is provided and @var{number} is not 0, then
18441 @code{gnathtml} will number the html files every @var{number} line.
18444 @cindex @option{-I} (@code{gnathtml})
18445 Specify a directory to search for library files (@file{.ALI} files) and
18446 source files. You can provide several -I switches on the command line,
18447 and the directories will be parsed in the order of the command line.
18450 @cindex @option{-o} (@code{gnathtml})
18451 Specify the output directory for html files. By default, gnathtml will
18452 saved the generated html files in a subdirectory named @file{html/}.
18454 @item -p @var{file}
18455 @cindex @option{-p} (@code{gnathtml})
18456 If you are using Emacs and the most recent Emacs Ada mode, which provides
18457 a full Integrated Development Environment for compiling, checking,
18458 running and debugging applications, you may use @file{.gpr} files
18459 to give the directories where Emacs can find sources and object files.
18461 Using this ^switch^option^, you can tell gnathtml to use these files.
18462 This allows you to get an html version of your application, even if it
18463 is spread over multiple directories.
18465 @item -sc @var{color}
18466 @cindex @option{-sc} (@code{gnathtml})
18467 This ^switch^option^ allows you to change the color used for symbol
18469 The default value is red. The color argument can be any name accepted by html.
18471 @item -t @var{file}
18472 @cindex @option{-t} (@code{gnathtml})
18473 This ^switch^option^ provides the name of a file. This file contains a list of
18474 file names to be converted, and the effect is exactly as though they had
18475 appeared explicitly on the command line. This
18476 is the recommended way to work around the command line length limit on some
18481 @node Installing gnathtml
18482 @section Installing @code{gnathtml}
18485 @code{Perl} needs to be installed on your machine to run this script.
18486 @code{Perl} is freely available for almost every architecture and
18487 Operating System via the Internet.
18489 On Unix systems, you may want to modify the first line of the script
18490 @code{gnathtml}, to explicitly tell the Operating system where Perl
18491 is. The syntax of this line is:
18493 #!full_path_name_to_perl
18497 Alternatively, you may run the script using the following command line:
18500 @c $ perl gnathtml.pl @ovar{switches} @var{files}
18501 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
18502 $ perl gnathtml.pl @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{files}
18511 The GNAT distribution provides an Ada 95 template for the HP Language
18512 Sensitive Editor (LSE), a component of DECset. In order to
18513 access it, invoke LSE with the qualifier /ENVIRONMENT=GNU:[LIB]ADA95.ENV.
18520 GNAT supports The HP Performance Coverage Analyzer (PCA), a component
18521 of DECset. To use it proceed as outlined under ``HELP PCA'', except for running
18522 the collection phase with the /DEBUG qualifier.
18525 $ GNAT MAKE /DEBUG <PROGRAM_NAME>
18526 $ DEFINE LIB$DEBUG PCA$COLLECTOR
18527 $ RUN/DEBUG <PROGRAM_NAME>
18533 @c ******************************
18534 @node Code Coverage and Profiling
18535 @chapter Code Coverage and Profiling
18536 @cindex Code Coverage
18540 This chapter describes how to use @code{gcov} - coverage testing tool - and
18541 @code{gprof} - profiler tool - on your Ada programs.
18544 * Code Coverage of Ada Programs using gcov::
18545 * Profiling an Ada Program using gprof::
18548 @node Code Coverage of Ada Programs using gcov
18549 @section Code Coverage of Ada Programs using gcov
18551 @cindex -fprofile-arcs
18552 @cindex -ftest-coverage
18554 @cindex Code Coverage
18557 @code{gcov} is a test coverage program: it analyzes the execution of a given
18558 program on selected tests, to help you determine the portions of the program
18559 that are still untested.
18561 @code{gcov} is part of the GCC suite, and is described in detail in the GCC
18562 User's Guide. You can refer to this documentation for a more complete
18565 This chapter provides a quick startup guide, and
18566 details some Gnat-specific features.
18569 * Quick startup guide::
18573 @node Quick startup guide
18574 @subsection Quick startup guide
18576 In order to perform coverage analysis of a program using @code{gcov}, 3
18581 Code instrumentation during the compilation process
18583 Execution of the instrumented program
18585 Execution of the @code{gcov} tool to generate the result.
18588 The code instrumentation needed by gcov is created at the object level:
18589 The source code is not modified in any way, because the instrumentation code is
18590 inserted by gcc during the compilation process. To compile your code with code
18591 coverage activated, you need to recompile your whole project using the
18593 @code{-fprofile-arcs} and @code{-ftest-coverage}, and link it using
18594 @code{-fprofile-arcs}.
18597 $ gnatmake -P my_project.gpr -f -cargs -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage \
18598 -largs -fprofile-arcs
18601 This compilation process will create @file{.gcno} files together with
18602 the usual object files.
18604 Once the program is compiled with coverage instrumentation, you can
18605 run it as many times as needed - on portions of a test suite for
18606 example. The first execution will produce @file{.gcda} files at the
18607 same location as the @file{.gcno} files. The following executions
18608 will update those files, so that a cumulative result of the covered
18609 portions of the program is generated.
18611 Finally, you need to call the @code{gcov} tool. The different options of
18612 @code{gcov} are available in the GCC User's Guide, section 'Invoking gcov'.
18614 This will create annotated source files with a @file{.gcov} extension:
18615 @file{my_main.adb} file will be analysed in @file{my_main.adb.gcov}.
18617 @node Gnat specifics
18618 @subsection Gnat specifics
18620 Because Ada semantics, portions of the source code may be shared among
18621 several object files. This is the case for example when generics are
18622 involved, when inlining is active or when declarations generate initialisation
18623 calls. In order to take
18624 into account this shared code, you need to call @code{gcov} on all
18625 source files of the tested program at once.
18627 The list of source files might exceed the system's maximum command line
18628 length. In order to bypass this limitation, a new mechanism has been
18629 implemented in @code{gcov}: you can now list all your project's files into a
18630 text file, and provide this file to gcov as a parameter, preceded by a @@
18631 (e.g. @samp{gcov @@mysrclist.txt}).
18633 Note that on AIX compiling a static library with @code{-fprofile-arcs} is
18634 not supported as there can be unresolved symbols during the final link.
18636 @node Profiling an Ada Program using gprof
18637 @section Profiling an Ada Program using gprof
18643 This section is not meant to be an exhaustive documentation of @code{gprof}.
18644 Full documentation for it can be found in the GNU Profiler User's Guide
18645 documentation that is part of this GNAT distribution.
18647 Profiling a program helps determine the parts of a program that are executed
18648 most often, and are therefore the most time-consuming.
18650 @code{gprof} is the standard GNU profiling tool; it has been enhanced to
18651 better handle Ada programs and multitasking.
18652 It is currently supported on the following platforms
18657 solaris sparc/sparc64/x86
18663 In order to profile a program using @code{gprof}, 3 steps are needed:
18667 Code instrumentation, requiring a full recompilation of the project with the
18670 Execution of the program under the analysis conditions, i.e. with the desired
18673 Analysis of the results using the @code{gprof} tool.
18677 The following sections detail the different steps, and indicate how
18678 to interpret the results:
18680 * Compilation for profiling::
18681 * Program execution::
18683 * Interpretation of profiling results::
18686 @node Compilation for profiling
18687 @subsection Compilation for profiling
18691 In order to profile a program the first step is to tell the compiler
18692 to generate the necessary profiling information. The compiler switch to be used
18693 is @code{-pg}, which must be added to other compilation switches. This
18694 switch needs to be specified both during compilation and link stages, and can
18695 be specified once when using gnatmake:
18698 gnatmake -f -pg -P my_project
18702 Note that only the objects that were compiled with the @samp{-pg} switch will be
18703 profiled; if you need to profile your whole project, use the
18704 @samp{-f} gnatmake switch to force full recompilation.
18706 @node Program execution
18707 @subsection Program execution
18710 Once the program has been compiled for profiling, you can run it as usual.
18712 The only constraint imposed by profiling is that the program must terminate
18713 normally. An interrupted program (via a Ctrl-C, kill, etc.) will not be
18716 Once the program completes execution, a data file called @file{gmon.out} is
18717 generated in the directory where the program was launched from. If this file
18718 already exists, it will be overwritten.
18720 @node Running gprof
18721 @subsection Running gprof
18724 The @code{gprof} tool is called as follow:
18727 gprof my_prog gmon.out
18738 The complete form of the gprof command line is the following:
18741 gprof [^switches^options^] [executable [data-file]]
18745 @code{gprof} supports numerous ^switch^options^. The order of these
18746 ^switch^options^ does not matter. The full list of options can be found in
18747 the GNU Profiler User's Guide documentation that comes with this documentation.
18749 The following is the subset of those switches that is most relevant:
18753 @item --demangle[=@var{style}]
18754 @itemx --no-demangle
18755 @cindex @option{--demangle} (@code{gprof})
18756 These options control whether symbol names should be demangled when
18757 printing output. The default is to demangle C++ symbols. The
18758 @code{--no-demangle} option may be used to turn off demangling. Different
18759 compilers have different mangling styles. The optional demangling style
18760 argument can be used to choose an appropriate demangling style for your
18761 compiler, in particular Ada symbols generated by GNAT can be demangled using
18762 @code{--demangle=gnat}.
18764 @item -e @var{function_name}
18765 @cindex @option{-e} (@code{gprof})
18766 The @samp{-e @var{function}} option tells @code{gprof} not to print
18767 information about the function @var{function_name} (and its
18768 children@dots{}) in the call graph. The function will still be listed
18769 as a child of any functions that call it, but its index number will be
18770 shown as @samp{[not printed]}. More than one @samp{-e} option may be
18771 given; only one @var{function_name} may be indicated with each @samp{-e}
18774 @item -E @var{function_name}
18775 @cindex @option{-E} (@code{gprof})
18776 The @code{-E @var{function}} option works like the @code{-e} option, but
18777 execution time spent in the function (and children who were not called from
18778 anywhere else), will not be used to compute the percentages-of-time for
18779 the call graph. More than one @samp{-E} option may be given; only one
18780 @var{function_name} may be indicated with each @samp{-E} option.
18782 @item -f @var{function_name}
18783 @cindex @option{-f} (@code{gprof})
18784 The @samp{-f @var{function}} option causes @code{gprof} to limit the
18785 call graph to the function @var{function_name} and its children (and
18786 their children@dots{}). More than one @samp{-f} option may be given;
18787 only one @var{function_name} may be indicated with each @samp{-f}
18790 @item -F @var{function_name}
18791 @cindex @option{-F} (@code{gprof})
18792 The @samp{-F @var{function}} option works like the @code{-f} option, but
18793 only time spent in the function and its children (and their
18794 children@dots{}) will be used to determine total-time and
18795 percentages-of-time for the call graph. More than one @samp{-F} option
18796 may be given; only one @var{function_name} may be indicated with each
18797 @samp{-F} option. The @samp{-F} option overrides the @samp{-E} option.
18801 @node Interpretation of profiling results
18802 @subsection Interpretation of profiling results
18806 The results of the profiling analysis are represented by two arrays: the
18807 'flat profile' and the 'call graph'. Full documentation of those outputs
18808 can be found in the GNU Profiler User's Guide.
18810 The flat profile shows the time spent in each function of the program, and how
18811 many time it has been called. This allows you to locate easily the most
18812 time-consuming functions.
18814 The call graph shows, for each subprogram, the subprograms that call it,
18815 and the subprograms that it calls. It also provides an estimate of the time
18816 spent in each of those callers/called subprograms.
18819 @c ******************************
18820 @node Running and Debugging Ada Programs
18821 @chapter Running and Debugging Ada Programs
18825 This chapter discusses how to debug Ada programs.
18827 It applies to GNAT on the Alpha OpenVMS platform;
18828 for I64 OpenVMS please refer to the @cite{OpenVMS Debugger Manual},
18829 since HP has implemented Ada support in the OpenVMS debugger on I64.
18832 An incorrect Ada program may be handled in three ways by the GNAT compiler:
18836 The illegality may be a violation of the static semantics of Ada. In
18837 that case GNAT diagnoses the constructs in the program that are illegal.
18838 It is then a straightforward matter for the user to modify those parts of
18842 The illegality may be a violation of the dynamic semantics of Ada. In
18843 that case the program compiles and executes, but may generate incorrect
18844 results, or may terminate abnormally with some exception.
18847 When presented with a program that contains convoluted errors, GNAT
18848 itself may terminate abnormally without providing full diagnostics on
18849 the incorrect user program.
18853 * The GNAT Debugger GDB::
18855 * Introduction to GDB Commands::
18856 * Using Ada Expressions::
18857 * Calling User-Defined Subprograms::
18858 * Using the Next Command in a Function::
18861 * Debugging Generic Units::
18862 * Remote Debugging using gdbserver::
18863 * GNAT Abnormal Termination or Failure to Terminate::
18864 * Naming Conventions for GNAT Source Files::
18865 * Getting Internal Debugging Information::
18866 * Stack Traceback::
18872 @node The GNAT Debugger GDB
18873 @section The GNAT Debugger GDB
18876 @code{GDB} is a general purpose, platform-independent debugger that
18877 can be used to debug mixed-language programs compiled with @command{gcc},
18878 and in particular is capable of debugging Ada programs compiled with
18879 GNAT. The latest versions of @code{GDB} are Ada-aware and can handle
18880 complex Ada data structures.
18882 @xref{Top,, Debugging with GDB, gdb, Debugging with GDB},
18884 located in the GNU:[DOCS] directory,
18886 for full details on the usage of @code{GDB}, including a section on
18887 its usage on programs. This manual should be consulted for full
18888 details. The section that follows is a brief introduction to the
18889 philosophy and use of @code{GDB}.
18891 When GNAT programs are compiled, the compiler optionally writes debugging
18892 information into the generated object file, including information on
18893 line numbers, and on declared types and variables. This information is
18894 separate from the generated code. It makes the object files considerably
18895 larger, but it does not add to the size of the actual executable that
18896 will be loaded into memory, and has no impact on run-time performance. The
18897 generation of debug information is triggered by the use of the
18898 ^-g^/DEBUG^ switch in the @command{gcc} or @command{gnatmake} command
18899 used to carry out the compilations. It is important to emphasize that
18900 the use of these options does not change the generated code.
18902 The debugging information is written in standard system formats that
18903 are used by many tools, including debuggers and profilers. The format
18904 of the information is typically designed to describe C types and
18905 semantics, but GNAT implements a translation scheme which allows full
18906 details about Ada types and variables to be encoded into these
18907 standard C formats. Details of this encoding scheme may be found in
18908 the file exp_dbug.ads in the GNAT source distribution. However, the
18909 details of this encoding are, in general, of no interest to a user,
18910 since @code{GDB} automatically performs the necessary decoding.
18912 When a program is bound and linked, the debugging information is
18913 collected from the object files, and stored in the executable image of
18914 the program. Again, this process significantly increases the size of
18915 the generated executable file, but it does not increase the size of
18916 the executable program itself. Furthermore, if this program is run in
18917 the normal manner, it runs exactly as if the debug information were
18918 not present, and takes no more actual memory.
18920 However, if the program is run under control of @code{GDB}, the
18921 debugger is activated. The image of the program is loaded, at which
18922 point it is ready to run. If a run command is given, then the program
18923 will run exactly as it would have if @code{GDB} were not present. This
18924 is a crucial part of the @code{GDB} design philosophy. @code{GDB} is
18925 entirely non-intrusive until a breakpoint is encountered. If no
18926 breakpoint is ever hit, the program will run exactly as it would if no
18927 debugger were present. When a breakpoint is hit, @code{GDB} accesses
18928 the debugging information and can respond to user commands to inspect
18929 variables, and more generally to report on the state of execution.
18933 @section Running GDB
18936 This section describes how to initiate the debugger.
18937 @c The above sentence is really just filler, but it was otherwise
18938 @c clumsy to get the first paragraph nonindented given the conditional
18939 @c nature of the description
18942 The debugger can be launched from a @code{GPS} menu or
18943 directly from the command line. The description below covers the latter use.
18944 All the commands shown can be used in the @code{GPS} debug console window,
18945 but there are usually more GUI-based ways to achieve the same effect.
18948 The command to run @code{GDB} is
18951 $ ^gdb program^GDB PROGRAM^
18955 where @code{^program^PROGRAM^} is the name of the executable file. This
18956 activates the debugger and results in a prompt for debugger commands.
18957 The simplest command is simply @code{run}, which causes the program to run
18958 exactly as if the debugger were not present. The following section
18959 describes some of the additional commands that can be given to @code{GDB}.
18961 @c *******************************
18962 @node Introduction to GDB Commands
18963 @section Introduction to GDB Commands
18966 @code{GDB} contains a large repertoire of commands. @xref{Top,,
18967 Debugging with GDB, gdb, Debugging with GDB},
18969 located in the GNU:[DOCS] directory,
18971 for extensive documentation on the use
18972 of these commands, together with examples of their use. Furthermore,
18973 the command @command{help} invoked from within GDB activates a simple help
18974 facility which summarizes the available commands and their options.
18975 In this section we summarize a few of the most commonly
18976 used commands to give an idea of what @code{GDB} is about. You should create
18977 a simple program with debugging information and experiment with the use of
18978 these @code{GDB} commands on the program as you read through the
18982 @item set args @var{arguments}
18983 The @var{arguments} list above is a list of arguments to be passed to
18984 the program on a subsequent run command, just as though the arguments
18985 had been entered on a normal invocation of the program. The @code{set args}
18986 command is not needed if the program does not require arguments.
18989 The @code{run} command causes execution of the program to start from
18990 the beginning. If the program is already running, that is to say if
18991 you are currently positioned at a breakpoint, then a prompt will ask
18992 for confirmation that you want to abandon the current execution and
18995 @item breakpoint @var{location}
18996 The breakpoint command sets a breakpoint, that is to say a point at which
18997 execution will halt and @code{GDB} will await further
18998 commands. @var{location} is
18999 either a line number within a file, given in the format @code{file:linenumber},
19000 or it is the name of a subprogram. If you request that a breakpoint be set on
19001 a subprogram that is overloaded, a prompt will ask you to specify on which of
19002 those subprograms you want to breakpoint. You can also
19003 specify that all of them should be breakpointed. If the program is run
19004 and execution encounters the breakpoint, then the program
19005 stops and @code{GDB} signals that the breakpoint was encountered by
19006 printing the line of code before which the program is halted.
19008 @item catch exception @var{name}
19009 This command causes the program execution to stop whenever exception
19010 @var{name} is raised. If @var{name} is omitted, then the execution is
19011 suspended when any exception is raised.
19013 @item print @var{expression}
19014 This will print the value of the given expression. Most simple
19015 Ada expression formats are properly handled by @code{GDB}, so the expression
19016 can contain function calls, variables, operators, and attribute references.
19019 Continues execution following a breakpoint, until the next breakpoint or the
19020 termination of the program.
19023 Executes a single line after a breakpoint. If the next statement
19024 is a subprogram call, execution continues into (the first statement of)
19025 the called subprogram.
19028 Executes a single line. If this line is a subprogram call, executes and
19029 returns from the call.
19032 Lists a few lines around the current source location. In practice, it
19033 is usually more convenient to have a separate edit window open with the
19034 relevant source file displayed. Successive applications of this command
19035 print subsequent lines. The command can be given an argument which is a
19036 line number, in which case it displays a few lines around the specified one.
19039 Displays a backtrace of the call chain. This command is typically
19040 used after a breakpoint has occurred, to examine the sequence of calls that
19041 leads to the current breakpoint. The display includes one line for each
19042 activation record (frame) corresponding to an active subprogram.
19045 At a breakpoint, @code{GDB} can display the values of variables local
19046 to the current frame. The command @code{up} can be used to
19047 examine the contents of other active frames, by moving the focus up
19048 the stack, that is to say from callee to caller, one frame at a time.
19051 Moves the focus of @code{GDB} down from the frame currently being
19052 examined to the frame of its callee (the reverse of the previous command),
19054 @item frame @var{n}
19055 Inspect the frame with the given number. The value 0 denotes the frame
19056 of the current breakpoint, that is to say the top of the call stack.
19061 The above list is a very short introduction to the commands that
19062 @code{GDB} provides. Important additional capabilities, including conditional
19063 breakpoints, the ability to execute command sequences on a breakpoint,
19064 the ability to debug at the machine instruction level and many other
19065 features are described in detail in @ref{Top,, Debugging with GDB, gdb,
19066 Debugging with GDB}. Note that most commands can be abbreviated
19067 (for example, c for continue, bt for backtrace).
19069 @node Using Ada Expressions
19070 @section Using Ada Expressions
19071 @cindex Ada expressions
19074 @code{GDB} supports a fairly large subset of Ada expression syntax, with some
19075 extensions. The philosophy behind the design of this subset is
19079 That @code{GDB} should provide basic literals and access to operations for
19080 arithmetic, dereferencing, field selection, indexing, and subprogram calls,
19081 leaving more sophisticated computations to subprograms written into the
19082 program (which therefore may be called from @code{GDB}).
19085 That type safety and strict adherence to Ada language restrictions
19086 are not particularly important to the @code{GDB} user.
19089 That brevity is important to the @code{GDB} user.
19093 Thus, for brevity, the debugger acts as if there were
19094 implicit @code{with} and @code{use} clauses in effect for all user-written
19095 packages, thus making it unnecessary to fully qualify most names with
19096 their packages, regardless of context. Where this causes ambiguity,
19097 @code{GDB} asks the user's intent.
19099 For details on the supported Ada syntax, see @ref{Top,, Debugging with
19100 GDB, gdb, Debugging with GDB}.
19102 @node Calling User-Defined Subprograms
19103 @section Calling User-Defined Subprograms
19106 An important capability of @code{GDB} is the ability to call user-defined
19107 subprograms while debugging. This is achieved simply by entering
19108 a subprogram call statement in the form:
19111 call subprogram-name (parameters)
19115 The keyword @code{call} can be omitted in the normal case where the
19116 @code{subprogram-name} does not coincide with any of the predefined
19117 @code{GDB} commands.
19119 The effect is to invoke the given subprogram, passing it the
19120 list of parameters that is supplied. The parameters can be expressions and
19121 can include variables from the program being debugged. The
19122 subprogram must be defined
19123 at the library level within your program, and @code{GDB} will call the
19124 subprogram within the environment of your program execution (which
19125 means that the subprogram is free to access or even modify variables
19126 within your program).
19128 The most important use of this facility is in allowing the inclusion of
19129 debugging routines that are tailored to particular data structures
19130 in your program. Such debugging routines can be written to provide a suitably
19131 high-level description of an abstract type, rather than a low-level dump
19132 of its physical layout. After all, the standard
19133 @code{GDB print} command only knows the physical layout of your
19134 types, not their abstract meaning. Debugging routines can provide information
19135 at the desired semantic level and are thus enormously useful.
19137 For example, when debugging GNAT itself, it is crucial to have access to
19138 the contents of the tree nodes used to represent the program internally.
19139 But tree nodes are represented simply by an integer value (which in turn
19140 is an index into a table of nodes).
19141 Using the @code{print} command on a tree node would simply print this integer
19142 value, which is not very useful. But the PN routine (defined in file
19143 treepr.adb in the GNAT sources) takes a tree node as input, and displays
19144 a useful high level representation of the tree node, which includes the
19145 syntactic category of the node, its position in the source, the integers
19146 that denote descendant nodes and parent node, as well as varied
19147 semantic information. To study this example in more detail, you might want to
19148 look at the body of the PN procedure in the stated file.
19150 @node Using the Next Command in a Function
19151 @section Using the Next Command in a Function
19154 When you use the @code{next} command in a function, the current source
19155 location will advance to the next statement as usual. A special case
19156 arises in the case of a @code{return} statement.
19158 Part of the code for a return statement is the ``epilog'' of the function.
19159 This is the code that returns to the caller. There is only one copy of
19160 this epilog code, and it is typically associated with the last return
19161 statement in the function if there is more than one return. In some
19162 implementations, this epilog is associated with the first statement
19165 The result is that if you use the @code{next} command from a return
19166 statement that is not the last return statement of the function you
19167 may see a strange apparent jump to the last return statement or to
19168 the start of the function. You should simply ignore this odd jump.
19169 The value returned is always that from the first return statement
19170 that was stepped through.
19172 @node Ada Exceptions
19173 @section Stopping when Ada Exceptions are Raised
19177 You can set catchpoints that stop the program execution when your program
19178 raises selected exceptions.
19181 @item catch exception
19182 Set a catchpoint that stops execution whenever (any task in the) program
19183 raises any exception.
19185 @item catch exception @var{name}
19186 Set a catchpoint that stops execution whenever (any task in the) program
19187 raises the exception @var{name}.
19189 @item catch exception unhandled
19190 Set a catchpoint that stops executino whenever (any task in the) program
19191 raises an exception for which there is no handler.
19193 @item info exceptions
19194 @itemx info exceptions @var{regexp}
19195 The @code{info exceptions} command permits the user to examine all defined
19196 exceptions within Ada programs. With a regular expression, @var{regexp}, as
19197 argument, prints out only those exceptions whose name matches @var{regexp}.
19205 @code{GDB} allows the following task-related commands:
19209 This command shows a list of current Ada tasks, as in the following example:
19216 ID TID P-ID Thread Pri State Name
19217 1 8088000 0 807e000 15 Child Activation Wait main_task
19218 2 80a4000 1 80ae000 15 Accept/Select Wait b
19219 3 809a800 1 80a4800 15 Child Activation Wait a
19220 * 4 80ae800 3 80b8000 15 Running c
19224 In this listing, the asterisk before the first task indicates it to be the
19225 currently running task. The first column lists the task ID that is used
19226 to refer to tasks in the following commands.
19228 @item break @var{linespec} task @var{taskid}
19229 @itemx break @var{linespec} task @var{taskid} if @dots{}
19230 @cindex Breakpoints and tasks
19231 These commands are like the @code{break @dots{} thread @dots{}}.
19232 @var{linespec} specifies source lines.
19234 Use the qualifier @samp{task @var{taskid}} with a breakpoint command
19235 to specify that you only want @code{GDB} to stop the program when a
19236 particular Ada task reaches this breakpoint. @var{taskid} is one of the
19237 numeric task identifiers assigned by @code{GDB}, shown in the first
19238 column of the @samp{info tasks} display.
19240 If you do not specify @samp{task @var{taskid}} when you set a
19241 breakpoint, the breakpoint applies to @emph{all} tasks of your
19244 You can use the @code{task} qualifier on conditional breakpoints as
19245 well; in this case, place @samp{task @var{taskid}} before the
19246 breakpoint condition (before the @code{if}).
19248 @item task @var{taskno}
19249 @cindex Task switching
19251 This command allows to switch to the task referred by @var{taskno}. In
19252 particular, This allows to browse the backtrace of the specified
19253 task. It is advised to switch back to the original task before
19254 continuing execution otherwise the scheduling of the program may be
19259 For more detailed information on the tasking support,
19260 see @ref{Top,, Debugging with GDB, gdb, Debugging with GDB}.
19262 @node Debugging Generic Units
19263 @section Debugging Generic Units
19264 @cindex Debugging Generic Units
19268 GNAT always uses code expansion for generic instantiation. This means that
19269 each time an instantiation occurs, a complete copy of the original code is
19270 made, with appropriate substitutions of formals by actuals.
19272 It is not possible to refer to the original generic entities in
19273 @code{GDB}, but it is always possible to debug a particular instance of
19274 a generic, by using the appropriate expanded names. For example, if we have
19276 @smallexample @c ada
19281 generic package k is
19282 procedure kp (v1 : in out integer);
19286 procedure kp (v1 : in out integer) is
19292 package k1 is new k;
19293 package k2 is new k;
19295 var : integer := 1;
19308 Then to break on a call to procedure kp in the k2 instance, simply
19312 (gdb) break g.k2.kp
19316 When the breakpoint occurs, you can step through the code of the
19317 instance in the normal manner and examine the values of local variables, as for
19320 @node Remote Debugging using gdbserver
19321 @section Remote Debugging using gdbserver
19322 @cindex Remote Debugging using gdbserver
19325 On platforms where gdbserver is supported, it is possible to use this tool
19326 to debug your application remotely. This can be useful in situations
19327 where the program needs to be run on a target host that is different
19328 from the host used for development, particularly when the target has
19329 a limited amount of resources (either CPU and/or memory).
19331 To do so, start your program using gdbserver on the target machine.
19332 gdbserver then automatically suspends the execution of your program
19333 at its entry point, waiting for a debugger to connect to it. The
19334 following commands starts an application and tells gdbserver to
19335 wait for a connection with the debugger on localhost port 4444.
19338 $ gdbserver localhost:4444 program
19339 Process program created; pid = 5685
19340 Listening on port 4444
19343 Once gdbserver has started listening, we can tell the debugger to establish
19344 a connection with this gdbserver, and then start the same debugging session
19345 as if the program was being debugged on the same host, directly under
19346 the control of GDB.
19350 (gdb) target remote targethost:4444
19351 Remote debugging using targethost:4444
19352 0x00007f29936d0af0 in ?? () from /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.
19354 Breakpoint 1 at 0x401f0c: file foo.adb, line 3.
19358 Breakpoint 1, foo () at foo.adb:4
19362 It is also possible to use gdbserver to attach to an already running
19363 program, in which case the execution of that program is simply suspended
19364 until the connection between the debugger and gdbserver is established.
19366 For more information on how to use gdbserver, @ref{Top, Server, Using
19367 the gdbserver Program, gdb, Debugging with GDB}. GNAT Pro provides support
19368 for gdbserver on x86-linux, x86-windows and x86_64-linux.
19370 @node GNAT Abnormal Termination or Failure to Terminate
19371 @section GNAT Abnormal Termination or Failure to Terminate
19372 @cindex GNAT Abnormal Termination or Failure to Terminate
19375 When presented with programs that contain serious errors in syntax
19377 GNAT may on rare occasions experience problems in operation, such
19379 segmentation fault or illegal memory access, raising an internal
19380 exception, terminating abnormally, or failing to terminate at all.
19381 In such cases, you can activate
19382 various features of GNAT that can help you pinpoint the construct in your
19383 program that is the likely source of the problem.
19385 The following strategies are presented in increasing order of
19386 difficulty, corresponding to your experience in using GNAT and your
19387 familiarity with compiler internals.
19391 Run @command{gcc} with the @option{-gnatf}. This first
19392 switch causes all errors on a given line to be reported. In its absence,
19393 only the first error on a line is displayed.
19395 The @option{-gnatdO} switch causes errors to be displayed as soon as they
19396 are encountered, rather than after compilation is terminated. If GNAT
19397 terminates prematurely or goes into an infinite loop, the last error
19398 message displayed may help to pinpoint the culprit.
19401 Run @command{gcc} with the @option{^-v (verbose)^/VERBOSE^} switch. In this
19402 mode, @command{gcc} produces ongoing information about the progress of the
19403 compilation and provides the name of each procedure as code is
19404 generated. This switch allows you to find which Ada procedure was being
19405 compiled when it encountered a code generation problem.
19408 @cindex @option{-gnatdc} switch
19409 Run @command{gcc} with the @option{-gnatdc} switch. This is a GNAT specific
19410 switch that does for the front-end what @option{^-v^VERBOSE^} does
19411 for the back end. The system prints the name of each unit,
19412 either a compilation unit or nested unit, as it is being analyzed.
19414 Finally, you can start
19415 @code{gdb} directly on the @code{gnat1} executable. @code{gnat1} is the
19416 front-end of GNAT, and can be run independently (normally it is just
19417 called from @command{gcc}). You can use @code{gdb} on @code{gnat1} as you
19418 would on a C program (but @pxref{The GNAT Debugger GDB} for caveats). The
19419 @code{where} command is the first line of attack; the variable
19420 @code{lineno} (seen by @code{print lineno}), used by the second phase of
19421 @code{gnat1} and by the @command{gcc} backend, indicates the source line at
19422 which the execution stopped, and @code{input_file name} indicates the name of
19426 @node Naming Conventions for GNAT Source Files
19427 @section Naming Conventions for GNAT Source Files
19430 In order to examine the workings of the GNAT system, the following
19431 brief description of its organization may be helpful:
19435 Files with prefix @file{^sc^SC^} contain the lexical scanner.
19438 All files prefixed with @file{^par^PAR^} are components of the parser. The
19439 numbers correspond to chapters of the Ada Reference Manual. For example,
19440 parsing of select statements can be found in @file{par-ch9.adb}.
19443 All files prefixed with @file{^sem^SEM^} perform semantic analysis. The
19444 numbers correspond to chapters of the Ada standard. For example, all
19445 issues involving context clauses can be found in @file{sem_ch10.adb}. In
19446 addition, some features of the language require sufficient special processing
19447 to justify their own semantic files: sem_aggr for aggregates, sem_disp for
19448 dynamic dispatching, etc.
19451 All files prefixed with @file{^exp^EXP^} perform normalization and
19452 expansion of the intermediate representation (abstract syntax tree, or AST).
19453 these files use the same numbering scheme as the parser and semantics files.
19454 For example, the construction of record initialization procedures is done in
19455 @file{exp_ch3.adb}.
19458 The files prefixed with @file{^bind^BIND^} implement the binder, which
19459 verifies the consistency of the compilation, determines an order of
19460 elaboration, and generates the bind file.
19463 The files @file{atree.ads} and @file{atree.adb} detail the low-level
19464 data structures used by the front-end.
19467 The files @file{sinfo.ads} and @file{sinfo.adb} detail the structure of
19468 the abstract syntax tree as produced by the parser.
19471 The files @file{einfo.ads} and @file{einfo.adb} detail the attributes of
19472 all entities, computed during semantic analysis.
19475 Library management issues are dealt with in files with prefix
19481 Ada files with the prefix @file{^a-^A-^} are children of @code{Ada}, as
19482 defined in Annex A.
19487 Files with prefix @file{^i-^I-^} are children of @code{Interfaces}, as
19488 defined in Annex B.
19492 Files with prefix @file{^s-^S-^} are children of @code{System}. This includes
19493 both language-defined children and GNAT run-time routines.
19497 Files with prefix @file{^g-^G-^} are children of @code{GNAT}. These are useful
19498 general-purpose packages, fully documented in their specs. All
19499 the other @file{.c} files are modifications of common @command{gcc} files.
19502 @node Getting Internal Debugging Information
19503 @section Getting Internal Debugging Information
19506 Most compilers have internal debugging switches and modes. GNAT
19507 does also, except GNAT internal debugging switches and modes are not
19508 secret. A summary and full description of all the compiler and binder
19509 debug flags are in the file @file{debug.adb}. You must obtain the
19510 sources of the compiler to see the full detailed effects of these flags.
19512 The switches that print the source of the program (reconstructed from
19513 the internal tree) are of general interest for user programs, as are the
19515 the full internal tree, and the entity table (the symbol table
19516 information). The reconstructed source provides a readable version of the
19517 program after the front-end has completed analysis and expansion,
19518 and is useful when studying the performance of specific constructs.
19519 For example, constraint checks are indicated, complex aggregates
19520 are replaced with loops and assignments, and tasking primitives
19521 are replaced with run-time calls.
19523 @node Stack Traceback
19524 @section Stack Traceback
19526 @cindex stack traceback
19527 @cindex stack unwinding
19530 Traceback is a mechanism to display the sequence of subprogram calls that
19531 leads to a specified execution point in a program. Often (but not always)
19532 the execution point is an instruction at which an exception has been raised.
19533 This mechanism is also known as @i{stack unwinding} because it obtains
19534 its information by scanning the run-time stack and recovering the activation
19535 records of all active subprograms. Stack unwinding is one of the most
19536 important tools for program debugging.
19538 The first entry stored in traceback corresponds to the deepest calling level,
19539 that is to say the subprogram currently executing the instruction
19540 from which we want to obtain the traceback.
19542 Note that there is no runtime performance penalty when stack traceback
19543 is enabled, and no exception is raised during program execution.
19546 * Non-Symbolic Traceback::
19547 * Symbolic Traceback::
19550 @node Non-Symbolic Traceback
19551 @subsection Non-Symbolic Traceback
19552 @cindex traceback, non-symbolic
19555 Note: this feature is not supported on all platforms. See
19556 @file{GNAT.Traceback spec in g-traceb.ads} for a complete list of supported
19560 * Tracebacks From an Unhandled Exception::
19561 * Tracebacks From Exception Occurrences (non-symbolic)::
19562 * Tracebacks From Anywhere in a Program (non-symbolic)::
19565 @node Tracebacks From an Unhandled Exception
19566 @subsubsection Tracebacks From an Unhandled Exception
19569 A runtime non-symbolic traceback is a list of addresses of call instructions.
19570 To enable this feature you must use the @option{-E}
19571 @code{gnatbind}'s option. With this option a stack traceback is stored as part
19572 of exception information. You can retrieve this information using the
19573 @code{addr2line} tool.
19575 Here is a simple example:
19577 @smallexample @c ada
19583 raise Constraint_Error;
19598 $ gnatmake stb -bargs -E
19601 Execution terminated by unhandled exception
19602 Exception name: CONSTRAINT_ERROR
19604 Call stack traceback locations:
19605 0x401373 0x40138b 0x40139c 0x401335 0x4011c4 0x4011f1 0x77e892a4
19609 As we see the traceback lists a sequence of addresses for the unhandled
19610 exception @code{CONSTRAINT_ERROR} raised in procedure P1. It is easy to
19611 guess that this exception come from procedure P1. To translate these
19612 addresses into the source lines where the calls appear, the
19613 @code{addr2line} tool, described below, is invaluable. The use of this tool
19614 requires the program to be compiled with debug information.
19617 $ gnatmake -g stb -bargs -E
19620 Execution terminated by unhandled exception
19621 Exception name: CONSTRAINT_ERROR
19623 Call stack traceback locations:
19624 0x401373 0x40138b 0x40139c 0x401335 0x4011c4 0x4011f1 0x77e892a4
19626 $ addr2line --exe=stb 0x401373 0x40138b 0x40139c 0x401335 0x4011c4
19627 0x4011f1 0x77e892a4
19629 00401373 at d:/stb/stb.adb:5
19630 0040138B at d:/stb/stb.adb:10
19631 0040139C at d:/stb/stb.adb:14
19632 00401335 at d:/stb/b~stb.adb:104
19633 004011C4 at /build/@dots{}/crt1.c:200
19634 004011F1 at /build/@dots{}/crt1.c:222
19635 77E892A4 in ?? at ??:0
19639 The @code{addr2line} tool has several other useful options:
19643 to get the function name corresponding to any location
19645 @item --demangle=gnat
19646 to use the gnat decoding mode for the function names. Note that
19647 for binutils version 2.9.x the option is simply @option{--demangle}.
19651 $ addr2line --exe=stb --functions --demangle=gnat 0x401373 0x40138b
19652 0x40139c 0x401335 0x4011c4 0x4011f1
19654 00401373 in stb.p1 at d:/stb/stb.adb:5
19655 0040138B in stb.p2 at d:/stb/stb.adb:10
19656 0040139C in stb at d:/stb/stb.adb:14
19657 00401335 in main at d:/stb/b~stb.adb:104
19658 004011C4 in <__mingw_CRTStartup> at /build/@dots{}/crt1.c:200
19659 004011F1 in <mainCRTStartup> at /build/@dots{}/crt1.c:222
19663 From this traceback we can see that the exception was raised in
19664 @file{stb.adb} at line 5, which was reached from a procedure call in
19665 @file{stb.adb} at line 10, and so on. The @file{b~std.adb} is the binder file,
19666 which contains the call to the main program.
19667 @xref{Running gnatbind}. The remaining entries are assorted runtime routines,
19668 and the output will vary from platform to platform.
19670 It is also possible to use @code{GDB} with these traceback addresses to debug
19671 the program. For example, we can break at a given code location, as reported
19672 in the stack traceback:
19678 Furthermore, this feature is not implemented inside Windows DLL. Only
19679 the non-symbolic traceback is reported in this case.
19682 (gdb) break *0x401373
19683 Breakpoint 1 at 0x401373: file stb.adb, line 5.
19687 It is important to note that the stack traceback addresses
19688 do not change when debug information is included. This is particularly useful
19689 because it makes it possible to release software without debug information (to
19690 minimize object size), get a field report that includes a stack traceback
19691 whenever an internal bug occurs, and then be able to retrieve the sequence
19692 of calls with the same program compiled with debug information.
