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8.5.4 Subprogram Renaming Declarations

1/3
{AI05-0299-1} A subprogram_renaming_declaration can serve as the completion of a subprogram_declaration; such a renaming_declaration is called a renaming-as-body. A subprogram_renaming_declaration that is not a completion is called a renaming-as-declaration[, and is used to rename a subprogram (possibly an enumeration literal) or an entry]. 
1.a/3
Ramification: {AI05-0299-1} A renaming-as-body is a declaration, as defined in Clause Section 3

Syntax

2/3
{AI95-00218-03} {AI05-0183-1} subprogram_renaming_declaration ::= 
    [overriding_indicator]
    
subprogram_specification renames callable_entity_name
        [aspect_specification]
;

Name Resolution Rules

3
The expected profile for the callable_entity_name is the profile given in the subprogram_specification.

Legality Rules

4/3
{AI05-0239-1} The profile of a renaming-as-declaration shall be mode conformant mode-conformant, with that of the renamed callable entity.
4.1/2
  {AI95-00423-01} For a parameter or result subtype of the subprogram_specification that has an explicit null_exclusion:
4.2/2
if the callable_entity_name denotes a generic formal subprogram of a generic unit G, and the subprogram_renaming_declaration occurs within the body of a generic unit G or within the body of a generic unit declared within the declarative region of the generic unit G, then the corresponding parameter or result subtype of the formal subprogram of G shall have a null_exclusion;
4.3/2
otherwise, the subtype of the corresponding parameter or result type of the renamed callable entity shall exclude null. In addition to the places where Legality Rules normally apply (see 12.3), this rule applies also in the private part of an instance of a generic unit. 
4.a/2
Reason: This rule prevents “lying”. Null must never be the value of a parameter or result with an explicit null_exclusion. The first bullet is an assume-the-worst rule which prevents trouble in generic bodies (including bodies of child units) when the formal subtype excludes null implicitly. 
5/3
{8652/0027} {8652/0028} {AI95-00135-01} {AI95-00145-01} {AI05-0239-1} The profile of a renaming-as-body shall be subtype-conformant with that of the renamed callable entity, and shall conform fully to that of the declaration it completes. If the renaming-as-body completes that declaration before the subprogram it declares is frozen, the profile shall be mode conformant mode-conformant with that of the renamed callable entity and the subprogram it declares takes its convention from the renamed subprogram; otherwise, the profile shall be subtype conformant subtype-conformant with that of the renamed callable entity and the convention of the renamed subprogram shall not be Intrinsic. A renaming-as-body is illegal if the declaration occurs before the subprogram whose declaration it completes is frozen, and the renaming renames the subprogram itself, through one or more subprogram renaming declarations, none of whose subprograms has been frozen. 
5.a/1
Reason: The otherwise part of the second sentence first part of the first sentence is to allow an implementation of a renaming-as-body as a single jump instruction to the target subprogram. Among other things, this prevents a subprogram from being completed with a renaming of an entry. (In most cases, the target of the jump can be filled in at link time. In some cases, such as a renaming of a name like "A(I).all", an indirect jump is needed. Note that the name is evaluated at renaming time, not at call time.)
5.a.1/1
{8652/0028} {AI95-00145-01} The first part of the second sentence is intended to allow renaming-as-body of predefined operators before the subprogram_declaration is frozen. For some types (such as integer types), the parameter type for operators is the base type, and it would be very strange for
   function Equal (A, B : in T) return Boolean;
   function Equal (A, B : in T) return Boolean renames "=";
to be illegal. (Note that predefined operators cannot be renamed this way after the subprogram_declaration is frozen, as they have convention Intrinsic.)
5.b/1
The second part of the first sentence is the normal rule for completions of subprogram_declarations.
5.c
Ramification: An entry_declaration, unlike a subprogram_declaration, cannot be completed with a renaming_declaration. Nor can a generic_subprogram_declaration.
5.d
The syntax rules prevent a protected subprogram declaration from being completed by a renaming. This is fortunate, because it allows us to avoid worrying about whether the implicit protected object parameter of a protected operation is involved in the conformance rules.
5.d.1/1
Reason: {8652/0027} {AI95-00135-01} Circular renames before freezing is illegal, as the compiler would not be able to determine the convention of the subprogram. Other circular renames are handled below; see Bounded (Run-Time) Errors.
5.1/2
  {AI95-00228-01} The callable_entity_name of a renaming shall not denote a subprogram that requires overriding (see 3.9.3). 
5.d.2/2
Reason: {AI95-00228-01} Such a rename cannot be of the inherited subprogram (which requires overriding because it cannot be called), and thus cannot squirrel away a subprogram (see below). That would be confusing, so we make it illegal. The renaming is allowed after the overriding, as then the name will denote the overriding subprogram, not the inherited one. 
5.2/2
  {AI95-00228-01} The callable_entity_name of a renaming-as-body shall not denote an abstract subprogram.
5.d.3/2
Reason: {AI95-00228-01} Such a subprogram has no body, so it hardly can replace one in the program. 
6
A name that denotes a formal parameter of the subprogram_specification is not allowed within the callable_entity_name.
6.a
Reason: This is to prevent things like this: 
6.b
function F(X : Integer) return Integer renames Table(X).all;
6.c
A similar rule in 6.1 forbids things like this: 
6.d
function F(X : Integer; Y : Integer := X) return Integer;

