!standard 03.09.02 (17) 98-03-27 AI95-00196/00 !class binding interpretation 98-03-27 !status received 98-03-27 !priority Low !difficulty Easy !subject assignment and tag-indeterminate calls with controlling results !summary 98-03-27 !question 98-03-27 !recommendation 98-03-27 !wording 98-03-27 !discussion 98-03-27 !appendix 98-03-27 !section 3.9.2(17) !subject assignment and tag-indeterminate calls with controlling results !reference RM95-3.9.2(17-19) !reference RM95-5.2(9) !from Dan Rittersdorf 97-09-15 !keywords controlling tag, assignment, controlling result, no controlling operand !reference 1997-15785.a Dan Rittersdorf 1997-9-15>> !discussion Before addressing the assignment issue, my example begs another question. The language of 3.9.2(17), in the context of the preceding paragraphs, makes it unclear that the definition of "controlling tag value" applies to a primitive function having controlling operands. It can be presumed that 3.9.2(17) was intended to mean: "If all of the controlling operands (if any) are tag-indeterminate,..." ^^^^^^^^ Without this clause applying to calls having no controlling operands, the "controlling tag value" would be left undefined for such calls. The lack of language specific to the case of a function having no controlling operands is conspicuous because it is explicitly mentioned in many other places in the same chapter. The immediately preceding paragraphs discuss only functions having one or more controlling operands, and the working of 3.9.2(17) leads one to think that functions having no controlling operands are somehow left out of the definition of "controlling tag value". Regardless of whether 3.9.2(17) includes calls to functions having no controlling operands, but having a controlling result, it appears that 3.9.2(19) is at odds with 5.2(9). To be honest, the matter of a call to a primitive function having no controlling operands isn't relevant to the contradiction of 3.9.2(19) and 5.2(9). The problem arises with any assignment whose expression is a call to a function having a tag-indeterminate controlling result. Consider the following: package p1 is type t is tagged null record ; function func return t ; -- (1) end p1 ; with p1 ; package p2 is use p1 ; type e is new t with null record ; function func return e ; -- (2) end p2 ; with p1 ; with p2 ; procedure bummer_dude is -- eee : p2.e ; procedure crash_and_burn (formal : in p1.t'class) is local : p1.t'class := formal ; begin local := p1.func ; -- (3) end crash_and_burn ; begin crash_and_burn (eee) ; -- (4) end bummer_dude ; The tag-indeterminate call to func at (3) is in question. I am going to presume that 3.9.2(17) applies to func, but if it doesn't, I'm sure you can imagine that the call involves a function that has a tag-indeterminate controlling operand, and the problem remains. For the call at (4), what is the body that will execute when the call at (3) is made? 3.9.2(19) says it is p1.func (declared at (1)), and 5.2(9) says that it is p2.func (declared at (2)). 3.9.2(19) says that the controlling tag for the call is statically determined to be p1.t'tag, because the call is not a controlling operand of another call, and p1.func is a dispatching operation of type p1.t. However, 5.2(9) contradicts this. The target (local) is class-wide, and the expression (call to p1.func) is tag-indeterminate, so the controlling tag is taken from the tag of local, which is p2.e'tag. This dilemma arises when the expression of an assignment statement is a call on a function with a tag-indeterminate controlling result. How is this dilemma reconciled? Thanks. -- Dan.Rittersdorf@mail.ccur.com or RittersdorfD@ACM.org ______________________________________________________________________________ Concurrent Computer Corporation | Daniel G. Rittersdorf 2101 W. Cypress Creek Rd. | 178 Washington Street Ft. Lauderdale FL 33309 | Sparta, MI 49345-1324 Ph: +1 (954) 974-1700 | Ph: +1 (616) 887-5431 ______________________________________________________________________________ ****************************************************************