19694 @node Tracebacks From Exception Occurrences (non-symbolic)
19695 @subsubsection Tracebacks From Exception Occurrences
19698 Non-symbolic tracebacks are obtained by using the @option{-E} binder argument.
19699 The stack traceback is attached to the exception information string, and can
19700 be retrieved in an exception handler within the Ada program, by means of the
19701 Ada facilities defined in @code{Ada.Exceptions}. Here is a simple example:
19703 @smallexample @c ada
19705 with Ada.Exceptions;
19710 use Ada.Exceptions;
19718 Text_IO.Put_Line (Exception_Information (E));
19732 This program will output:
19737 Exception name: CONSTRAINT_ERROR
19738 Message: stb.adb:12
19739 Call stack traceback locations:
19740 0x4015e4 0x401633 0x401644 0x401461 0x4011c4 0x4011f1 0x77e892a4
19743 @node Tracebacks From Anywhere in a Program (non-symbolic)
19744 @subsubsection Tracebacks From Anywhere in a Program
19747 It is also possible to retrieve a stack traceback from anywhere in a
19748 program. For this you need to
19749 use the @code{GNAT.Traceback} API. This package includes a procedure called
19750 @code{Call_Chain} that computes a complete stack traceback, as well as useful
19751 display procedures described below. It is not necessary to use the
19752 @option{-E gnatbind} option in this case, because the stack traceback mechanism
19753 is invoked explicitly.
19756 In the following example we compute a traceback at a specific location in
19757 the program, and we display it using @code{GNAT.Debug_Utilities.Image} to
19758 convert addresses to strings:
19760 @smallexample @c ada
19762 with GNAT.Traceback;
19763 with GNAT.Debug_Utilities;
19769 use GNAT.Traceback;
19772 TB : Tracebacks_Array (1 .. 10);
19773 -- We are asking for a maximum of 10 stack frames.
19775 -- Len will receive the actual number of stack frames returned.
19777 Call_Chain (TB, Len);
19779 Text_IO.Put ("In STB.P1 : ");
19781 for K in 1 .. Len loop
19782 Text_IO.Put (Debug_Utilities.Image (TB (K)));
19803 In STB.P1 : 16#0040_F1E4# 16#0040_14F2# 16#0040_170B# 16#0040_171C#
19804 16#0040_1461# 16#0040_11C4# 16#0040_11F1# 16#77E8_92A4#
19808 You can then get further information by invoking the @code{addr2line}
19809 tool as described earlier (note that the hexadecimal addresses
19810 need to be specified in C format, with a leading ``0x'').
19812 @node Symbolic Traceback
19813 @subsection Symbolic Traceback
19814 @cindex traceback, symbolic
19817 A symbolic traceback is a stack traceback in which procedure names are
19818 associated with each code location.
19821 Note that this feature is not supported on all platforms. See
19822 @file{GNAT.Traceback.Symbolic spec in g-trasym.ads} for a complete
19823 list of currently supported platforms.
19826 Note that the symbolic traceback requires that the program be compiled
19827 with debug information. If it is not compiled with debug information
19828 only the non-symbolic information will be valid.
19831 * Tracebacks From Exception Occurrences (symbolic)::
19832 * Tracebacks From Anywhere in a Program (symbolic)::
19835 @node Tracebacks From Exception Occurrences (symbolic)
19836 @subsubsection Tracebacks From Exception Occurrences
19838 @smallexample @c ada
19840 with GNAT.Traceback.Symbolic;
19846 raise Constraint_Error;
19863 Ada.Text_IO.Put_Line (GNAT.Traceback.Symbolic.Symbolic_Traceback (E));
19868 $ gnatmake -g .\stb -bargs -E -largs -lgnat -laddr2line -lintl
19871 0040149F in stb.p1 at stb.adb:8
19872 004014B7 in stb.p2 at stb.adb:13
19873 004014CF in stb.p3 at stb.adb:18
19874 004015DD in ada.stb at stb.adb:22
19875 00401461 in main at b~stb.adb:168
19876 004011C4 in __mingw_CRTStartup at crt1.c:200
19877 004011F1 in mainCRTStartup at crt1.c:222
19878 77E892A4 in ?? at ??:0
19882 In the above example the ``.\'' syntax in the @command{gnatmake} command
19883 is currently required by @command{addr2line} for files that are in
19884 the current working directory.
19885 Moreover, the exact sequence of linker options may vary from platform
19887 The above @option{-largs} section is for Windows platforms. By contrast,
19888 under Unix there is no need for the @option{-largs} section.
19889 Differences across platforms are due to details of linker implementation.
19891 @node Tracebacks From Anywhere in a Program (symbolic)
19892 @subsubsection Tracebacks From Anywhere in a Program
19895 It is possible to get a symbolic stack traceback
19896 from anywhere in a program, just as for non-symbolic tracebacks.
19897 The first step is to obtain a non-symbolic
19898 traceback, and then call @code{Symbolic_Traceback} to compute the symbolic
19899 information. Here is an example:
19901 @smallexample @c ada
19903 with GNAT.Traceback;
19904 with GNAT.Traceback.Symbolic;
19909 use GNAT.Traceback;
19910 use GNAT.Traceback.Symbolic;
19913 TB : Tracebacks_Array (1 .. 10);
19914 -- We are asking for a maximum of 10 stack frames.
19916 -- Len will receive the actual number of stack frames returned.
19918 Call_Chain (TB, Len);
19919 Text_IO.Put_Line (Symbolic_Traceback (TB (1 .. Len)));
19932 @c ******************************
19934 @node Compatibility with HP Ada
19935 @chapter Compatibility with HP Ada
19936 @cindex Compatibility
19941 @cindex Compatibility between GNAT and HP Ada
19942 This chapter compares HP Ada (formerly known as ``DEC Ada'')
19943 for OpenVMS Alpha and GNAT for OpenVMS for Alpha and for I64.
19944 GNAT is highly compatible
19945 with HP Ada, and it should generally be straightforward to port code
19946 from the HP Ada environment to GNAT. However, there are a few language
19947 and implementation differences of which the user must be aware. These
19948 differences are discussed in this chapter. In
19949 addition, the operating environment and command structure for the
19950 compiler are different, and these differences are also discussed.
19952 For further details on these and other compatibility issues,
19953 see Appendix E of the HP publication
19954 @cite{HP Ada, Technical Overview and Comparison on HP Platforms}.
19956 Except where otherwise indicated, the description of GNAT for OpenVMS
19957 applies to both the Alpha and I64 platforms.
19959 For information on porting Ada code from GNAT on Alpha OpenVMS to GNAT on
19960 I64 OpenVMS, see @ref{Transitioning to 64-Bit GNAT for OpenVMS}.
19962 The discussion in this chapter addresses specifically the implementation
19963 of Ada 83 for HP OpenVMS Alpha Systems. In cases where the implementation
19964 of HP Ada differs between OpenVMS Alpha Systems and OpenVMS VAX Systems,
19965 GNAT always follows the Alpha implementation.
19967 For GNAT running on other than VMS systems, all the HP Ada 83 pragmas and
19968 attributes are recognized, although only a subset of them can sensibly
19969 be implemented. The description of pragmas in
19970 @xref{Implementation Defined Pragmas,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual},
19971 indicates whether or not they are applicable to non-VMS systems.
19974 * Ada Language Compatibility::
19975 * Differences in the Definition of Package System::
19976 * Language-Related Features::
19977 * The Package STANDARD::
19978 * The Package SYSTEM::
19979 * Tasking and Task-Related Features::
19980 * Pragmas and Pragma-Related Features::
19981 * Library of Predefined Units::
19983 * Main Program Definition::
19984 * Implementation-Defined Attributes::
19985 * Compiler and Run-Time Interfacing::
19986 * Program Compilation and Library Management::
19988 * Implementation Limits::
19989 * Tools and Utilities::
19992 @node Ada Language Compatibility
19993 @section Ada Language Compatibility
19996 GNAT handles Ada 95 and Ada 2005 as well as Ada 83, whereas HP Ada is only
19997 for Ada 83. Ada 95 and Ada 2005 are almost completely upwards compatible
19998 with Ada 83, and therefore Ada 83 programs will compile
19999 and run under GNAT with
20000 no changes or only minor changes. The @cite{Annotated Ada Reference Manual}
20001 provides details on specific incompatibilities.
20003 GNAT provides the switch @option{/83} on the @command{GNAT COMPILE} command,
20004 as well as the pragma @code{ADA_83}, to force the compiler to
20005 operate in Ada 83 mode. This mode does not guarantee complete
20006 conformance to Ada 83, but in practice is sufficient to
20007 eliminate most sources of incompatibilities.
20008 In particular, it eliminates the recognition of the
20009 additional Ada 95 and Ada 2005 keywords, so that their use as identifiers
20010 in Ada 83 programs is legal, and handles the cases of packages
20011 with optional bodies, and generics that instantiate unconstrained
20012 types without the use of @code{(<>)}.
20014 @node Differences in the Definition of Package System
20015 @section Differences in the Definition of Package @code{System}
20018 An Ada compiler is allowed to add
20019 implementation-dependent declarations to package @code{System}.
20021 GNAT does not take advantage of this permission, and the version of
20022 @code{System} provided by GNAT exactly matches that defined in the Ada
20025 However, HP Ada adds an extensive set of declarations to package
20027 as fully documented in the HP Ada manuals. To minimize changes required
20028 for programs that make use of these extensions, GNAT provides the pragma
20029 @code{Extend_System} for extending the definition of package System. By using:
20030 @cindex pragma @code{Extend_System}
20031 @cindex @code{Extend_System} pragma
20033 @smallexample @c ada
20036 pragma Extend_System (Aux_DEC);
20042 the set of definitions in @code{System} is extended to include those in
20043 package @code{System.Aux_DEC}.
20044 @cindex @code{System.Aux_DEC} package
20045 @cindex @code{Aux_DEC} package (child of @code{System})
20046 These definitions are incorporated directly into package @code{System},
20047 as though they had been declared there. For a
20048 list of the declarations added, see the spec of this package,
20049 which can be found in the file @file{s-auxdec.ads} in the GNAT library.
20050 @cindex @file{s-auxdec.ads} file
20051 The pragma @code{Extend_System} is a configuration pragma, which means that
20052 it can be placed in the file @file{gnat.adc}, so that it will automatically
20053 apply to all subsequent compilations. See @ref{Configuration Pragmas},
20054 for further details.
20056 An alternative approach that avoids the use of the non-standard
20057 @code{Extend_System} pragma is to add a context clause to the unit that
20058 references these facilities:
20060 @smallexample @c ada
20062 with System.Aux_DEC;
20063 use System.Aux_DEC;
20068 The effect is not quite semantically identical to incorporating
20069 the declarations directly into package @code{System},
20070 but most programs will not notice a difference
20071 unless they use prefix notation (e.g.@: @code{System.Integer_8})
20072 to reference the entities directly in package @code{System}.
20073 For units containing such references,
20074 the prefixes must either be removed, or the pragma @code{Extend_System}
20077 @node Language-Related Features
20078 @section Language-Related Features
20081 The following sections highlight differences in types,
20082 representations of types, operations, alignment, and
20086 * Integer Types and Representations::
20087 * Floating-Point Types and Representations::
20088 * Pragmas Float_Representation and Long_Float::
20089 * Fixed-Point Types and Representations::
20090 * Record and Array Component Alignment::
20091 * Address Clauses::
20092 * Other Representation Clauses::
20095 @node Integer Types and Representations
20096 @subsection Integer Types and Representations
20099 The set of predefined integer types is identical in HP Ada and GNAT.
20100 Furthermore the representation of these integer types is also identical,
20101 including the capability of size clauses forcing biased representation.
20104 HP Ada for OpenVMS Alpha systems has defined the
20105 following additional integer types in package @code{System}:
20122 @code{LARGEST_INTEGER}
20126 In GNAT, the first four of these types may be obtained from the
20127 standard Ada package @code{Interfaces}.
20128 Alternatively, by use of the pragma @code{Extend_System}, identical
20129 declarations can be referenced directly in package @code{System}.
20130 On both GNAT and HP Ada, the maximum integer size is 64 bits.
20132 @node Floating-Point Types and Representations
20133 @subsection Floating-Point Types and Representations
20134 @cindex Floating-Point types
20137 The set of predefined floating-point types is identical in HP Ada and GNAT.
20138 Furthermore the representation of these floating-point
20139 types is also identical. One important difference is that the default
20140 representation for HP Ada is @code{VAX_Float}, but the default representation
20143 Specific types may be declared to be @code{VAX_Float} or IEEE, using the
20144 pragma @code{Float_Representation} as described in the HP Ada
20146 For example, the declarations:
20148 @smallexample @c ada
20150 type F_Float is digits 6;
20151 pragma Float_Representation (VAX_Float, F_Float);
20156 declares a type @code{F_Float} that will be represented in @code{VAX_Float}
20158 This set of declarations actually appears in @code{System.Aux_DEC},
20160 the full set of additional floating-point declarations provided in
20161 the HP Ada version of package @code{System}.
20162 This and similar declarations may be accessed in a user program
20163 by using pragma @code{Extend_System}. The use of this
20164 pragma, and the related pragma @code{Long_Float} is described in further
20165 detail in the following section.
20167 @node Pragmas Float_Representation and Long_Float
20168 @subsection Pragmas @code{Float_Representation} and @code{Long_Float}
20171 HP Ada provides the pragma @code{Float_Representation}, which
20172 acts as a program library switch to allow control over
20173 the internal representation chosen for the predefined
20174 floating-point types declared in the package @code{Standard}.
20175 The format of this pragma is as follows:
20177 @smallexample @c ada
20179 pragma Float_Representation(VAX_Float | IEEE_Float);
20184 This pragma controls the representation of floating-point
20189 @code{VAX_Float} specifies that floating-point
20190 types are represented by default with the VAX system hardware types
20191 @code{F-floating}, @code{D-floating}, @code{G-floating}.
20192 Note that the @code{H-floating}
20193 type was available only on VAX systems, and is not available
20194 in either HP Ada or GNAT.
20197 @code{IEEE_Float} specifies that floating-point
20198 types are represented by default with the IEEE single and
20199 double floating-point types.
20203 GNAT provides an identical implementation of the pragma
20204 @code{Float_Representation}, except that it functions as a
20205 configuration pragma. Note that the
20206 notion of configuration pragma corresponds closely to the
20207 HP Ada notion of a program library switch.
20209 When no pragma is used in GNAT, the default is @code{IEEE_Float},
20211 from HP Ada 83, where the default is @code{VAX_Float}. In addition, the
20212 predefined libraries in GNAT are built using @code{IEEE_Float}, so it is not
20213 advisable to change the format of numbers passed to standard library
20214 routines, and if necessary explicit type conversions may be needed.
20216 The use of @code{IEEE_Float} is recommended in GNAT since it is more
20217 efficient, and (given that it conforms to an international standard)
20218 potentially more portable.
20219 The situation in which @code{VAX_Float} may be useful is in interfacing
20220 to existing code and data that expect the use of @code{VAX_Float}.
20221 In such a situation use the predefined @code{VAX_Float}
20222 types in package @code{System}, as extended by
20223 @code{Extend_System}. For example, use @code{System.F_Float}
20224 to specify the 32-bit @code{F-Float} format.
20227 On OpenVMS systems, HP Ada provides the pragma @code{Long_Float}
20228 to allow control over the internal representation chosen
20229 for the predefined type @code{Long_Float} and for floating-point
20230 type declarations with digits specified in the range 7 .. 15.
20231 The format of this pragma is as follows:
20233 @smallexample @c ada
20235 pragma Long_Float (D_FLOAT | G_FLOAT);
20239 @node Fixed-Point Types and Representations
20240 @subsection Fixed-Point Types and Representations
20243 On HP Ada for OpenVMS Alpha systems, rounding is
20244 away from zero for both positive and negative numbers.
20245 Therefore, @code{+0.5} rounds to @code{1},
20246 and @code{-0.5} rounds to @code{-1}.
20248 On GNAT the results of operations
20249 on fixed-point types are in accordance with the Ada
20250 rules. In particular, results of operations on decimal
20251 fixed-point types are truncated.
20253 @node Record and Array Component Alignment
20254 @subsection Record and Array Component Alignment
20257 On HP Ada for OpenVMS Alpha, all non-composite components
20258 are aligned on natural boundaries. For example, 1-byte
20259 components are aligned on byte boundaries, 2-byte
20260 components on 2-byte boundaries, 4-byte components on 4-byte
20261 byte boundaries, and so on. The OpenVMS Alpha hardware
20262 runs more efficiently with naturally aligned data.
20264 On GNAT, alignment rules are compatible
20265 with HP Ada for OpenVMS Alpha.
20267 @node Address Clauses
20268 @subsection Address Clauses
20271 In HP Ada and GNAT, address clauses are supported for
20272 objects and imported subprograms.
20273 The predefined type @code{System.Address} is a private type
20274 in both compilers on Alpha OpenVMS, with the same representation
20275 (it is simply a machine pointer). Addition, subtraction, and comparison
20276 operations are available in the standard Ada package
20277 @code{System.Storage_Elements}, or in package @code{System}
20278 if it is extended to include @code{System.Aux_DEC} using a
20279 pragma @code{Extend_System} as previously described.
20281 Note that code that @code{with}'s both this extended package @code{System}
20282 and the package @code{System.Storage_Elements} should not @code{use}
20283 both packages, or ambiguities will result. In general it is better
20284 not to mix these two sets of facilities. The Ada package was
20285 designed specifically to provide the kind of features that HP Ada
20286 adds directly to package @code{System}.
20288 The type @code{System.Address} is a 64-bit integer type in GNAT for
20289 I64 OpenVMS. For more information,
20290 see @ref{Transitioning to 64-Bit GNAT for OpenVMS}.
20292 GNAT is compatible with HP Ada in its handling of address
20293 clauses, except for some limitations in
20294 the form of address clauses for composite objects with
20295 initialization. Such address clauses are easily replaced
20296 by the use of an explicitly-defined constant as described
20297 in the Ada Reference Manual (13.1(22)). For example, the sequence
20300 @smallexample @c ada
20302 X, Y : Integer := Init_Func;
20303 Q : String (X .. Y) := "abc";
20305 for Q'Address use Compute_Address;
20310 will be rejected by GNAT, since the address cannot be computed at the time
20311 that @code{Q} is declared. To achieve the intended effect, write instead:
20313 @smallexample @c ada
20316 X, Y : Integer := Init_Func;
20317 Q_Address : constant Address := Compute_Address;
20318 Q : String (X .. Y) := "abc";
20320 for Q'Address use Q_Address;
20326 which will be accepted by GNAT (and other Ada compilers), and is also
20327 compatible with Ada 83. A fuller description of the restrictions
20328 on address specifications is found in @ref{Top, GNAT Reference Manual,
20329 About This Guide, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}.
20331 @node Other Representation Clauses
20332 @subsection Other Representation Clauses
20335 GNAT implements in a compatible manner all the representation
20336 clauses supported by HP Ada. In addition, GNAT
20337 implements the representation clause forms that were introduced in Ada 95,
20338 including @code{COMPONENT_SIZE} and @code{SIZE} clauses for objects.
20340 @node The Package STANDARD
20341 @section The Package @code{STANDARD}
20344 The package @code{STANDARD}, as implemented by HP Ada, is fully
20345 described in the @cite{Ada Reference Manual} and in the
20346 @cite{HP Ada Language Reference Manual}. As implemented by GNAT, the
20347 package @code{STANDARD} is described in the @cite{Ada Reference Manual}.
20349 In addition, HP Ada supports the Latin-1 character set in
20350 the type @code{CHARACTER}. GNAT supports the Latin-1 character set
20351 in the type @code{CHARACTER} and also Unicode (ISO 10646 BMP) in
20352 the type @code{WIDE_CHARACTER}.
20354 The floating-point types supported by GNAT are those
20355 supported by HP Ada, but the defaults are different, and are controlled by
20356 pragmas. See @ref{Floating-Point Types and Representations}, for details.
20358 @node The Package SYSTEM
20359 @section The Package @code{SYSTEM}
20362 HP Ada provides a specific version of the package
20363 @code{SYSTEM} for each platform on which the language is implemented.
20364 For the complete spec of the package @code{SYSTEM}, see
20365 Appendix F of the @cite{HP Ada Language Reference Manual}.
20367 On HP Ada, the package @code{SYSTEM} includes the following conversion
20370 @item @code{TO_ADDRESS(INTEGER)}
20372 @item @code{TO_ADDRESS(UNSIGNED_LONGWORD)}
20374 @item @code{TO_ADDRESS(}@i{universal_integer}@code{)}
20376 @item @code{TO_INTEGER(ADDRESS)}
20378 @item @code{TO_UNSIGNED_LONGWORD(ADDRESS)}
20380 @item Function @code{IMPORT_VALUE return UNSIGNED_LONGWORD} and the
20381 functions @code{IMPORT_ADDRESS} and @code{IMPORT_LARGEST_VALUE}
20385 By default, GNAT supplies a version of @code{SYSTEM} that matches
20386 the definition given in the @cite{Ada Reference Manual}.
20388 is a subset of the HP system definitions, which is as
20389 close as possible to the original definitions. The only difference
20390 is that the definition of @code{SYSTEM_NAME} is different:
20392 @smallexample @c ada
20394 type Name is (SYSTEM_NAME_GNAT);
20395 System_Name : constant Name := SYSTEM_NAME_GNAT;
20400 Also, GNAT adds the Ada declarations for
20401 @code{BIT_ORDER} and @code{DEFAULT_BIT_ORDER}.
20403 However, the use of the following pragma causes GNAT
20404 to extend the definition of package @code{SYSTEM} so that it
20405 encompasses the full set of HP-specific extensions,
20406 including the functions listed above:
20408 @smallexample @c ada
20410 pragma Extend_System (Aux_DEC);
20415 The pragma @code{Extend_System} is a configuration pragma that
20416 is most conveniently placed in the @file{gnat.adc} file. @xref{Pragma
20417 Extend_System,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}, for further details.
20419 HP Ada does not allow the recompilation of the package
20420 @code{SYSTEM}. Instead HP Ada provides several pragmas
20421 (@code{SYSTEM_NAME}, @code{STORAGE_UNIT}, and @code{MEMORY_SIZE})
20422 to modify values in the package @code{SYSTEM}.
20423 On OpenVMS Alpha systems, the pragma
20424 @code{SYSTEM_NAME} takes the enumeration literal @code{OPENVMS_AXP} as
20425 its single argument.
20427 GNAT does permit the recompilation of package @code{SYSTEM} using
20428 the special switch @option{-gnatg}, and this switch can be used if
20429 it is necessary to modify the definitions in @code{SYSTEM}. GNAT does
20430 not permit the specification of @code{SYSTEM_NAME}, @code{STORAGE_UNIT}
20431 or @code{MEMORY_SIZE} by any other means.
20433 On GNAT systems, the pragma @code{SYSTEM_NAME} takes the
20434 enumeration literal @code{SYSTEM_NAME_GNAT}.
20436 The definitions provided by the use of
20438 @smallexample @c ada
20439 pragma Extend_System (AUX_Dec);
20443 are virtually identical to those provided by the HP Ada 83 package
20444 @code{SYSTEM}. One important difference is that the name of the
20446 function for type @code{UNSIGNED_LONGWORD} is changed to
20447 @code{TO_ADDRESS_LONG}.
20448 @xref{Address Clauses,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}, for a
20449 discussion of why this change was necessary.
20452 The version of @code{TO_ADDRESS} taking a @i{universal_integer} argument
20454 an extension to Ada 83 not strictly compatible with the reference manual.
20455 GNAT, in order to be exactly compatible with the standard,
20456 does not provide this capability. In HP Ada 83, the
20457 point of this definition is to deal with a call like:
20459 @smallexample @c ada
20460 TO_ADDRESS (16#12777#);
20464 Normally, according to Ada 83 semantics, one would expect this to be
20465 ambiguous, since it matches both the @code{INTEGER} and
20466 @code{UNSIGNED_LONGWORD} forms of @code{TO_ADDRESS}.
20467 However, in HP Ada 83, there is no ambiguity, since the
20468 definition using @i{universal_integer} takes precedence.
20470 In GNAT, since the version with @i{universal_integer} cannot be supplied,
20472 not possible to be 100% compatible. Since there are many programs using
20473 numeric constants for the argument to @code{TO_ADDRESS}, the decision in
20475 to change the name of the function in the @code{UNSIGNED_LONGWORD} case,
20476 so the declarations provided in the GNAT version of @code{AUX_Dec} are:
20478 @smallexample @c ada
20479 function To_Address (X : Integer) return Address;
20480 pragma Pure_Function (To_Address);
20482 function To_Address_Long (X : Unsigned_Longword) return Address;
20483 pragma Pure_Function (To_Address_Long);
20487 This means that programs using @code{TO_ADDRESS} for
20488 @code{UNSIGNED_LONGWORD} must change the name to @code{TO_ADDRESS_LONG}.
20490 @node Tasking and Task-Related Features
20491 @section Tasking and Task-Related Features
20494 This section compares the treatment of tasking in GNAT
20495 and in HP Ada for OpenVMS Alpha.
20496 The GNAT description applies to both Alpha and I64 OpenVMS.
20497 For detailed information on tasking in
20498 HP Ada, see the @cite{HP Ada Language Reference Manual} and the
20499 relevant run-time reference manual.
20502 * Implementation of Tasks in HP Ada for OpenVMS Alpha Systems::
20503 * Assigning Task IDs::
20504 * Task IDs and Delays::
20505 * Task-Related Pragmas::
20506 * Scheduling and Task Priority::
20508 * External Interrupts::
20511 @node Implementation of Tasks in HP Ada for OpenVMS Alpha Systems
20512 @subsection Implementation of Tasks in HP Ada for OpenVMS Alpha Systems
20515 On OpenVMS Alpha systems, each Ada task (except a passive
20516 task) is implemented as a single stream of execution
20517 that is created and managed by the kernel. On these
20518 systems, HP Ada tasking support is based on DECthreads,
20519 an implementation of the POSIX standard for threads.
20521 Also, on OpenVMS Alpha systems, HP Ada tasks and foreign
20522 code that calls DECthreads routines can be used together.
20523 The interaction between Ada tasks and DECthreads routines
20524 can have some benefits. For example when on OpenVMS Alpha,
20525 HP Ada can call C code that is already threaded.
20527 GNAT uses the facilities of DECthreads,
20528 and Ada tasks are mapped to threads.
20530 @node Assigning Task IDs
20531 @subsection Assigning Task IDs
20534 The HP Ada Run-Time Library always assigns @code{%TASK 1} to
20535 the environment task that executes the main program. On
20536 OpenVMS Alpha systems, @code{%TASK 0} is often used for tasks
20537 that have been created but are not yet activated.
20539 On OpenVMS Alpha systems, task IDs are assigned at
20540 activation. On GNAT systems, task IDs are also assigned at
20541 task creation but do not have the same form or values as
20542 task ID values in HP Ada. There is no null task, and the
20543 environment task does not have a specific task ID value.
20545 @node Task IDs and Delays
20546 @subsection Task IDs and Delays
20549 On OpenVMS Alpha systems, tasking delays are implemented
20550 using Timer System Services. The Task ID is used for the
20551 identification of the timer request (the @code{REQIDT} parameter).
20552 If Timers are used in the application take care not to use
20553 @code{0} for the identification, because cancelling such a timer
20554 will cancel all timers and may lead to unpredictable results.
20556 @node Task-Related Pragmas
20557 @subsection Task-Related Pragmas
20560 Ada supplies the pragma @code{TASK_STORAGE}, which allows
20561 specification of the size of the guard area for a task
20562 stack. (The guard area forms an area of memory that has no
20563 read or write access and thus helps in the detection of
20564 stack overflow.) On OpenVMS Alpha systems, if the pragma
20565 @code{TASK_STORAGE} specifies a value of zero, a minimal guard
20566 area is created. In the absence of a pragma @code{TASK_STORAGE},
20567 a default guard area is created.
20569 GNAT supplies the following task-related pragmas:
20572 @item @code{TASK_INFO}
20574 This pragma appears within a task definition and
20575 applies to the task in which it appears. The argument
20576 must be of type @code{SYSTEM.TASK_INFO.TASK_INFO_TYPE}.
20578 @item @code{TASK_STORAGE}
20580 GNAT implements pragma @code{TASK_STORAGE} in the same way as HP Ada.
20581 Both HP Ada and GNAT supply the pragmas @code{PASSIVE},
20582 @code{SUPPRESS}, and @code{VOLATILE}.
20584 @node Scheduling and Task Priority
20585 @subsection Scheduling and Task Priority
20588 HP Ada implements the Ada language requirement that
20589 when two tasks are eligible for execution and they have
20590 different priorities, the lower priority task does not
20591 execute while the higher priority task is waiting. The HP
20592 Ada Run-Time Library keeps a task running until either the
20593 task is suspended or a higher priority task becomes ready.
20595 On OpenVMS Alpha systems, the default strategy is round-
20596 robin with preemption. Tasks of equal priority take turns
20597 at the processor. A task is run for a certain period of
20598 time and then placed at the tail of the ready queue for
20599 its priority level.
20601 HP Ada provides the implementation-defined pragma @code{TIME_SLICE},
20602 which can be used to enable or disable round-robin
20603 scheduling of tasks with the same priority.
20604 See the relevant HP Ada run-time reference manual for
20605 information on using the pragmas to control HP Ada task
20608 GNAT follows the scheduling rules of Annex D (Real-Time
20609 Annex) of the @cite{Ada Reference Manual}. In general, this
20610 scheduling strategy is fully compatible with HP Ada
20611 although it provides some additional constraints (as
20612 fully documented in Annex D).
20613 GNAT implements time slicing control in a manner compatible with
20614 HP Ada 83, by means of the pragma @code{Time_Slice}, whose semantics
20615 are identical to the HP Ada 83 pragma of the same name.
20616 Note that it is not possible to mix GNAT tasking and
20617 HP Ada 83 tasking in the same program, since the two run-time
20618 libraries are not compatible.
20620 @node The Task Stack
20621 @subsection The Task Stack
20624 In HP Ada, a task stack is allocated each time a
20625 non-passive task is activated. As soon as the task is
20626 terminated, the storage for the task stack is deallocated.
20627 If you specify a size of zero (bytes) with @code{T'STORAGE_SIZE},
20628 a default stack size is used. Also, regardless of the size
20629 specified, some additional space is allocated for task
20630 management purposes. On OpenVMS Alpha systems, at least
20631 one page is allocated.
20633 GNAT handles task stacks in a similar manner. In accordance with
20634 the Ada rules, it provides the pragma @code{STORAGE_SIZE} as
20635 an alternative method for controlling the task stack size.
20636 The specification of the attribute @code{T'STORAGE_SIZE} is also
20637 supported in a manner compatible with HP Ada.
20639 @node External Interrupts
20640 @subsection External Interrupts
20643 On HP Ada, external interrupts can be associated with task entries.
20644 GNAT is compatible with HP Ada in its handling of external interrupts.
20646 @node Pragmas and Pragma-Related Features
20647 @section Pragmas and Pragma-Related Features
20650 Both HP Ada and GNAT supply all language-defined pragmas
20651 as specified by the Ada 83 standard. GNAT also supplies all
20652 language-defined pragmas introduced by Ada 95 and Ada 2005.
20653 In addition, GNAT implements the implementation-defined pragmas
20657 @item @code{AST_ENTRY}
20659 @item @code{COMMON_OBJECT}
20661 @item @code{COMPONENT_ALIGNMENT}
20663 @item @code{EXPORT_EXCEPTION}
20665 @item @code{EXPORT_FUNCTION}
20667 @item @code{EXPORT_OBJECT}
20669 @item @code{EXPORT_PROCEDURE}
20671 @item @code{EXPORT_VALUED_PROCEDURE}
20673 @item @code{FLOAT_REPRESENTATION}
20677 @item @code{IMPORT_EXCEPTION}
20679 @item @code{IMPORT_FUNCTION}
20681 @item @code{IMPORT_OBJECT}
20683 @item @code{IMPORT_PROCEDURE}
20685 @item @code{IMPORT_VALUED_PROCEDURE}
20687 @item @code{INLINE_GENERIC}
20689 @item @code{INTERFACE_NAME}
20691 @item @code{LONG_FLOAT}
20693 @item @code{MAIN_STORAGE}
20695 @item @code{PASSIVE}
20697 @item @code{PSECT_OBJECT}
20699 @item @code{SHARE_GENERIC}
20701 @item @code{SUPPRESS_ALL}
20703 @item @code{TASK_STORAGE}
20705 @item @code{TIME_SLICE}
20711 These pragmas are all fully implemented, with the exception of @code{TITLE},
20712 @code{PASSIVE}, and @code{SHARE_GENERIC}, which are
20713 recognized, but which have no
20714 effect in GNAT. The effect of @code{PASSIVE} may be obtained by the
20715 use of Ada protected objects. In GNAT, all generics are inlined.
20717 Unlike HP Ada, the GNAT ``@code{EXPORT_}@i{subprogram}'' pragmas require
20718 a separate subprogram specification which must appear before the
20721 GNAT also supplies a number of implementation-defined pragmas including the
20725 @item @code{ABORT_DEFER}
20727 @item @code{ADA_83}
20729 @item @code{ADA_95}
20731 @item @code{ADA_05}
20733 @item @code{Ada_2005}
20735 @item @code{Ada_12}
20737 @item @code{Ada_2012}
20739 @item @code{ANNOTATE}
20741 @item @code{ASSERT}
20743 @item @code{C_PASS_BY_COPY}
20745 @item @code{CPP_CLASS}
20747 @item @code{CPP_CONSTRUCTOR}
20749 @item @code{CPP_DESTRUCTOR}
20753 @item @code{EXTEND_SYSTEM}
20755 @item @code{LINKER_ALIAS}
20757 @item @code{LINKER_SECTION}
20759 @item @code{MACHINE_ATTRIBUTE}
20761 @item @code{NO_RETURN}
20763 @item @code{PURE_FUNCTION}
20765 @item @code{SOURCE_FILE_NAME}
20767 @item @code{SOURCE_REFERENCE}
20769 @item @code{TASK_INFO}
20771 @item @code{UNCHECKED_UNION}
20773 @item @code{UNIMPLEMENTED_UNIT}
20775 @item @code{UNIVERSAL_DATA}
20777 @item @code{UNSUPPRESS}
20779 @item @code{WARNINGS}
20781 @item @code{WEAK_EXTERNAL}
20785 For full details on these and other GNAT implementation-defined pragmas,
20786 see @ref{Implementation Defined Pragmas,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference
20790 * Restrictions on the Pragma INLINE::
20791 * Restrictions on the Pragma INTERFACE::
20792 * Restrictions on the Pragma SYSTEM_NAME::
20795 @node Restrictions on the Pragma INLINE
20796 @subsection Restrictions on Pragma @code{INLINE}
20799 HP Ada enforces the following restrictions on the pragma @code{INLINE}:
20801 @item Parameters cannot have a task type.
20803 @item Function results cannot be task types, unconstrained
20804 array types, or unconstrained types with discriminants.
20806 @item Bodies cannot declare the following:
20808 @item Subprogram body or stub (imported subprogram is allowed)
20812 @item Generic declarations
20814 @item Instantiations
20818 @item Access types (types derived from access types allowed)
20820 @item Array or record types
20822 @item Dependent tasks
20824 @item Direct recursive calls of subprogram or containing
20825 subprogram, directly or via a renaming
20831 In GNAT, the only restriction on pragma @code{INLINE} is that the
20832 body must occur before the call if both are in the same
20833 unit, and the size must be appropriately small. There are
20834 no other specific restrictions which cause subprograms to
20835 be incapable of being inlined.
20837 @node Restrictions on the Pragma INTERFACE
20838 @subsection Restrictions on Pragma @code{INTERFACE}
20841 The following restrictions on pragma @code{INTERFACE}
20842 are enforced by both HP Ada and GNAT:
20844 @item Languages accepted: Ada, Bliss, C, Fortran, Default.
20845 Default is the default on OpenVMS Alpha systems.
20847 @item Parameter passing: Language specifies default
20848 mechanisms but can be overridden with an @code{EXPORT} pragma.
20851 @item Ada: Use internal Ada rules.
20853 @item Bliss, C: Parameters must be mode @code{in}; cannot be
20854 record or task type. Result cannot be a string, an
20855 array, or a record.
20857 @item Fortran: Parameters cannot have a task type. Result cannot
20858 be a string, an array, or a record.
20863 GNAT is entirely upwards compatible with HP Ada, and in addition allows
20864 record parameters for all languages.
20866 @node Restrictions on the Pragma SYSTEM_NAME
20867 @subsection Restrictions on Pragma @code{SYSTEM_NAME}
20870 For HP Ada for OpenVMS Alpha, the enumeration literal
20871 for the type @code{NAME} is @code{OPENVMS_AXP}.
20872 In GNAT, the enumeration
20873 literal for the type @code{NAME} is @code{SYSTEM_NAME_GNAT}.
20875 @node Library of Predefined Units
20876 @section Library of Predefined Units
20879 A library of predefined units is provided as part of the
20880 HP Ada and GNAT implementations. HP Ada does not provide
20881 the package @code{MACHINE_CODE} but instead recommends importing
20884 The GNAT versions of the HP Ada Run-Time Library (@code{ADA$PREDEFINED:})
20885 units are taken from the OpenVMS Alpha version, not the OpenVMS VAX
20887 The HP Ada Predefined Library units are modified to remove post-Ada 83
20888 incompatibilities and to make them interoperable with GNAT
20889 (@pxref{Changes to DECLIB}, for details).
20890 The units are located in the @file{DECLIB} directory.
20892 The GNAT RTL is contained in
20893 the @file{ADALIB} directory, and
20894 the default search path is set up to find @code{DECLIB} units in preference
20895 to @code{ADALIB} units with the same name (@code{TEXT_IO},
20896 @code{SEQUENTIAL_IO}, and @code{DIRECT_IO}, for example).
20899 * Changes to DECLIB::
20902 @node Changes to DECLIB
20903 @subsection Changes to @code{DECLIB}
20906 The changes made to the HP Ada predefined library for GNAT and post-Ada 83
20907 compatibility are minor and include the following:
20910 @item Adjusting the location of pragmas and record representation
20911 clauses to obey Ada 95 (and thus Ada 2005) rules
20913 @item Adding the proper notation to generic formal parameters
20914 that take unconstrained types in instantiation
20916 @item Adding pragma @code{ELABORATE_BODY} to package specs
20917 that have package bodies not otherwise allowed
20919 @item Replacing occurrences of the identifier ``@code{PROTECTED}'' by
20920 ``@code{PROTECTD}''.
20921 Currently these are found only in the @code{STARLET} package spec.
20923 @item Changing @code{SYSTEM.ADDRESS} to @code{SYSTEM.SHORT_ADDRESS}
20924 where the address size is constrained to 32 bits.
20928 None of the above changes is visible to users.
20934 On OpenVMS Alpha, HP Ada provides the following strongly-typed bindings:
20937 @item Command Language Interpreter (CLI interface)
20939 @item DECtalk Run-Time Library (DTK interface)
20941 @item Librarian utility routines (LBR interface)
20943 @item General Purpose Run-Time Library (LIB interface)
20945 @item Math Run-Time Library (MTH interface)
20947 @item National Character Set Run-Time Library (NCS interface)
20949 @item Compiled Code Support Run-Time Library (OTS interface)
20951 @item Parallel Processing Run-Time Library (PPL interface)
20953 @item Screen Management Run-Time Library (SMG interface)
20955 @item Sort Run-Time Library (SOR interface)
20957 @item String Run-Time Library (STR interface)
20959 @item STARLET System Library
20962 @item X Window System Version 11R4 and 11R5 (X, XLIB interface)
20964 @item X Windows Toolkit (XT interface)
20966 @item X/Motif Version 1.1.3 and 1.2 (XM interface)
20970 GNAT provides implementations of these HP bindings in the @code{DECLIB}
20971 directory, on both the Alpha and I64 OpenVMS platforms.