Static Semantics

7
A renaming-as-declaration declares a new view of the renamed entity. The profile of this new view takes its subtypes, parameter modes, and calling convention from the original profile of the callable entity, while taking the formal parameter names and default_expressions from the profile given in the subprogram_renaming_declaration. The new view is a function or procedure, never an entry. 
7.a
To be honest: When renaming an entry as a procedure, the compile-time rules apply as if the new view is a procedure, but the run-time semantics of a call are that of an entry call. 
7.b
Ramification: For example, it is illegal for the entry_call_statement of a timed_entry_call to call the new view. But what looks like a procedure call will do things like barrier waiting.
7.b.1/3
{8652/0105} {AI95-00211-01} {AI95-00228-01} {AI05-0095-1} All properties of the renamed entity are inherited by the new view unless otherwise stated by this International Standard. In particular, if the renamed entity is abstract or requires overriding (see 3.9.3), the new view also is abstract. or requires overriding. (The renaming will often be illegal in these cases, as a renaming cannot be overridden.) Similarly, if the renamed entity is not a program unit, then neither is the renaming. (Implicitly declared subprograms are not program units, see 10.1). 

Dynamic Semantics

7.1/1
  {8652/0014} {AI95-00064-01} For a call to a subprogram whose body is given as a renaming-as-body, the execution of the renaming-as-body is equivalent to the execution of a subprogram_body that simply calls the renamed subprogram with its formal parameters as the actual parameters and, if it is a function, returns the value of the call. 
7.b.2/1
Ramification: This implies that the subprogram completed by the renaming-as-body has its own elaboration check. 
8/3
{AI05-0123-1} For a call on a renaming of a dispatching subprogram that is overridden, if the overriding occurred before the renaming, then the body executed is that of the overriding declaration, even if the overriding declaration is not visible at the place of the renaming; otherwise, the inherited or predefined subprogram is called. A corresponding rule applies to a call on a renaming of a predefined equality operator for an untagged record type. 
8.a
Discussion: Note that whether or not the renaming is itself primitive has nothing to do with the renamed subprogram.
8.b/3
{AI05-0123-1} Note that the above rule is only for tagged types and equality of untagged record types.
8.c
Consider the following example: 
8.d
package P is
    type T is tagged null record;
    function Predefined_Equal(X, Y : T) return Boolean renames "=";
private
    function "="(X, Y : T) return Boolean; -- Override predefined "=".
end P;
8.e
with P; use P;
package Q is
    function User_Defined_Equal(X, Y : T) return Boolean renames P."=";
end Q;
8.f
A call on Predefined_Equal will execute the predefined equality operator of T, whereas a call on User_Defined_Equal will execute the body of the overriding declaration in the private part of P.
8.g
Thus a renaming allows one to squirrel away a copy of an inherited or predefined subprogram before later overriding it. 