20973 The X/Motif bindings used to build @code{DECLIB} are whatever versions are
20975 HP Ada @file{ADA$PREDEFINED} directory with extension @file{.ADC}.
20976 A pragma @code{Linker_Options} has been added to packages @code{Xm},
20977 @code{Xt}, and @code{X_Lib}
20978 causing the default X/Motif sharable image libraries to be linked in. This
20979 is done via options files named @file{xm.opt}, @file{xt.opt}, and
20980 @file{x_lib.opt} (also located in the @file{DECLIB} directory).
20982 It may be necessary to edit these options files to update or correct the
20983 library names if, for example, the newer X/Motif bindings from
20984 @file{ADA$EXAMPLES}
20985 had been (previous to installing GNAT) copied and renamed to supersede the
20986 default @file{ADA$PREDEFINED} versions.
20989 * Shared Libraries and Options Files::
20990 * Interfaces to C::
20993 @node Shared Libraries and Options Files
20994 @subsection Shared Libraries and Options Files
20997 When using the HP Ada
20998 predefined X and Motif bindings, the linking with their sharable images is
20999 done automatically by @command{GNAT LINK}.
21000 When using other X and Motif bindings, you need
21001 to add the corresponding sharable images to the command line for
21002 @code{GNAT LINK}. When linking with shared libraries, or with
21003 @file{.OPT} files, you must
21004 also add them to the command line for @command{GNAT LINK}.
21006 A shared library to be used with GNAT is built in the same way as other
21007 libraries under VMS. The VMS Link command can be used in standard fashion.
21009 @node Interfaces to C
21010 @subsection Interfaces to C
21014 provides the following Ada types and operations:
21017 @item C types package (@code{C_TYPES})
21019 @item C strings (@code{C_TYPES.NULL_TERMINATED})
21021 @item Other_types (@code{SHORT_INT})
21025 Interfacing to C with GNAT, you can use the above approach
21026 described for HP Ada or the facilities of Annex B of
21027 the @cite{Ada Reference Manual} (packages @code{INTERFACES.C},
21028 @code{INTERFACES.C.STRINGS} and @code{INTERFACES.C.POINTERS}). For more
21029 information, see @ref{Interfacing to C,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}.
21031 The @option{-gnatF} qualifier forces default and explicit
21032 @code{External_Name} parameters in pragmas @code{Import} and @code{Export}
21033 to be uppercased for compatibility with the default behavior
21034 of HP C. The qualifier has no effect on @code{Link_Name} parameters.
21036 @node Main Program Definition
21037 @section Main Program Definition
21040 The following section discusses differences in the
21041 definition of main programs on HP Ada and GNAT.
21042 On HP Ada, main programs are defined to meet the
21043 following conditions:
21045 @item Procedure with no formal parameters (returns @code{0} upon
21048 @item Procedure with no formal parameters (returns @code{42} when
21049 an unhandled exception is raised)
21051 @item Function with no formal parameters whose returned value
21052 is of a discrete type
21054 @item Procedure with one @code{out} formal of a discrete type for
21055 which a specification of pragma @code{EXPORT_VALUED_PROCEDURE} is given.
21060 When declared with the pragma @code{EXPORT_VALUED_PROCEDURE},
21061 a main function or main procedure returns a discrete
21062 value whose size is less than 64 bits (32 on VAX systems),
21063 the value is zero- or sign-extended as appropriate.
21064 On GNAT, main programs are defined as follows:
21066 @item Must be a non-generic, parameterless subprogram that
21067 is either a procedure or function returning an Ada
21068 @code{STANDARD.INTEGER} (the predefined type)
21070 @item Cannot be a generic subprogram or an instantiation of a
21074 @node Implementation-Defined Attributes
21075 @section Implementation-Defined Attributes
21078 GNAT provides all HP Ada implementation-defined
21081 @node Compiler and Run-Time Interfacing
21082 @section Compiler and Run-Time Interfacing
21085 HP Ada provides the following qualifiers to pass options to the linker
21088 @item @option{/WAIT} and @option{/SUBMIT}
21090 @item @option{/COMMAND}
21092 @item @option{/@r{[}NO@r{]}MAP}
21094 @item @option{/OUTPUT=@var{file-spec}}
21096 @item @option{/@r{[}NO@r{]}DEBUG} and @option{/@r{[}NO@r{]}TRACEBACK}
21100 To pass options to the linker, GNAT provides the following
21104 @item @option{/EXECUTABLE=@var{exec-name}}
21106 @item @option{/VERBOSE}
21108 @item @option{/@r{[}NO@r{]}DEBUG} and @option{/@r{[}NO@r{]}TRACEBACK}
21112 For more information on these switches, see
21113 @ref{Switches for gnatlink}.
21114 In HP Ada, the command-line switch @option{/OPTIMIZE} is available
21115 to control optimization. HP Ada also supplies the
21118 @item @code{OPTIMIZE}
21120 @item @code{INLINE}
21122 @item @code{INLINE_GENERIC}
21124 @item @code{SUPPRESS_ALL}
21126 @item @code{PASSIVE}
21130 In GNAT, optimization is controlled strictly by command
21131 line parameters, as described in the corresponding section of this guide.
21132 The HP pragmas for control of optimization are
21133 recognized but ignored.
21135 Note that in GNAT, the default is optimization off, whereas in HP Ada
21136 the default is that optimization is turned on.
21138 @node Program Compilation and Library Management
21139 @section Program Compilation and Library Management
21142 HP Ada and GNAT provide a comparable set of commands to
21143 build programs. HP Ada also provides a program library,
21144 which is a concept that does not exist on GNAT. Instead,
21145 GNAT provides directories of sources that are compiled as
21148 The following table summarizes
21149 the HP Ada commands and provides
21150 equivalent GNAT commands. In this table, some GNAT
21151 equivalents reflect the fact that GNAT does not use the
21152 concept of a program library. Instead, it uses a model
21153 in which collections of source and object files are used
21154 in a manner consistent with other languages like C and
21155 Fortran. Therefore, standard system file commands are used
21156 to manipulate these elements. Those GNAT commands are marked with
21158 Note that, unlike HP Ada, none of the GNAT commands accepts wild cards.
21161 @multitable @columnfractions .35 .65
21163 @item @emph{HP Ada Command}
21164 @tab @emph{GNAT Equivalent / Description}
21166 @item @command{ADA}
21167 @tab @command{GNAT COMPILE}@*
21168 Invokes the compiler to compile one or more Ada source files.
21170 @item @command{ACS ATTACH}@*
21171 @tab [No equivalent]@*
21172 Switches control of terminal from current process running the program
21175 @item @command{ACS CHECK}
21176 @tab @command{GNAT MAKE /DEPENDENCY_LIST}@*
21177 Forms the execution closure of one
21178 or more compiled units and checks completeness and currency.
21180 @item @command{ACS COMPILE}
21181 @tab @command{GNAT MAKE /ACTIONS=COMPILE}@*
21182 Forms the execution closure of one or
21183 more specified units, checks completeness and currency,
21184 identifies units that have revised source files, compiles same,
21185 and recompiles units that are or will become obsolete.
21186 Also completes incomplete generic instantiations.
21188 @item @command{ACS COPY FOREIGN}
21190 Copies a foreign object file into the program library as a
21193 @item @command{ACS COPY UNIT}
21195 Copies a compiled unit from one program library to another.
21197 @item @command{ACS CREATE LIBRARY}
21198 @tab Create /directory (*)@*
21199 Creates a program library.
21201 @item @command{ACS CREATE SUBLIBRARY}
21202 @tab Create /directory (*)@*
21203 Creates a program sublibrary.
21205 @item @command{ACS DELETE LIBRARY}
21207 Deletes a program library and its contents.
21209 @item @command{ACS DELETE SUBLIBRARY}
21211 Deletes a program sublibrary and its contents.
21213 @item @command{ACS DELETE UNIT}
21214 @tab Delete file (*)@*
21215 On OpenVMS systems, deletes one or more compiled units from
21216 the current program library.
21218 @item @command{ACS DIRECTORY}
21219 @tab Directory (*)@*
21220 On OpenVMS systems, lists units contained in the current
21223 @item @command{ACS ENTER FOREIGN}
21225 Allows the import of a foreign body as an Ada library
21226 spec and enters a reference to a pointer.
21228 @item @command{ACS ENTER UNIT}
21230 Enters a reference (pointer) from the current program library to
21231 a unit compiled into another program library.
21233 @item @command{ACS EXIT}
21234 @tab [No equivalent]@*
21235 Exits from the program library manager.
21237 @item @command{ACS EXPORT}
21239 Creates an object file that contains system-specific object code
21240 for one or more units. With GNAT, object files can simply be copied
21241 into the desired directory.
21243 @item @command{ACS EXTRACT SOURCE}
21245 Allows access to the copied source file for each Ada compilation unit
21247 @item @command{ACS HELP}
21248 @tab @command{HELP GNAT}@*
21249 Provides online help.
21251 @item @command{ACS LINK}
21252 @tab @command{GNAT LINK}@*
21253 Links an object file containing Ada units into an executable file.
21255 @item @command{ACS LOAD}
21257 Loads (partially compiles) Ada units into the program library.
21258 Allows loading a program from a collection of files into a library
21259 without knowing the relationship among units.
21261 @item @command{ACS MERGE}
21263 Merges into the current program library, one or more units from
21264 another library where they were modified.
21266 @item @command{ACS RECOMPILE}
21267 @tab @command{GNAT MAKE /ACTIONS=COMPILE}@*
21268 Recompiles from external or copied source files any obsolete
21269 unit in the closure. Also, completes any incomplete generic
21272 @item @command{ACS REENTER}
21273 @tab @command{GNAT MAKE}@*
21274 Reenters current references to units compiled after last entered
21275 with the @command{ACS ENTER UNIT} command.
21277 @item @command{ACS SET LIBRARY}
21278 @tab Set default (*)@*
21279 Defines a program library to be the compilation context as well
21280 as the target library for compiler output and commands in general.
21282 @item @command{ACS SET PRAGMA}
21283 @tab Edit @file{gnat.adc} (*)@*
21284 Redefines specified values of the library characteristics
21285 @code{LONG_ FLOAT}, @code{MEMORY_SIZE}, @code{SYSTEM_NAME},
21286 and @code{Float_Representation}.
21288 @item @command{ACS SET SOURCE}
21289 @tab Define @code{ADA_INCLUDE_PATH} path (*)@*
21290 Defines the source file search list for the @command{ACS COMPILE} command.
21292 @item @command{ACS SHOW LIBRARY}
21293 @tab Directory (*)@*
21294 Lists information about one or more program libraries.
21296 @item @command{ACS SHOW PROGRAM}
21297 @tab [No equivalent]@*
21298 Lists information about the execution closure of one or
21299 more units in the program library.
21301 @item @command{ACS SHOW SOURCE}
21302 @tab Show logical @code{ADA_INCLUDE_PATH}@*
21303 Shows the source file search used when compiling units.
21305 @item @command{ACS SHOW VERSION}
21306 @tab Compile with @option{VERBOSE} option
21307 Displays the version number of the compiler and program library
21310 @item @command{ACS SPAWN}
21311 @tab [No equivalent]@*
21312 Creates a subprocess of the current process (same as @command{DCL SPAWN}
21315 @item @command{ACS VERIFY}
21316 @tab [No equivalent]@*
21317 Performs a series of consistency checks on a program library to
21318 determine whether the library structure and library files are in
21325 @section Input-Output
21328 On OpenVMS Alpha systems, HP Ada uses OpenVMS Record
21329 Management Services (RMS) to perform operations on
21333 HP Ada and GNAT predefine an identical set of input-
21334 output packages. To make the use of the
21335 generic @code{TEXT_IO} operations more convenient, HP Ada
21336 provides predefined library packages that instantiate the
21337 integer and floating-point operations for the predefined
21338 integer and floating-point types as shown in the following table.
21340 @multitable @columnfractions .45 .55
21341 @item @emph{Package Name} @tab Instantiation
21343 @item @code{INTEGER_TEXT_IO}
21344 @tab @code{INTEGER_IO(INTEGER)}
21346 @item @code{SHORT_INTEGER_TEXT_IO}
21347 @tab @code{INTEGER_IO(SHORT_INTEGER)}
21349 @item @code{SHORT_SHORT_INTEGER_TEXT_IO}
21350 @tab @code{INTEGER_IO(SHORT_SHORT_INTEGER)}
21352 @item @code{FLOAT_TEXT_IO}
21353 @tab @code{FLOAT_IO(FLOAT)}
21355 @item @code{LONG_FLOAT_TEXT_IO}
21356 @tab @code{FLOAT_IO(LONG_FLOAT)}
21360 The HP Ada predefined packages and their operations
21361 are implemented using OpenVMS Alpha files and input-output
21362 facilities. HP Ada supports asynchronous input-output on OpenVMS Alpha.
21363 Familiarity with the following is recommended:
21365 @item RMS file organizations and access methods
21367 @item OpenVMS file specifications and directories
21369 @item OpenVMS File Definition Language (FDL)
21373 GNAT provides I/O facilities that are completely
21374 compatible with HP Ada. The distribution includes the
21375 standard HP Ada versions of all I/O packages, operating
21376 in a manner compatible with HP Ada. In particular, the
21377 following packages are by default the HP Ada (Ada 83)
21378 versions of these packages rather than the renamings
21379 suggested in Annex J of the Ada Reference Manual:
21381 @item @code{TEXT_IO}
21383 @item @code{SEQUENTIAL_IO}
21385 @item @code{DIRECT_IO}
21389 The use of the standard child package syntax (for
21390 example, @code{ADA.TEXT_IO}) retrieves the post-Ada 83 versions of these
21392 GNAT provides HP-compatible predefined instantiations
21393 of the @code{TEXT_IO} packages, and also
21394 provides the standard predefined instantiations required
21395 by the @cite{Ada Reference Manual}.
21397 For further information on how GNAT interfaces to the file
21398 system or how I/O is implemented in programs written in
21399 mixed languages, see @ref{Implementation of the Standard I/O,,,
21400 gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}.
21401 This chapter covers the following:
21403 @item Standard I/O packages
21405 @item @code{FORM} strings
21407 @item @code{ADA.DIRECT_IO}
21409 @item @code{ADA.SEQUENTIAL_IO}
21411 @item @code{ADA.TEXT_IO}
21413 @item Stream pointer positioning
21415 @item Reading and writing non-regular files
21417 @item @code{GET_IMMEDIATE}
21419 @item Treating @code{TEXT_IO} files as streams
21426 @node Implementation Limits
21427 @section Implementation Limits
21430 The following table lists implementation limits for HP Ada
21432 @multitable @columnfractions .60 .20 .20
21434 @item @emph{Compilation Parameter}
21439 @item In a subprogram or entry declaration, maximum number of
21440 formal parameters that are of an unconstrained record type
21445 @item Maximum identifier length (number of characters)
21450 @item Maximum number of characters in a source line
21455 @item Maximum collection size (number of bytes)
21460 @item Maximum number of discriminants for a record type
21465 @item Maximum number of formal parameters in an entry or
21466 subprogram declaration
21471 @item Maximum number of dimensions in an array type
21476 @item Maximum number of library units and subunits in a compilation.
21481 @item Maximum number of library units and subunits in an execution.
21486 @item Maximum number of objects declared with the pragma @code{COMMON_OBJECT}
21487 or @code{PSECT_OBJECT}
21492 @item Maximum number of enumeration literals in an enumeration type
21498 @item Maximum number of lines in a source file
21503 @item Maximum number of bits in any object
21508 @item Maximum size of the static portion of a stack frame (approximate)
21513 @node Tools and Utilities
21514 @section Tools and Utilities
21517 The following table lists some of the OpenVMS development tools
21518 available for HP Ada, and the corresponding tools for
21519 use with @value{EDITION} on Alpha and I64 platforms.
21520 Aside from the debugger, all the OpenVMS tools identified are part
21521 of the DECset package.
21524 @c Specify table in TeX since Texinfo does a poor job
21528 \settabs\+Language-Sensitive Editor\quad
21529 &Product with HP Ada\quad
21532 &\it Product with HP Ada
21533 & \it Product with GNAT Pro\cr
21535 \+Code Management System
21539 \+Language-Sensitive Editor
21541 & emacs or HP LSE (Alpha)\cr
21551 & OpenVMS Debug (I64)\cr
21553 \+Source Code Analyzer /
21570 \+Coverage Analyzer
21574 \+Module Management
21576 & Not applicable\cr
21586 @c This is the Texinfo version of the table. It renders poorly in pdf, hence
21587 @c the TeX version above for the printed version
21589 @c @multitable @columnfractions .3 .4 .4
21590 @multitable {Source Code Analyzer /}{Tool with HP Ada}{Tool with GNAT Pro}
21592 @tab @i{Tool with HP Ada}
21593 @tab @i{Tool with @value{EDITION}}
21594 @item Code Management@*System
21597 @item Language-Sensitive@*Editor
21599 @tab emacs or HP LSE (Alpha)
21608 @tab OpenVMS Debug (I64)
21609 @item Source Code Analyzer /@*Cross Referencer
21613 @tab HP Digital Test@*Manager (DTM)
21615 @item Performance and@*Coverage Analyzer
21618 @item Module Management@*System
21620 @tab Not applicable
21627 @c **************************************
21628 @node Platform-Specific Information for the Run-Time Libraries
21629 @appendix Platform-Specific Information for the Run-Time Libraries
21630 @cindex Tasking and threads libraries
21631 @cindex Threads libraries and tasking
21632 @cindex Run-time libraries (platform-specific information)
21635 The GNAT run-time implementation may vary with respect to both the
21636 underlying threads library and the exception handling scheme.
21637 For threads support, one or more of the following are supplied:
21639 @item @b{native threads library}, a binding to the thread package from
21640 the underlying operating system
21642 @item @b{pthreads library} (Sparc Solaris only), a binding to the Solaris
21643 POSIX thread package
21647 For exception handling, either or both of two models are supplied:
21649 @item @b{Zero-Cost Exceptions} (``ZCX''),@footnote{
21650 Most programs should experience a substantial speed improvement by
21651 being compiled with a ZCX run-time.
21652 This is especially true for
21653 tasking applications or applications with many exception handlers.}
21654 @cindex Zero-Cost Exceptions
21655 @cindex ZCX (Zero-Cost Exceptions)
21656 which uses binder-generated tables that
21657 are interrogated at run time to locate a handler
21659 @item @b{setjmp / longjmp} (``SJLJ''),
21660 @cindex setjmp/longjmp Exception Model
21661 @cindex SJLJ (setjmp/longjmp Exception Model)
21662 which uses dynamically-set data to establish
21663 the set of handlers
21667 This appendix summarizes which combinations of threads and exception support
21668 are supplied on various GNAT platforms.
21669 It then shows how to select a particular library either
21670 permanently or temporarily,
21671 explains the properties of (and tradeoffs among) the various threads
21672 libraries, and provides some additional
21673 information about several specific platforms.
21676 * Summary of Run-Time Configurations::
21677 * Specifying a Run-Time Library::
21678 * Choosing the Scheduling Policy::
21679 * Solaris-Specific Considerations::
21680 * Linux-Specific Considerations::
21681 * AIX-Specific Considerations::
21682 * Irix-Specific Considerations::
21683 * RTX-Specific Considerations::
21684 * HP-UX-Specific Considerations::
21687 @node Summary of Run-Time Configurations
21688 @section Summary of Run-Time Configurations
21690 @multitable @columnfractions .30 .70
21691 @item @b{alpha-openvms}
21692 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21693 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native VMS threads
21694 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21696 @item @b{alpha-tru64}
21697 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21698 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native TRU64 threads
21699 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21701 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-sjlj}
21702 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native TRU64 threads
21703 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21705 @item @b{ia64-hp_linux}
21706 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21707 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab pthread library
21708 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21710 @item @b{ia64-hpux}
21711 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21712 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native HP-UX threads
21713 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21715 @item @b{ia64-openvms}
21716 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21717 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native VMS threads
21718 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21720 @item @b{ia64-sgi_linux}
21721 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21722 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab pthread library
21723 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21725 @item @b{mips-irix}
21726 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21727 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native IRIX threads
21728 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21731 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21732 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native HP-UX threads
21733 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21735 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-sjlj}
21736 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native HP-UX threads
21737 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21740 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21741 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native AIX threads
21742 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21744 @item @b{ppc-darwin}
21745 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21746 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native MacOS threads
21747 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21749 @item @b{sparc-solaris} @tab
21750 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21751 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native Solaris threads library
21752 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21754 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-pthread}
21755 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab pthread library
21756 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21758 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-sjlj}
21759 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native Solaris threads library
21760 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21762 @item @b{sparc64-solaris} @tab
21763 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21764 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native Solaris threads library
21765 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21767 @item @b{x86-linux}
21768 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21769 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab pthread library
21770 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21772 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-sjlj}
21773 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab pthread library
21774 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21777 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21778 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native LynxOS threads
21779 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21781 @item @b{x86-solaris}
21782 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21783 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native Solaris threads
21784 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21786 @item @b{x86-windows}
21787 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21788 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native Win32 threads
21789 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21791 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-sjlj (default)}
21792 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab native Win32 threads
21793 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21795 @item @b{x86-windows-rtx}
21796 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-rtx-rtss (default)}
21797 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab RTX real-time subsystem RTSS threads (kernel mode)
21798 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21800 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-rtx-w32}
21801 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab RTX Win32 threads (user mode)
21802 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21804 @item @b{x86_64-linux}
21805 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-native (default)}
21806 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab pthread library
21807 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab ZCX
21809 @item @code{@ @ }@i{rts-sjlj}
21810 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Tasking @tab pthread library
21811 @item @code{@ @ @ @ }Exceptions @tab SJLJ
21815 @node Specifying a Run-Time Library
21816 @section Specifying a Run-Time Library
21819 The @file{adainclude} subdirectory containing the sources of the GNAT
21820 run-time library, and the @file{adalib} subdirectory containing the
21821 @file{ALI} files and the static and/or shared GNAT library, are located
21822 in the gcc target-dependent area:
21825 target=$prefix/lib/gcc/gcc-@i{dumpmachine}/gcc-@i{dumpversion}/
21829 As indicated above, on some platforms several run-time libraries are supplied.
21830 These libraries are installed in the target dependent area and
21831 contain a complete source and binary subdirectory. The detailed description
21832 below explains the differences between the different libraries in terms of
21833 their thread support.
21835 The default run-time library (when GNAT is installed) is @emph{rts-native}.
21836 This default run time is selected by the means of soft links.
21837 For example on x86-linux:
21843 +--- adainclude----------+
21845 +--- adalib-----------+ |
21847 +--- rts-native | |
21849 | +--- adainclude <---+
21851 | +--- adalib <----+
21862 If the @i{rts-sjlj} library is to be selected on a permanent basis,
21863 these soft links can be modified with the following commands:
21867 $ rm -f adainclude adalib
21868 $ ln -s rts-sjlj/adainclude adainclude
21869 $ ln -s rts-sjlj/adalib adalib
21873 Alternatively, you can specify @file{rts-sjlj/adainclude} in the file
21874 @file{$target/ada_source_path} and @file{rts-sjlj/adalib} in
21875 @file{$target/ada_object_path}.
21877 Selecting another run-time library temporarily can be
21878 achieved by using the @option{--RTS} switch, e.g., @option{--RTS=sjlj}
21879 @cindex @option{--RTS} option
21881 @node Choosing the Scheduling Policy
21882 @section Choosing the Scheduling Policy
21885 When using a POSIX threads implementation, you have a choice of several
21886 scheduling policies: @code{SCHED_FIFO},
21887 @cindex @code{SCHED_FIFO} scheduling policy
21889 @cindex @code{SCHED_RR} scheduling policy
21890 and @code{SCHED_OTHER}.
21891 @cindex @code{SCHED_OTHER} scheduling policy
21892 Typically, the default is @code{SCHED_OTHER}, while using @code{SCHED_FIFO}
21893 or @code{SCHED_RR} requires special (e.g., root) privileges.
21895 By default, GNAT uses the @code{SCHED_OTHER} policy. To specify
21897 @cindex @code{SCHED_FIFO} scheduling policy
21898 you can use one of the following:
21902 @code{pragma Time_Slice (0.0)}
21903 @cindex pragma Time_Slice
21905 the corresponding binder option @option{-T0}
21906 @cindex @option{-T0} option
21908 @code{pragma Task_Dispatching_Policy (FIFO_Within_Priorities)}
21909 @cindex pragma Task_Dispatching_Policy
21913 To specify @code{SCHED_RR},
21914 @cindex @code{SCHED_RR} scheduling policy
21915 you should use @code{pragma Time_Slice} with a
21916 value greater than @code{0.0}, or else use the corresponding @option{-T}
21919 @node Solaris-Specific Considerations
21920 @section Solaris-Specific Considerations
21921 @cindex Solaris Sparc threads libraries
21924 This section addresses some topics related to the various threads libraries
21928 * Solaris Threads Issues::
21931 @node Solaris Threads Issues
21932 @subsection Solaris Threads Issues
21935 GNAT under Solaris/Sparc 32 bits comes with an alternate tasking run-time
21936 library based on POSIX threads --- @emph{rts-pthread}.
21937 @cindex rts-pthread threads library
21938 This run-time library has the advantage of being mostly shared across all
21939 POSIX-compliant thread implementations, and it also provides under
21940 @w{Solaris 8} the @code{PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT}
21941 @cindex @code{PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT} policy (under rts-pthread)
21942 and @code{PTHREAD_PRIO_PROTECT}
21943 @cindex @code{PTHREAD_PRIO_PROTECT} policy (under rts-pthread)
21944 semantics that can be selected using the predefined pragma
21945 @code{Locking_Policy}
21946 @cindex pragma Locking_Policy (under rts-pthread)
21948 @code{Inheritance_Locking} and @code{Ceiling_Locking} as the policy.
21949 @cindex @code{Inheritance_Locking} (under rts-pthread)
21950 @cindex @code{Ceiling_Locking} (under rts-pthread)
21952 As explained above, the native run-time library is based on the Solaris thread
21953 library (@code{libthread}) and is the default library.
21955 When the Solaris threads library is used (this is the default), programs
21956 compiled with GNAT can automatically take advantage of
21957 and can thus execute on multiple processors.
21958 The user can alternatively specify a processor on which the program should run
21959 to emulate a single-processor system. The multiprocessor / uniprocessor choice
21961 setting the environment variable @env{GNAT_PROCESSOR}
21962 @cindex @env{GNAT_PROCESSOR} environment variable (on Sparc Solaris)
21963 to one of the following:
21967 Use the default configuration (run the program on all
21968 available processors) - this is the same as having @code{GNAT_PROCESSOR}
21972 Let the run-time implementation choose one processor and run the program on
21975 @item 0 .. Last_Proc
21976 Run the program on the specified processor.
21977 @code{Last_Proc} is equal to @code{_SC_NPROCESSORS_CONF - 1}
21978 (where @code{_SC_NPROCESSORS_CONF} is a system variable).
21981 @node Linux-Specific Considerations
21982 @section Linux-Specific Considerations
21983 @cindex Linux threads libraries
21986 On GNU/Linux without NPTL support (usually system with GNU C Library
21987 older than 2.3), the signal model is not POSIX compliant, which means
21988 that to send a signal to the process, you need to send the signal to all
21989 threads, e.g.@: by using @code{killpg()}.
21991 @node AIX-Specific Considerations
21992 @section AIX-Specific Considerations
21993 @cindex AIX resolver library
21996 On AIX, the resolver library initializes some internal structure on
21997 the first call to @code{get*by*} functions, which are used to implement
21998 @code{GNAT.Sockets.Get_Host_By_Name} and
21999 @code{GNAT.Sockets.Get_Host_By_Address}.
22000 If such initialization occurs within an Ada task, and the stack size for
22001 the task is the default size, a stack overflow may occur.
22003 To avoid this overflow, the user should either ensure that the first call
22004 to @code{GNAT.Sockets.Get_Host_By_Name} or
22005 @code{GNAT.Sockets.Get_Host_By_Addrss}
22006 occurs in the environment task, or use @code{pragma Storage_Size} to
22007 specify a sufficiently large size for the stack of the task that contains
22010 @node Irix-Specific Considerations
22011 @section Irix-Specific Considerations
22012 @cindex Irix libraries
22015 The GCC support libraries coming with the Irix compiler have moved to
22016 their canonical place with respect to the general Irix ABI related
22017 conventions. Running applications built with the default shared GNAT
22018 run-time now requires the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable to
22019 include this location. A possible way to achieve this is to issue the
22020 following command line on a bash prompt:
22024 $ LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:`dirname \`gcc --print-file-name=libgcc_s.so\``
22028 @node RTX-Specific Considerations
22029 @section RTX-Specific Considerations
22030 @cindex RTX libraries
22033 The Real-time Extension (RTX) to Windows is based on the Windows Win32
22034 API. Applications can be built to work in two different modes:
22038 Windows executables that run in Ring 3 to utilize memory protection
22039 (@emph{rts-rtx-w32}).
22042 Real-time subsystem (RTSS) executables that run in Ring 0, where
22043 performance can be optimized with RTSS applications taking precedent
22044 over all Windows applications (@emph{rts-rtx-rtss}). This mode requires
22045 the Microsoft linker to handle RTSS libraries.
22049 @node HP-UX-Specific Considerations
22050 @section HP-UX-Specific Considerations
22051 @cindex HP-UX Scheduling
22054 On HP-UX, appropriate privileges are required to change the scheduling
22055 parameters of a task. The calling process must have appropriate
22056 privileges or be a member of a group having @code{PRIV_RTSCHED} access to
22057 successfully change the scheduling parameters.
22059 By default, GNAT uses the @code{SCHED_HPUX} policy. To have access to the
22060 priority range 0-31 either the @code{FIFO_Within_Priorities} or the
22061 @code{Round_Robin_Within_Priorities} scheduling policies need to be set.
22063 To specify the @code{FIFO_Within_Priorities} scheduling policy you can use
22064 one of the following:
22068 @code{pragma Time_Slice (0.0)}
22069 @cindex pragma Time_Slice
22071 the corresponding binder option @option{-T0}
22072 @cindex @option{-T0} option
22074 @code{pragma Task_Dispatching_Policy (FIFO_Within_Priorities)}
22075 @cindex pragma Task_Dispatching_Policy
22079 To specify the @code{Round_Robin_Within_Priorities}, scheduling policy
22080 you should use @code{pragma Time_Slice} with a
22081 value greater than @code{0.0}, or use the corresponding @option{-T}
22082 binder option, or set the @code{pragma Task_Dispatching_Policy
22083 (Round_Robin_Within_Priorities)}.
22085 @c *******************************
22086 @node Example of Binder Output File
22087 @appendix Example of Binder Output File
22090 This Appendix displays the source code for @command{gnatbind}'s output
22091 file generated for a simple ``Hello World'' program.
22092 Comments have been added for clarification purposes.
22094 @smallexample @c adanocomment
22098 -- The package is called Ada_Main unless this name is actually used
22099 -- as a unit name in the partition, in which case some other unique
22103 package ada_main is
22105 Elab_Final_Code : Integer;
22106 pragma Import (C, Elab_Final_Code, "__gnat_inside_elab_final_code");
22108 -- The main program saves the parameters (argument count,
22109 -- argument values, environment pointer) in global variables
22110 -- for later access by other units including
22111 -- Ada.Command_Line.
22113 gnat_argc : Integer;
22114 gnat_argv : System.Address;
22115 gnat_envp : System.Address;
22117 -- The actual variables are stored in a library routine. This
22118 -- is useful for some shared library situations, where there
22119 -- are problems if variables are not in the library.
22121 pragma Import (C, gnat_argc);
22122 pragma Import (C, gnat_argv);
22123 pragma Import (C, gnat_envp);
22125 -- The exit status is similarly an external location
22127 gnat_exit_status : Integer;
22128 pragma Import (C, gnat_exit_status);
22130 GNAT_Version : constant String :=
22131 "GNAT Version: 6.0.0w (20061115)";
22132 pragma Export (C, GNAT_Version, "__gnat_version");
22134 -- This is the generated adafinal routine that performs
22135 -- finalization at the end of execution. In the case where
22136 -- Ada is the main program, this main program makes a call
22137 -- to adafinal at program termination.
22139 procedure adafinal;
22140 pragma Export (C, adafinal, "adafinal");
22142 -- This is the generated adainit routine that performs
22143 -- initialization at the start of execution. In the case
22144 -- where Ada is the main program, this main program makes
22145 -- a call to adainit at program startup.
22148 pragma Export (C, adainit, "adainit");
22150 -- This routine is called at the start of execution. It is
22151 -- a dummy routine that is used by the debugger to breakpoint
22152 -- at the start of execution.
22154 procedure Break_Start;
22155 pragma Import (C, Break_Start, "__gnat_break_start");
22157 -- This is the actual generated main program (it would be
22158 -- suppressed if the no main program switch were used). As
22159 -- required by standard system conventions, this program has
22160 -- the external name main.
22164 argv : System.Address;
22165 envp : System.Address)
22167 pragma Export (C, main, "main");
22169 -- The following set of constants give the version
22170 -- identification values for every unit in the bound
22171 -- partition. This identification is computed from all
22172 -- dependent semantic units, and corresponds to the
22173 -- string that would be returned by use of the
22174 -- Body_Version or Version attributes.
22176 type Version_32 is mod 2 ** 32;
22177 u00001 : constant Version_32 := 16#7880BEB3#;
22178 u00002 : constant Version_32 := 16#0D24CBD0#;
22179 u00003 : constant Version_32 := 16#3283DBEB#;
22180 u00004 : constant Version_32 := 16#2359F9ED#;
22181 u00005 : constant Version_32 := 16#664FB847#;
22182 u00006 : constant Version_32 := 16#68E803DF#;
22183 u00007 : constant Version_32 := 16#5572E604#;
22184 u00008 : constant Version_32 := 16#46B173D8#;
22185 u00009 : constant Version_32 := 16#156A40CF#;
22186 u00010 : constant Version_32 := 16#033DABE0#;
22187 u00011 : constant Version_32 := 16#6AB38FEA#;
22188 u00012 : constant Version_32 := 16#22B6217D#;
22189 u00013 : constant Version_32 := 16#68A22947#;
22190 u00014 : constant Version_32 := 16#18CC4A56#;
22191 u00015 : constant Version_32 := 16#08258E1B#;
22192 u00016 : constant Version_32 := 16#367D5222#;
22193 u00017 : constant Version_32 := 16#20C9ECA4#;
22194 u00018 : constant Version_32 := 16#50D32CB6#;
22195 u00019 : constant Version_32 := 16#39A8BB77#;
22196 u00020 : constant Version_32 := 16#5CF8FA2B#;
22197 u00021 : constant Version_32 := 16#2F1EB794#;
22198 u00022 : constant Version_32 := 16#31AB6444#;
22199 u00023 : constant Version_32 := 16#1574B6E9#;
22200 u00024 : constant Version_32 := 16#5109C189#;
22201 u00025 : constant Version_32 := 16#56D770CD#;
22202 u00026 : constant Version_32 := 16#02F9DE3D#;
22203 u00027 : constant Version_32 := 16#08AB6B2C#;
22204 u00028 : constant Version_32 := 16#3FA37670#;
22205 u00029 : constant Version_32 := 16#476457A0#;
22206 u00030 : constant Version_32 := 16#731E1B6E#;
22207 u00031 : constant Version_32 := 16#23C2E789#;
22208 u00032 : constant Version_32 := 16#0F1BD6A1#;
22209 u00033 : constant Version_32 := 16#7C25DE96#;
22210 u00034 : constant Version_32 := 16#39ADFFA2#;
22211 u00035 : constant Version_32 := 16#571DE3E7#;
22212 u00036 : constant Version_32 := 16#5EB646AB#;
22213 u00037 : constant Version_32 := 16#4249379B#;
22214 u00038 : constant Version_32 := 16#0357E00A#;
22215 u00039 : constant Version_32 := 16#3784FB72#;
22216 u00040 : constant Version_32 := 16#2E723019#;
22217 u00041 : constant Version_32 := 16#623358EA#;
22218 u00042 : constant Version_32 := 16#107F9465#;
22219 u00043 : constant Version_32 := 16#6843F68A#;
22220 u00044 : constant Version_32 := 16#63305874#;
22221 u00045 : constant Version_32 := 16#31E56CE1#;
22222 u00046 : constant Version_32 := 16#02917970#;
22223 u00047 : constant Version_32 := 16#6CCBA70E#;
22224 u00048 : constant Version_32 := 16#41CD4204#;
22225 u00049 : constant Version_32 := 16#572E3F58#;
22226 u00050 : constant Version_32 := 16#20729FF5#;
22227 u00051 : constant Version_32 := 16#1D4F93E8#;
22228 u00052 : constant Version_32 := 16#30B2EC3D#;
22229 u00053 : constant Version_32 := 16#34054F96#;
22230 u00054 : constant Version_32 := 16#5A199860#;
22231 u00055 : constant Version_32 := 16#0E7F912B#;
22232 u00056 : constant Version_32 := 16#5760634A#;
22233 u00057 : constant Version_32 := 16#5D851835#;
22235 -- The following Export pragmas export the version numbers
22236 -- with symbolic names ending in B (for body) or S
22237 -- (for spec) so that they can be located in a link. The
22238 -- information provided here is sufficient to track down
22239 -- the exact versions of units used in a given build.
22241 pragma Export (C, u00001, "helloB");
22242 pragma Export (C, u00002, "system__standard_libraryB");
22243 pragma Export (C, u00003, "system__standard_libraryS");
22244 pragma Export (C, u00004, "adaS");
22245 pragma Export (C, u00005, "ada__text_ioB");
22246 pragma Export (C, u00006, "ada__text_ioS");
22247 pragma Export (C, u00007, "ada__exceptionsB");
22248 pragma Export (C, u00008, "ada__exceptionsS");
22249 pragma Export (C, u00009, "gnatS");
22250 pragma Export (C, u00010, "gnat__heap_sort_aB");
22251 pragma Export (C, u00011, "gnat__heap_sort_aS");
22252 pragma Export (C, u00012, "systemS");
22253 pragma Export (C, u00013, "system__exception_tableB");
22254 pragma Export (C, u00014, "system__exception_tableS");
22255 pragma Export (C, u00015, "gnat__htableB");
22256 pragma Export (C, u00016, "gnat__htableS");
22257 pragma Export (C, u00017, "system__exceptionsS");
22258 pragma Export (C, u00018, "system__machine_state_operationsB");
22259 pragma Export (C, u00019, "system__machine_state_operationsS");
22260 pragma Export (C, u00020, "system__machine_codeS");
22261 pragma Export (C, u00021, "system__storage_elementsB");
22262 pragma Export (C, u00022, "system__storage_elementsS");
22263 pragma Export (C, u00023, "system__secondary_stackB");
22264 pragma Export (C, u00024, "system__secondary_stackS");
22265 pragma Export (C, u00025, "system__parametersB");
22266 pragma Export (C, u00026, "system__parametersS");
22267 pragma Export (C, u00027, "system__soft_linksB");
22268 pragma Export (C, u00028, "system__soft_linksS");
22269 pragma Export (C, u00029, "system__stack_checkingB");
22270 pragma Export (C, u00030, "system__stack_checkingS");
22271 pragma Export (C, u00031, "system__tracebackB");
22272 pragma Export (C, u00032, "system__tracebackS");
22273 pragma Export (C, u00033, "ada__streamsS");
22274 pragma Export (C, u00034, "ada__tagsB");
22275 pragma Export (C, u00035, "ada__tagsS");
22276 pragma Export (C, u00036, "system__string_opsB");
22277 pragma Export (C, u00037, "system__string_opsS");
22278 pragma Export (C, u00038, "interfacesS");
22279 pragma Export (C, u00039, "interfaces__c_streamsB");
22280 pragma Export (C, u00040, "interfaces__c_streamsS");
22281 pragma Export (C, u00041, "system__file_ioB");
22282 pragma Export (C, u00042, "system__file_ioS");
22283 pragma Export (C, u00043, "ada__finalizationB");
22284 pragma Export (C, u00044, "ada__finalizationS");
22285 pragma Export (C, u00045, "system__finalization_rootB");
22286 pragma Export (C, u00046, "system__finalization_rootS");
22287 pragma Export (C, u00047, "system__finalization_implementationB");
22288 pragma Export (C, u00048, "system__finalization_implementationS");
22289 pragma Export (C, u00049, "system__string_ops_concat_3B");
22290 pragma Export (C, u00050, "system__string_ops_concat_3S");
22291 pragma Export (C, u00051, "system__stream_attributesB");
22292 pragma Export (C, u00052, "system__stream_attributesS");
22293 pragma Export (C, u00053, "ada__io_exceptionsS");
22294 pragma Export (C, u00054, "system__unsigned_typesS");
22295 pragma Export (C, u00055, "system__file_control_blockS");
22296 pragma Export (C, u00056, "ada__finalization__list_controllerB");
22297 pragma Export (C, u00057, "ada__finalization__list_controllerS");
22299 -- BEGIN ELABORATION ORDER
22302 -- gnat.heap_sort_a (spec)
22303 -- gnat.heap_sort_a (body)
22304 -- gnat.htable (spec)
22305 -- gnat.htable (body)
22306 -- interfaces (spec)
22308 -- system.machine_code (spec)
22309 -- system.parameters (spec)
22310 -- system.parameters (body)
22311 -- interfaces.c_streams (spec)
22312 -- interfaces.c_streams (body)
22313 -- system.standard_library (spec)
22314 -- ada.exceptions (spec)
22315 -- system.exception_table (spec)
22316 -- system.exception_table (body)
22317 -- ada.io_exceptions (spec)
22318 -- system.exceptions (spec)
22319 -- system.storage_elements (spec)
22320 -- system.storage_elements (body)
22321 -- system.machine_state_operations (spec)
22322 -- system.machine_state_operations (body)
22323 -- system.secondary_stack (spec)
22324 -- system.stack_checking (spec)
22325 -- system.soft_links (spec)
22326 -- system.soft_links (body)
22327 -- system.stack_checking (body)
22328 -- system.secondary_stack (body)
22329 -- system.standard_library (body)
22330 -- system.string_ops (spec)
22331 -- system.string_ops (body)
22334 -- ada.streams (spec)
22335 -- system.finalization_root (spec)
22336 -- system.finalization_root (body)
22337 -- system.string_ops_concat_3 (spec)
22338 -- system.string_ops_concat_3 (body)
22339 -- system.traceback (spec)
22340 -- system.traceback (body)
22341 -- ada.exceptions (body)
22342 -- system.unsigned_types (spec)
22343 -- system.stream_attributes (spec)
22344 -- system.stream_attributes (body)
22345 -- system.finalization_implementation (spec)
22346 -- system.finalization_implementation (body)
22347 -- ada.finalization (spec)
22348 -- ada.finalization (body)
22349 -- ada.finalization.list_controller (spec)
22350 -- ada.finalization.list_controller (body)
22351 -- system.file_control_block (spec)
22352 -- system.file_io (spec)
22353 -- system.file_io (body)
22354 -- ada.text_io (spec)
22355 -- ada.text_io (body)
22357 -- END ELABORATION ORDER
22361 -- The following source file name pragmas allow the generated file
22362 -- names to be unique for different main programs. They are needed
22363 -- since the package name will always be Ada_Main.
22365 pragma Source_File_Name (ada_main, Spec_File_Name => "b~hello.ads");
22366 pragma Source_File_Name (ada_main, Body_File_Name => "b~hello.adb");
22368 -- Generated package body for Ada_Main starts here
22370 package body ada_main is
22372 -- The actual finalization is performed by calling the
22373 -- library routine in System.Standard_Library.Adafinal
22375 procedure Do_Finalize;
22376 pragma Import (C, Do_Finalize, "system__standard_library__adafinal");
22383 procedure adainit is
22385 -- These booleans are set to True once the associated unit has
22386 -- been elaborated. It is also used to avoid elaborating the
22387 -- same unit twice.
22390 pragma Import (Ada, E040, "interfaces__c_streams_E");
22393 pragma Import (Ada, E008, "ada__exceptions_E");
22396 pragma Import (Ada, E014, "system__exception_table_E");
22399 pragma Import (Ada, E053, "ada__io_exceptions_E");
22402 pragma Import (Ada, E017, "system__exceptions_E");
22405 pragma Import (Ada, E024, "system__secondary_stack_E");
22408 pragma Import (Ada, E030, "system__stack_checking_E");
22411 pragma Import (Ada, E028, "system__soft_links_E");
22414 pragma Import (Ada, E035, "ada__tags_E");
22417 pragma Import (Ada, E033, "ada__streams_E");
22420 pragma Import (Ada, E046, "system__finalization_root_E");
22423 pragma Import (Ada, E048, "system__finalization_implementation_E");
22426 pragma Import (Ada, E044, "ada__finalization_E");
22429 pragma Import (Ada, E057, "ada__finalization__list_controller_E");
22432 pragma Import (Ada, E055, "system__file_control_block_E");
22435 pragma Import (Ada, E042, "system__file_io_E");
22438 pragma Import (Ada, E006, "ada__text_io_E");
22440 -- Set_Globals is a library routine that stores away the
22441 -- value of the indicated set of global values in global
22442 -- variables within the library.
22444 procedure Set_Globals
22445 (Main_Priority : Integer;
22446 Time_Slice_Value : Integer;
22447 WC_Encoding : Character;
22448 Locking_Policy : Character;
22449 Queuing_Policy : Character;
22450 Task_Dispatching_Policy : Character;
22451 Adafinal : System.Address;
22452 Unreserve_All_Interrupts : Integer;
22453 Exception_Tracebacks : Integer);
22454 @findex __gnat_set_globals
22455 pragma Import (C, Set_Globals, "__gnat_set_globals");
22457 -- SDP_Table_Build is a library routine used to build the
22458 -- exception tables. See unit Ada.Exceptions in files
22459 -- a-except.ads/adb for full details of how zero cost
22460 -- exception handling works. This procedure, the call to
22461 -- it, and the two following tables are all omitted if the
22462 -- build is in longjmp/setjmp exception mode.
22464 @findex SDP_Table_Build
22465 @findex Zero Cost Exceptions
22466 procedure SDP_Table_Build
22467 (SDP_Addresses : System.Address;
22468 SDP_Count : Natural;
22469 Elab_Addresses : System.Address;
22470 Elab_Addr_Count : Natural);
22471 pragma Import (C, SDP_Table_Build, "__gnat_SDP_Table_Build");
22473 -- Table of Unit_Exception_Table addresses. Used for zero
22474 -- cost exception handling to build the top level table.
22476 ST : aliased constant array (1 .. 23) of System.Address := (
22478 Ada.Text_Io'UET_Address,
22479 Ada.Exceptions'UET_Address,
22480 Gnat.Heap_Sort_A'UET_Address,
22481 System.Exception_Table'UET_Address,
22482 System.Machine_State_Operations'UET_Address,
22483 System.Secondary_Stack'UET_Address,
22484 System.Parameters'UET_Address,
22485 System.Soft_Links'UET_Address,
22486 System.Stack_Checking'UET_Address,
22487 System.Traceback'UET_Address,
22488 Ada.Streams'UET_Address,
22489 Ada.Tags'UET_Address,
22490 System.String_Ops'UET_Address,
22491 Interfaces.C_Streams'UET_Address,
22492 System.File_Io'UET_Address,
22493 Ada.Finalization'UET_Address,
22494 System.Finalization_Root'UET_Address,
22495 System.Finalization_Implementation'UET_Address,
22496 System.String_Ops_Concat_3'UET_Address,
22497 System.Stream_Attributes'UET_Address,
22498 System.File_Control_Block'UET_Address,
22499 Ada.Finalization.List_Controller'UET_Address);
22501 -- Table of addresses of elaboration routines. Used for
22502 -- zero cost exception handling to make sure these
22503 -- addresses are included in the top level procedure
22506 EA : aliased constant array (1 .. 23) of System.Address := (
22507 adainit'Code_Address,
22508 Do_Finalize'Code_Address,
22509 Ada.Exceptions'Elab_Spec'Address,
22510 System.Exceptions'Elab_Spec'Address,
22511 Interfaces.C_Streams'Elab_Spec'Address,
22512 System.Exception_Table'Elab_Body'Address,
22513 Ada.Io_Exceptions'Elab_Spec'Address,
22514 System.Stack_Checking'Elab_Spec'Address,
22515 System.Soft_Links'Elab_Body'Address,
22516 System.Secondary_Stack'Elab_Body'Address,
22517 Ada.Tags'Elab_Spec'Address,
22518 Ada.Tags'Elab_Body'Address,
22519 Ada.Streams'Elab_Spec'Address,
22520 System.Finalization_Root'Elab_Spec'Address,
22521 Ada.Exceptions'Elab_Body'Address,
22522 System.Finalization_Implementation'Elab_Spec'Address,
22523 System.Finalization_Implementation'Elab_Body'Address,
22524 Ada.Finalization'Elab_Spec'Address,
22525 Ada.Finalization.List_Controller'Elab_Spec'Address,
22526 System.File_Control_Block'Elab_Spec'Address,
22527 System.File_Io'Elab_Body'Address,
22528 Ada.Text_Io'Elab_Spec'Address,
22529 Ada.Text_Io'Elab_Body'Address);
22531 -- Start of processing for adainit
22535 -- Call SDP_Table_Build to build the top level procedure
22536 -- table for zero cost exception handling (omitted in
22537 -- longjmp/setjmp mode).
22539 SDP_Table_Build (ST'Address, 23, EA'Address, 23);
22541 -- Call Set_Globals to record various information for
22542 -- this partition. The values are derived by the binder
22543 -- from information stored in the ali files by the compiler.
22545 @findex __gnat_set_globals
22547 (Main_Priority => -1,
22548 -- Priority of main program, -1 if no pragma Priority used
22550 Time_Slice_Value => -1,
22551 -- Time slice from Time_Slice pragma, -1 if none used
22553 WC_Encoding => 'b',
22554 -- Wide_Character encoding used, default is brackets
22556 Locking_Policy => ' ',
22557 -- Locking_Policy used, default of space means not
22558 -- specified, otherwise it is the first character of
22559 -- the policy name.
22561 Queuing_Policy => ' ',
22562 -- Queuing_Policy used, default of space means not
22563 -- specified, otherwise it is the first character of
22564 -- the policy name.
22566 Task_Dispatching_Policy => ' ',
22567 -- Task_Dispatching_Policy used, default of space means
22568 -- not specified, otherwise first character of the
22571 Adafinal => System.Null_Address,
22572 -- Address of Adafinal routine, not used anymore
22574 Unreserve_All_Interrupts => 0,
22575 -- Set true if pragma Unreserve_All_Interrupts was used
22577 Exception_Tracebacks => 0);
22578 -- Indicates if exception tracebacks are enabled
22580 Elab_Final_Code := 1;
22582 -- Now we have the elaboration calls for all units in the partition.
22583 -- The Elab_Spec and Elab_Body attributes generate references to the
22584 -- implicit elaboration procedures generated by the compiler for
22585 -- each unit that requires elaboration.
22588 Interfaces.C_Streams'Elab_Spec;
22592 Ada.Exceptions'Elab_Spec;
22595 System.Exception_Table'Elab_Body;
22599 Ada.Io_Exceptions'Elab_Spec;
22603 System.Exceptions'Elab_Spec;
22607 System.Stack_Checking'Elab_Spec;
22610 System.Soft_Links'Elab_Body;
22615 System.Secondary_Stack'Elab_Body;
22619 Ada.Tags'Elab_Spec;
22622 Ada.Tags'Elab_Body;
22626 Ada.Streams'Elab_Spec;
22630 System.Finalization_Root'Elab_Spec;
22634 Ada.Exceptions'Elab_Body;
22638 System.Finalization_Implementation'Elab_Spec;
22641 System.Finalization_Implementation'Elab_Body;
22645 Ada.Finalization'Elab_Spec;
22649 Ada.Finalization.List_Controller'Elab_Spec;
22653 System.File_Control_Block'Elab_Spec;
22657 System.File_Io'Elab_Body;
22661 Ada.Text_Io'Elab_Spec;
22664 Ada.Text_Io'Elab_Body;
22668 Elab_Final_Code := 0;
22676 procedure adafinal is
22685 -- main is actually a function, as in the ANSI C standard,
22686 -- defined to return the exit status. The three parameters
22687 -- are the argument count, argument values and environment
22690 @findex Main Program
22693 argv : System.Address;
22694 envp : System.Address)
22697 -- The initialize routine performs low level system
22698 -- initialization using a standard library routine which
22699 -- sets up signal handling and performs any other
22700 -- required setup. The routine can be found in file
22703 @findex __gnat_initialize
22704 procedure initialize;
22705 pragma Import (C, initialize, "__gnat_initialize");
22707 -- The finalize routine performs low level system
22708 -- finalization using a standard library routine. The
22709 -- routine is found in file a-final.c and in the standard
22710 -- distribution is a dummy routine that does nothing, so
22711 -- really this is a hook for special user finalization.
22713 @findex __gnat_finalize
22714 procedure finalize;
22715 pragma Import (C, finalize, "__gnat_finalize");
22717 -- We get to the main program of the partition by using
22718 -- pragma Import because if we try to with the unit and
22719 -- call it Ada style, then not only do we waste time
22720 -- recompiling it, but also, we don't really know the right
22721 -- switches (e.g.@: identifier character set) to be used
22724 procedure Ada_Main_Program;
22725 pragma Import (Ada, Ada_Main_Program, "_ada_hello");
22727 -- Start of processing for main
22730 -- Save global variables
22736 -- Call low level system initialization
22740 -- Call our generated Ada initialization routine
22744 -- This is the point at which we want the debugger to get
22749 -- Now we call the main program of the partition
22753 -- Perform Ada finalization
22757 -- Perform low level system finalization
22761 -- Return the proper exit status
22762 return (gnat_exit_status);
22765 -- This section is entirely comments, so it has no effect on the
22766 -- compilation of the Ada_Main package. It provides the list of
22767 -- object files and linker options, as well as some standard
22768 -- libraries needed for the link. The gnatlink utility parses
22769 -- this b~hello.adb file to read these comment lines to generate
22770 -- the appropriate command line arguments for the call to the
22771 -- system linker. The BEGIN/END lines are used for sentinels for
22772 -- this parsing operation.
22774 -- The exact file names will of course depend on the environment,
22775 -- host/target and location of files on the host system.
22777 @findex Object file list
22778 -- BEGIN Object file/option list
22781 -- -L/usr/local/gnat/lib/gcc-lib/i686-pc-linux-gnu/2.8.1/adalib/
22782 -- /usr/local/gnat/lib/gcc-lib/i686-pc-linux-gnu/2.8.1/adalib/libgnat.a
22783 -- END Object file/option list
22789 The Ada code in the above example is exactly what is generated by the
22790 binder. We have added comments to more clearly indicate the function
22791 of each part of the generated @code{Ada_Main} package.
22793 The code is standard Ada in all respects, and can be processed by any
22794 tools that handle Ada. In particular, it is possible to use the debugger
22795 in Ada mode to debug the generated @code{Ada_Main} package. For example,
22796 suppose that for reasons that you do not understand, your program is crashing
22797 during elaboration of the body of @code{Ada.Text_IO}. To locate this bug,
22798 you can place a breakpoint on the call:
22800 @smallexample @c ada
22801 Ada.Text_Io'Elab_Body;
22805 and trace the elaboration routine for this package to find out where
22806 the problem might be (more usually of course you would be debugging
22807 elaboration code in your own application).
22809 @node Elaboration Order Handling in GNAT
22810 @appendix Elaboration Order Handling in GNAT
22811 @cindex Order of elaboration
22812 @cindex Elaboration control
22815 * Elaboration Code::
22816 * Checking the Elaboration Order::
22817 * Controlling the Elaboration Order::
22818 * Controlling Elaboration in GNAT - Internal Calls::
22819 * Controlling Elaboration in GNAT - External Calls::
22820 * Default Behavior in GNAT - Ensuring Safety::
22821 * Treatment of Pragma Elaborate::
22822 * Elaboration Issues for Library Tasks::
22823 * Mixing Elaboration Models::
22824 * What to Do If the Default Elaboration Behavior Fails::
22825 * Elaboration for Access-to-Subprogram Values::
22826 * Summary of Procedures for Elaboration Control::
22827 * Other Elaboration Order Considerations::
22831 This chapter describes the handling of elaboration code in Ada and
22832 in GNAT, and discusses how the order of elaboration of program units can
22833 be controlled in GNAT, either automatically or with explicit programming
22836 @node Elaboration Code
22837 @section Elaboration Code
22840 Ada provides rather general mechanisms for executing code at elaboration
22841 time, that is to say before the main program starts executing. Such code arises
22845 @item Initializers for variables.
22846 Variables declared at the library level, in package specs or bodies, can
22847 require initialization that is performed at elaboration time, as in:
22848 @smallexample @c ada
22850 Sqrt_Half : Float := Sqrt (0.5);
22854 @item Package initialization code
22855 Code in a @code{BEGIN-END} section at the outer level of a package body is
22856 executed as part of the package body elaboration code.
22858 @item Library level task allocators
22859 Tasks that are declared using task allocators at the library level
22860 start executing immediately and hence can execute at elaboration time.
22864 Subprogram calls are possible in any of these contexts, which means that
22865 any arbitrary part of the program may be executed as part of the elaboration
22866 code. It is even possible to write a program which does all its work at
22867 elaboration time, with a null main program, although stylistically this
22868 would usually be considered an inappropriate way to structure
22871 An important concern arises in the context of elaboration code:
22872 we have to be sure that it is executed in an appropriate order. What we
22873 have is a series of elaboration code sections, potentially one section
22874 for each unit in the program. It is important that these execute
22875 in the correct order. Correctness here means that, taking the above
22876 example of the declaration of @code{Sqrt_Half},
22877 if some other piece of
22878 elaboration code references @code{Sqrt_Half},
22879 then it must run after the
22880 section of elaboration code that contains the declaration of
22883 There would never be any order of elaboration problem if we made a rule
22884 that whenever you @code{with} a unit, you must elaborate both the spec and body
22885 of that unit before elaborating the unit doing the @code{with}'ing:
22887 @smallexample @c ada
22891 package Unit_2 is @dots{}
22897 would require that both the body and spec of @code{Unit_1} be elaborated
22898 before the spec of @code{Unit_2}. However, a rule like that would be far too
22899 restrictive. In particular, it would make it impossible to have routines
22900 in separate packages that were mutually recursive.
22902 You might think that a clever enough compiler could look at the actual
22903 elaboration code and determine an appropriate correct order of elaboration,
22904 but in the general case, this is not possible. Consider the following
22907 In the body of @code{Unit_1}, we have a procedure @code{Func_1}
22909 the variable @code{Sqrt_1}, which is declared in the elaboration code
22910 of the body of @code{Unit_1}:
22912 @smallexample @c ada
22914 Sqrt_1 : Float := Sqrt (0.1);
22919 The elaboration code of the body of @code{Unit_1} also contains:
22921 @smallexample @c ada
22924 if expression_1 = 1 then
22925 Q := Unit_2.Func_2;
22932 @code{Unit_2} is exactly parallel,
22933 it has a procedure @code{Func_2} that references
22934 the variable @code{Sqrt_2}, which is declared in the elaboration code of
22935 the body @code{Unit_2}:
22937 @smallexample @c ada
22939 Sqrt_2 : Float := Sqrt (0.1);
22944 The elaboration code of the body of @code{Unit_2} also contains:
22946 @smallexample @c ada
22949 if expression_2 = 2 then
22950 Q := Unit_1.Func_1;
22957 Now the question is, which of the following orders of elaboration is
22982 If you carefully analyze the flow here, you will see that you cannot tell
22983 at compile time the answer to this question.
22984 If @code{expression_1} is not equal to 1,
22985 and @code{expression_2} is not equal to 2,
22986 then either order is acceptable, because neither of the function calls is
22987 executed. If both tests evaluate to true, then neither order is acceptable
22988 and in fact there is no correct order.
22990 If one of the two expressions is true, and the other is false, then one
22991 of the above orders is correct, and the other is incorrect. For example,
22992 if @code{expression_1} /= 1 and @code{expression_2} = 2,
22993 then the call to @code{Func_1}
22994 will occur, but not the call to @code{Func_2.}
22995 This means that it is essential
22996 to elaborate the body of @code{Unit_1} before
22997 the body of @code{Unit_2}, so the first
22998 order of elaboration is correct and the second is wrong.
23000 By making @code{expression_1} and @code{expression_2}
23001 depend on input data, or perhaps
23002 the time of day, we can make it impossible for the compiler or binder
23003 to figure out which of these expressions will be true, and hence it
23004 is impossible to guarantee a safe order of elaboration at run time.
23006 @node Checking the Elaboration Order
23007 @section Checking the Elaboration Order
23010 In some languages that involve the same kind of elaboration problems,
23011 e.g.@: Java and C++, the programmer is expected to worry about these
23012 ordering problems himself, and it is common to
23013 write a program in which an incorrect elaboration order gives
23014 surprising results, because it references variables before they
23016 Ada is designed to be a safe language, and a programmer-beware approach is
23017 clearly not sufficient. Consequently, the language provides three lines
23021 @item Standard rules
23022 Some standard rules restrict the possible choice of elaboration
23023 order. In particular, if you @code{with} a unit, then its spec is always
23024 elaborated before the unit doing the @code{with}. Similarly, a parent
23025 spec is always elaborated before the child spec, and finally
23026 a spec is always elaborated before its corresponding body.
23028 @item Dynamic elaboration checks
23029 @cindex Elaboration checks
23030 @cindex Checks, elaboration
23031 Dynamic checks are made at run time, so that if some entity is accessed
23032 before it is elaborated (typically by means of a subprogram call)
23033 then the exception (@code{Program_Error}) is raised.
23035 @item Elaboration control
23036 Facilities are provided for the programmer to specify the desired order
23040 Let's look at these facilities in more detail. First, the rules for
23041 dynamic checking. One possible rule would be simply to say that the
23042 exception is raised if you access a variable which has not yet been
23043 elaborated. The trouble with this approach is that it could require
23044 expensive checks on every variable reference. Instead Ada has two
23045 rules which are a little more restrictive, but easier to check, and
23049 @item Restrictions on calls
23050 A subprogram can only be called at elaboration time if its body
23051 has been elaborated. The rules for elaboration given above guarantee
23052 that the spec of the subprogram has been elaborated before the
23053 call, but not the body. If this rule is violated, then the
23054 exception @code{Program_Error} is raised.
23056 @item Restrictions on instantiations
23057 A generic unit can only be instantiated if the body of the generic
23058 unit has been elaborated. Again, the rules for elaboration given above
23059 guarantee that the spec of the generic unit has been elaborated
23060 before the instantiation, but not the body. If this rule is
23061 violated, then the exception @code{Program_Error} is raised.
23065 The idea is that if the body has been elaborated, then any variables
23066 it references must have been elaborated; by checking for the body being
23067 elaborated we guarantee that none of its references causes any
23068 trouble. As we noted above, this is a little too restrictive, because a
23069 subprogram that has no non-local references in its body may in fact be safe
23070 to call. However, it really would be unsafe to rely on this, because
23071 it would mean that the caller was aware of details of the implementation
23072 in the body. This goes against the basic tenets of Ada.
23074 A plausible implementation can be described as follows.
23075 A Boolean variable is associated with each subprogram
23076 and each generic unit. This variable is initialized to False, and is set to
23077 True at the point body is elaborated. Every call or instantiation checks the
23078 variable, and raises @code{Program_Error} if the variable is False.
23080 Note that one might think that it would be good enough to have one Boolean
23081 variable for each package, but that would not deal with cases of trying
23082 to call a body in the same package as the call
23083 that has not been elaborated yet.
23084 Of course a compiler may be able to do enough analysis to optimize away
23085 some of the Boolean variables as unnecessary, and @code{GNAT} indeed
23086 does such optimizations, but still the easiest conceptual model is to
23087 think of there being one variable per subprogram.
23089 @node Controlling the Elaboration Order
23090 @section Controlling the Elaboration Order
23093 In the previous section we discussed the rules in Ada which ensure
23094 that @code{Program_Error} is raised if an incorrect elaboration order is
23095 chosen. This prevents erroneous executions, but we need mechanisms to
23096 specify a correct execution and avoid the exception altogether.
23097 To achieve this, Ada provides a number of features for controlling
23098 the order of elaboration. We discuss these features in this section.
23100 First, there are several ways of indicating to the compiler that a given
23101 unit has no elaboration problems:
23104 @item packages that do not require a body
23105 A library package that does not require a body does not permit
23106 a body (this rule was introduced in Ada 95).
23107 Thus if we have a such a package, as in:
23109 @smallexample @c ada
23112 package Definitions is
23114 type m is new integer;
23116 type a is array (1 .. 10) of m;
23117 type b is array (1 .. 20) of m;
23125 A package that @code{with}'s @code{Definitions} may safely instantiate
23126 @code{Definitions.Subp} because the compiler can determine that there
23127 definitely is no package body to worry about in this case
23130 @cindex pragma Pure
23132 Places sufficient restrictions on a unit to guarantee that
23133 no call to any subprogram in the unit can result in an
23134 elaboration problem. This means that the compiler does not need
23135 to worry about the point of elaboration of such units, and in
23136 particular, does not need to check any calls to any subprograms
23139 @item pragma Preelaborate
23140 @findex Preelaborate
23141 @cindex pragma Preelaborate
23142 This pragma places slightly less stringent restrictions on a unit than
23144 but these restrictions are still sufficient to ensure that there
23145 are no elaboration problems with any calls to the unit.
23147 @item pragma Elaborate_Body
23148 @findex Elaborate_Body
23149 @cindex pragma Elaborate_Body
23150 This pragma requires that the body of a unit be elaborated immediately
23151 after its spec. Suppose a unit @code{A} has such a pragma,
23152 and unit @code{B} does
23153 a @code{with} of unit @code{A}. Recall that the standard rules require
23154 the spec of unit @code{A}
23155 to be elaborated before the @code{with}'ing unit; given the pragma in
23156 @code{A}, we also know that the body of @code{A}
23157 will be elaborated before @code{B}, so
23158 that calls to @code{A} are safe and do not need a check.
23163 unlike pragma @code{Pure} and pragma @code{Preelaborate},
23165 @code{Elaborate_Body} does not guarantee that the program is
23166 free of elaboration problems, because it may not be possible
23167 to satisfy the requested elaboration order.
23168 Let's go back to the example with @code{Unit_1} and @code{Unit_2}.
23170 marks @code{Unit_1} as @code{Elaborate_Body},
23171 and not @code{Unit_2,} then the order of
23172 elaboration will be:
23184 Now that means that the call to @code{Func_1} in @code{Unit_2}
23185 need not be checked,
23186 it must be safe. But the call to @code{Func_2} in
23187 @code{Unit_1} may still fail if
23188 @code{Expression_1} is equal to 1,
23189 and the programmer must still take
23190 responsibility for this not being the case.
23192 If all units carry a pragma @code{Elaborate_Body}, then all problems are
23193 eliminated, except for calls entirely within a body, which are
23194 in any case fully under programmer control. However, using the pragma
23195 everywhere is not always possible.
23196 In particular, for our @code{Unit_1}/@code{Unit_2} example, if
23197 we marked both of them as having pragma @code{Elaborate_Body}, then
23198 clearly there would be no possible elaboration order.
23200 The above pragmas allow a server to guarantee safe use by clients, and
23201 clearly this is the preferable approach. Consequently a good rule
23202 is to mark units as @code{Pure} or @code{Preelaborate} if possible,
23203 and if this is not possible,
23204 mark them as @code{Elaborate_Body} if possible.
23205 As we have seen, there are situations where neither of these
23206 three pragmas can be used.
23207 So we also provide methods for clients to control the
23208 order of elaboration of the servers on which they depend:
23211 @item pragma Elaborate (unit)
23213 @cindex pragma Elaborate
23214 This pragma is placed in the context clause, after a @code{with} clause,
23215 and it requires that the body of the named unit be elaborated before
23216 the unit in which the pragma occurs. The idea is to use this pragma
23217 if the current unit calls at elaboration time, directly or indirectly,
23218 some subprogram in the named unit.
23220 @item pragma Elaborate_All (unit)
23221 @findex Elaborate_All
23222 @cindex pragma Elaborate_All
23223 This is a stronger version of the Elaborate pragma. Consider the
23227 Unit A @code{with}'s unit B and calls B.Func in elab code
23228 Unit B @code{with}'s unit C, and B.Func calls C.Func
23232 Now if we put a pragma @code{Elaborate (B)}
23233 in unit @code{A}, this ensures that the
23234 body of @code{B} is elaborated before the call, but not the
23235 body of @code{C}, so
23236 the call to @code{C.Func} could still cause @code{Program_Error} to
23239 The effect of a pragma @code{Elaborate_All} is stronger, it requires
23240 not only that the body of the named unit be elaborated before the
23241 unit doing the @code{with}, but also the bodies of all units that the
23242 named unit uses, following @code{with} links transitively. For example,
23243 if we put a pragma @code{Elaborate_All (B)} in unit @code{A},
23245 not only that the body of @code{B} be elaborated before @code{A},
23247 body of @code{C}, because @code{B} @code{with}'s @code{C}.
23251 We are now in a position to give a usage rule in Ada for avoiding
23252 elaboration problems, at least if dynamic dispatching and access to
23253 subprogram values are not used. We will handle these cases separately
23256 The rule is simple. If a unit has elaboration code that can directly or
23257 indirectly make a call to a subprogram in a @code{with}'ed unit, or instantiate
23258 a generic package in a @code{with}'ed unit,
23259 then if the @code{with}'ed unit does not have
23260 pragma @code{Pure} or @code{Preelaborate}, then the client should have
23261 a pragma @code{Elaborate_All}
23262 for the @code{with}'ed unit. By following this rule a client is
23263 assured that calls can be made without risk of an exception.
23265 For generic subprogram instantiations, the rule can be relaxed to
23266 require only a pragma @code{Elaborate} since elaborating the body
23267 of a subprogram cannot cause any transitive elaboration (we are
23268 not calling the subprogram in this case, just elaborating its
23271 If this rule is not followed, then a program may be in one of four
23275 @item No order exists
23276 No order of elaboration exists which follows the rules, taking into
23277 account any @code{Elaborate}, @code{Elaborate_All},
23278 or @code{Elaborate_Body} pragmas. In
23279 this case, an Ada compiler must diagnose the situation at bind
23280 time, and refuse to build an executable program.
23282 @item One or more orders exist, all incorrect
23283 One or more acceptable elaboration orders exist, and all of them
23284 generate an elaboration order problem. In this case, the binder
23285 can build an executable program, but @code{Program_Error} will be raised
23286 when the program is run.
23288 @item Several orders exist, some right, some incorrect
23289 One or more acceptable elaboration orders exists, and some of them
23290 work, and some do not. The programmer has not controlled
23291 the order of elaboration, so the binder may or may not pick one of
23292 the correct orders, and the program may or may not raise an
23293 exception when it is run. This is the worst case, because it means
23294 that the program may fail when moved to another compiler, or even
23295 another version of the same compiler.
23297 @item One or more orders exists, all correct
23298 One ore more acceptable elaboration orders exist, and all of them
23299 work. In this case the program runs successfully. This state of
23300 affairs can be guaranteed by following the rule we gave above, but
23301 may be true even if the rule is not followed.
23305 Note that one additional advantage of following our rules on the use
23306 of @code{Elaborate} and @code{Elaborate_All}
23307 is that the program continues to stay in the ideal (all orders OK) state
23308 even if maintenance
23309 changes some bodies of some units. Conversely, if a program that does
23310 not follow this rule happens to be safe at some point, this state of affairs
23311 may deteriorate silently as a result of maintenance changes.
23313 You may have noticed that the above discussion did not mention
23314 the use of @code{Elaborate_Body}. This was a deliberate omission. If you
23315 @code{with} an @code{Elaborate_Body} unit, it still may be the case that
23316 code in the body makes calls to some other unit, so it is still necessary
23317 to use @code{Elaborate_All} on such units.
23319 @node Controlling Elaboration in GNAT - Internal Calls
23320 @section Controlling Elaboration in GNAT - Internal Calls
23323 In the case of internal calls, i.e., calls within a single package, the
23324 programmer has full control over the order of elaboration, and it is up
23325 to the programmer to elaborate declarations in an appropriate order. For
23328 @smallexample @c ada
23331 function One return Float;
23335 function One return Float is
23344 will obviously raise @code{Program_Error} at run time, because function
23345 One will be called before its body is elaborated. In this case GNAT will
23346 generate a warning that the call will raise @code{Program_Error}:
23352 2. function One return Float;
23354 4. Q : Float := One;
23356 >>> warning: cannot call "One" before body is elaborated
23357 >>> warning: Program_Error will be raised at run time
23360 6. function One return Float is
23373 Note that in this particular case, it is likely that the call is safe, because
23374 the function @code{One} does not access any global variables.
23375 Nevertheless in Ada, we do not want the validity of the check to depend on
23376 the contents of the body (think about the separate compilation case), so this
23377 is still wrong, as we discussed in the previous sections.
23379 The error is easily corrected by rearranging the declarations so that the
23380 body of @code{One} appears before the declaration containing the call
23381 (note that in Ada 95 and Ada 2005,
23382 declarations can appear in any order, so there is no restriction that
23383 would prevent this reordering, and if we write:
23385 @smallexample @c ada
23388 function One return Float;
23390 function One return Float is
23401 then all is well, no warning is generated, and no
23402 @code{Program_Error} exception
23404 Things are more complicated when a chain of subprograms is executed:
23406 @smallexample @c ada
23409 function A return Integer;
23410 function B return Integer;
23411 function C return Integer;
23413 function B return Integer is begin return A; end;
23414 function C return Integer is begin return B; end;
23418 function A return Integer is begin return 1; end;
23424 Now the call to @code{C}
23425 at elaboration time in the declaration of @code{X} is correct, because
23426 the body of @code{C} is already elaborated,
23427 and the call to @code{B} within the body of
23428 @code{C} is correct, but the call
23429 to @code{A} within the body of @code{B} is incorrect, because the body
23430 of @code{A} has not been elaborated, so @code{Program_Error}
23431 will be raised on the call to @code{A}.
23432 In this case GNAT will generate a
23433 warning that @code{Program_Error} may be
23434 raised at the point of the call. Let's look at the warning:
23440 2. function A return Integer;
23441 3. function B return Integer;
23442 4. function C return Integer;
23444 6. function B return Integer is begin return A; end;
23446 >>> warning: call to "A" before body is elaborated may
23447 raise Program_Error
23448 >>> warning: "B" called at line 7
23449 >>> warning: "C" called at line 9
23451 7. function C return Integer is begin return B; end;
23453 9. X : Integer := C;
23455 11. function A return Integer is begin return 1; end;
23465 Note that the message here says ``may raise'', instead of the direct case,
23466 where the message says ``will be raised''. That's because whether
23468 actually called depends in general on run-time flow of control.
23469 For example, if the body of @code{B} said
23471 @smallexample @c ada
23474 function B return Integer is
23476 if some-condition-depending-on-input-data then
23487 then we could not know until run time whether the incorrect call to A would
23488 actually occur, so @code{Program_Error} might
23489 or might not be raised. It is possible for a compiler to
23490 do a better job of analyzing bodies, to
23491 determine whether or not @code{Program_Error}
23492 might be raised, but it certainly
23493 couldn't do a perfect job (that would require solving the halting problem
23494 and is provably impossible), and because this is a warning anyway, it does
23495 not seem worth the effort to do the analysis. Cases in which it
23496 would be relevant are rare.
23498 In practice, warnings of either of the forms given
23499 above will usually correspond to
23500 real errors, and should be examined carefully and eliminated.
23501 In the rare case where a warning is bogus, it can be suppressed by any of
23502 the following methods:
23506 Compile with the @option{-gnatws} switch set
23509 Suppress @code{Elaboration_Check} for the called subprogram
23512 Use pragma @code{Warnings_Off} to turn warnings off for the call
23516 For the internal elaboration check case,
23517 GNAT by default generates the
23518 necessary run-time checks to ensure
23519 that @code{Program_Error} is raised if any
23520 call fails an elaboration check. Of course this can only happen if a
23521 warning has been issued as described above. The use of pragma
23522 @code{Suppress (Elaboration_Check)} may (but is not guaranteed to) suppress
23523 some of these checks, meaning that it may be possible (but is not
23524 guaranteed) for a program to be able to call a subprogram whose body
23525 is not yet elaborated, without raising a @code{Program_Error} exception.
23527 @node Controlling Elaboration in GNAT - External Calls
23528 @section Controlling Elaboration in GNAT - External Calls
23531 The previous section discussed the case in which the execution of a
23532 particular thread of elaboration code occurred entirely within a
23533 single unit. This is the easy case to handle, because a programmer
23534 has direct and total control over the order of elaboration, and
23535 furthermore, checks need only be generated in cases which are rare
23536 and which the compiler can easily detect.
23537 The situation is more complex when separate compilation is taken into account.
23538 Consider the following:
23540 @smallexample @c ada
23544 function Sqrt (Arg : Float) return Float;
23547 package body Math is
23548 function Sqrt (Arg : Float) return Float is
23557 X : Float := Math.Sqrt (0.5);
23570 where @code{Main} is the main program. When this program is executed, the
23571 elaboration code must first be executed, and one of the jobs of the
23572 binder is to determine the order in which the units of a program are
23573 to be elaborated. In this case we have four units: the spec and body
23575 the spec of @code{Stuff} and the body of @code{Main}).
23576 In what order should the four separate sections of elaboration code
23579 There are some restrictions in the order of elaboration that the binder
23580 can choose. In particular, if unit U has a @code{with}
23581 for a package @code{X}, then you
23582 are assured that the spec of @code{X}
23583 is elaborated before U , but you are
23584 not assured that the body of @code{X}
23585 is elaborated before U.
23586 This means that in the above case, the binder is allowed to choose the
23597 but that's not good, because now the call to @code{Math.Sqrt}
23598 that happens during
23599 the elaboration of the @code{Stuff}
23600 spec happens before the body of @code{Math.Sqrt} is
23601 elaborated, and hence causes @code{Program_Error} exception to be raised.
23602 At first glance, one might say that the binder is misbehaving, because
23603 obviously you want to elaborate the body of something you @code{with}
23605 that is not a general rule that can be followed in all cases. Consider
23607 @smallexample @c ada
23610 package X is @dots{}
23612 package Y is @dots{}
23615 package body Y is @dots{}
23618 package body X is @dots{}
23624 This is a common arrangement, and, apart from the order of elaboration
23625 problems that might arise in connection with elaboration code, this works fine.
23626 A rule that says that you must first elaborate the body of anything you
23627 @code{with} cannot work in this case:
23628 the body of @code{X} @code{with}'s @code{Y},
23629 which means you would have to
23630 elaborate the body of @code{Y} first, but that @code{with}'s @code{X},
23632 you have to elaborate the body of @code{X} first, but @dots{} and we have a
23633 loop that cannot be broken.
23635 It is true that the binder can in many cases guess an order of elaboration
23636 that is unlikely to cause a @code{Program_Error}
23637 exception to be raised, and it tries to do so (in the
23638 above example of @code{Math/Stuff/Spec}, the GNAT binder will
23640 elaborate the body of @code{Math} right after its spec, so all will be well).
23642 However, a program that blindly relies on the binder to be helpful can
23643 get into trouble, as we discussed in the previous sections, so
23645 provides a number of facilities for assisting the programmer in
23646 developing programs that are robust with respect to elaboration order.