Bounded (Run-Time) Errors

8.1/1
  {8652/0027} {AI95-00135-01} If a subprogram directly or indirectly renames itself, then it is a bounded error to call that subprogram. Possible consequences are that Program_Error or Storage_Error is raised, or that the call results in infinite recursion.
8.g.1/1
Reason: {8652/0027} {AI95-00135-01} This has to be a bounded error, as it is possible for a renaming-as-body appearing in a package body to cause this problem. Thus it is not possible in general to detect this problem at compile time. 
NOTES
9
12  A procedure can only be renamed as a procedure. A function whose defining_designator is either an identifier or an operator_symbol can be renamed with either an identifier or an operator_symbol; for renaming as an operator, the subprogram specification given in the renaming_declaration is subject to the rules given in 6.6 for operator declarations. Enumeration literals can be renamed as functions; similarly, attribute_references that denote functions (such as references to Succ and Pred) can be renamed as functions. An entry can only be renamed as a procedure; the new name is only allowed to appear in contexts that allow a procedure name. An entry of a family can be renamed, but an entry family cannot be renamed as a whole.
10
13  The operators of the root numeric types cannot be renamed because the types in the profile are anonymous, so the corresponding specifications cannot be written; the same holds for certain attributes, such as Pos.
11
14  Calls with the new name of a renamed entry are procedure_call_statements and are not allowed at places where the syntax requires an entry_call_statement in conditional_ and timed_entry_calls, nor in an asynchronous_select; similarly, the Count attribute is not available for the new name.
12
15  The primitiveness of a renaming-as-declaration is determined by its profile, and by where it occurs, as for any declaration of (a view of) a subprogram; primitiveness is not determined by the renamed view. In order to perform a dispatching call, the subprogram name has to denote a primitive subprogram, not a nonprimitive renaming of a primitive subprogram. 
12.a
Reason: A subprogram_renaming_declaration could more properly be called renaming_as_subprogram_declaration, since you're renaming something as a subprogram, but you're not necessarily renaming a subprogram. But that's too much of a mouthful. Or, alternatively, we could call it a callable_entity_renaming_declaration, but that's even worse. Not only is it a mouthful, it emphasizes the entity being renamed, rather than the new view, which we think is a bad idea. We'll live with the oddity. 

Examples

13
Examples of subprogram renaming declarations: 
14
procedure My_Write(C : in Character) renames Pool(K).Write; --  see 4.1.3
15
function Real_Plus(Left, Right : Real   ) return Real    renames "+";
function Int_Plus (Left, Right : Integer) return Integer renames "+";
16
function Rouge return Color renames Red;  --  see 3.5.1
function Rot   return Color renames Red;
function Rosso return Color renames Rouge;
17
function Next(X : Color) return Color renames Color'Succ; -- see 3.5.1
18
Example of a subprogram renaming declaration with new parameter names: 
19
function "*" (X,Y : Vector) return Real renames Dot_Product; -- see 6.1
20
Example of a subprogram renaming declaration with a new default expression: 
21
function Minimum(L : Link := Head) return Cell renames Min_Cell; -- see 6.1

Extensions to Ada 95

21.a/2
{8652/0028} {AI95-00145-01} Corrigendum: Allowed a renaming-as-body to be just mode conformant with the specification if the subprogram is not yet frozen.
21.b/2
{AI95-00218-03} Overriding_indicator (see 8.3.1) is optionally added to subprogram renamings. 

Wording Changes from Ada 95

21.c/2
{8652/0014} {AI95-00064-01} Corrigendum: Described the semantics of renaming-as-body, so that the location of elaboration checks is clear.
21.d/2
{8652/0027} {AI95-00135-01} Corrigendum: Clarified that circular renaming-as-body is illegal (if it can be detected in time) or a bounded error.
21.e/2
{AI95-00228-01} Amendment Correction: Clarified that renaming a shall-be-overridden subprogram is illegal, as well as renaming-as-body an abstract subprogram.
21.f/2
{AI95-00423-01} Added matching rules for null_exclusions.

Inconsistencies With Ada 2005

21.f.1/3
{AI05-0123-1} Renaming of user-defined untagged record equality is now defined to call the overridden body so long as the overriding occurred before the renames. This could change the body called in unusual cases; the change is necessary to preserve the principle that the body called for an explicit call to "=" (via a renames in this case) is the same as the one inherited for a derived type and used in generics. Note that any renamings before the overriding will be unchanged. Any differences caused by the change will be rare and most likely will fix a bug. 

Extensions to Ada 2005

21.g/3
{AI05-0183-1} An optional aspect_specification can be used in a subprogram_renaming_declaration. This is described in 13.1.1. 

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