23648 @node Default Behavior in GNAT - Ensuring Safety
23649 @section Default Behavior in GNAT - Ensuring Safety
23652 The default behavior in GNAT ensures elaboration safety. In its
23653 default mode GNAT implements the
23654 rule we previously described as the right approach. Let's restate it:
23658 @emph{If a unit has elaboration code that can directly or indirectly make a
23659 call to a subprogram in a @code{with}'ed unit, or instantiate a generic
23660 package in a @code{with}'ed unit, then if the @code{with}'ed unit
23661 does not have pragma @code{Pure} or
23662 @code{Preelaborate}, then the client should have an
23663 @code{Elaborate_All} pragma for the @code{with}'ed unit.}
23665 @emph{In the case of instantiating a generic subprogram, it is always
23666 sufficient to have only an @code{Elaborate} pragma for the
23667 @code{with}'ed unit.}
23671 By following this rule a client is assured that calls and instantiations
23672 can be made without risk of an exception.
23674 In this mode GNAT traces all calls that are potentially made from
23675 elaboration code, and puts in any missing implicit @code{Elaborate}
23676 and @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas.
23677 The advantage of this approach is that no elaboration problems
23678 are possible if the binder can find an elaboration order that is
23679 consistent with these implicit @code{Elaborate} and
23680 @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas. The
23681 disadvantage of this approach is that no such order may exist.
23683 If the binder does not generate any diagnostics, then it means that it has
23684 found an elaboration order that is guaranteed to be safe. However, the binder
23685 may still be relying on implicitly generated @code{Elaborate} and
23686 @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas so portability to other compilers than GNAT is not
23689 If it is important to guarantee portability, then the compilations should
23692 (warn on elaboration problems) switch. This will cause warning messages
23693 to be generated indicating the missing @code{Elaborate} and
23694 @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas.
23695 Consider the following source program:
23697 @smallexample @c ada
23702 m : integer := k.r;
23709 where it is clear that there
23710 should be a pragma @code{Elaborate_All}
23711 for unit @code{k}. An implicit pragma will be generated, and it is
23712 likely that the binder will be able to honor it. However, if you want
23713 to port this program to some other Ada compiler than GNAT.
23714 it is safer to include the pragma explicitly in the source. If this
23715 unit is compiled with the
23717 switch, then the compiler outputs a warning:
23724 3. m : integer := k.r;
23726 >>> warning: call to "r" may raise Program_Error
23727 >>> warning: missing pragma Elaborate_All for "k"
23735 and these warnings can be used as a guide for supplying manually
23736 the missing pragmas. It is usually a bad idea to use this warning
23737 option during development. That's because it will warn you when
23738 you need to put in a pragma, but cannot warn you when it is time
23739 to take it out. So the use of pragma @code{Elaborate_All} may lead to
23740 unnecessary dependencies and even false circularities.
23742 This default mode is more restrictive than the Ada Reference
23743 Manual, and it is possible to construct programs which will compile
23744 using the dynamic model described there, but will run into a
23745 circularity using the safer static model we have described.
23747 Of course any Ada compiler must be able to operate in a mode
23748 consistent with the requirements of the Ada Reference Manual,
23749 and in particular must have the capability of implementing the
23750 standard dynamic model of elaboration with run-time checks.
23752 In GNAT, this standard mode can be achieved either by the use of
23753 the @option{-gnatE} switch on the compiler (@command{gcc} or
23754 @command{gnatmake}) command, or by the use of the configuration pragma:
23756 @smallexample @c ada
23757 pragma Elaboration_Checks (DYNAMIC);
23761 Either approach will cause the unit affected to be compiled using the
23762 standard dynamic run-time elaboration checks described in the Ada
23763 Reference Manual. The static model is generally preferable, since it
23764 is clearly safer to rely on compile and link time checks rather than
23765 run-time checks. However, in the case of legacy code, it may be
23766 difficult to meet the requirements of the static model. This
23767 issue is further discussed in
23768 @ref{What to Do If the Default Elaboration Behavior Fails}.
23770 Note that the static model provides a strict subset of the allowed
23771 behavior and programs of the Ada Reference Manual, so if you do
23772 adhere to the static model and no circularities exist,
23773 then you are assured that your program will
23774 work using the dynamic model, providing that you remove any
23775 pragma Elaborate statements from the source.
23777 @node Treatment of Pragma Elaborate
23778 @section Treatment of Pragma Elaborate
23779 @cindex Pragma Elaborate
23782 The use of @code{pragma Elaborate}
23783 should generally be avoided in Ada 95 and Ada 2005 programs,
23784 since there is no guarantee that transitive calls
23785 will be properly handled. Indeed at one point, this pragma was placed
23786 in Annex J (Obsolescent Features), on the grounds that it is never useful.
23788 Now that's a bit restrictive. In practice, the case in which
23789 @code{pragma Elaborate} is useful is when the caller knows that there
23790 are no transitive calls, or that the called unit contains all necessary
23791 transitive @code{pragma Elaborate} statements, and legacy code often
23792 contains such uses.
23794 Strictly speaking the static mode in GNAT should ignore such pragmas,
23795 since there is no assurance at compile time that the necessary safety
23796 conditions are met. In practice, this would cause GNAT to be incompatible
23797 with correctly written Ada 83 code that had all necessary
23798 @code{pragma Elaborate} statements in place. Consequently, we made the
23799 decision that GNAT in its default mode will believe that if it encounters
23800 a @code{pragma Elaborate} then the programmer knows what they are doing,
23801 and it will trust that no elaboration errors can occur.
23803 The result of this decision is two-fold. First to be safe using the
23804 static mode, you should remove all @code{pragma Elaborate} statements.
23805 Second, when fixing circularities in existing code, you can selectively
23806 use @code{pragma Elaborate} statements to convince the static mode of
23807 GNAT that it need not generate an implicit @code{pragma Elaborate_All}
23810 When using the static mode with @option{-gnatwl}, any use of
23811 @code{pragma Elaborate} will generate a warning about possible
23814 @node Elaboration Issues for Library Tasks
23815 @section Elaboration Issues for Library Tasks
23816 @cindex Library tasks, elaboration issues
23817 @cindex Elaboration of library tasks
23820 In this section we examine special elaboration issues that arise for
23821 programs that declare library level tasks.
23823 Generally the model of execution of an Ada program is that all units are
23824 elaborated, and then execution of the program starts. However, the
23825 declaration of library tasks definitely does not fit this model. The
23826 reason for this is that library tasks start as soon as they are declared
23827 (more precisely, as soon as the statement part of the enclosing package
23828 body is reached), that is to say before elaboration
23829 of the program is complete. This means that if such a task calls a
23830 subprogram, or an entry in another task, the callee may or may not be
23831 elaborated yet, and in the standard
23832 Reference Manual model of dynamic elaboration checks, you can even
23833 get timing dependent Program_Error exceptions, since there can be
23834 a race between the elaboration code and the task code.
23836 The static model of elaboration in GNAT seeks to avoid all such
23837 dynamic behavior, by being conservative, and the conservative
23838 approach in this particular case is to assume that all the code
23839 in a task body is potentially executed at elaboration time if
23840 a task is declared at the library level.
23842 This can definitely result in unexpected circularities. Consider
23843 the following example
23845 @smallexample @c ada
23851 type My_Int is new Integer;
23853 function Ident (M : My_Int) return My_Int;
23857 package body Decls is
23858 task body Lib_Task is
23864 function Ident (M : My_Int) return My_Int is
23872 procedure Put_Val (Arg : Decls.My_Int);
23876 package body Utils is
23877 procedure Put_Val (Arg : Decls.My_Int) is
23879 Text_IO.Put_Line (Decls.My_Int'Image (Decls.Ident (Arg)));
23886 Decls.Lib_Task.Start;
23891 If the above example is compiled in the default static elaboration
23892 mode, then a circularity occurs. The circularity comes from the call
23893 @code{Utils.Put_Val} in the task body of @code{Decls.Lib_Task}. Since
23894 this call occurs in elaboration code, we need an implicit pragma
23895 @code{Elaborate_All} for @code{Utils}. This means that not only must
23896 the spec and body of @code{Utils} be elaborated before the body
23897 of @code{Decls}, but also the spec and body of any unit that is
23898 @code{with'ed} by the body of @code{Utils} must also be elaborated before
23899 the body of @code{Decls}. This is the transitive implication of
23900 pragma @code{Elaborate_All} and it makes sense, because in general
23901 the body of @code{Put_Val} might have a call to something in a
23902 @code{with'ed} unit.
23904 In this case, the body of Utils (actually its spec) @code{with's}
23905 @code{Decls}. Unfortunately this means that the body of @code{Decls}
23906 must be elaborated before itself, in case there is a call from the
23907 body of @code{Utils}.
23909 Here is the exact chain of events we are worrying about:
23913 In the body of @code{Decls} a call is made from within the body of a library
23914 task to a subprogram in the package @code{Utils}. Since this call may
23915 occur at elaboration time (given that the task is activated at elaboration
23916 time), we have to assume the worst, i.e., that the
23917 call does happen at elaboration time.
23920 This means that the body and spec of @code{Util} must be elaborated before
23921 the body of @code{Decls} so that this call does not cause an access before
23925 Within the body of @code{Util}, specifically within the body of
23926 @code{Util.Put_Val} there may be calls to any unit @code{with}'ed
23930 One such @code{with}'ed package is package @code{Decls}, so there
23931 might be a call to a subprogram in @code{Decls} in @code{Put_Val}.
23932 In fact there is such a call in this example, but we would have to
23933 assume that there was such a call even if it were not there, since
23934 we are not supposed to write the body of @code{Decls} knowing what
23935 is in the body of @code{Utils}; certainly in the case of the
23936 static elaboration model, the compiler does not know what is in
23937 other bodies and must assume the worst.
23940 This means that the spec and body of @code{Decls} must also be
23941 elaborated before we elaborate the unit containing the call, but
23942 that unit is @code{Decls}! This means that the body of @code{Decls}
23943 must be elaborated before itself, and that's a circularity.
23947 Indeed, if you add an explicit pragma @code{Elaborate_All} for @code{Utils} in
23948 the body of @code{Decls} you will get a true Ada Reference Manual
23949 circularity that makes the program illegal.
23951 In practice, we have found that problems with the static model of
23952 elaboration in existing code often arise from library tasks, so
23953 we must address this particular situation.
23955 Note that if we compile and run the program above, using the dynamic model of
23956 elaboration (that is to say use the @option{-gnatE} switch),
23957 then it compiles, binds,
23958 links, and runs, printing the expected result of 2. Therefore in some sense
23959 the circularity here is only apparent, and we need to capture
23960 the properties of this program that distinguish it from other library-level
23961 tasks that have real elaboration problems.
23963 We have four possible answers to this question:
23968 Use the dynamic model of elaboration.
23970 If we use the @option{-gnatE} switch, then as noted above, the program works.
23971 Why is this? If we examine the task body, it is apparent that the task cannot
23973 @code{accept} statement until after elaboration has been completed, because
23974 the corresponding entry call comes from the main program, not earlier.
23975 This is why the dynamic model works here. But that's really giving
23976 up on a precise analysis, and we prefer to take this approach only if we cannot
23978 problem in any other manner. So let us examine two ways to reorganize
23979 the program to avoid the potential elaboration problem.
23982 Split library tasks into separate packages.
23984 Write separate packages, so that library tasks are isolated from
23985 other declarations as much as possible. Let us look at a variation on
23988 @smallexample @c ada
23996 package body Decls1 is
23997 task body Lib_Task is
24005 type My_Int is new Integer;
24006 function Ident (M : My_Int) return My_Int;
24010 package body Decls2 is
24011 function Ident (M : My_Int) return My_Int is
24019 procedure Put_Val (Arg : Decls2.My_Int);
24023 package body Utils is
24024 procedure Put_Val (Arg : Decls2.My_Int) is
24026 Text_IO.Put_Line (Decls2.My_Int'Image (Decls2.Ident (Arg)));
24033 Decls1.Lib_Task.Start;
24038 All we have done is to split @code{Decls} into two packages, one
24039 containing the library task, and one containing everything else. Now
24040 there is no cycle, and the program compiles, binds, links and executes
24041 using the default static model of elaboration.
24044 Declare separate task types.
24046 A significant part of the problem arises because of the use of the
24047 single task declaration form. This means that the elaboration of
24048 the task type, and the elaboration of the task itself (i.e.@: the
24049 creation of the task) happen at the same time. A good rule
24050 of style in Ada is to always create explicit task types. By
24051 following the additional step of placing task objects in separate
24052 packages from the task type declaration, many elaboration problems
24053 are avoided. Here is another modified example of the example program:
24055 @smallexample @c ada
24057 task type Lib_Task_Type is
24061 type My_Int is new Integer;
24063 function Ident (M : My_Int) return My_Int;
24067 package body Decls is
24068 task body Lib_Task_Type is
24074 function Ident (M : My_Int) return My_Int is
24082 procedure Put_Val (Arg : Decls.My_Int);
24086 package body Utils is
24087 procedure Put_Val (Arg : Decls.My_Int) is
24089 Text_IO.Put_Line (Decls.My_Int'Image (Decls.Ident (Arg)));
24095 Lib_Task : Decls.Lib_Task_Type;
24101 Declst.Lib_Task.Start;
24106 What we have done here is to replace the @code{task} declaration in
24107 package @code{Decls} with a @code{task type} declaration. Then we
24108 introduce a separate package @code{Declst} to contain the actual
24109 task object. This separates the elaboration issues for
24110 the @code{task type}
24111 declaration, which causes no trouble, from the elaboration issues
24112 of the task object, which is also unproblematic, since it is now independent
24113 of the elaboration of @code{Utils}.
24114 This separation of concerns also corresponds to
24115 a generally sound engineering principle of separating declarations
24116 from instances. This version of the program also compiles, binds, links,
24117 and executes, generating the expected output.
24120 Use No_Entry_Calls_In_Elaboration_Code restriction.
24121 @cindex No_Entry_Calls_In_Elaboration_Code
24123 The previous two approaches described how a program can be restructured
24124 to avoid the special problems caused by library task bodies. in practice,
24125 however, such restructuring may be difficult to apply to existing legacy code,
24126 so we must consider solutions that do not require massive rewriting.
24128 Let us consider more carefully why our original sample program works
24129 under the dynamic model of elaboration. The reason is that the code
24130 in the task body blocks immediately on the @code{accept}
24131 statement. Now of course there is nothing to prohibit elaboration
24132 code from making entry calls (for example from another library level task),
24133 so we cannot tell in isolation that
24134 the task will not execute the accept statement during elaboration.
24136 However, in practice it is very unusual to see elaboration code
24137 make any entry calls, and the pattern of tasks starting
24138 at elaboration time and then immediately blocking on @code{accept} or
24139 @code{select} statements is very common. What this means is that
24140 the compiler is being too pessimistic when it analyzes the
24141 whole package body as though it might be executed at elaboration
24144 If we know that the elaboration code contains no entry calls, (a very safe
24145 assumption most of the time, that could almost be made the default
24146 behavior), then we can compile all units of the program under control
24147 of the following configuration pragma:
24150 pragma Restrictions (No_Entry_Calls_In_Elaboration_Code);
24154 This pragma can be placed in the @file{gnat.adc} file in the usual
24155 manner. If we take our original unmodified program and compile it
24156 in the presence of a @file{gnat.adc} containing the above pragma,
24157 then once again, we can compile, bind, link, and execute, obtaining
24158 the expected result. In the presence of this pragma, the compiler does
24159 not trace calls in a task body, that appear after the first @code{accept}
24160 or @code{select} statement, and therefore does not report a potential
24161 circularity in the original program.
24163 The compiler will check to the extent it can that the above
24164 restriction is not violated, but it is not always possible to do a
24165 complete check at compile time, so it is important to use this
24166 pragma only if the stated restriction is in fact met, that is to say
24167 no task receives an entry call before elaboration of all units is completed.
24171 @node Mixing Elaboration Models
24172 @section Mixing Elaboration Models
24174 So far, we have assumed that the entire program is either compiled
24175 using the dynamic model or static model, ensuring consistency. It
24176 is possible to mix the two models, but rules have to be followed
24177 if this mixing is done to ensure that elaboration checks are not
24180 The basic rule is that @emph{a unit compiled with the static model cannot
24181 be @code{with'ed} by a unit compiled with the dynamic model}. The
24182 reason for this is that in the static model, a unit assumes that
24183 its clients guarantee to use (the equivalent of) pragma
24184 @code{Elaborate_All} so that no elaboration checks are required
24185 in inner subprograms, and this assumption is violated if the
24186 client is compiled with dynamic checks.
24188 The precise rule is as follows. A unit that is compiled with dynamic
24189 checks can only @code{with} a unit that meets at least one of the
24190 following criteria:
24195 The @code{with'ed} unit is itself compiled with dynamic elaboration
24196 checks (that is with the @option{-gnatE} switch.
24199 The @code{with'ed} unit is an internal GNAT implementation unit from
24200 the System, Interfaces, Ada, or GNAT hierarchies.
24203 The @code{with'ed} unit has pragma Preelaborate or pragma Pure.
24206 The @code{with'ing} unit (that is the client) has an explicit pragma
24207 @code{Elaborate_All} for the @code{with'ed} unit.
24212 If this rule is violated, that is if a unit with dynamic elaboration
24213 checks @code{with's} a unit that does not meet one of the above four
24214 criteria, then the binder (@code{gnatbind}) will issue a warning
24215 similar to that in the following example:
24218 warning: "x.ads" has dynamic elaboration checks and with's
24219 warning: "y.ads" which has static elaboration checks
24223 These warnings indicate that the rule has been violated, and that as a result
24224 elaboration checks may be missed in the resulting executable file.
24225 This warning may be suppressed using the @option{-ws} binder switch
24226 in the usual manner.
24228 One useful application of this mixing rule is in the case of a subsystem
24229 which does not itself @code{with} units from the remainder of the
24230 application. In this case, the entire subsystem can be compiled with
24231 dynamic checks to resolve a circularity in the subsystem, while
24232 allowing the main application that uses this subsystem to be compiled
24233 using the more reliable default static model.
24235 @node What to Do If the Default Elaboration Behavior Fails
24236 @section What to Do If the Default Elaboration Behavior Fails
24239 If the binder cannot find an acceptable order, it outputs detailed
24240 diagnostics. For example:
24246 error: elaboration circularity detected
24247 info: "proc (body)" must be elaborated before "pack (body)"
24248 info: reason: Elaborate_All probably needed in unit "pack (body)"
24249 info: recompile "pack (body)" with -gnatwl
24250 info: for full details
24251 info: "proc (body)"
24252 info: is needed by its spec:
24253 info: "proc (spec)"
24254 info: which is withed by:
24255 info: "pack (body)"
24256 info: "pack (body)" must be elaborated before "proc (body)"
24257 info: reason: pragma Elaborate in unit "proc (body)"
24263 In this case we have a cycle that the binder cannot break. On the one
24264 hand, there is an explicit pragma Elaborate in @code{proc} for
24265 @code{pack}. This means that the body of @code{pack} must be elaborated
24266 before the body of @code{proc}. On the other hand, there is elaboration
24267 code in @code{pack} that calls a subprogram in @code{proc}. This means
24268 that for maximum safety, there should really be a pragma
24269 Elaborate_All in @code{pack} for @code{proc} which would require that
24270 the body of @code{proc} be elaborated before the body of
24271 @code{pack}. Clearly both requirements cannot be satisfied.
24272 Faced with a circularity of this kind, you have three different options.
24275 @item Fix the program
24276 The most desirable option from the point of view of long-term maintenance
24277 is to rearrange the program so that the elaboration problems are avoided.
24278 One useful technique is to place the elaboration code into separate
24279 child packages. Another is to move some of the initialization code to
24280 explicitly called subprograms, where the program controls the order
24281 of initialization explicitly. Although this is the most desirable option,
24282 it may be impractical and involve too much modification, especially in
24283 the case of complex legacy code.
24285 @item Perform dynamic checks
24286 If the compilations are done using the
24288 (dynamic elaboration check) switch, then GNAT behaves in a quite different
24289 manner. Dynamic checks are generated for all calls that could possibly result
24290 in raising an exception. With this switch, the compiler does not generate
24291 implicit @code{Elaborate} or @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas. The behavior then is
24292 exactly as specified in the @cite{Ada Reference Manual}.
24293 The binder will generate
24294 an executable program that may or may not raise @code{Program_Error}, and then
24295 it is the programmer's job to ensure that it does not raise an exception. Note
24296 that it is important to compile all units with the switch, it cannot be used
24299 @item Suppress checks
24300 The drawback of dynamic checks is that they generate a
24301 significant overhead at run time, both in space and time. If you
24302 are absolutely sure that your program cannot raise any elaboration
24303 exceptions, and you still want to use the dynamic elaboration model,
24304 then you can use the configuration pragma
24305 @code{Suppress (Elaboration_Check)} to suppress all such checks. For
24306 example this pragma could be placed in the @file{gnat.adc} file.
24308 @item Suppress checks selectively
24309 When you know that certain calls or instantiations in elaboration code cannot
24310 possibly lead to an elaboration error, and the binder nevertheless complains
24311 about implicit @code{Elaborate} and @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas that lead to
24312 elaboration circularities, it is possible to remove those warnings locally and
24313 obtain a program that will bind. Clearly this can be unsafe, and it is the
24314 responsibility of the programmer to make sure that the resulting program has no
24315 elaboration anomalies. The pragma @code{Suppress (Elaboration_Check)} can be
24316 used with different granularity to suppress warnings and break elaboration
24321 Place the pragma that names the called subprogram in the declarative part
24322 that contains the call.
24325 Place the pragma in the declarative part, without naming an entity. This
24326 disables warnings on all calls in the corresponding declarative region.
24329 Place the pragma in the package spec that declares the called subprogram,
24330 and name the subprogram. This disables warnings on all elaboration calls to
24334 Place the pragma in the package spec that declares the called subprogram,
24335 without naming any entity. This disables warnings on all elaboration calls to
24336 all subprograms declared in this spec.
24338 @item Use Pragma Elaborate
24339 As previously described in section @xref{Treatment of Pragma Elaborate},
24340 GNAT in static mode assumes that a @code{pragma} Elaborate indicates correctly
24341 that no elaboration checks are required on calls to the designated unit.
24342 There may be cases in which the caller knows that no transitive calls
24343 can occur, so that a @code{pragma Elaborate} will be sufficient in a
24344 case where @code{pragma Elaborate_All} would cause a circularity.
24348 These five cases are listed in order of decreasing safety, and therefore
24349 require increasing programmer care in their application. Consider the
24352 @smallexample @c adanocomment
24354 function F1 return Integer;
24359 function F2 return Integer;
24360 function Pure (x : integer) return integer;
24361 -- pragma Suppress (Elaboration_Check, On => Pure); -- (3)
24362 -- pragma Suppress (Elaboration_Check); -- (4)
24366 package body Pack1 is
24367 function F1 return Integer is
24371 Val : integer := Pack2.Pure (11); -- Elab. call (1)
24374 -- pragma Suppress(Elaboration_Check, Pack2.F2); -- (1)
24375 -- pragma Suppress(Elaboration_Check); -- (2)
24377 X1 := Pack2.F2 + 1; -- Elab. call (2)
24382 package body Pack2 is
24383 function F2 return Integer is
24387 function Pure (x : integer) return integer is
24389 return x ** 3 - 3 * x;
24393 with Pack1, Ada.Text_IO;
24396 Ada.Text_IO.Put_Line(Pack1.X1'Img); -- 101
24399 In the absence of any pragmas, an attempt to bind this program produces
24400 the following diagnostics:
24406 error: elaboration circularity detected
24407 info: "pack1 (body)" must be elaborated before "pack1 (body)"
24408 info: reason: Elaborate_All probably needed in unit "pack1 (body)"
24409 info: recompile "pack1 (body)" with -gnatwl for full details
24410 info: "pack1 (body)"
24411 info: must be elaborated along with its spec:
24412 info: "pack1 (spec)"
24413 info: which is withed by:
24414 info: "pack2 (body)"
24415 info: which must be elaborated along with its spec:
24416 info: "pack2 (spec)"
24417 info: which is withed by:
24418 info: "pack1 (body)"
24421 The sources of the circularity are the two calls to @code{Pack2.Pure} and
24422 @code{Pack2.F2} in the body of @code{Pack1}. We can see that the call to
24423 F2 is safe, even though F2 calls F1, because the call appears after the
24424 elaboration of the body of F1. Therefore the pragma (1) is safe, and will
24425 remove the warning on the call. It is also possible to use pragma (2)
24426 because there are no other potentially unsafe calls in the block.
24429 The call to @code{Pure} is safe because this function does not depend on the
24430 state of @code{Pack2}. Therefore any call to this function is safe, and it
24431 is correct to place pragma (3) in the corresponding package spec.
24434 Finally, we could place pragma (4) in the spec of @code{Pack2} to disable
24435 warnings on all calls to functions declared therein. Note that this is not
24436 necessarily safe, and requires more detailed examination of the subprogram
24437 bodies involved. In particular, a call to @code{F2} requires that @code{F1}
24438 be already elaborated.
24442 It is hard to generalize on which of these four approaches should be
24443 taken. Obviously if it is possible to fix the program so that the default
24444 treatment works, this is preferable, but this may not always be practical.
24445 It is certainly simple enough to use
24447 but the danger in this case is that, even if the GNAT binder
24448 finds a correct elaboration order, it may not always do so,
24449 and certainly a binder from another Ada compiler might not. A
24450 combination of testing and analysis (for which the warnings generated
24453 switch can be useful) must be used to ensure that the program is free
24454 of errors. One switch that is useful in this testing is the
24455 @option{^-p (pessimistic elaboration order)^/PESSIMISTIC_ELABORATION_ORDER^}
24458 Normally the binder tries to find an order that has the best chance
24459 of avoiding elaboration problems. However, if this switch is used, the binder
24460 plays a devil's advocate role, and tries to choose the order that
24461 has the best chance of failing. If your program works even with this
24462 switch, then it has a better chance of being error free, but this is still
24465 For an example of this approach in action, consider the C-tests (executable
24466 tests) from the ACVC suite. If these are compiled and run with the default
24467 treatment, then all but one of them succeed without generating any error
24468 diagnostics from the binder. However, there is one test that fails, and
24469 this is not surprising, because the whole point of this test is to ensure
24470 that the compiler can handle cases where it is impossible to determine
24471 a correct order statically, and it checks that an exception is indeed
24472 raised at run time.
24474 This one test must be compiled and run using the
24476 switch, and then it passes. Alternatively, the entire suite can
24477 be run using this switch. It is never wrong to run with the dynamic
24478 elaboration switch if your code is correct, and we assume that the
24479 C-tests are indeed correct (it is less efficient, but efficiency is
24480 not a factor in running the ACVC tests.)
24482 @node Elaboration for Access-to-Subprogram Values
24483 @section Elaboration for Access-to-Subprogram Values
24484 @cindex Access-to-subprogram
24487 Access-to-subprogram types (introduced in Ada 95) complicate
24488 the handling of elaboration. The trouble is that it becomes
24489 impossible to tell at compile time which procedure
24490 is being called. This means that it is not possible for the binder
24491 to analyze the elaboration requirements in this case.
24493 If at the point at which the access value is created
24494 (i.e., the evaluation of @code{P'Access} for a subprogram @code{P}),
24495 the body of the subprogram is
24496 known to have been elaborated, then the access value is safe, and its use
24497 does not require a check. This may be achieved by appropriate arrangement
24498 of the order of declarations if the subprogram is in the current unit,
24499 or, if the subprogram is in another unit, by using pragma
24500 @code{Pure}, @code{Preelaborate}, or @code{Elaborate_Body}
24501 on the referenced unit.
24503 If the referenced body is not known to have been elaborated at the point
24504 the access value is created, then any use of the access value must do a
24505 dynamic check, and this dynamic check will fail and raise a
24506 @code{Program_Error} exception if the body has not been elaborated yet.
24507 GNAT will generate the necessary checks, and in addition, if the
24509 switch is set, will generate warnings that such checks are required.
24511 The use of dynamic dispatching for tagged types similarly generates
24512 a requirement for dynamic checks, and premature calls to any primitive
24513 operation of a tagged type before the body of the operation has been
24514 elaborated, will result in the raising of @code{Program_Error}.
24516 @node Summary of Procedures for Elaboration Control
24517 @section Summary of Procedures for Elaboration Control
24518 @cindex Elaboration control
24521 First, compile your program with the default options, using none of
24522 the special elaboration control switches. If the binder successfully
24523 binds your program, then you can be confident that, apart from issues
24524 raised by the use of access-to-subprogram types and dynamic dispatching,
24525 the program is free of elaboration errors. If it is important that the
24526 program be portable, then use the
24528 switch to generate warnings about missing @code{Elaborate} or
24529 @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas, and supply the missing pragmas.
24531 If the program fails to bind using the default static elaboration
24532 handling, then you can fix the program to eliminate the binder
24533 message, or recompile the entire program with the
24534 @option{-gnatE} switch to generate dynamic elaboration checks,
24535 and, if you are sure there really are no elaboration problems,
24536 use a global pragma @code{Suppress (Elaboration_Check)}.
24538 @node Other Elaboration Order Considerations
24539 @section Other Elaboration Order Considerations
24541 This section has been entirely concerned with the issue of finding a valid
24542 elaboration order, as defined by the Ada Reference Manual. In a case
24543 where several elaboration orders are valid, the task is to find one
24544 of the possible valid elaboration orders (and the static model in GNAT
24545 will ensure that this is achieved).
24547 The purpose of the elaboration rules in the Ada Reference Manual is to
24548 make sure that no entity is accessed before it has been elaborated. For
24549 a subprogram, this means that the spec and body must have been elaborated
24550 before the subprogram is called. For an object, this means that the object
24551 must have been elaborated before its value is read or written. A violation
24552 of either of these two requirements is an access before elaboration order,
24553 and this section has been all about avoiding such errors.
24555 In the case where more than one order of elaboration is possible, in the
24556 sense that access before elaboration errors are avoided, then any one of
24557 the orders is ``correct'' in the sense that it meets the requirements of
24558 the Ada Reference Manual, and no such error occurs.
24560 However, it may be the case for a given program, that there are
24561 constraints on the order of elaboration that come not from consideration
24562 of avoiding elaboration errors, but rather from extra-lingual logic
24563 requirements. Consider this example:
24565 @smallexample @c ada
24566 with Init_Constants;
24567 package Constants is
24572 package Init_Constants is
24573 procedure P; -- require a body
24574 end Init_Constants;
24577 package body Init_Constants is
24578 procedure P is begin null; end;
24582 end Init_Constants;
24586 Z : Integer := Constants.X + Constants.Y;
24590 with Text_IO; use Text_IO;
24593 Put_Line (Calc.Z'Img);
24598 In this example, there is more than one valid order of elaboration. For
24599 example both the following are correct orders:
24602 Init_Constants spec
24605 Init_Constants body
24610 Init_Constants spec
24611 Init_Constants body
24618 There is no language rule to prefer one or the other, both are correct
24619 from an order of elaboration point of view. But the programmatic effects
24620 of the two orders are very different. In the first, the elaboration routine
24621 of @code{Calc} initializes @code{Z} to zero, and then the main program
24622 runs with this value of zero. But in the second order, the elaboration
24623 routine of @code{Calc} runs after the body of Init_Constants has set
24624 @code{X} and @code{Y} and thus @code{Z} is set to 7 before @code{Main}
24627 One could perhaps by applying pretty clever non-artificial intelligence
24628 to the situation guess that it is more likely that the second order of
24629 elaboration is the one desired, but there is no formal linguistic reason
24630 to prefer one over the other. In fact in this particular case, GNAT will
24631 prefer the second order, because of the rule that bodies are elaborated
24632 as soon as possible, but it's just luck that this is what was wanted
24633 (if indeed the second order was preferred).
24635 If the program cares about the order of elaboration routines in a case like
24636 this, it is important to specify the order required. In this particular
24637 case, that could have been achieved by adding to the spec of Calc:
24639 @smallexample @c ada
24640 pragma Elaborate_All (Constants);
24644 which requires that the body (if any) and spec of @code{Constants},
24645 as well as the body and spec of any unit @code{with}'ed by
24646 @code{Constants} be elaborated before @code{Calc} is elaborated.
24648 Clearly no automatic method can always guess which alternative you require,
24649 and if you are working with legacy code that had constraints of this kind
24650 which were not properly specified by adding @code{Elaborate} or
24651 @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas, then indeed it is possible that two different
24652 compilers can choose different orders.
24654 However, GNAT does attempt to diagnose the common situation where there
24655 are uninitialized variables in the visible part of a package spec, and the
24656 corresponding package body has an elaboration block that directly or
24657 indirectly initialized one or more of these variables. This is the situation
24658 in which a pragma Elaborate_Body is usually desirable, and GNAT will generate
24659 a warning that suggests this addition if it detects this situation.
24661 The @code{gnatbind}
24662 @option{^-p^/PESSIMISTIC_ELABORATION^} switch may be useful in smoking
24663 out problems. This switch causes bodies to be elaborated as late as possible
24664 instead of as early as possible. In the example above, it would have forced
24665 the choice of the first elaboration order. If you get different results
24666 when using this switch, and particularly if one set of results is right,
24667 and one is wrong as far as you are concerned, it shows that you have some
24668 missing @code{Elaborate} pragmas. For the example above, we have the
24672 gnatmake -f -q main
24675 gnatmake -f -q main -bargs -p
24681 It is of course quite unlikely that both these results are correct, so
24682 it is up to you in a case like this to investigate the source of the
24683 difference, by looking at the two elaboration orders that are chosen,
24684 and figuring out which is correct, and then adding the necessary
24685 @code{Elaborate} or @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas to ensure the desired order.
24689 @c *******************************
24690 @node Conditional Compilation
24691 @appendix Conditional Compilation
24692 @c *******************************
24693 @cindex Conditional compilation
24696 It is often necessary to arrange for a single source program
24697 to serve multiple purposes, where it is compiled in different
24698 ways to achieve these different goals. Some examples of the
24699 need for this feature are
24702 @item Adapting a program to a different hardware environment
24703 @item Adapting a program to a different target architecture
24704 @item Turning debugging features on and off
24705 @item Arranging for a program to compile with different compilers
24709 In C, or C++, the typical approach would be to use the preprocessor
24710 that is defined as part of the language. The Ada language does not
24711 contain such a feature. This is not an oversight, but rather a very
24712 deliberate design decision, based on the experience that overuse of
24713 the preprocessing features in C and C++ can result in programs that
24714 are extremely difficult to maintain. For example, if we have ten
24715 switches that can be on or off, this means that there are a thousand
24716 separate programs, any one of which might not even be syntactically
24717 correct, and even if syntactically correct, the resulting program
24718 might not work correctly. Testing all combinations can quickly become
24721 Nevertheless, the need to tailor programs certainly exists, and in
24722 this Appendix we will discuss how this can
24723 be achieved using Ada in general, and GNAT in particular.
24726 * Use of Boolean Constants::
24727 * Debugging - A Special Case::
24728 * Conditionalizing Declarations::
24729 * Use of Alternative Implementations::
24733 @node Use of Boolean Constants
24734 @section Use of Boolean Constants
24737 In the case where the difference is simply which code
24738 sequence is executed, the cleanest solution is to use Boolean
24739 constants to control which code is executed.
24741 @smallexample @c ada
24743 FP_Initialize_Required : constant Boolean := True;
24745 if FP_Initialize_Required then
24752 Not only will the code inside the @code{if} statement not be executed if
24753 the constant Boolean is @code{False}, but it will also be completely
24754 deleted from the program.
24755 However, the code is only deleted after the @code{if} statement
24756 has been checked for syntactic and semantic correctness.
24757 (In contrast, with preprocessors the code is deleted before the
24758 compiler ever gets to see it, so it is not checked until the switch
24760 @cindex Preprocessors (contrasted with conditional compilation)
24762 Typically the Boolean constants will be in a separate package,
24765 @smallexample @c ada
24768 FP_Initialize_Required : constant Boolean := True;
24769 Reset_Available : constant Boolean := False;
24776 The @code{Config} package exists in multiple forms for the various targets,
24777 with an appropriate script selecting the version of @code{Config} needed.
24778 Then any other unit requiring conditional compilation can do a @code{with}
24779 of @code{Config} to make the constants visible.
24782 @node Debugging - A Special Case
24783 @section Debugging - A Special Case
24786 A common use of conditional code is to execute statements (for example
24787 dynamic checks, or output of intermediate results) under control of a
24788 debug switch, so that the debugging behavior can be turned on and off.
24789 This can be done using a Boolean constant to control whether the code
24792 @smallexample @c ada
24795 Put_Line ("got to the first stage!");
24803 @smallexample @c ada
24805 if Debugging and then Temperature > 999.0 then
24806 raise Temperature_Crazy;
24812 Since this is a common case, there are special features to deal with
24813 this in a convenient manner. For the case of tests, Ada 2005 has added
24814 a pragma @code{Assert} that can be used for such tests. This pragma is modeled
24815 @cindex pragma @code{Assert}
24816 on the @code{Assert} pragma that has always been available in GNAT, so this
24817 feature may be used with GNAT even if you are not using Ada 2005 features.
24818 The use of pragma @code{Assert} is described in
24819 @ref{Pragma Assert,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}, but as an
24820 example, the last test could be written:
24822 @smallexample @c ada
24823 pragma Assert (Temperature <= 999.0, "Temperature Crazy");
24829 @smallexample @c ada
24830 pragma Assert (Temperature <= 999.0);
24834 In both cases, if assertions are active and the temperature is excessive,
24835 the exception @code{Assert_Failure} will be raised, with the given string in
24836 the first case or a string indicating the location of the pragma in the second
24837 case used as the exception message.
24839 You can turn assertions on and off by using the @code{Assertion_Policy}
24841 @cindex pragma @code{Assertion_Policy}
24842 This is an Ada 2005 pragma which is implemented in all modes by
24843 GNAT, but only in the latest versions of GNAT which include Ada 2005
24844 capability. Alternatively, you can use the @option{-gnata} switch
24845 @cindex @option{-gnata} switch
24846 to enable assertions from the command line (this is recognized by all versions
24849 For the example above with the @code{Put_Line}, the GNAT-specific pragma
24850 @code{Debug} can be used:
24851 @cindex pragma @code{Debug}
24853 @smallexample @c ada
24854 pragma Debug (Put_Line ("got to the first stage!"));
24858 If debug pragmas are enabled, the argument, which must be of the form of
24859 a procedure call, is executed (in this case, @code{Put_Line} will be called).
24860 Only one call can be present, but of course a special debugging procedure
24861 containing any code you like can be included in the program and then
24862 called in a pragma @code{Debug} argument as needed.
24864 One advantage of pragma @code{Debug} over the @code{if Debugging then}
24865 construct is that pragma @code{Debug} can appear in declarative contexts,
24866 such as at the very beginning of a procedure, before local declarations have
24869 Debug pragmas are enabled using either the @option{-gnata} switch that also
24870 controls assertions, or with a separate Debug_Policy pragma.
24871 @cindex pragma @code{Debug_Policy}
24872 The latter pragma is new in the Ada 2005 versions of GNAT (but it can be used
24873 in Ada 95 and Ada 83 programs as well), and is analogous to
24874 pragma @code{Assertion_Policy} to control assertions.
24876 @code{Assertion_Policy} and @code{Debug_Policy} are configuration pragmas,
24877 and thus they can appear in @file{gnat.adc} if you are not using a
24878 project file, or in the file designated to contain configuration pragmas
24880 They then apply to all subsequent compilations. In practice the use of
24881 the @option{-gnata} switch is often the most convenient method of controlling
24882 the status of these pragmas.
24884 Note that a pragma is not a statement, so in contexts where a statement
24885 sequence is required, you can't just write a pragma on its own. You have
24886 to add a @code{null} statement.
24888 @smallexample @c ada
24891 @dots{} -- some statements
24893 pragma Assert (Num_Cases < 10);
24900 @node Conditionalizing Declarations
24901 @section Conditionalizing Declarations
24904 In some cases, it may be necessary to conditionalize declarations to meet
24905 different requirements. For example we might want a bit string whose length
24906 is set to meet some hardware message requirement.
24908 In some cases, it may be possible to do this using declare blocks controlled
24909 by conditional constants:
24911 @smallexample @c ada
24913 if Small_Machine then
24915 X : Bit_String (1 .. 10);
24921 X : Large_Bit_String (1 .. 1000);
24930 Note that in this approach, both declarations are analyzed by the
24931 compiler so this can only be used where both declarations are legal,
24932 even though one of them will not be used.
24934 Another approach is to define integer constants, e.g.@: @code{Bits_Per_Word}, or
24935 Boolean constants, e.g.@: @code{Little_Endian}, and then write declarations
24936 that are parameterized by these constants. For example
24938 @smallexample @c ada
24941 Field1 at 0 range Boolean'Pos (Little_Endian) * 10 .. Bits_Per_Word;
24947 If @code{Bits_Per_Word} is set to 32, this generates either
24949 @smallexample @c ada
24952 Field1 at 0 range 0 .. 32;
24958 for the big endian case, or
24960 @smallexample @c ada
24963 Field1 at 0 range 10 .. 32;
24969 for the little endian case. Since a powerful subset of Ada expression
24970 notation is usable for creating static constants, clever use of this
24971 feature can often solve quite difficult problems in conditionalizing
24972 compilation (note incidentally that in Ada 95, the little endian
24973 constant was introduced as @code{System.Default_Bit_Order}, so you do not
24974 need to define this one yourself).
24977 @node Use of Alternative Implementations
24978 @section Use of Alternative Implementations
24981 In some cases, none of the approaches described above are adequate. This
24982 can occur for example if the set of declarations required is radically
24983 different for two different configurations.
24985 In this situation, the official Ada way of dealing with conditionalizing
24986 such code is to write separate units for the different cases. As long as
24987 this does not result in excessive duplication of code, this can be done
24988 without creating maintenance problems. The approach is to share common
24989 code as far as possible, and then isolate the code and declarations
24990 that are different. Subunits are often a convenient method for breaking
24991 out a piece of a unit that is to be conditionalized, with separate files
24992 for different versions of the subunit for different targets, where the
24993 build script selects the right one to give to the compiler.
24994 @cindex Subunits (and conditional compilation)
24996 As an example, consider a situation where a new feature in Ada 2005
24997 allows something to be done in a really nice way. But your code must be able
24998 to compile with an Ada 95 compiler. Conceptually you want to say:
25000 @smallexample @c ada
25003 @dots{} neat Ada 2005 code
25005 @dots{} not quite as neat Ada 95 code
25011 where @code{Ada_2005} is a Boolean constant.
25013 But this won't work when @code{Ada_2005} is set to @code{False},
25014 since the @code{then} clause will be illegal for an Ada 95 compiler.
25015 (Recall that although such unreachable code would eventually be deleted
25016 by the compiler, it still needs to be legal. If it uses features
25017 introduced in Ada 2005, it will be illegal in Ada 95.)
25019 So instead we write
25021 @smallexample @c ada
25022 procedure Insert is separate;
25026 Then we have two files for the subunit @code{Insert}, with the two sets of
25028 If the package containing this is called @code{File_Queries}, then we might
25032 @item @file{file_queries-insert-2005.adb}
25033 @item @file{file_queries-insert-95.adb}
25037 and the build script renames the appropriate file to
25040 file_queries-insert.adb
25044 and then carries out the compilation.
25046 This can also be done with project files' naming schemes. For example:
25048 @smallexample @c project
25049 For Body ("File_Queries.Insert") use "file_queries-insert-2005.ada";
25053 Note also that with project files it is desirable to use a different extension
25054 than @file{ads} / @file{adb} for alternative versions. Otherwise a naming
25055 conflict may arise through another commonly used feature: to declare as part
25056 of the project a set of directories containing all the sources obeying the
25057 default naming scheme.
25059 The use of alternative units is certainly feasible in all situations,
25060 and for example the Ada part of the GNAT run-time is conditionalized
25061 based on the target architecture using this approach. As a specific example,
25062 consider the implementation of the AST feature in VMS. There is one
25070 which is the same for all architectures, and three bodies:
25074 used for all non-VMS operating systems
25075 @item s-asthan-vms-alpha.adb
25076 used for VMS on the Alpha
25077 @item s-asthan-vms-ia64.adb
25078 used for VMS on the ia64
25082 The dummy version @file{s-asthan.adb} simply raises exceptions noting that
25083 this operating system feature is not available, and the two remaining
25084 versions interface with the corresponding versions of VMS to provide
25085 VMS-compatible AST handling. The GNAT build script knows the architecture
25086 and operating system, and automatically selects the right version,
25087 renaming it if necessary to @file{s-asthan.adb} before the run-time build.
25089 Another style for arranging alternative implementations is through Ada's
25090 access-to-subprogram facility.
25091 In case some functionality is to be conditionally included,
25092 you can declare an access-to-procedure variable @code{Ref} that is initialized
25093 to designate a ``do nothing'' procedure, and then invoke @code{Ref.all}
25095 In some library package, set @code{Ref} to @code{Proc'Access} for some
25096 procedure @code{Proc} that performs the relevant processing.
25097 The initialization only occurs if the library package is included in the
25099 The same idea can also be implemented using tagged types and dispatching
25103 @node Preprocessing
25104 @section Preprocessing
25105 @cindex Preprocessing
25108 Although it is quite possible to conditionalize code without the use of
25109 C-style preprocessing, as described earlier in this section, it is
25110 nevertheless convenient in some cases to use the C approach. Moreover,
25111 older Ada compilers have often provided some preprocessing capability,
25112 so legacy code may depend on this approach, even though it is not
25115 To accommodate such use, GNAT provides a preprocessor (modeled to a large
25116 extent on the various preprocessors that have been used
25117 with legacy code on other compilers, to enable easier transition).
25119 The preprocessor may be used in two separate modes. It can be used quite
25120 separately from the compiler, to generate a separate output source file
25121 that is then fed to the compiler as a separate step. This is the
25122 @code{gnatprep} utility, whose use is fully described in
25123 @ref{Preprocessing Using gnatprep}.
25124 @cindex @code{gnatprep}
25126 The preprocessing language allows such constructs as
25130 #if DEBUG or PRIORITY > 4 then
25131 bunch of declarations
25133 completely different bunch of declarations
25139 The values of the symbols @code{DEBUG} and @code{PRIORITY} can be
25140 defined either on the command line or in a separate file.
25142 The other way of running the preprocessor is even closer to the C style and
25143 often more convenient. In this approach the preprocessing is integrated into
25144 the compilation process. The compiler is fed the preprocessor input which
25145 includes @code{#if} lines etc, and then the compiler carries out the
25146 preprocessing internally and processes the resulting output.
25147 For more details on this approach, see @ref{Integrated Preprocessing}.
25150 @c *******************************
25151 @node Inline Assembler
25152 @appendix Inline Assembler
25153 @c *******************************
25156 If you need to write low-level software that interacts directly
25157 with the hardware, Ada provides two ways to incorporate assembly
25158 language code into your program. First, you can import and invoke
25159 external routines written in assembly language, an Ada feature fully
25160 supported by GNAT@. However, for small sections of code it may be simpler
25161 or more efficient to include assembly language statements directly
25162 in your Ada source program, using the facilities of the implementation-defined
25163 package @code{System.Machine_Code}, which incorporates the gcc
25164 Inline Assembler. The Inline Assembler approach offers a number of advantages,
25165 including the following:
25168 @item No need to use non-Ada tools
25169 @item Consistent interface over different targets
25170 @item Automatic usage of the proper calling conventions
25171 @item Access to Ada constants and variables
25172 @item Definition of intrinsic routines
25173 @item Possibility of inlining a subprogram comprising assembler code
25174 @item Code optimizer can take Inline Assembler code into account
25177 This chapter presents a series of examples to show you how to use
25178 the Inline Assembler. Although it focuses on the Intel x86,
25179 the general approach applies also to other processors.
25180 It is assumed that you are familiar with Ada
25181 and with assembly language programming.
25184 * Basic Assembler Syntax::
25185 * A Simple Example of Inline Assembler::
25186 * Output Variables in Inline Assembler::
25187 * Input Variables in Inline Assembler::
25188 * Inlining Inline Assembler Code::
25189 * Other Asm Functionality::
25192 @c ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
25193 @node Basic Assembler Syntax
25194 @section Basic Assembler Syntax
25197 The assembler used by GNAT and gcc is based not on the Intel assembly
25198 language, but rather on a language that descends from the AT&T Unix
25199 assembler @emph{as} (and which is often referred to as ``AT&T syntax'').
25200 The following table summarizes the main features of @emph{as} syntax
25201 and points out the differences from the Intel conventions.
25202 See the gcc @emph{as} and @emph{gas} (an @emph{as} macro
25203 pre-processor) documentation for further information.
25206 @item Register names
25207 gcc / @emph{as}: Prefix with ``%''; for example @code{%eax}
25209 Intel: No extra punctuation; for example @code{eax}
25211 @item Immediate operand
25212 gcc / @emph{as}: Prefix with ``$''; for example @code{$4}
25214 Intel: No extra punctuation; for example @code{4}
25217 gcc / @emph{as}: Prefix with ``$''; for example @code{$loc}
25219 Intel: No extra punctuation; for example @code{loc}
25221 @item Memory contents
25222 gcc / @emph{as}: No extra punctuation; for example @code{loc}
25224 Intel: Square brackets; for example @code{[loc]}
25226 @item Register contents
25227 gcc / @emph{as}: Parentheses; for example @code{(%eax)}
25229 Intel: Square brackets; for example @code{[eax]}
25231 @item Hexadecimal numbers
25232 gcc / @emph{as}: Leading ``0x'' (C language syntax); for example @code{0xA0}
25234 Intel: Trailing ``h''; for example @code{A0h}
25237 gcc / @emph{as}: Explicit in op code; for example @code{movw} to move
25240 Intel: Implicit, deduced by assembler; for example @code{mov}
25242 @item Instruction repetition
25243 gcc / @emph{as}: Split into two lines; for example
25249 Intel: Keep on one line; for example @code{rep stosl}
25251 @item Order of operands
25252 gcc / @emph{as}: Source first; for example @code{movw $4, %eax}
25254 Intel: Destination first; for example @code{mov eax, 4}
25257 @c ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
25258 @node A Simple Example of Inline Assembler
25259 @section A Simple Example of Inline Assembler
25262 The following example will generate a single assembly language statement,
25263 @code{nop}, which does nothing. Despite its lack of run-time effect,
25264 the example will be useful in illustrating the basics of
25265 the Inline Assembler facility.
25267 @smallexample @c ada
25269 with System.Machine_Code; use System.Machine_Code;
25270 procedure Nothing is
25277 @code{Asm} is a procedure declared in package @code{System.Machine_Code};
25278 here it takes one parameter, a @emph{template string} that must be a static
25279 expression and that will form the generated instruction.
25280 @code{Asm} may be regarded as a compile-time procedure that parses
25281 the template string and additional parameters (none here),
25282 from which it generates a sequence of assembly language instructions.
25284 The examples in this chapter will illustrate several of the forms
25285 for invoking @code{Asm}; a complete specification of the syntax
25286 is found in @ref{Machine Code Insertions,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference
25289 Under the standard GNAT conventions, the @code{Nothing} procedure
25290 should be in a file named @file{nothing.adb}.
25291 You can build the executable in the usual way:
25295 However, the interesting aspect of this example is not its run-time behavior
25296 but rather the generated assembly code.
25297 To see this output, invoke the compiler as follows:
25299 gcc -c -S -fomit-frame-pointer -gnatp @file{nothing.adb}
25301 where the options are:
25305 compile only (no bind or link)
25307 generate assembler listing
25308 @item -fomit-frame-pointer
25309 do not set up separate stack frames
25311 do not add runtime checks
25314 This gives a human-readable assembler version of the code. The resulting
25315 file will have the same name as the Ada source file, but with a @code{.s}
25316 extension. In our example, the file @file{nothing.s} has the following
25321 .file "nothing.adb"
25323 ___gnu_compiled_ada:
25326 .globl __ada_nothing
25338 The assembly code you included is clearly indicated by
25339 the compiler, between the @code{#APP} and @code{#NO_APP}
25340 delimiters. The character before the 'APP' and 'NOAPP'
25341 can differ on different targets. For example, GNU/Linux uses '#APP' while
25342 on NT you will see '/APP'.
25344 If you make a mistake in your assembler code (such as using the
25345 wrong size modifier, or using a wrong operand for the instruction) GNAT
25346 will report this error in a temporary file, which will be deleted when
25347 the compilation is finished. Generating an assembler file will help
25348 in such cases, since you can assemble this file separately using the
25349 @emph{as} assembler that comes with gcc.
25351 Assembling the file using the command
25354 as @file{nothing.s}
25357 will give you error messages whose lines correspond to the assembler
25358 input file, so you can easily find and correct any mistakes you made.
25359 If there are no errors, @emph{as} will generate an object file
25360 @file{nothing.out}.
25362 @c ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
25363 @node Output Variables in Inline Assembler
25364 @section Output Variables in Inline Assembler
25367 The examples in this section, showing how to access the processor flags,
25368 illustrate how to specify the destination operands for assembly language
25371 @smallexample @c ada
25373 with Interfaces; use Interfaces;
25374 with Ada.Text_IO; use Ada.Text_IO;
25375 with System.Machine_Code; use System.Machine_Code;
25376 procedure Get_Flags is
25377 Flags : Unsigned_32;
25380 Asm ("pushfl" & LF & HT & -- push flags on stack
25381 "popl %%eax" & LF & HT & -- load eax with flags
25382 "movl %%eax, %0", -- store flags in variable
25383 Outputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=g", Flags));
25384 Put_Line ("Flags register:" & Flags'Img);
25389 In order to have a nicely aligned assembly listing, we have separated
25390 multiple assembler statements in the Asm template string with linefeed
25391 (ASCII.LF) and horizontal tab (ASCII.HT) characters.
25392 The resulting section of the assembly output file is:
25399 movl %eax, -40(%ebp)
25404 It would have been legal to write the Asm invocation as:
25407 Asm ("pushfl popl %%eax movl %%eax, %0")
25410 but in the generated assembler file, this would come out as:
25414 pushfl popl %eax movl %eax, -40(%ebp)
25418 which is not so convenient for the human reader.
25420 We use Ada comments
25421 at the end of each line to explain what the assembler instructions
25422 actually do. This is a useful convention.
25424 When writing Inline Assembler instructions, you need to precede each register
25425 and variable name with a percent sign. Since the assembler already requires
25426 a percent sign at the beginning of a register name, you need two consecutive
25427 percent signs for such names in the Asm template string, thus @code{%%eax}.
25428 In the generated assembly code, one of the percent signs will be stripped off.
25430 Names such as @code{%0}, @code{%1}, @code{%2}, etc., denote input or output
25431 variables: operands you later define using @code{Input} or @code{Output}
25432 parameters to @code{Asm}.
25433 An output variable is illustrated in
25434 the third statement in the Asm template string:
25438 The intent is to store the contents of the eax register in a variable that can
25439 be accessed in Ada. Simply writing @code{movl %%eax, Flags} would not
25440 necessarily work, since the compiler might optimize by using a register
25441 to hold Flags, and the expansion of the @code{movl} instruction would not be
25442 aware of this optimization. The solution is not to store the result directly
25443 but rather to advise the compiler to choose the correct operand form;
25444 that is the purpose of the @code{%0} output variable.
25446 Information about the output variable is supplied in the @code{Outputs}
25447 parameter to @code{Asm}:
25449 Outputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=g", Flags));
25452 The output is defined by the @code{Asm_Output} attribute of the target type;
25453 the general format is
25455 Type'Asm_Output (constraint_string, variable_name)
25458 The constraint string directs the compiler how
25459 to store/access the associated variable. In the example
25461 Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=m", Flags);
25463 the @code{"m"} (memory) constraint tells the compiler that the variable
25464 @code{Flags} should be stored in a memory variable, thus preventing
25465 the optimizer from keeping it in a register. In contrast,
25467 Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=r", Flags);
25469 uses the @code{"r"} (register) constraint, telling the compiler to
25470 store the variable in a register.
25472 If the constraint is preceded by the equal character (@strong{=}), it tells
25473 the compiler that the variable will be used to store data into it.
25475 In the @code{Get_Flags} example, we used the @code{"g"} (global) constraint,
25476 allowing the optimizer to choose whatever it deems best.
25478 There are a fairly large number of constraints, but the ones that are
25479 most useful (for the Intel x86 processor) are the following:
25485 global (i.e.@: can be stored anywhere)
25503 use one of eax, ebx, ecx or edx
25505 use one of eax, ebx, ecx, edx, esi or edi
25508 The full set of constraints is described in the gcc and @emph{as}
25509 documentation; note that it is possible to combine certain constraints
25510 in one constraint string.
25512 You specify the association of an output variable with an assembler operand
25513 through the @code{%}@emph{n} notation, where @emph{n} is a non-negative
25515 @smallexample @c ada
25517 Asm ("pushfl" & LF & HT & -- push flags on stack
25518 "popl %%eax" & LF & HT & -- load eax with flags
25519 "movl %%eax, %0", -- store flags in variable
25520 Outputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=g", Flags));
25524 @code{%0} will be replaced in the expanded code by the appropriate operand,
25526 the compiler decided for the @code{Flags} variable.
25528 In general, you may have any number of output variables:
25531 Count the operands starting at 0; thus @code{%0}, @code{%1}, etc.
25533 Specify the @code{Outputs} parameter as a parenthesized comma-separated list
25534 of @code{Asm_Output} attributes
25538 @smallexample @c ada
25540 Asm ("movl %%eax, %0" & LF & HT &
25541 "movl %%ebx, %1" & LF & HT &
25543 Outputs => (Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=g", Var_A), -- %0 = Var_A
25544 Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=g", Var_B), -- %1 = Var_B
25545 Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=g", Var_C))); -- %2 = Var_C
25549 where @code{Var_A}, @code{Var_B}, and @code{Var_C} are variables
25550 in the Ada program.
25552 As a variation on the @code{Get_Flags} example, we can use the constraints
25553 string to direct the compiler to store the eax register into the @code{Flags}
25554 variable, instead of including the store instruction explicitly in the
25555 @code{Asm} template string:
25557 @smallexample @c ada
25559 with Interfaces; use Interfaces;
25560 with Ada.Text_IO; use Ada.Text_IO;
25561 with System.Machine_Code; use System.Machine_Code;
25562 procedure Get_Flags_2 is
25563 Flags : Unsigned_32;
25566 Asm ("pushfl" & LF & HT & -- push flags on stack
25567 "popl %%eax", -- save flags in eax
25568 Outputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=a", Flags));
25569 Put_Line ("Flags register:" & Flags'Img);
25575 The @code{"a"} constraint tells the compiler that the @code{Flags}
25576 variable will come from the eax register. Here is the resulting code:
25584 movl %eax,-40(%ebp)
25589 The compiler generated the store of eax into Flags after
25590 expanding the assembler code.
25592 Actually, there was no need to pop the flags into the eax register;
25593 more simply, we could just pop the flags directly into the program variable:
25595 @smallexample @c ada
25597 with Interfaces; use Interfaces;
25598 with Ada.Text_IO; use Ada.Text_IO;
25599 with System.Machine_Code; use System.Machine_Code;
25600 procedure Get_Flags_3 is
25601 Flags : Unsigned_32;
25604 Asm ("pushfl" & LF & HT & -- push flags on stack
25605 "pop %0", -- save flags in Flags
25606 Outputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=g", Flags));
25607 Put_Line ("Flags register:" & Flags'Img);
25612 @c ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
25613 @node Input Variables in Inline Assembler
25614 @section Input Variables in Inline Assembler
25617 The example in this section illustrates how to specify the source operands
25618 for assembly language statements.
25619 The program simply increments its input value by 1:
25621 @smallexample @c ada
25623 with Interfaces; use Interfaces;
25624 with Ada.Text_IO; use Ada.Text_IO;
25625 with System.Machine_Code; use System.Machine_Code;
25626 procedure Increment is
25628 function Incr (Value : Unsigned_32) return Unsigned_32 is
25629 Result : Unsigned_32;
25632 Inputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Input ("a", Value),
25633 Outputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=a", Result));
25637 Value : Unsigned_32;
25641 Put_Line ("Value before is" & Value'Img);
25642 Value := Incr (Value);
25643 Put_Line ("Value after is" & Value'Img);
25648 The @code{Outputs} parameter to @code{Asm} specifies
25649 that the result will be in the eax register and that it is to be stored
25650 in the @code{Result} variable.
25652 The @code{Inputs} parameter looks much like the @code{Outputs} parameter,
25653 but with an @code{Asm_Input} attribute.
25654 The @code{"="} constraint, indicating an output value, is not present.
25656 You can have multiple input variables, in the same way that you can have more
25657 than one output variable.
25659 The parameter count (%0, %1) etc, now starts at the first input
25660 statement, and continues with the output statements.
25661 When both parameters use the same variable, the
25662 compiler will treat them as the same %n operand, which is the case here.
25664 Just as the @code{Outputs} parameter causes the register to be stored into the
25665 target variable after execution of the assembler statements, so does the
25666 @code{Inputs} parameter cause its variable to be loaded into the register
25667 before execution of the assembler statements.
25669 Thus the effect of the @code{Asm} invocation is:
25671 @item load the 32-bit value of @code{Value} into eax
25672 @item execute the @code{incl %eax} instruction
25673 @item store the contents of eax into the @code{Result} variable
25676 The resulting assembler file (with @option{-O2} optimization) contains:
25679 _increment__incr.1:
25692 @c ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
25693 @node Inlining Inline Assembler Code
25694 @section Inlining Inline Assembler Code
25697 For a short subprogram such as the @code{Incr} function in the previous
25698 section, the overhead of the call and return (creating / deleting the stack
25699 frame) can be significant, compared to the amount of code in the subprogram
25700 body. A solution is to apply Ada's @code{Inline} pragma to the subprogram,
25701 which directs the compiler to expand invocations of the subprogram at the
25702 point(s) of call, instead of setting up a stack frame for out-of-line calls.
25703 Here is the resulting program:
25705 @smallexample @c ada
25707 with Interfaces; use Interfaces;
25708 with Ada.Text_IO; use Ada.Text_IO;
25709 with System.Machine_Code; use System.Machine_Code;
25710 procedure Increment_2 is
25712 function Incr (Value : Unsigned_32) return Unsigned_32 is
25713 Result : Unsigned_32;
25716 Inputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Input ("a", Value),
25717 Outputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=a", Result));
25720 pragma Inline (Increment);
25722 Value : Unsigned_32;
25726 Put_Line ("Value before is" & Value'Img);
25727 Value := Increment (Value);
25728 Put_Line ("Value after is" & Value'Img);
25733 Compile the program with both optimization (@option{-O2}) and inlining
25734 (@option{-gnatn}) enabled.
25736 The @code{Incr} function is still compiled as usual, but at the
25737 point in @code{Increment} where our function used to be called:
25742 call _increment__incr.1
25747 the code for the function body directly appears:
25760 thus saving the overhead of stack frame setup and an out-of-line call.
25762 @c ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
25763 @node Other Asm Functionality
25764 @section Other @code{Asm} Functionality
25767 This section describes two important parameters to the @code{Asm}
25768 procedure: @code{Clobber}, which identifies register usage;
25769 and @code{Volatile}, which inhibits unwanted optimizations.
25772 * The Clobber Parameter::
25773 * The Volatile Parameter::
25776 @c ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
25777 @node The Clobber Parameter
25778 @subsection The @code{Clobber} Parameter
25781 One of the dangers of intermixing assembly language and a compiled language
25782 such as Ada is that the compiler needs to be aware of which registers are
25783 being used by the assembly code. In some cases, such as the earlier examples,
25784 the constraint string is sufficient to indicate register usage (e.g.,
25786 the eax register). But more generally, the compiler needs an explicit
25787 identification of the registers that are used by the Inline Assembly
25790 Using a register that the compiler doesn't know about
25791 could be a side effect of an instruction (like @code{mull}
25792 storing its result in both eax and edx).
25793 It can also arise from explicit register usage in your
25794 assembly code; for example:
25797 Asm ("movl %0, %%ebx" & LF & HT &
25799 Inputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Input ("g", Var_In),
25800 Outputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=g", Var_Out));
25804 where the compiler (since it does not analyze the @code{Asm} template string)
25805 does not know you are using the ebx register.
25807 In such cases you need to supply the @code{Clobber} parameter to @code{Asm},
25808 to identify the registers that will be used by your assembly code:
25812 Asm ("movl %0, %%ebx" & LF & HT &
25814 Inputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Input ("g", Var_In),
25815 Outputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=g", Var_Out),
25820 The Clobber parameter is a static string expression specifying the
25821 register(s) you are using. Note that register names are @emph{not} prefixed
25822 by a percent sign. Also, if more than one register is used then their names
25823 are separated by commas; e.g., @code{"eax, ebx"}
25825 The @code{Clobber} parameter has several additional uses:
25827 @item Use ``register'' name @code{cc} to indicate that flags might have changed
25828 @item Use ``register'' name @code{memory} if you changed a memory location
25831 @c ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
25832 @node The Volatile Parameter
25833 @subsection The @code{Volatile} Parameter
25834 @cindex Volatile parameter
25837 Compiler optimizations in the presence of Inline Assembler may sometimes have
25838 unwanted effects. For example, when an @code{Asm} invocation with an input
25839 variable is inside a loop, the compiler might move the loading of the input
25840 variable outside the loop, regarding it as a one-time initialization.
25842 If this effect is not desired, you can disable such optimizations by setting
25843 the @code{Volatile} parameter to @code{True}; for example:
25845 @smallexample @c ada
25847 Asm ("movl %0, %%ebx" & LF & HT &
25849 Inputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Input ("g", Var_In),
25850 Outputs => Unsigned_32'Asm_Output ("=g", Var_Out),
25856 By default, @code{Volatile} is set to @code{False} unless there is no
25857 @code{Outputs} parameter.
25859 Although setting @code{Volatile} to @code{True} prevents unwanted
25860 optimizations, it will also disable other optimizations that might be
25861 important for efficiency. In general, you should set @code{Volatile}
25862 to @code{True} only if the compiler's optimizations have created
25864 @c END OF INLINE ASSEMBLER CHAPTER
25865 @c ===============================
25867 @c ***********************************
25868 @c * Compatibility and Porting Guide *
25869 @c ***********************************
25870 @node Compatibility and Porting Guide
25871 @appendix Compatibility and Porting Guide
25874 This chapter describes the compatibility issues that may arise between
25875 GNAT and other Ada compilation systems (including those for Ada 83),
25876 and shows how GNAT can expedite porting
25877 applications developed in other Ada environments.
25880 * Compatibility with Ada 83::
25881 * Compatibility between Ada 95 and Ada 2005::
25882 * Implementation-dependent characteristics::
25883 * Compatibility with Other Ada Systems::
25884 * Representation Clauses::
25886 @c Brief section is only in non-VMS version
25887 @c Full chapter is in VMS version
25888 * Compatibility with HP Ada 83::
25891 * Transitioning to 64-Bit GNAT for OpenVMS::
25895 @node Compatibility with Ada 83
25896 @section Compatibility with Ada 83
25897 @cindex Compatibility (between Ada 83 and Ada 95 / Ada 2005)
25900 Ada 95 and Ada 2005 are highly upwards compatible with Ada 83. In
25901 particular, the design intention was that the difficulties associated
25902 with moving from Ada 83 to Ada 95 or Ada 2005 should be no greater than those
25903 that occur when moving from one Ada 83 system to another.
25905 However, there are a number of points at which there are minor
25906 incompatibilities. The @cite{Ada 95 Annotated Reference Manual} contains
25907 full details of these issues,
25908 and should be consulted for a complete treatment.
25910 following subsections treat the most likely issues to be encountered.
25913 * Legal Ada 83 programs that are illegal in Ada 95::
25914 * More deterministic semantics::
25915 * Changed semantics::
25916 * Other language compatibility issues::
25919 @node Legal Ada 83 programs that are illegal in Ada 95
25920 @subsection Legal Ada 83 programs that are illegal in Ada 95
25922 Some legal Ada 83 programs are illegal (i.e., they will fail to compile) in
25923 Ada 95 and thus also in Ada 2005:
25926 @item Character literals
25927 Some uses of character literals are ambiguous. Since Ada 95 has introduced
25928 @code{Wide_Character} as a new predefined character type, some uses of
25929 character literals that were legal in Ada 83 are illegal in Ada 95.
25931 @smallexample @c ada
25932 for Char in 'A' .. 'Z' loop @dots{} end loop;
25936 The problem is that @code{'A'} and @code{'Z'} could be from either
25937 @code{Character} or @code{Wide_Character}. The simplest correction
25938 is to make the type explicit; e.g.:
25939 @smallexample @c ada
25940 for Char in Character range 'A' .. 'Z' loop @dots{} end loop;
25943 @item New reserved words
25944 The identifiers @code{abstract}, @code{aliased}, @code{protected},
25945 @code{requeue}, @code{tagged}, and @code{until} are reserved in Ada 95.
25946 Existing Ada 83 code using any of these identifiers must be edited to
25947 use some alternative name.
25949 @item Freezing rules
25950 The rules in Ada 95 are slightly different with regard to the point at
25951 which entities are frozen, and representation pragmas and clauses are
25952 not permitted past the freeze point. This shows up most typically in
25953 the form of an error message complaining that a representation item
25954 appears too late, and the appropriate corrective action is to move
25955 the item nearer to the declaration of the entity to which it refers.
25957 A particular case is that representation pragmas
25960 extended HP Ada 83 compatibility pragmas such as @code{Export_Procedure})
25962 cannot be applied to a subprogram body. If necessary, a separate subprogram
25963 declaration must be introduced to which the pragma can be applied.
25965 @item Optional bodies for library packages
25966 In Ada 83, a package that did not require a package body was nevertheless
25967 allowed to have one. This lead to certain surprises in compiling large
25968 systems (situations in which the body could be unexpectedly ignored by the
25969 binder). In Ada 95, if a package does not require a body then it is not
25970 permitted to have a body. To fix this problem, simply remove a redundant
25971 body if it is empty, or, if it is non-empty, introduce a dummy declaration
25972 into the spec that makes the body required. One approach is to add a private
25973 part to the package declaration (if necessary), and define a parameterless
25974 procedure called @code{Requires_Body}, which must then be given a dummy
25975 procedure body in the package body, which then becomes required.
25976 Another approach (assuming that this does not introduce elaboration
25977 circularities) is to add an @code{Elaborate_Body} pragma to the package spec,
25978 since one effect of this pragma is to require the presence of a package body.
25980 @item @code{Numeric_Error} is now the same as @code{Constraint_Error}
25981 In Ada 95, the exception @code{Numeric_Error} is a renaming of
25982 @code{Constraint_Error}.
25983 This means that it is illegal to have separate exception handlers for
25984 the two exceptions. The fix is simply to remove the handler for the
25985 @code{Numeric_Error} case (since even in Ada 83, a compiler was free to raise
25986 @code{Constraint_Error} in place of @code{Numeric_Error} in all cases).
25988 @item Indefinite subtypes in generics
25989 In Ada 83, it was permissible to pass an indefinite type (e.g.@: @code{String})
25990 as the actual for a generic formal private type, but then the instantiation
25991 would be illegal if there were any instances of declarations of variables
25992 of this type in the generic body. In Ada 95, to avoid this clear violation
25993 of the methodological principle known as the ``contract model'',
25994 the generic declaration explicitly indicates whether
25995 or not such instantiations are permitted. If a generic formal parameter
25996 has explicit unknown discriminants, indicated by using @code{(<>)} after the
25997 type name, then it can be instantiated with indefinite types, but no
25998 stand-alone variables can be declared of this type. Any attempt to declare
25999 such a variable will result in an illegality at the time the generic is
26000 declared. If the @code{(<>)} notation is not used, then it is illegal
26001 to instantiate the generic with an indefinite type.
26002 This is the potential incompatibility issue when porting Ada 83 code to Ada 95.
26003 It will show up as a compile time error, and
26004 the fix is usually simply to add the @code{(<>)} to the generic declaration.
26007 @node More deterministic semantics
26008 @subsection More deterministic semantics
26012 Conversions from real types to integer types round away from 0. In Ada 83
26013 the conversion Integer(2.5) could deliver either 2 or 3 as its value. This
26014 implementation freedom was intended to support unbiased rounding in
26015 statistical applications, but in practice it interfered with portability.
26016 In Ada 95 the conversion semantics are unambiguous, and rounding away from 0
26017 is required. Numeric code may be affected by this change in semantics.
26018 Note, though, that this issue is no worse than already existed in Ada 83
26019 when porting code from one vendor to another.
26022 The Real-Time Annex introduces a set of policies that define the behavior of
26023 features that were implementation dependent in Ada 83, such as the order in
26024 which open select branches are executed.
26027 @node Changed semantics
26028 @subsection Changed semantics
26031 The worst kind of incompatibility is one where a program that is legal in
26032 Ada 83 is also legal in Ada 95 but can have an effect in Ada 95 that was not
26033 possible in Ada 83. Fortunately this is extremely rare, but the one
26034 situation that you should be alert to is the change in the predefined type
26035 @code{Character} from 7-bit ASCII to 8-bit Latin-1.
26038 @item Range of type @code{Character}
26039 The range of @code{Standard.Character} is now the full 256 characters
26040 of Latin-1, whereas in most Ada 83 implementations it was restricted
26041 to 128 characters. Although some of the effects of
26042 this change will be manifest in compile-time rejection of legal
26043 Ada 83 programs it is possible for a working Ada 83 program to have
26044 a different effect in Ada 95, one that was not permitted in Ada 83.
26045 As an example, the expression
26046 @code{Character'Pos(Character'Last)} returned @code{127} in Ada 83 and now
26047 delivers @code{255} as its value.
26048 In general, you should look at the logic of any
26049 character-processing Ada 83 program and see whether it needs to be adapted
26050 to work correctly with Latin-1. Note that the predefined Ada 95 API has a
26051 character handling package that may be relevant if code needs to be adapted
26052 to account for the additional Latin-1 elements.
26053 The desirable fix is to
26054 modify the program to accommodate the full character set, but in some cases
26055 it may be convenient to define a subtype or derived type of Character that
26056 covers only the restricted range.
26060 @node Other language compatibility issues
26061 @subsection Other language compatibility issues
26064 @item @option{-gnat83} switch
26065 All implementations of GNAT provide a switch that causes GNAT to operate
26066 in Ada 83 mode. In this mode, some but not all compatibility problems
26067 of the type described above are handled automatically. For example, the
26068 new reserved words introduced in Ada 95 and Ada 2005 are treated simply
26069 as identifiers as in Ada 83.
26071 in practice, it is usually advisable to make the necessary modifications
26072 to the program to remove the need for using this switch.
26073 See @ref{Compiling Different Versions of Ada}.
26075 @item Support for removed Ada 83 pragmas and attributes
26076 A number of pragmas and attributes from Ada 83 were removed from Ada 95,
26077 generally because they were replaced by other mechanisms. Ada 95 and Ada 2005
26078 compilers are allowed, but not required, to implement these missing
26079 elements. In contrast with some other compilers, GNAT implements all
26080 such pragmas and attributes, eliminating this compatibility concern. These
26081 include @code{pragma Interface} and the floating point type attributes
26082 (@code{Emax}, @code{Mantissa}, etc.), among other items.
26086 @node Compatibility between Ada 95 and Ada 2005
26087 @section Compatibility between Ada 95 and Ada 2005
26088 @cindex Compatibility between Ada 95 and Ada 2005
26091 Although Ada 2005 was designed to be upwards compatible with Ada 95, there are
26092 a number of incompatibilities. Several are enumerated below;
26093 for a complete description please see the
26094 Annotated Ada 2005 Reference Manual, or section 9.1.1 in
26095 @cite{Rationale for Ada 2005}.
26098 @item New reserved words.
26099 The words @code{interface}, @code{overriding} and @code{synchronized} are
26100 reserved in Ada 2005.
26101 A pre-Ada 2005 program that uses any of these as an identifier will be
26104 @item New declarations in predefined packages.
26105 A number of packages in the predefined environment contain new declarations:
26106 @code{Ada.Exceptions}, @code{Ada.Real_Time}, @code{Ada.Strings},
26107 @code{Ada.Strings.Fixed}, @code{Ada.Strings.Bounded},
26108 @code{Ada.Strings.Unbounded}, @code{Ada.Strings.Wide_Fixed},
26109 @code{Ada.Strings.Wide_Bounded}, @code{Ada.Strings.Wide_Unbounded},
26110 @code{Ada.Tags}, @code{Ada.Text_IO}, and @code{Interfaces.C}.
26111 If an Ada 95 program does a @code{with} and @code{use} of any of these
26112 packages, the new declarations may cause name clashes.
26114 @item Access parameters.
26115 A nondispatching subprogram with an access parameter cannot be renamed
26116 as a dispatching operation. This was permitted in Ada 95.
26118 @item Access types, discriminants, and constraints.
26119 Rule changes in this area have led to some incompatibilities; for example,
26120 constrained subtypes of some access types are not permitted in Ada 2005.
26122 @item Aggregates for limited types.
26123 The allowance of aggregates for limited types in Ada 2005 raises the
26124 possibility of ambiguities in legal Ada 95 programs, since additional types
26125 now need to be considered in expression resolution.
26127 @item Fixed-point multiplication and division.
26128 Certain expressions involving ``*'' or ``/'' for a fixed-point type, which
26129 were legal in Ada 95 and invoked the predefined versions of these operations,
26131 The ambiguity may be resolved either by applying a type conversion to the
26132 expression, or by explicitly invoking the operation from package
26135 @item Return-by-reference types.
26136 The Ada 95 return-by-reference mechanism has been removed. Instead, the user
26137 can declare a function returning a value from an anonymous access type.
26141 @node Implementation-dependent characteristics
26142 @section Implementation-dependent characteristics
26144 Although the Ada language defines the semantics of each construct as
26145 precisely as practical, in some situations (for example for reasons of
26146 efficiency, or where the effect is heavily dependent on the host or target
26147 platform) the implementation is allowed some freedom. In porting Ada 83
26148 code to GNAT, you need to be aware of whether / how the existing code
26149 exercised such implementation dependencies. Such characteristics fall into
26150 several categories, and GNAT offers specific support in assisting the
26151 transition from certain Ada 83 compilers.
26154 * Implementation-defined pragmas::
26155 * Implementation-defined attributes::
26157 * Elaboration order::
26158 * Target-specific aspects::
26161 @node Implementation-defined pragmas
26162 @subsection Implementation-defined pragmas
26165 Ada compilers are allowed to supplement the language-defined pragmas, and
26166 these are a potential source of non-portability. All GNAT-defined pragmas
26167 are described in @ref{Implementation Defined Pragmas,,, gnat_rm, GNAT
26168 Reference Manual}, and these include several that are specifically
26169 intended to correspond to other vendors' Ada 83 pragmas.
26170 For migrating from VADS, the pragma @code{Use_VADS_Size} may be useful.
26171 For compatibility with HP Ada 83, GNAT supplies the pragmas
26172 @code{Extend_System}, @code{Ident}, @code{Inline_Generic},
26173 @code{Interface_Name}, @code{Passive}, @code{Suppress_All},
26174 and @code{Volatile}.
26175 Other relevant pragmas include @code{External} and @code{Link_With}.
26176 Some vendor-specific
26177 Ada 83 pragmas (@code{Share_Generic}, @code{Subtitle}, and @code{Title}) are
26179 avoiding compiler rejection of units that contain such pragmas; they are not
26180 relevant in a GNAT context and hence are not otherwise implemented.
26182 @node Implementation-defined attributes
26183 @subsection Implementation-defined attributes
26185 Analogous to pragmas, the set of attributes may be extended by an
26186 implementation. All GNAT-defined attributes are described in
26187 @ref{Implementation Defined Attributes,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference
26188 Manual}, and these include several that are specifically intended
26189 to correspond to other vendors' Ada 83 attributes. For migrating from VADS,
26190 the attribute @code{VADS_Size} may be useful. For compatibility with HP
26191 Ada 83, GNAT supplies the attributes @code{Bit}, @code{Machine_Size} and
26195 @subsection Libraries
26197 Vendors may supply libraries to supplement the standard Ada API. If Ada 83
26198 code uses vendor-specific libraries then there are several ways to manage
26199 this in Ada 95 or Ada 2005:
26202 If the source code for the libraries (specs and bodies) are
26203 available, then the libraries can be migrated in the same way as the
26206 If the source code for the specs but not the bodies are
26207 available, then you can reimplement the bodies.
26209 Some features introduced by Ada 95 obviate the need for library support. For
26210 example most Ada 83 vendors supplied a package for unsigned integers. The
26211 Ada 95 modular type feature is the preferred way to handle this need, so
26212 instead of migrating or reimplementing the unsigned integer package it may
26213 be preferable to retrofit the application using modular types.
26216 @node Elaboration order
26217 @subsection Elaboration order
26219 The implementation can choose any elaboration order consistent with the unit
26220 dependency relationship. This freedom means that some orders can result in
26221 Program_Error being raised due to an ``Access Before Elaboration'': an attempt
26222 to invoke a subprogram its body has been elaborated, or to instantiate a
26223 generic before the generic body has been elaborated. By default GNAT
26224 attempts to choose a safe order (one that will not encounter access before
26225 elaboration problems) by implicitly inserting @code{Elaborate} or
26226 @code{Elaborate_All} pragmas where
26227 needed. However, this can lead to the creation of elaboration circularities
26228 and a resulting rejection of the program by gnatbind. This issue is
26229 thoroughly described in @ref{Elaboration Order Handling in GNAT}.
26230 In brief, there are several
26231 ways to deal with this situation:
26235 Modify the program to eliminate the circularities, e.g.@: by moving
26236 elaboration-time code into explicitly-invoked procedures
26238 Constrain the elaboration order by including explicit @code{Elaborate_Body} or
26239 @code{Elaborate} pragmas, and then inhibit the generation of implicit
26240 @code{Elaborate_All}
26241 pragmas either globally (as an effect of the @option{-gnatE} switch) or locally
26242 (by selectively suppressing elaboration checks via pragma
26243 @code{Suppress(Elaboration_Check)} when it is safe to do so).
26246 @node Target-specific aspects
26247 @subsection Target-specific aspects
26249 Low-level applications need to deal with machine addresses, data
26250 representations, interfacing with assembler code, and similar issues. If
26251 such an Ada 83 application is being ported to different target hardware (for
26252 example where the byte endianness has changed) then you will need to
26253 carefully examine the program logic; the porting effort will heavily depend
26254 on the robustness of the original design. Moreover, Ada 95 (and thus
26255 Ada 2005) are sometimes
26256 incompatible with typical Ada 83 compiler practices regarding implicit
26257 packing, the meaning of the Size attribute, and the size of access values.
26258 GNAT's approach to these issues is described in @ref{Representation Clauses}.
26260 @node Compatibility with Other Ada Systems
26261 @section Compatibility with Other Ada Systems
26264 If programs avoid the use of implementation dependent and
26265 implementation defined features, as documented in the @cite{Ada
26266 Reference Manual}, there should be a high degree of portability between
26267 GNAT and other Ada systems. The following are specific items which
26268 have proved troublesome in moving Ada 95 programs from GNAT to other Ada 95
26269 compilers, but do not affect porting code to GNAT@.
26270 (As of @value{NOW}, GNAT is the only compiler available for Ada 2005;
26271 the following issues may or may not arise for Ada 2005 programs
26272 when other compilers appear.)
26275 @item Ada 83 Pragmas and Attributes
26276 Ada 95 compilers are allowed, but not required, to implement the missing
26277 Ada 83 pragmas and attributes that are no longer defined in Ada 95.
26278 GNAT implements all such pragmas and attributes, eliminating this as
26279 a compatibility concern, but some other Ada 95 compilers reject these
26280 pragmas and attributes.
26282 @item Specialized Needs Annexes
26283 GNAT implements the full set of special needs annexes. At the
26284 current time, it is the only Ada 95 compiler to do so. This means that
26285 programs making use of these features may not be portable to other Ada
26286 95 compilation systems.
26288 @item Representation Clauses
26289 Some other Ada 95 compilers implement only the minimal set of
26290 representation clauses required by the Ada 95 reference manual. GNAT goes
26291 far beyond this minimal set, as described in the next section.
26294 @node Representation Clauses
26295 @section Representation Clauses
26298 The Ada 83 reference manual was quite vague in describing both the minimal
26299 required implementation of representation clauses, and also their precise
26300 effects. Ada 95 (and thus also Ada 2005) are much more explicit, but the
26301 minimal set of capabilities required is still quite limited.
26303 GNAT implements the full required set of capabilities in
26304 Ada 95 and Ada 2005, but also goes much further, and in particular
26305 an effort has been made to be compatible with existing Ada 83 usage to the
26306 greatest extent possible.
26308 A few cases exist in which Ada 83 compiler behavior is incompatible with
26309 the requirements in Ada 95 (and thus also Ada 2005). These are instances of
26310 intentional or accidental dependence on specific implementation dependent
26311 characteristics of these Ada 83 compilers. The following is a list of
26312 the cases most likely to arise in existing Ada 83 code.
26315 @item Implicit Packing
26316 Some Ada 83 compilers allowed a Size specification to cause implicit
26317 packing of an array or record. This could cause expensive implicit
26318 conversions for change of representation in the presence of derived
26319 types, and the Ada design intends to avoid this possibility.
26320 Subsequent AI's were issued to make it clear that such implicit
26321 change of representation in response to a Size clause is inadvisable,
26322 and this recommendation is represented explicitly in the Ada 95 (and Ada 2005)
26323 Reference Manuals as implementation advice that is followed by GNAT@.
26324 The problem will show up as an error
26325 message rejecting the size clause. The fix is simply to provide
26326 the explicit pragma @code{Pack}, or for more fine tuned control, provide
26327 a Component_Size clause.
26329 @item Meaning of Size Attribute
26330 The Size attribute in Ada 95 (and Ada 2005) for discrete types is defined as
26331 the minimal number of bits required to hold values of the type. For example,
26332 on a 32-bit machine, the size of @code{Natural} will typically be 31 and not
26333 32 (since no sign bit is required). Some Ada 83 compilers gave 31, and
26334 some 32 in this situation. This problem will usually show up as a compile
26335 time error, but not always. It is a good idea to check all uses of the
26336 'Size attribute when porting Ada 83 code. The GNAT specific attribute
26337 Object_Size can provide a useful way of duplicating the behavior of
26338 some Ada 83 compiler systems.
26340 @item Size of Access Types
26341 A common assumption in Ada 83 code is that an access type is in fact a pointer,
26342 and that therefore it will be the same size as a System.Address value. This
26343 assumption is true for GNAT in most cases with one exception. For the case of
26344 a pointer to an unconstrained array type (where the bounds may vary from one
26345 value of the access type to another), the default is to use a ``fat pointer'',
26346 which is represented as two separate pointers, one to the bounds, and one to
26347 the array. This representation has a number of advantages, including improved
26348 efficiency. However, it may cause some difficulties in porting existing Ada 83
26349 code which makes the assumption that, for example, pointers fit in 32 bits on
26350 a machine with 32-bit addressing.
26352 To get around this problem, GNAT also permits the use of ``thin pointers'' for
26353 access types in this case (where the designated type is an unconstrained array
26354 type). These thin pointers are indeed the same size as a System.Address value.
26355 To specify a thin pointer, use a size clause for the type, for example:
26357 @smallexample @c ada
26358 type X is access all String;
26359 for X'Size use Standard'Address_Size;
26363 which will cause the type X to be represented using a single pointer.
26364 When using this representation, the bounds are right behind the array.
26365 This representation is slightly less efficient, and does not allow quite
26366 such flexibility in the use of foreign pointers or in using the
26367 Unrestricted_Access attribute to create pointers to non-aliased objects.
26368 But for any standard portable use of the access type it will work in
26369 a functionally correct manner and allow porting of existing code.
26370 Note that another way of forcing a thin pointer representation
26371 is to use a component size clause for the element size in an array,
26372 or a record representation clause for an access field in a record.
26376 @c This brief section is only in the non-VMS version
26377 @c The complete chapter on HP Ada is in the VMS version
26378 @node Compatibility with HP Ada 83
26379 @section Compatibility with HP Ada 83
26382 The VMS version of GNAT fully implements all the pragmas and attributes
26383 provided by HP Ada 83, as well as providing the standard HP Ada 83
26384 libraries, including Starlet. In addition, data layouts and parameter
26385 passing conventions are highly compatible. This means that porting
26386 existing HP Ada 83 code to GNAT in VMS systems should be easier than
26387 most other porting efforts. The following are some of the most
26388 significant differences between GNAT and HP Ada 83.
26391 @item Default floating-point representation
26392 In GNAT, the default floating-point format is IEEE, whereas in HP Ada 83,
26393 it is VMS format. GNAT does implement the necessary pragmas
26394 (Long_Float, Float_Representation) for changing this default.
26397 The package System in GNAT exactly corresponds to the definition in the
26398 Ada 95 reference manual, which means that it excludes many of the
26399 HP Ada 83 extensions. However, a separate package Aux_DEC is provided
26400 that contains the additional definitions, and a special pragma,
26401 Extend_System allows this package to be treated transparently as an
26402 extension of package System.
26405 The definitions provided by Aux_DEC are exactly compatible with those
26406 in the HP Ada 83 version of System, with one exception.
26407 HP Ada provides the following declarations:
26409 @smallexample @c ada
26410 TO_ADDRESS (INTEGER)
26411 TO_ADDRESS (UNSIGNED_LONGWORD)
26412 TO_ADDRESS (@i{universal_integer})
26416 The version of TO_ADDRESS taking a @i{universal integer} argument is in fact
26417 an extension to Ada 83 not strictly compatible with the reference manual.
26418 In GNAT, we are constrained to be exactly compatible with the standard,
26419 and this means we cannot provide this capability. In HP Ada 83, the
26420 point of this definition is to deal with a call like:
26422 @smallexample @c ada
26423 TO_ADDRESS (16#12777#);
26427 Normally, according to the Ada 83 standard, one would expect this to be
26428 ambiguous, since it matches both the INTEGER and UNSIGNED_LONGWORD forms
26429 of TO_ADDRESS@. However, in HP Ada 83, there is no ambiguity, since the
26430 definition using @i{universal_integer} takes precedence.
26432 In GNAT, since the version with @i{universal_integer} cannot be supplied, it
26433 is not possible to be 100% compatible. Since there are many programs using
26434 numeric constants for the argument to TO_ADDRESS, the decision in GNAT was
26435 to change the name of the function in the UNSIGNED_LONGWORD case, so the
26436 declarations provided in the GNAT version of AUX_Dec are:
26438 @smallexample @c ada
26439 function To_Address (X : Integer) return Address;
26440 pragma Pure_Function (To_Address);
26442 function To_Address_Long (X : Unsigned_Longword)
26444 pragma Pure_Function (To_Address_Long);
26448 This means that programs using TO_ADDRESS for UNSIGNED_LONGWORD must
26449 change the name to TO_ADDRESS_LONG@.
26451 @item Task_Id values
26452 The Task_Id values assigned will be different in the two systems, and GNAT
26453 does not provide a specified value for the Task_Id of the environment task,
26454 which in GNAT is treated like any other declared task.
26458 For full details on these and other less significant compatibility issues,
26459 see appendix E of the HP publication entitled @cite{HP Ada, Technical
26460 Overview and Comparison on HP Platforms}.
26462 For GNAT running on other than VMS systems, all the HP Ada 83 pragmas and
26463 attributes are recognized, although only a subset of them can sensibly
26464 be implemented. The description of pragmas in @ref{Implementation
26465 Defined Pragmas,,, gnat_rm, GNAT Reference Manual}
26466 indicates whether or not they are applicable to non-VMS systems.
26470 @node Transitioning to 64-Bit GNAT for OpenVMS
26471 @section Transitioning to 64-Bit @value{EDITION} for OpenVMS
26474 This section is meant to assist users of pre-2006 @value{EDITION}
26475 for Alpha OpenVMS who are transitioning to 64-bit @value{EDITION},
26476 the version of the GNAT technology supplied in 2006 and later for
26477 OpenVMS on both Alpha and I64.
26480 * Introduction to transitioning::
26481 * Migration of 32 bit code::
26482 * Taking advantage of 64 bit addressing::
26483 * Technical details::
26486 @node Introduction to transitioning
26487 @subsection Introduction
26490 64-bit @value{EDITION} for Open VMS has been designed to meet
26495 Providing a full conforming implementation of Ada 95 and Ada 2005
26498 Allowing maximum backward compatibility, thus easing migration of existing
26502 Supplying a path for exploiting the full 64-bit address range
26506 Ada's strong typing semantics has made it
26507 impractical to have different 32-bit and 64-bit modes. As soon as
26508 one object could possibly be outside the 32-bit address space, this
26509 would make it necessary for the @code{System.Address} type to be 64 bits.
26510 In particular, this would cause inconsistencies if 32-bit code is
26511 called from 64-bit code that raises an exception.
26513 This issue has been resolved by always using 64-bit addressing
26514 at the system level, but allowing for automatic conversions between
26515 32-bit and 64-bit addresses where required. Thus users who
26516 do not currently require 64-bit addressing capabilities, can
26517 recompile their code with only minimal changes (and indeed
26518 if the code is written in portable Ada, with no assumptions about
26519 the size of the @code{Address} type, then no changes at all are necessary).
26521 this approach provides a simple, gradual upgrade path to future
26522 use of larger memories than available for 32-bit systems.
26523 Also, newly written applications or libraries will by default
26524 be fully compatible with future systems exploiting 64-bit
26525 addressing capabilities.
26527 @ref{Migration of 32 bit code}, will focus on porting applications
26528 that do not require more than 2 GB of
26529 addressable memory. This code will be referred to as
26530 @emph{32-bit code}.
26531 For applications intending to exploit the full 64-bit address space,
26532 @ref{Taking advantage of 64 bit addressing},
26533 will consider further changes that may be required.
26534 Such code will be referred to below as @emph{64-bit code}.
26536 @node Migration of 32 bit code
26537 @subsection Migration of 32-bit code
26542 * Unchecked conversions::
26543 * Predefined constants::
26544 * Interfacing with C::
26545 * Experience with source compatibility::
26548 @node Address types
26549 @subsubsection Address types
26552 To solve the problem of mixing 64-bit and 32-bit addressing,
26553 while maintaining maximum backward compatibility, the following
26554 approach has been taken:
26558 @code{System.Address} always has a size of 64 bits
26561 @code{System.Short_Address} is a 32-bit subtype of @code{System.Address}
26565 Since @code{System.Short_Address} is a subtype of @code{System.Address},
26566 a @code{Short_Address}
26567 may be used where an @code{Address} is required, and vice versa, without
26568 needing explicit type conversions.
26569 By virtue of the Open VMS parameter passing conventions,
26571 and exported subprograms that have 32-bit address parameters are
26572 compatible with those that have 64-bit address parameters.
26573 (See @ref{Making code 64 bit clean} for details.)
26575 The areas that may need attention are those where record types have
26576 been defined that contain components of the type @code{System.Address}, and
26577 where objects of this type are passed to code expecting a record layout with
26580 Different compilers on different platforms cannot be
26581 expected to represent the same type in the same way,
26582 since alignment constraints
26583 and other system-dependent properties affect the compiler's decision.
26584 For that reason, Ada code
26585 generally uses representation clauses to specify the expected
26586 layout where required.
26588 If such a representation clause uses 32 bits for a component having
26589 the type @code{System.Address}, 64-bit @value{EDITION} for OpenVMS
26590 will detect that error and produce a specific diagnostic message.
26591 The developer should then determine whether the representation
26592 should be 64 bits or not and make either of two changes:
26593 change the size to 64 bits and leave the type as @code{System.Address}, or
26594 leave the size as 32 bits and change the type to @code{System.Short_Address}.
26595 Since @code{Short_Address} is a subtype of @code{Address}, no changes are
26596 required in any code setting or accessing the field; the compiler will
26597 automatically perform any needed conversions between address
26601 @subsubsection Access types
26604 By default, objects designated by access values are always
26605 allocated in the 32-bit
26606 address space. Thus legacy code will never contain
26607 any objects that are not addressable with 32-bit addresses, and
26608 the compiler will never raise exceptions as result of mixing
26609 32-bit and 64-bit addresses.
26611 However, the access values themselves are represented in 64 bits, for optimum
26612 performance and future compatibility with 64-bit code. As was
26613 the case with @code{System.Address}, the compiler will give an error message
26614 if an object or record component has a representation clause that
26615 requires the access value to fit in 32 bits. In such a situation,
26616 an explicit size clause for the access type, specifying 32 bits,
26617 will have the desired effect.
26619 General access types (declared with @code{access all}) can never be
26620 32 bits, as values of such types must be able to refer to any object
26621 of the designated type,
26622 including objects residing outside the 32-bit address range.
26623 Existing Ada 83 code will not contain such type definitions,
26624 however, since general access types were introduced in Ada 95.
26626 @node Unchecked conversions
26627 @subsubsection Unchecked conversions
26630 In the case of an @code{Unchecked_Conversion} where the source type is a
26631 64-bit access type or the type @code{System.Address}, and the target
26632 type is a 32-bit type, the compiler will generate a warning.
26633 Even though the generated code will still perform the required
26634 conversions, it is highly recommended in these cases to use
26635 respectively a 32-bit access type or @code{System.Short_Address}
26636 as the source type.
26638 @node Predefined constants
26639 @subsubsection Predefined constants
26642 The following table shows the correspondence between pre-2006 versions of
26643 @value{EDITION} on Alpha OpenVMS (``Old'') and 64-bit @value{EDITION}
26646 @multitable {@code{System.Short_Memory_Size}} {2**32} {2**64}
26647 @item @b{Constant} @tab @b{Old} @tab @b{New}
26648 @item @code{System.Word_Size} @tab 32 @tab 64
26649 @item @code{System.Memory_Size} @tab 2**32 @tab 2**64
26650 @item @code{System.Short_Memory_Size} @tab 2**32 @tab 2**32
26651 @item @code{System.Address_Size} @tab 32 @tab 64
26655 If you need to refer to the specific
26656 memory size of a 32-bit implementation, instead of the
26657 actual memory size, use @code{System.Short_Memory_Size}
26658 rather than @code{System.Memory_Size}.
26659 Similarly, references to @code{System.Address_Size} may need
26660 to be replaced by @code{System.Short_Address'Size}.
26661 The program @command{gnatfind} may be useful for locating
26662 references to the above constants, so that you can verify that they
26665 @node Interfacing with C
26666 @subsubsection Interfacing with C
26669 In order to minimize the impact of the transition to 64-bit addresses on
26670 legacy programs, some fundamental types in the @code{Interfaces.C}
26671 package hierarchy continue to be represented in 32 bits.
26672 These types are: @code{ptrdiff_t}, @code{size_t}, and @code{chars_ptr}.
26673 This eases integration with the default HP C layout choices, for example
26674 as found in the system routines in @code{DECC$SHR.EXE}.
26675 Because of this implementation choice, the type fully compatible with
26676 @code{chars_ptr} is now @code{Short_Address} and not @code{Address}.
26677 Depending on the context the compiler will issue a
26678 warning or an error when type @code{Address} is used, alerting the user to a
26679 potential problem. Otherwise 32-bit programs that use
26680 @code{Interfaces.C} should normally not require code modifications
26682 The other issue arising with C interfacing concerns pragma @code{Convention}.
26683 For VMS 64-bit systems, there is an issue of the appropriate default size
26684 of C convention pointers in the absence of an explicit size clause. The HP
26685 C compiler can choose either 32 or 64 bits depending on compiler options.
26686 GNAT chooses 32-bits rather than 64-bits in the default case where no size
26687 clause is given. This proves a better choice for porting 32-bit legacy
26688 applications. In order to have a 64-bit representation, it is necessary to
26689 specify a size representation clause. For example:
26691 @smallexample @c ada
26692 type int_star is access Interfaces.C.int;
26693 pragma Convention(C, int_star);
26694 for int_star'Size use 64; -- Necessary to get 64 and not 32 bits
26697 @node Experience with source compatibility
26698 @subsubsection Experience with source compatibility
26701 The Security Server and STARLET on I64 provide an interesting ``test case''
26702 for source compatibility issues, since it is in such system code
26703 where assumptions about @code{Address} size might be expected to occur.
26704 Indeed, there were a small number of occasions in the Security Server
26705 file @file{jibdef.ads}
26706 where a representation clause for a record type specified
26707 32 bits for a component of type @code{Address}.
26708 All of these errors were detected by the compiler.
26709 The repair was obvious and immediate; to simply replace @code{Address} by
26710 @code{Short_Address}.
26712 In the case of STARLET, there were several record types that should
26713 have had representation clauses but did not. In these record types
26714 there was an implicit assumption that an @code{Address} value occupied
26716 These compiled without error, but their usage resulted in run-time error
26717 returns from STARLET system calls.
26718 Future GNAT technology enhancements may include a tool that detects and flags
26719 these sorts of potential source code porting problems.
26721 @c ****************************************
26722 @node Taking advantage of 64 bit addressing
26723 @subsection Taking advantage of 64-bit addressing
26726 * Making code 64 bit clean::
26727 * Allocating memory from the 64 bit storage pool::
26728 * Restrictions on use of 64 bit objects::
26729 * Using 64 bit storage pools by default::
26730 * General access types::
26731 * STARLET and other predefined libraries::
26734 @node Making code 64 bit clean
26735 @subsubsection Making code 64-bit clean
26738 In order to prevent problems that may occur when (parts of) a
26739 system start using memory outside the 32-bit address range,
26740 we recommend some additional guidelines:
26744 For imported subprograms that take parameters of the
26745 type @code{System.Address}, ensure that these subprograms can
26746 indeed handle 64-bit addresses. If not, or when in doubt,
26747 change the subprogram declaration to specify
26748 @code{System.Short_Address} instead.
26751 Resolve all warnings related to size mismatches in
26752 unchecked conversions. Failing to do so causes
26753 erroneous execution if the source object is outside
26754 the 32-bit address space.
26757 (optional) Explicitly use the 32-bit storage pool
26758 for access types used in a 32-bit context, or use
26759 generic access types where possible
26760 (@pxref{Restrictions on use of 64 bit objects}).
26764 If these rules are followed, the compiler will automatically insert
26765 any necessary checks to ensure that no addresses or access values
26766 passed to 32-bit code ever refer to objects outside the 32-bit
26768 Any attempt to do this will raise @code{Constraint_Error}.
26770 @node Allocating memory from the 64 bit storage pool
26771 @subsubsection Allocating memory from the 64-bit storage pool
26774 For any access type @code{T} that potentially requires memory allocations
26775 beyond the 32-bit address space,
26776 use the following representation clause:
26778 @smallexample @c ada
26779 for T'Storage_Pool use System.Pool_64;
26782 @node Restrictions on use of 64 bit objects
26783 @subsubsection Restrictions on use of 64-bit objects
26786 Taking the address of an object allocated from a 64-bit storage pool,
26787 and then passing this address to a subprogram expecting
26788 @code{System.Short_Address},
26789 or assigning it to a variable of type @code{Short_Address}, will cause
26790 @code{Constraint_Error} to be raised. In case the code is not 64-bit clean
26791 (@pxref{Making code 64 bit clean}), or checks are suppressed,
26792 no exception is raised and execution
26793 will become erroneous.
26795 @node Using 64 bit storage pools by default
26796 @subsubsection Using 64-bit storage pools by default
26799 In some cases it may be desirable to have the compiler allocate
26800 from 64-bit storage pools by default. This may be the case for
26801 libraries that are 64-bit clean, but may be used in both 32-bit
26802 and 64-bit contexts. For these cases the following configuration
26803 pragma may be specified:
26805 @smallexample @c ada
26806 pragma Pool_64_Default;
26810 Any code compiled in the context of this pragma will by default
26811 use the @code{System.Pool_64} storage pool. This default may be overridden
26812 for a specific access type @code{T} by the representation clause:
26814 @smallexample @c ada
26815 for T'Storage_Pool use System.Pool_32;
26819 Any object whose address may be passed to a subprogram with a
26820 @code{Short_Address} argument, or assigned to a variable of type
26821 @code{Short_Address}, needs to be allocated from this pool.
26823 @node General access types
26824 @subsubsection General access types
26827 Objects designated by access values from a
26828 general access type (declared with @code{access all}) are never allocated
26829 from a 64-bit storage pool. Code that uses general access types will
26830 accept objects allocated in either 32-bit or 64-bit address spaces,
26831 but never allocate objects outside the 32-bit address space.
26832 Using general access types ensures maximum compatibility with both
26833 32-bit and 64-bit code.
26835 @node STARLET and other predefined libraries
26836 @subsubsection STARLET and other predefined libraries
26839 All code that comes as part of GNAT is 64-bit clean, but the
26840 restrictions given in @ref{Restrictions on use of 64 bit objects},
26841 still apply. Look at the package
26842 specs to see in which contexts objects allocated
26843 in 64-bit address space are acceptable.
26845 @node Technical details
26846 @subsection Technical details
26849 64-bit @value{EDITION} for Open VMS takes advantage of the freedom given in the
26850 Ada standard with respect to the type of @code{System.Address}. Previous
26851 versions of GNAT Pro have defined this type as private and implemented it as a
26854 In order to allow defining @code{System.Short_Address} as a proper subtype,
26855 and to match the implicit sign extension in parameter passing,
26856 in 64-bit @value{EDITION} for Open VMS, @code{System.Address} is defined as a
26857 visible (i.e., non-private) integer type.
26858 Standard operations on the type, such as the binary operators ``+'', ``-'',
26859 etc., that take @code{Address} operands and return an @code{Address} result,
26860 have been hidden by declaring these
26861 @code{abstract}, a feature introduced in Ada 95 that helps avoid the potential
26862 ambiguities that would otherwise result from overloading.
26863 (Note that, although @code{Address} is a visible integer type,
26864 good programming practice dictates against exploiting the type's
26865 integer properties such as literals, since this will compromise
26868 Defining @code{Address} as a visible integer type helps achieve
26869 maximum compatibility for existing Ada code,
26870 without sacrificing the capabilities of the 64-bit architecture.
26873 @c ************************************************
26875 @node Microsoft Windows Topics
26876 @appendix Microsoft Windows Topics
26882 This chapter describes topics that are specific to the Microsoft Windows
26883 platforms (NT, 2000, and XP Professional).
26886 * Using GNAT on Windows::
26887 * Using a network installation of GNAT::
26888 * CONSOLE and WINDOWS subsystems::
26889 * Temporary Files::
26890 * Mixed-Language Programming on Windows::
26891 * Windows Calling Conventions::
26892 * Introduction to Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs)::
26893 * Using DLLs with GNAT::
26894 * Building DLLs with GNAT::
26895 * Building DLLs with GNAT Project files::
26896 * Building DLLs with gnatdll::
26897 * GNAT and Windows Resources::
26898 * Debugging a DLL::
26899 * Setting Stack Size from gnatlink::
26900 * Setting Heap Size from gnatlink::
26903 @node Using GNAT on Windows
26904 @section Using GNAT on Windows
26907 One of the strengths of the GNAT technology is that its tool set
26908 (@command{gcc}, @command{gnatbind}, @command{gnatlink}, @command{gnatmake}, the
26909 @code{gdb} debugger, etc.) is used in the same way regardless of the
26912 On Windows this tool set is complemented by a number of Microsoft-specific
26913 tools that have been provided to facilitate interoperability with Windows
26914 when this is required. With these tools:
26919 You can build applications using the @code{CONSOLE} or @code{WINDOWS}
26923 You can use any Dynamically Linked Library (DLL) in your Ada code (both
26924 relocatable and non-relocatable DLLs are supported).
26927 You can build Ada DLLs for use in other applications. These applications
26928 can be written in a language other than Ada (e.g., C, C++, etc). Again both
26929 relocatable and non-relocatable Ada DLLs are supported.
26932 You can include Windows resources in your Ada application.
26935 You can use or create COM/DCOM objects.
26939 Immediately below are listed all known general GNAT-for-Windows restrictions.
26940 Other restrictions about specific features like Windows Resources and DLLs
26941 are listed in separate sections below.
26946 It is not possible to use @code{GetLastError} and @code{SetLastError}
26947 when tasking, protected records, or exceptions are used. In these
26948 cases, in order to implement Ada semantics, the GNAT run-time system
26949 calls certain Win32 routines that set the last error variable to 0 upon
26950 success. It should be possible to use @code{GetLastError} and
26951 @code{SetLastError} when tasking, protected record, and exception
26952 features are not used, but it is not guaranteed to work.
26955 It is not possible to link against Microsoft libraries except for
26956 import libraries. The library must be built to be compatible with
26957 @file{MSVCRT.LIB} (/MD Microsoft compiler option), @file{LIBC.LIB} and
26958 @file{LIBCMT.LIB} (/ML or /MT Microsoft compiler options) are known to
26959 not be compatible with the GNAT runtime. Even if the library is
26960 compatible with @file{MSVCRT.LIB} it is not guaranteed to work.
26963 When the compilation environment is located on FAT32 drives, users may
26964 experience recompilations of the source files that have not changed if
26965 Daylight Saving Time (DST) state has changed since the last time files
26966 were compiled. NTFS drives do not have this problem.
26969 No components of the GNAT toolset use any entries in the Windows
26970 registry. The only entries that can be created are file associations and
26971 PATH settings, provided the user has chosen to create them at installation
26972 time, as well as some minimal book-keeping information needed to correctly
26973 uninstall or integrate different GNAT products.
26976 @node Using a network installation of GNAT
26977 @section Using a network installation of GNAT
26980 Make sure the system on which GNAT is installed is accessible from the
26981 current machine, i.e., the install location is shared over the network.
26982 Shared resources are accessed on Windows by means of UNC paths, which
26983 have the format @code{\\server\sharename\path}
26985 In order to use such a network installation, simply add the UNC path of the
26986 @file{bin} directory of your GNAT installation in front of your PATH. For
26987 example, if GNAT is installed in @file{\GNAT} directory of a share location
26988 called @file{c-drive} on a machine @file{LOKI}, the following command will
26991 @code{@ @ @ path \\loki\c-drive\gnat\bin;%path%}
26993 Be aware that every compilation using the network installation results in the
26994 transfer of large amounts of data across the network and will likely cause
26995 serious performance penalty.
26997 @node CONSOLE and WINDOWS subsystems
26998 @section CONSOLE and WINDOWS subsystems
26999 @cindex CONSOLE Subsystem
27000 @cindex WINDOWS Subsystem
27004 There are two main subsystems under Windows. The @code{CONSOLE} subsystem
27005 (which is the default subsystem) will always create a console when
27006 launching the application. This is not something desirable when the
27007 application has a Windows GUI. To get rid of this console the
27008 application must be using the @code{WINDOWS} subsystem. To do so
27009 the @option{-mwindows} linker option must be specified.
27012 $ gnatmake winprog -largs -mwindows
27015 @node Temporary Files
27016 @section Temporary Files
27017 @cindex Temporary files
27020 It is possible to control where temporary files gets created by setting
27021 the @env{TMP} environment variable. The file will be created:
27024 @item Under the directory pointed to by the @env{TMP} environment variable if
27025 this directory exists.
27027 @item Under @file{c:\temp}, if the @env{TMP} environment variable is not
27028 set (or not pointing to a directory) and if this directory exists.
27030 @item Under the current working directory otherwise.
27034 This allows you to determine exactly where the temporary
27035 file will be created. This is particularly useful in networked
27036 environments where you may not have write access to some
27039 @node Mixed-Language Programming on Windows
27040 @section Mixed-Language Programming on Windows
27043 Developing pure Ada applications on Windows is no different than on
27044 other GNAT-supported platforms. However, when developing or porting an
27045 application that contains a mix of Ada and C/C++, the choice of your
27046 Windows C/C++ development environment conditions your overall
27047 interoperability strategy.
27049 If you use @command{gcc} to compile the non-Ada part of your application,
27050 there are no Windows-specific restrictions that affect the overall
27051 interoperability with your Ada code. If you plan to use
27052 Microsoft tools (e.g.@: Microsoft Visual C/C++), you should be aware of
27053 the following limitations:
27057 You cannot link your Ada code with an object or library generated with
27058 Microsoft tools if these use the @code{.tls} section (Thread Local
27059 Storage section) since the GNAT linker does not yet support this section.
27062 You cannot link your Ada code with an object or library generated with
27063 Microsoft tools if these use I/O routines other than those provided in
27064 the Microsoft DLL: @code{msvcrt.dll}. This is because the GNAT run time
27065 uses the services of @code{msvcrt.dll} for its I/Os. Use of other I/O
27066 libraries can cause a conflict with @code{msvcrt.dll} services. For
27067 instance Visual C++ I/O stream routines conflict with those in
27072 If you do want to use the Microsoft tools for your non-Ada code and hit one
27073 of the above limitations, you have two choices:
27077 Encapsulate your non-Ada code in a DLL to be linked with your Ada
27078 application. In this case, use the Microsoft or whatever environment to
27079 build the DLL and use GNAT to build your executable
27080 (@pxref{Using DLLs with GNAT}).
27083 Or you can encapsulate your Ada code in a DLL to be linked with the
27084 other part of your application. In this case, use GNAT to build the DLL
27085 (@pxref{Building DLLs with GNAT}) and use the Microsoft or whatever
27086 environment to build your executable.
27089 @node Windows Calling Conventions
27090 @section Windows Calling Conventions
27095 * C Calling Convention::
27096 * Stdcall Calling Convention::
27097 * Win32 Calling Convention::
27098 * DLL Calling Convention::
27102 When a subprogram @code{F} (caller) calls a subprogram @code{G}
27103 (callee), there are several ways to push @code{G}'s parameters on the
27104 stack and there are several possible scenarios to clean up the stack
27105 upon @code{G}'s return. A calling convention is an agreed upon software
27106 protocol whereby the responsibilities between the caller (@code{F}) and
27107 the callee (@code{G}) are clearly defined. Several calling conventions
27108 are available for Windows:
27112 @code{C} (Microsoft defined)
27115 @code{Stdcall} (Microsoft defined)
27118 @code{Win32} (GNAT specific)
27121 @code{DLL} (GNAT specific)
27124 @node C Calling Convention
27125 @subsection @code{C} Calling Convention
27128 This is the default calling convention used when interfacing to C/C++
27129 routines compiled with either @command{gcc} or Microsoft Visual C++.
27131 In the @code{C} calling convention subprogram parameters are pushed on the
27132 stack by the caller from right to left. The caller itself is in charge of
27133 cleaning up the stack after the call. In addition, the name of a routine
27134 with @code{C} calling convention is mangled by adding a leading underscore.
27136 The name to use on the Ada side when importing (or exporting) a routine
27137 with @code{C} calling convention is the name of the routine. For
27138 instance the C function:
27141 int get_val (long);
27145 should be imported from Ada as follows:
27147 @smallexample @c ada
27149 function Get_Val (V : Interfaces.C.long) return Interfaces.C.int;
27150 pragma Import (C, Get_Val, External_Name => "get_val");
27155 Note that in this particular case the @code{External_Name} parameter could
27156 have been omitted since, when missing, this parameter is taken to be the
27157 name of the Ada entity in lower case. When the @code{Link_Name} parameter
27158 is missing, as in the above example, this parameter is set to be the
27159 @code{External_Name} with a leading underscore.
27161 When importing a variable defined in C, you should always use the @code{C}
27162 calling convention unless the object containing the variable is part of a
27163 DLL (in which case you should use the @code{Stdcall} calling
27164 convention, @pxref{Stdcall Calling Convention}).
27166 @node Stdcall Calling Convention
27167 @subsection @code{Stdcall} Calling Convention
27170 This convention, which was the calling convention used for Pascal
27171 programs, is used by Microsoft for all the routines in the Win32 API for
27172 efficiency reasons. It must be used to import any routine for which this
27173 convention was specified.
27175 In the @code{Stdcall} calling convention subprogram parameters are pushed
27176 on the stack by the caller from right to left. The callee (and not the
27177 caller) is in charge of cleaning the stack on routine exit. In addition,
27178 the name of a routine with @code{Stdcall} calling convention is mangled by
27179 adding a leading underscore (as for the @code{C} calling convention) and a
27180 trailing @code{@@}@code{@var{nn}}, where @var{nn} is the overall size (in
27181 bytes) of the parameters passed to the routine.
27183 The name to use on the Ada side when importing a C routine with a
27184 @code{Stdcall} calling convention is the name of the C routine. The leading
27185 underscore and trailing @code{@@}@code{@var{nn}} are added automatically by
27186 the compiler. For instance the Win32 function:
27189 @b{APIENTRY} int get_val (long);
27193 should be imported from Ada as follows:
27195 @smallexample @c ada
27197 function Get_Val (V : Interfaces.C.long) return Interfaces.C.int;
27198 pragma Import (Stdcall, Get_Val);
27199 -- On the x86 a long is 4 bytes, so the Link_Name is "_get_val@@4"
27204 As for the @code{C} calling convention, when the @code{External_Name}
27205 parameter is missing, it is taken to be the name of the Ada entity in lower
27206 case. If instead of writing the above import pragma you write:
27208 @smallexample @c ada
27210 function Get_Val (V : Interfaces.C.long) return Interfaces.C.int;
27211 pragma Import (Stdcall, Get_Val, External_Name => "retrieve_val");
27216 then the imported routine is @code{_retrieve_val@@4}. However, if instead
27217 of specifying the @code{External_Name} parameter you specify the
27218 @code{Link_Name} as in the following example:
27220 @smallexample @c ada
27222 function Get_Val (V : Interfaces.C.long) return Interfaces.C.int;
27223 pragma Import (Stdcall, Get_Val, Link_Name => "retrieve_val");
27228 then the imported routine is @code{retrieve_val}, that is, there is no
27229 decoration at all. No leading underscore and no Stdcall suffix
27230 @code{@@}@code{@var{nn}}.
27233 This is especially important as in some special cases a DLL's entry
27234 point name lacks a trailing @code{@@}@code{@var{nn}} while the exported
27235 name generated for a call has it.
27238 It is also possible to import variables defined in a DLL by using an
27239 import pragma for a variable. As an example, if a DLL contains a
27240 variable defined as:
27247 then, to access this variable from Ada you should write:
27249 @smallexample @c ada
27251 My_Var : Interfaces.C.int;
27252 pragma Import (Stdcall, My_Var);
27257 Note that to ease building cross-platform bindings this convention
27258 will be handled as a @code{C} calling convention on non-Windows platforms.
27260 @node Win32 Calling Convention
27261 @subsection @code{Win32} Calling Convention
27264 This convention, which is GNAT-specific is fully equivalent to the
27265 @code{Stdcall} calling convention described above.
27267 @node DLL Calling Convention
27268 @subsection @code{DLL} Calling Convention
27271 This convention, which is GNAT-specific is fully equivalent to the
27272 @code{Stdcall} calling convention described above.
27274 @node Introduction to Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs)
27275 @section Introduction to Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs)
27279 A Dynamically Linked Library (DLL) is a library that can be shared by
27280 several applications running under Windows. A DLL can contain any number of
27281 routines and variables.
27283 One advantage of DLLs is that you can change and enhance them without
27284 forcing all the applications that depend on them to be relinked or
27285 recompiled. However, you should be aware than all calls to DLL routines are
27286 slower since, as you will understand below, such calls are indirect.
27288 To illustrate the remainder of this section, suppose that an application
27289 wants to use the services of a DLL @file{API.dll}. To use the services
27290 provided by @file{API.dll} you must statically link against the DLL or
27291 an import library which contains a jump table with an entry for each
27292 routine and variable exported by the DLL. In the Microsoft world this
27293 import library is called @file{API.lib}. When using GNAT this import
27294 library is called either @file{libAPI.dll.a}, @file{libapi.dll.a},
27295 @file{libAPI.a} or @file{libapi.a} (names are case insensitive).
27297 After you have linked your application with the DLL or the import library
27298 and you run your application, here is what happens:
27302 Your application is loaded into memory.
27305 The DLL @file{API.dll} is mapped into the address space of your
27306 application. This means that:
27310 The DLL will use the stack of the calling thread.
27313 The DLL will use the virtual address space of the calling process.
27316 The DLL will allocate memory from the virtual address space of the calling
27320 Handles (pointers) can be safely exchanged between routines in the DLL
27321 routines and routines in the application using the DLL.
27325 The entries in the jump table (from the import library @file{libAPI.dll.a}
27326 or @file{API.lib} or automatically created when linking against a DLL)
27327 which is part of your application are initialized with the addresses
27328 of the routines and variables in @file{API.dll}.
27331 If present in @file{API.dll}, routines @code{DllMain} or
27332 @code{DllMainCRTStartup} are invoked. These routines typically contain
27333 the initialization code needed for the well-being of the routines and
27334 variables exported by the DLL.
27338 There is an additional point which is worth mentioning. In the Windows
27339 world there are two kind of DLLs: relocatable and non-relocatable
27340 DLLs. Non-relocatable DLLs can only be loaded at a very specific address
27341 in the target application address space. If the addresses of two
27342 non-relocatable DLLs overlap and these happen to be used by the same
27343 application, a conflict will occur and the application will run
27344 incorrectly. Hence, when possible, it is always preferable to use and
27345 build relocatable DLLs. Both relocatable and non-relocatable DLLs are
27346 supported by GNAT. Note that the @option{-s} linker option (see GNU Linker
27347 User's Guide) removes the debugging symbols from the DLL but the DLL can
27348 still be relocated.
27350 As a side note, an interesting difference between Microsoft DLLs and
27351 Unix shared libraries, is the fact that on most Unix systems all public
27352 routines are exported by default in a Unix shared library, while under
27353 Windows it is possible (but not required) to list exported routines in
27354 a definition file (@pxref{The Definition File}).
27356 @node Using DLLs with GNAT
27357 @section Using DLLs with GNAT
27360 * Creating an Ada Spec for the DLL Services::
27361 * Creating an Import Library::
27365 To use the services of a DLL, say @file{API.dll}, in your Ada application
27370 The Ada spec for the routines and/or variables you want to access in
27371 @file{API.dll}. If not available this Ada spec must be built from the C/C++
27372 header files provided with the DLL.
27375 The import library (@file{libAPI.dll.a} or @file{API.lib}). As previously
27376 mentioned an import library is a statically linked library containing the
27377 import table which will be filled at load time to point to the actual
27378 @file{API.dll} routines. Sometimes you don't have an import library for the
27379 DLL you want to use. The following sections will explain how to build
27380 one. Note that this is optional.
27383 The actual DLL, @file{API.dll}.
27387 Once you have all the above, to compile an Ada application that uses the
27388 services of @file{API.dll} and whose main subprogram is @code{My_Ada_App},
27389 you simply issue the command
27392 $ gnatmake my_ada_app -largs -lAPI
27396 The argument @option{-largs -lAPI} at the end of the @command{gnatmake} command
27397 tells the GNAT linker to look first for a library named @file{API.lib}
27398 (Microsoft-style name) and if not found for a libraries named
27399 @file{libAPI.dll.a}, @file{API.dll.a} or @file{libAPI.a}.
27400 (GNAT-style name). Note that if the Ada package spec for @file{API.dll}
27401 contains the following pragma
27403 @smallexample @c ada
27404 pragma Linker_Options ("-lAPI");
27408 you do not have to add @option{-largs -lAPI} at the end of the
27409 @command{gnatmake} command.
27411 If any one of the items above is missing you will have to create it
27412 yourself. The following sections explain how to do so using as an
27413 example a fictitious DLL called @file{API.dll}.
27415 @node Creating an Ada Spec for the DLL Services
27416 @subsection Creating an Ada Spec for the DLL Services
27419 A DLL typically comes with a C/C++ header file which provides the
27420 definitions of the routines and variables exported by the DLL. The Ada
27421 equivalent of this header file is a package spec that contains definitions
27422 for the imported entities. If the DLL you intend to use does not come with
27423 an Ada spec you have to generate one such spec yourself. For example if
27424 the header file of @file{API.dll} is a file @file{api.h} containing the
27425 following two definitions:
27437 then the equivalent Ada spec could be:
27439 @smallexample @c ada
27442 with Interfaces.C.Strings;
27447 function Get (Str : C.Strings.Chars_Ptr) return C.int;
27450 pragma Import (C, Get);
27451 pragma Import (DLL, Some_Var);
27458 Note that a variable is
27459 @strong{always imported with a Stdcall convention}. A function
27460 can have @code{C} or @code{Stdcall} convention.
27461 (@pxref{Windows Calling Conventions}).
27463 @node Creating an Import Library
27464 @subsection Creating an Import Library
27465 @cindex Import library
27468 * The Definition File::
27469 * GNAT-Style Import Library::
27470 * Microsoft-Style Import Library::
27474 If a Microsoft-style import library @file{API.lib} or a GNAT-style
27475 import library @file{libAPI.dll.a} or @file{libAPI.a} is available
27476 with @file{API.dll} you can skip this section. You can also skip this
27477 section if @file{API.dll} or @file{libAPI.dll} is built with GNU tools
27478 as in this case it is possible to link directly against the
27479 DLL. Otherwise read on.
27481 @node The Definition File
27482 @subsubsection The Definition File
27483 @cindex Definition file
27487 As previously mentioned, and unlike Unix systems, the list of symbols
27488 that are exported from a DLL must be provided explicitly in Windows.
27489 The main goal of a definition file is precisely that: list the symbols
27490 exported by a DLL. A definition file (usually a file with a @code{.def}
27491 suffix) has the following structure:
27496 @r{[}LIBRARY @var{name}@r{]}
27497 @r{[}DESCRIPTION @var{string}@r{]}
27507 @item LIBRARY @var{name}
27508 This section, which is optional, gives the name of the DLL.
27510 @item DESCRIPTION @var{string}
27511 This section, which is optional, gives a description string that will be
27512 embedded in the import library.
27515 This section gives the list of exported symbols (procedures, functions or
27516 variables). For instance in the case of @file{API.dll} the @code{EXPORTS}
27517 section of @file{API.def} looks like:
27531 Note that you must specify the correct suffix (@code{@@}@code{@var{nn}})
27532 (@pxref{Windows Calling Conventions}) for a Stdcall
27533 calling convention function in the exported symbols list.
27536 There can actually be other sections in a definition file, but these
27537 sections are not relevant to the discussion at hand.
27539 @node GNAT-Style Import Library
27540 @subsubsection GNAT-Style Import Library
27543 To create a static import library from @file{API.dll} with the GNAT tools
27544 you should proceed as follows:
27548 Create the definition file @file{API.def} (@pxref{The Definition File}).
27549 For that use the @code{dll2def} tool as follows:
27552 $ dll2def API.dll > API.def
27556 @code{dll2def} is a very simple tool: it takes as input a DLL and prints
27557 to standard output the list of entry points in the DLL. Note that if
27558 some routines in the DLL have the @code{Stdcall} convention
27559 (@pxref{Windows Calling Conventions}) with stripped @code{@@}@var{nn}
27560 suffix then you'll have to edit @file{api.def} to add it, and specify
27561 @option{-k} to @command{gnatdll} when creating the import library.
27564 Here are some hints to find the right @code{@@}@var{nn} suffix.
27568 If you have the Microsoft import library (.lib), it is possible to get
27569 the right symbols by using Microsoft @code{dumpbin} tool (see the
27570 corresponding Microsoft documentation for further details).
27573 $ dumpbin /exports api.lib
27577 If you have a message about a missing symbol at link time the compiler
27578 tells you what symbol is expected. You just have to go back to the
27579 definition file and add the right suffix.
27583 Build the import library @code{libAPI.dll.a}, using @code{gnatdll}
27584 (@pxref{Using gnatdll}) as follows:
27587 $ gnatdll -e API.def -d API.dll
27591 @code{gnatdll} takes as input a definition file @file{API.def} and the
27592 name of the DLL containing the services listed in the definition file
27593 @file{API.dll}. The name of the static import library generated is
27594 computed from the name of the definition file as follows: if the
27595 definition file name is @var{xyz}@code{.def}, the import library name will
27596 be @code{lib}@var{xyz}@code{.a}. Note that in the previous example option
27597 @option{-e} could have been removed because the name of the definition
27598 file (before the ``@code{.def}'' suffix) is the same as the name of the
27599 DLL (@pxref{Using gnatdll} for more information about @code{gnatdll}).
27602 @node Microsoft-Style Import Library
27603 @subsubsection Microsoft-Style Import Library
27606 With GNAT you can either use a GNAT-style or Microsoft-style import
27607 library. A Microsoft import library is needed only if you plan to make an
27608 Ada DLL available to applications developed with Microsoft
27609 tools (@pxref{Mixed-Language Programming on Windows}).
27611 To create a Microsoft-style import library for @file{API.dll} you
27612 should proceed as follows:
27616 Create the definition file @file{API.def} from the DLL. For this use either
27617 the @code{dll2def} tool as described above or the Microsoft @code{dumpbin}
27618 tool (see the corresponding Microsoft documentation for further details).
27621 Build the actual import library using Microsoft's @code{lib} utility:
27624 $ lib -machine:IX86 -def:API.def -out:API.lib
27628 If you use the above command the definition file @file{API.def} must
27629 contain a line giving the name of the DLL:
27636 See the Microsoft documentation for further details about the usage of
27640 @node Building DLLs with GNAT
27641 @section Building DLLs with GNAT
27642 @cindex DLLs, building
27645 This section explain how to build DLLs using the GNAT built-in DLL
27646 support. With the following procedure it is straight forward to build
27647 and use DLLs with GNAT.
27651 @item building object files
27653 The first step is to build all objects files that are to be included
27654 into the DLL. This is done by using the standard @command{gnatmake} tool.
27656 @item building the DLL
27658 To build the DLL you must use @command{gcc}'s @option{-shared}
27659 option. It is quite simple to use this method:
27662 $ gcc -shared -o api.dll obj1.o obj2.o @dots{}
27665 It is important to note that in this case all symbols found in the
27666 object files are automatically exported. It is possible to restrict
27667 the set of symbols to export by passing to @command{gcc} a definition
27668 file, @pxref{The Definition File}. For example:
27671 $ gcc -shared -o api.dll api.def obj1.o obj2.o @dots{}
27674 If you use a definition file you must export the elaboration procedures
27675 for every package that required one. Elaboration procedures are named
27676 using the package name followed by "_E".
27678 @item preparing DLL to be used
27680 For the DLL to be used by client programs the bodies must be hidden
27681 from it and the .ali set with read-only attribute. This is very important
27682 otherwise GNAT will recompile all packages and will not actually use
27683 the code in the DLL. For example:
27687 $ copy *.ads *.ali api.dll apilib
27688 $ attrib +R apilib\*.ali
27693 At this point it is possible to use the DLL by directly linking
27694 against it. Note that you must use the GNAT shared runtime when using
27695 GNAT shared libraries. This is achieved by using @option{-shared} binder's
27699 $ gnatmake main -Iapilib -bargs -shared -largs -Lapilib -lAPI
27702 @node Building DLLs with GNAT Project files
27703 @section Building DLLs with GNAT Project files
27704 @cindex DLLs, building
27707 There is nothing specific to Windows in the build process.
27708 @pxref{Library Projects}.
27711 Due to a system limitation, it is not possible under Windows to create threads
27712 when inside the @code{DllMain} routine which is used for auto-initialization
27713 of shared libraries, so it is not possible to have library level tasks in SALs.
27715 @node Building DLLs with gnatdll
27716 @section Building DLLs with gnatdll
27717 @cindex DLLs, building
27720 * Limitations When Using Ada DLLs from Ada::
27721 * Exporting Ada Entities::
27722 * Ada DLLs and Elaboration::
27723 * Ada DLLs and Finalization::
27724 * Creating a Spec for Ada DLLs::
27725 * Creating the Definition File::
27730 Note that it is preferred to use the built-in GNAT DLL support
27731 (@pxref{Building DLLs with GNAT}) or GNAT Project files
27732 (@pxref{Building DLLs with GNAT Project files}) to build DLLs.
27734 This section explains how to build DLLs containing Ada code using
27735 @code{gnatdll}. These DLLs will be referred to as Ada DLLs in the
27736 remainder of this section.
27738 The steps required to build an Ada DLL that is to be used by Ada as well as
27739 non-Ada applications are as follows:
27743 You need to mark each Ada @i{entity} exported by the DLL with a @code{C} or
27744 @code{Stdcall} calling convention to avoid any Ada name mangling for the
27745 entities exported by the DLL (@pxref{Exporting Ada Entities}). You can
27746 skip this step if you plan to use the Ada DLL only from Ada applications.
27749 Your Ada code must export an initialization routine which calls the routine
27750 @code{adainit} generated by @command{gnatbind} to perform the elaboration of
27751 the Ada code in the DLL (@pxref{Ada DLLs and Elaboration}). The initialization
27752 routine exported by the Ada DLL must be invoked by the clients of the DLL
27753 to initialize the DLL.
27756 When useful, the DLL should also export a finalization routine which calls
27757 routine @code{adafinal} generated by @command{gnatbind} to perform the
27758 finalization of the Ada code in the DLL (@pxref{Ada DLLs and Finalization}).
27759 The finalization routine exported by the Ada DLL must be invoked by the
27760 clients of the DLL when the DLL services are no further needed.
27763 You must provide a spec for the services exported by the Ada DLL in each
27764 of the programming languages to which you plan to make the DLL available.
27767 You must provide a definition file listing the exported entities
27768 (@pxref{The Definition File}).
27771 Finally you must use @code{gnatdll} to produce the DLL and the import
27772 library (@pxref{Using gnatdll}).
27776 Note that a relocatable DLL stripped using the @code{strip}
27777 binutils tool will not be relocatable anymore. To build a DLL without
27778 debug information pass @code{-largs -s} to @code{gnatdll}. This
27779 restriction does not apply to a DLL built using a Library Project.
27780 @pxref{Library Projects}.
27782 @node Limitations When Using Ada DLLs from Ada
27783 @subsection Limitations When Using Ada DLLs from Ada
27786 When using Ada DLLs from Ada applications there is a limitation users
27787 should be aware of. Because on Windows the GNAT run time is not in a DLL of
27788 its own, each Ada DLL includes a part of the GNAT run time. Specifically,
27789 each Ada DLL includes the services of the GNAT run time that are necessary
27790 to the Ada code inside the DLL. As a result, when an Ada program uses an
27791 Ada DLL there are two independent GNAT run times: one in the Ada DLL and
27792 one in the main program.
27794 It is therefore not possible to exchange GNAT run-time objects between the
27795 Ada DLL and the main Ada program. Example of GNAT run-time objects are file
27796 handles (e.g.@: @code{Text_IO.File_Type}), tasks types, protected objects
27799 It is completely safe to exchange plain elementary, array or record types,
27800 Windows object handles, etc.
27802 @node Exporting Ada Entities
27803 @subsection Exporting Ada Entities
27804 @cindex Export table
27807 Building a DLL is a way to encapsulate a set of services usable from any
27808 application. As a result, the Ada entities exported by a DLL should be
27809 exported with the @code{C} or @code{Stdcall} calling conventions to avoid
27810 any Ada name mangling. As an example here is an Ada package
27811 @code{API}, spec and body, exporting two procedures, a function, and a
27814 @smallexample @c ada
27817 with Interfaces.C; use Interfaces;
27819 Count : C.int := 0;
27820 function Factorial (Val : C.int) return C.int;
27822 procedure Initialize_API;
27823 procedure Finalize_API;
27824 -- Initialization & Finalization routines. More in the next section.
27826 pragma Export (C, Initialize_API);
27827 pragma Export (C, Finalize_API);
27828 pragma Export (C, Count);
27829 pragma Export (C, Factorial);
27835 @smallexample @c ada
27838 package body API is
27839 function Factorial (Val : C.int) return C.int is
27842 Count := Count + 1;
27843 for K in 1 .. Val loop
27849 procedure Initialize_API is
27851 pragma Import (C, Adainit);
27854 end Initialize_API;
27856 procedure Finalize_API is
27857 procedure Adafinal;
27858 pragma Import (C, Adafinal);
27868 If the Ada DLL you are building will only be used by Ada applications
27869 you do not have to export Ada entities with a @code{C} or @code{Stdcall}
27870 convention. As an example, the previous package could be written as
27873 @smallexample @c ada
27877 Count : Integer := 0;
27878 function Factorial (Val : Integer) return Integer;
27880 procedure Initialize_API;
27881 procedure Finalize_API;
27882 -- Initialization and Finalization routines.
27888 @smallexample @c ada
27891 package body API is
27892 function Factorial (Val : Integer) return Integer is
27893 Fact : Integer := 1;
27895 Count := Count + 1;
27896 for K in 1 .. Val loop
27903 -- The remainder of this package body is unchanged.
27910 Note that if you do not export the Ada entities with a @code{C} or
27911 @code{Stdcall} convention you will have to provide the mangled Ada names
27912 in the definition file of the Ada DLL
27913 (@pxref{Creating the Definition File}).
27915 @node Ada DLLs and Elaboration
27916 @subsection Ada DLLs and Elaboration
27917 @cindex DLLs and elaboration
27920 The DLL that you are building contains your Ada code as well as all the
27921 routines in the Ada library that are needed by it. The first thing a
27922 user of your DLL must do is elaborate the Ada code
27923 (@pxref{Elaboration Order Handling in GNAT}).
27925 To achieve this you must export an initialization routine
27926 (@code{Initialize_API} in the previous example), which must be invoked
27927 before using any of the DLL services. This elaboration routine must call
27928 the Ada elaboration routine @code{adainit} generated by the GNAT binder
27929 (@pxref{Binding with Non-Ada Main Programs}). See the body of
27930 @code{Initialize_Api} for an example. Note that the GNAT binder is
27931 automatically invoked during the DLL build process by the @code{gnatdll}
27932 tool (@pxref{Using gnatdll}).
27934 When a DLL is loaded, Windows systematically invokes a routine called
27935 @code{DllMain}. It would therefore be possible to call @code{adainit}
27936 directly from @code{DllMain} without having to provide an explicit
27937 initialization routine. Unfortunately, it is not possible to call
27938 @code{adainit} from the @code{DllMain} if your program has library level
27939 tasks because access to the @code{DllMain} entry point is serialized by
27940 the system (that is, only a single thread can execute ``through'' it at a
27941 time), which means that the GNAT run time will deadlock waiting for the
27942 newly created task to complete its initialization.
27944 @node Ada DLLs and Finalization
27945 @subsection Ada DLLs and Finalization
27946 @cindex DLLs and finalization
27949 When the services of an Ada DLL are no longer needed, the client code should
27950 invoke the DLL finalization routine, if available. The DLL finalization
27951 routine is in charge of releasing all resources acquired by the DLL. In the
27952 case of the Ada code contained in the DLL, this is achieved by calling
27953 routine @code{adafinal} generated by the GNAT binder
27954 (@pxref{Binding with Non-Ada Main Programs}).
27955 See the body of @code{Finalize_Api} for an
27956 example. As already pointed out the GNAT binder is automatically invoked
27957 during the DLL build process by the @code{gnatdll} tool
27958 (@pxref{Using gnatdll}).
27960 @node Creating a Spec for Ada DLLs
27961 @subsection Creating a Spec for Ada DLLs
27964 To use the services exported by the Ada DLL from another programming
27965 language (e.g.@: C), you have to translate the specs of the exported Ada
27966 entities in that language. For instance in the case of @code{API.dll},
27967 the corresponding C header file could look like:
27972 extern int *_imp__count;
27973 #define count (*_imp__count)
27974 int factorial (int);
27980 It is important to understand that when building an Ada DLL to be used by
27981 other Ada applications, you need two different specs for the packages
27982 contained in the DLL: one for building the DLL and the other for using
27983 the DLL. This is because the @code{DLL} calling convention is needed to
27984 use a variable defined in a DLL, but when building the DLL, the variable
27985 must have either the @code{Ada} or @code{C} calling convention. As an
27986 example consider a DLL comprising the following package @code{API}:
27988 @smallexample @c ada
27992 Count : Integer := 0;
27994 -- Remainder of the package omitted.
28001 After producing a DLL containing package @code{API}, the spec that
28002 must be used to import @code{API.Count} from Ada code outside of the
28005 @smallexample @c ada
28010 pragma Import (DLL, Count);
28016 @node Creating the Definition File
28017 @subsection Creating the Definition File
28020 The definition file is the last file needed to build the DLL. It lists
28021 the exported symbols. As an example, the definition file for a DLL
28022 containing only package @code{API} (where all the entities are exported
28023 with a @code{C} calling convention) is:
28038 If the @code{C} calling convention is missing from package @code{API},
28039 then the definition file contains the mangled Ada names of the above
28040 entities, which in this case are:
28049 api__initialize_api
28054 @node Using gnatdll
28055 @subsection Using @code{gnatdll}
28059 * gnatdll Example::
28060 * gnatdll behind the Scenes::
28065 @code{gnatdll} is a tool to automate the DLL build process once all the Ada
28066 and non-Ada sources that make up your DLL have been compiled.
28067 @code{gnatdll} is actually in charge of two distinct tasks: build the
28068 static import library for the DLL and the actual DLL. The form of the
28069 @code{gnatdll} command is
28073 @c $ gnatdll @ovar{switches} @var{list-of-files} @r{[}-largs @var{opts}@r{]}
28074 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
28075 $ gnatdll @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]} @var{list-of-files} @r{[}-largs @var{opts}@r{]}
28080 where @var{list-of-files} is a list of ALI and object files. The object
28081 file list must be the exact list of objects corresponding to the non-Ada
28082 sources whose services are to be included in the DLL. The ALI file list
28083 must be the exact list of ALI files for the corresponding Ada sources
28084 whose services are to be included in the DLL. If @var{list-of-files} is
28085 missing, only the static import library is generated.
28088 You may specify any of the following switches to @code{gnatdll}:
28091 @c @item -a@ovar{address}
28092 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
28093 @item -a@r{[}@var{address}@r{]}
28094 @cindex @option{-a} (@code{gnatdll})
28095 Build a non-relocatable DLL at @var{address}. If @var{address} is not
28096 specified the default address @var{0x11000000} will be used. By default,
28097 when this switch is missing, @code{gnatdll} builds relocatable DLL. We
28098 advise the reader to build relocatable DLL.
28100 @item -b @var{address}
28101 @cindex @option{-b} (@code{gnatdll})
28102 Set the relocatable DLL base address. By default the address is
28105 @item -bargs @var{opts}
28106 @cindex @option{-bargs} (@code{gnatdll})
28107 Binder options. Pass @var{opts} to the binder.
28109 @item -d @var{dllfile}
28110 @cindex @option{-d} (@code{gnatdll})
28111 @var{dllfile} is the name of the DLL. This switch must be present for
28112 @code{gnatdll} to do anything. The name of the generated import library is
28113 obtained algorithmically from @var{dllfile} as shown in the following
28114 example: if @var{dllfile} is @code{xyz.dll}, the import library name is
28115 @code{libxyz.dll.a}. The name of the definition file to use (if not specified
28116 by option @option{-e}) is obtained algorithmically from @var{dllfile}
28117 as shown in the following example:
28118 if @var{dllfile} is @code{xyz.dll}, the definition
28119 file used is @code{xyz.def}.
28121 @item -e @var{deffile}
28122 @cindex @option{-e} (@code{gnatdll})
28123 @var{deffile} is the name of the definition file.
28126 @cindex @option{-g} (@code{gnatdll})
28127 Generate debugging information. This information is stored in the object
28128 file and copied from there to the final DLL file by the linker,
28129 where it can be read by the debugger. You must use the
28130 @option{-g} switch if you plan on using the debugger or the symbolic
28134 @cindex @option{-h} (@code{gnatdll})
28135 Help mode. Displays @code{gnatdll} switch usage information.
28138 @cindex @option{-I} (@code{gnatdll})
28139 Direct @code{gnatdll} to search the @var{dir} directory for source and
28140 object files needed to build the DLL.
28141 (@pxref{Search Paths and the Run-Time Library (RTL)}).
28144 @cindex @option{-k} (@code{gnatdll})
28145 Removes the @code{@@}@var{nn} suffix from the import library's exported
28146 names, but keeps them for the link names. You must specify this
28147 option if you want to use a @code{Stdcall} function in a DLL for which
28148 the @code{@@}@var{nn} suffix has been removed. This is the case for most
28149 of the Windows NT DLL for example. This option has no effect when
28150 @option{-n} option is specified.
28152 @item -l @var{file}
28153 @cindex @option{-l} (@code{gnatdll})
28154 The list of ALI and object files used to build the DLL are listed in
28155 @var{file}, instead of being given in the command line. Each line in
28156 @var{file} contains the name of an ALI or object file.
28159 @cindex @option{-n} (@code{gnatdll})
28160 No Import. Do not create the import library.
28163 @cindex @option{-q} (@code{gnatdll})
28164 Quiet mode. Do not display unnecessary messages.
28167 @cindex @option{-v} (@code{gnatdll})
28168 Verbose mode. Display extra information.
28170 @item -largs @var{opts}
28171 @cindex @option{-largs} (@code{gnatdll})
28172 Linker options. Pass @var{opts} to the linker.
28175 @node gnatdll Example
28176 @subsubsection @code{gnatdll} Example
28179 As an example the command to build a relocatable DLL from @file{api.adb}
28180 once @file{api.adb} has been compiled and @file{api.def} created is
28183 $ gnatdll -d api.dll api.ali
28187 The above command creates two files: @file{libapi.dll.a} (the import
28188 library) and @file{api.dll} (the actual DLL). If you want to create
28189 only the DLL, just type:
28192 $ gnatdll -d api.dll -n api.ali
28196 Alternatively if you want to create just the import library, type:
28199 $ gnatdll -d api.dll
28202 @node gnatdll behind the Scenes
28203 @subsubsection @code{gnatdll} behind the Scenes
28206 This section details the steps involved in creating a DLL. @code{gnatdll}
28207 does these steps for you. Unless you are interested in understanding what
28208 goes on behind the scenes, you should skip this section.
28210 We use the previous example of a DLL containing the Ada package @code{API},
28211 to illustrate the steps necessary to build a DLL. The starting point is a
28212 set of objects that will make up the DLL and the corresponding ALI
28213 files. In the case of this example this means that @file{api.o} and
28214 @file{api.ali} are available. To build a relocatable DLL, @code{gnatdll} does
28219 @code{gnatdll} builds the base file (@file{api.base}). A base file gives
28220 the information necessary to generate relocation information for the
28226 $ gnatlink api -o api.jnk -mdll -Wl,--base-file,api.base
28231 In addition to the base file, the @command{gnatlink} command generates an
28232 output file @file{api.jnk} which can be discarded. The @option{-mdll} switch
28233 asks @command{gnatlink} to generate the routines @code{DllMain} and
28234 @code{DllMainCRTStartup} that are called by the Windows loader when the DLL
28235 is loaded into memory.
28238 @code{gnatdll} uses @code{dlltool} (@pxref{Using dlltool}) to build the
28239 export table (@file{api.exp}). The export table contains the relocation
28240 information in a form which can be used during the final link to ensure
28241 that the Windows loader is able to place the DLL anywhere in memory.
28245 $ dlltool --dllname api.dll --def api.def --base-file api.base \
28246 --output-exp api.exp
28251 @code{gnatdll} builds the base file using the new export table. Note that
28252 @command{gnatbind} must be called once again since the binder generated file
28253 has been deleted during the previous call to @command{gnatlink}.
28258 $ gnatlink api -o api.jnk api.exp -mdll
28259 -Wl,--base-file,api.base
28264 @code{gnatdll} builds the new export table using the new base file and
28265 generates the DLL import library @file{libAPI.dll.a}.
28269 $ dlltool --dllname api.dll --def api.def --base-file api.base \
28270 --output-exp api.exp --output-lib libAPI.a
28275 Finally @code{gnatdll} builds the relocatable DLL using the final export
28281 $ gnatlink api api.exp -o api.dll -mdll
28286 @node Using dlltool
28287 @subsubsection Using @code{dlltool}
28290 @code{dlltool} is the low-level tool used by @code{gnatdll} to build
28291 DLLs and static import libraries. This section summarizes the most
28292 common @code{dlltool} switches. The form of the @code{dlltool} command
28296 @c $ dlltool @ovar{switches}
28297 @c Expanding @ovar macro inline (explanation in macro def comments)
28298 $ dlltool @r{[}@var{switches}@r{]}
28302 @code{dlltool} switches include:
28305 @item --base-file @var{basefile}
28306 @cindex @option{--base-file} (@command{dlltool})
28307 Read the base file @var{basefile} generated by the linker. This switch
28308 is used to create a relocatable DLL.
28310 @item --def @var{deffile}
28311 @cindex @option{--def} (@command{dlltool})
28312 Read the definition file.
28314 @item --dllname @var{name}
28315 @cindex @option{--dllname} (@command{dlltool})
28316 Gives the name of the DLL. This switch is used to embed the name of the
28317 DLL in the static import library generated by @code{dlltool} with switch
28318 @option{--output-lib}.
28321 @cindex @option{-k} (@command{dlltool})
28322 Kill @code{@@}@var{nn} from exported names
28323 (@pxref{Windows Calling Conventions}
28324 for a discussion about @code{Stdcall}-style symbols.
28327 @cindex @option{--help} (@command{dlltool})
28328 Prints the @code{dlltool} switches with a concise description.
28330 @item --output-exp @var{exportfile}
28331 @cindex @option{--output-exp} (@command{dlltool})
28332 Generate an export file @var{exportfile}. The export file contains the
28333 export table (list of symbols in the DLL) and is used to create the DLL.
28335 @item --output-lib @var{libfile}
28336 @cindex @option{--output-lib} (@command{dlltool})
28337 Generate a static import library @var{libfile}.
28340 @cindex @option{-v} (@command{dlltool})
28343 @item --as @var{assembler-name}
28344 @cindex @option{--as} (@command{dlltool})
28345 Use @var{assembler-name} as the assembler. The default is @code{as}.
28348 @node GNAT and Windows Resources
28349 @section GNAT and Windows Resources
28350 @cindex Resources, windows
28353 * Building Resources::
28354 * Compiling Resources::
28355 * Using Resources::
28359 Resources are an easy way to add Windows specific objects to your
28360 application. The objects that can be added as resources include:
28389 This section explains how to build, compile and use resources.
28391 @node Building Resources
28392 @subsection Building Resources
28393 @cindex Resources, building
28396 A resource file is an ASCII file. By convention resource files have an
28397 @file{.rc} extension.
28398 The easiest way to build a resource file is to use Microsoft tools
28399 such as @code{imagedit.exe} to build bitmaps, icons and cursors and
28400 @code{dlgedit.exe} to build dialogs.
28401 It is always possible to build an @file{.rc} file yourself by writing a
28404 It is not our objective to explain how to write a resource file. A
28405 complete description of the resource script language can be found in the
28406 Microsoft documentation.
28408 @node Compiling Resources
28409 @subsection Compiling Resources
28412 @cindex Resources, compiling
28415 This section describes how to build a GNAT-compatible (COFF) object file
28416 containing the resources. This is done using the Resource Compiler
28417 @code{windres} as follows:
28420 $ windres -i myres.rc -o myres.o
28424 By default @code{windres} will run @command{gcc} to preprocess the @file{.rc}
28425 file. You can specify an alternate preprocessor (usually named
28426 @file{cpp.exe}) using the @code{windres} @option{--preprocessor}
28427 parameter. A list of all possible options may be obtained by entering
28428 the command @code{windres} @option{--help}.
28430 It is also possible to use the Microsoft resource compiler @code{rc.exe}
28431 to produce a @file{.res} file (binary resource file). See the
28432 corresponding Microsoft documentation for further details. In this case
28433 you need to use @code{windres} to translate the @file{.res} file to a
28434 GNAT-compatible object file as follows:
28437 $ windres -i myres.res -o myres.o
28440 @node Using Resources
28441 @subsection Using Resources
28442 @cindex Resources, using
28445 To include the resource file in your program just add the
28446 GNAT-compatible object file for the resource(s) to the linker
28447 arguments. With @command{gnatmake} this is done by using the @option{-largs}
28451 $ gnatmake myprog -largs myres.o
28454 @node Debugging a DLL
28455 @section Debugging a DLL
28456 @cindex DLL debugging
28459 * Program and DLL Both Built with GCC/GNAT::
28460 * Program Built with Foreign Tools and DLL Built with GCC/GNAT::
28464 Debugging a DLL is similar to debugging a standard program. But
28465 we have to deal with two different executable parts: the DLL and the
28466 program that uses it. We have the following four possibilities:
28470 The program and the DLL are built with @code{GCC/GNAT}.
28472 The program is built with foreign tools and the DLL is built with
28475 The program is built with @code{GCC/GNAT} and the DLL is built with
28481 In this section we address only cases one and two above.
28482 There is no point in trying to debug
28483 a DLL with @code{GNU/GDB}, if there is no GDB-compatible debugging
28484 information in it. To do so you must use a debugger compatible with the
28485 tools suite used to build the DLL.
28487 @node Program and DLL Both Built with GCC/GNAT
28488 @subsection Program and DLL Both Built with GCC/GNAT
28491 This is the simplest case. Both the DLL and the program have @code{GDB}
28492 compatible debugging information. It is then possible to break anywhere in
28493 the process. Let's suppose here that the main procedure is named
28494 @code{ada_main} and that in the DLL there is an entry point named
28498 The DLL (@pxref{Introduction to Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs)}) and
28499 program must have been built with the debugging information (see GNAT -g
28500 switch). Here are the step-by-step instructions for debugging it:
28503 @item Launch @code{GDB} on the main program.
28509 @item Start the program and stop at the beginning of the main procedure
28516 This step is required to be able to set a breakpoint inside the DLL. As long
28517 as the program is not run, the DLL is not loaded. This has the
28518 consequence that the DLL debugging information is also not loaded, so it is not
28519 possible to set a breakpoint in the DLL.
28521 @item Set a breakpoint inside the DLL
28524 (gdb) break ada_dll
28531 At this stage a breakpoint is set inside the DLL. From there on
28532 you can use the standard approach to debug the whole program
28533 (@pxref{Running and Debugging Ada Programs}).
28536 @c This used to work, probably because the DLLs were non-relocatable
28537 @c keep this section around until the problem is sorted out.
28539 To break on the @code{DllMain} routine it is not possible to follow
28540 the procedure above. At the time the program stop on @code{ada_main}
28541 the @code{DllMain} routine as already been called. Either you can use
28542 the procedure below @pxref{Debugging the DLL Directly} or this procedure:
28545 @item Launch @code{GDB} on the main program.
28551 @item Load DLL symbols
28554 (gdb) add-sym api.dll
28557 @item Set a breakpoint inside the DLL
28560 (gdb) break ada_dll.adb:45
28563 Note that at this point it is not possible to break using the routine symbol
28564 directly as the program is not yet running. The solution is to break
28565 on the proper line (break in @file{ada_dll.adb} line 45).
28567 @item Start the program
28576 @node Program Built with Foreign Tools and DLL Built with GCC/GNAT
28577 @subsection Program Built with Foreign Tools and DLL Built with GCC/GNAT
28580 * Debugging the DLL Directly::
28581 * Attaching to a Running Process::
28585 In this case things are slightly more complex because it is not possible to
28586 start the main program and then break at the beginning to load the DLL and the
28587 associated DLL debugging information. It is not possible to break at the
28588 beginning of the program because there is no @code{GDB} debugging information,
28589 and therefore there is no direct way of getting initial control. This
28590 section addresses this issue by describing some methods that can be used
28591 to break somewhere in the DLL to debug it.
28594 First suppose that the main procedure is named @code{main} (this is for
28595 example some C code built with Microsoft Visual C) and that there is a
28596 DLL named @code{test.dll} containing an Ada entry point named
28600 The DLL (@pxref{Introduction to Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs)}) must have
28601 been built with debugging information (see GNAT -g option).
28603 @node Debugging the DLL Directly
28604 @subsubsection Debugging the DLL Directly
28608 Find out the executable starting address
28611 $ objdump --file-header main.exe
28614 The starting address is reported on the last line. For example:
28617 main.exe: file format pei-i386
28618 architecture: i386, flags 0x0000010a:
28619 EXEC_P, HAS_DEBUG, D_PAGED
28620 start address 0x00401010
28624 Launch the debugger on the executable.
28631 Set a breakpoint at the starting address, and launch the program.
28634 $ (gdb) break *0x00401010
28638 The program will stop at the given address.
28641 Set a breakpoint on a DLL subroutine.
28644 (gdb) break ada_dll.adb:45
28647 Or if you want to break using a symbol on the DLL, you need first to
28648 select the Ada language (language used by the DLL).
28651 (gdb) set language ada
28652 (gdb) break ada_dll
28656 Continue the program.
28663 This will run the program until it reaches the breakpoint that has been
28664 set. From that point you can use the standard way to debug a program
28665 as described in (@pxref{Running and Debugging Ada Programs}).
28670 It is also possible to debug the DLL by attaching to a running process.
28672 @node Attaching to a Running Process
28673 @subsubsection Attaching to a Running Process
28674 @cindex DLL debugging, attach to process
28677 With @code{GDB} it is always possible to debug a running process by
28678 attaching to it. It is possible to debug a DLL this way. The limitation
28679 of this approach is that the DLL must run long enough to perform the
28680 attach operation. It may be useful for instance to insert a time wasting
28681 loop in the code of the DLL to meet this criterion.
28685 @item Launch the main program @file{main.exe}.
28691 @item Use the Windows @i{Task Manager} to find the process ID. Let's say
28692 that the process PID for @file{main.exe} is 208.
28700 @item Attach to the running process to be debugged.
28706 @item Load the process debugging information.
28709 (gdb) symbol-file main.exe
28712 @item Break somewhere in the DLL.
28715 (gdb) break ada_dll
28718 @item Continue process execution.
28727 This last step will resume the process execution, and stop at
28728 the breakpoint we have set. From there you can use the standard
28729 approach to debug a program as described in
28730 (@pxref{Running and Debugging Ada Programs}).
28732 @node Setting Stack Size from gnatlink
28733 @section Setting Stack Size from @command{gnatlink}
28736 It is possible to specify the program stack size at link time. On modern
28737 versions of Windows, starting with XP, this is mostly useful to set the size of
28738 the main stack (environment task). The other task stacks are set with pragma
28739 Storage_Size or with the @command{gnatbind -d} command.
28741 Since older versions of Windows (2000, NT4, etc.) do not allow setting the
28742 reserve size of individual tasks, the link-time stack size applies to all
28743 tasks, and pragma Storage_Size has no effect.
28744 In particular, Stack Overflow checks are made against this
28745 link-time specified size.
28747 This setting can be done with
28748 @command{gnatlink} using either:
28752 @item using @option{-Xlinker} linker option
28755 $ gnatlink hello -Xlinker --stack=0x10000,0x1000
28758 This sets the stack reserve size to 0x10000 bytes and the stack commit
28759 size to 0x1000 bytes.
28761 @item using @option{-Wl} linker option
28764 $ gnatlink hello -Wl,--stack=0x1000000
28767 This sets the stack reserve size to 0x1000000 bytes. Note that with
28768 @option{-Wl} option it is not possible to set the stack commit size
28769 because the coma is a separator for this option.
28773 @node Setting Heap Size from gnatlink
28774 @section Setting Heap Size from @command{gnatlink}
28777 Under Windows systems, it is possible to specify the program heap size from
28778 @command{gnatlink} using either:
28782 @item using @option{-Xlinker} linker option
28785 $ gnatlink hello -Xlinker --heap=0x10000,0x1000
28788 This sets the heap reserve size to 0x10000 bytes and the heap commit
28789 size to 0x1000 bytes.
28791 @item using @option{-Wl} linker option
28794 $ gnatlink hello -Wl,--heap=0x1000000
28797 This sets the heap reserve size to 0x1000000 bytes. Note that with
28798 @option{-Wl} option it is not possible to set the heap commit size
28799 because the coma is a separator for this option.
28805 @c **********************************
28806 @c * GNU Free Documentation License *
28807 @c **********************************
28809 @c GNU Free Documentation License
28811 @node Index,,GNU Free Documentation License, Top
28817 @c Put table of contents at end, otherwise it precedes the "title page" in
28818 @c the .txt version
28819 @c Edit the pdf file to move the contents to the beginning, after the title