40th Cygnus<->FSF merge

[pf3gnuchains/gcc-fork.git] / gcc / cp / gxxint.texi

\input texinfo  @c -*-texinfo-*-
@c %**start of header 
@setfilename g++int.info
@settitle G++ internals
@setchapternewpage odd
@c %**end of header
     
@node Top, Limitations of g++, (dir), (dir)
@chapter Internal Architecture of the Compiler

This is meant to describe the C++ front-end for gcc in detail.
Questions and comments to mrs@@cygnus.com.

@menu
* Limitations of g++::          
* Routines::                    
* Implementation Specifics::    
* Glossary::                    
* Macros::                      
* Typical Behavior::            
* Coding Conventions::          
* Templates::                   
* Access Control::              
* Error Reporting::             
* Parser::                      
* Copying Objects::             
* Exception Handling::          
* Free Store::                  
* Concept Index::               
@end menu

@node Limitations of g++, Routines, Top, Top
@section Limitations of g++

@itemize @bullet
@item
Limitations on input source code: 240 nesting levels with the parser
stacksize (YYSTACKSIZE) set to 500 (the default), and requires around
16.4k swap space per nesting level.  The parser needs about 2.09 *
number of nesting levels worth of stackspace.

@cindex pushdecl_class_level
@item
I suspect there are other uses of pushdecl_class_level that do not call
set_identifier_type_value in tandem with the call to
pushdecl_class_level.  It would seem to be an omission.

@cindex access checking
@item
Access checking is unimplemented for nested types.

@cindex @code{volatile}
@item
@code{volatile} is not implemented in general.

@cindex pointers to members
@item
Pointers to members are only minimally supported, and there are places
where the grammar doesn't even properly accept them yet.

@cindex multiple inheritance
@item
@code{this} will be wrong in virtual members functions defined in a
virtual base class, when they are overridden in a derived class, when
called via a non-left most object.

An example would be:

@example
extern "C" int printf(const char*, ...);
struct A @{ virtual void f() @{ @} @};
struct B : virtual A @{ int b; B() : b(0) @{@} void f() @{ b++; @} @};
struct C : B @{@};
struct D : B @{@};
struct E : C, D @{@};
int main()
@{
  E e;
  C& c = e; D& d = e;
  c.f(); d.f();
  printf ("C::b = %d, D::b = %d\n", e.C::b, e.D::b);
  return 0;
@}
@end example

This will print out 2, 0, instead of 1,1.

@end itemize

@node Routines, Implementation Specifics, Limitations of g++, Top
@section Routines

This section describes some of the routines used in the C++ front-end.

@code{build_vtable} and @code{prepare_fresh_vtable} is used only within
the @file{cp-class.c} file, and only in @code{finish_struct} and
@code{modify_vtable_entries}.

@code{build_vtable}, @code{prepare_fresh_vtable}, and
@code{finish_struct} are the only routines that set @code{DECL_VPARENT}.

@code{finish_struct} can steal the virtual function table from parents,
this prohibits related_vslot from working.  When finish_struct steals,
we know that

@example
get_binfo (DECL_FIELD_CONTEXT (CLASSTYPE_VFIELD (t)), t, 0)
@end example

@noindent
will get the related binfo.

@code{layout_basetypes} does something with the VIRTUALS.

Supposedly (according to Tiemann) most of the breadth first searching
done, like in @code{get_base_distance} and in @code{get_binfo} was not
because of any design decision.  I have since found out the at least one
part of the compiler needs the notion of depth first binfo searching, I
am going to try and convert the whole thing, it should just work.  The
term left-most refers to the depth first left-most node.  It uses
@code{MAIN_VARIANT == type} as the condition to get left-most, because
the things that have @code{BINFO_OFFSET}s of zero are shared and will
have themselves as their own @code{MAIN_VARIANT}s.  The non-shared right
ones, are copies of the left-most one, hence if it is its own
@code{MAIN_VARIENT}, we know it IS a left-most one, if it is not, it is
a non-left-most one.

@code{get_base_distance}'s path and distance matters in its use in:

@itemize @bullet
@item
@code{prepare_fresh_vtable} (the code is probably wrong)
@item
@code{init_vfields} Depends upon distance probably in a safe way,
build_offset_ref might use partial paths to do further lookups,
hack_identifier is probably not properly checking access.

@item
@code{get_first_matching_virtual} probably should check for
@code{get_base_distance} returning -2.

@item
@code{resolve_offset_ref} should be called in a more deterministic
manner.  Right now, it is called in some random contexts, like for
arguments at @code{build_method_call} time, @code{default_conversion}
time, @code{convert_arguments} time, @code{build_unary_op} time,
@code{build_c_cast} time, @code{build_modify_expr} time,
@code{convert_for_assignment} time, and
@code{convert_for_initialization} time.

But, there are still more contexts it needs to be called in, one was the
ever simple:

@example
if (obj.*pmi != 7)
   @dots{}
@end example

Seems that the problems were due to the fact that @code{TREE_TYPE} of
the @code{OFFSET_REF} was not a @code{OFFSET_TYPE}, but rather the type
of the referent (like @code{INTEGER_TYPE}).  This problem was fixed by
changing @code{default_conversion} to check @code{TREE_CODE (x)},
instead of only checking @code{TREE_CODE (TREE_TYPE (x))} to see if it
was @code{OFFSET_TYPE}.

@end itemize

@node Implementation Specifics, Glossary, Routines, Top
@section Implementation Specifics

@itemize @bullet
@item Explicit Initialization

The global list @code{current_member_init_list} contains the list of
mem-initializers specified in a constructor declaration.  For example:

@example
foo::foo() : a(1), b(2) @{@}
@end example

@noindent
will initialize @samp{a} with 1 and @samp{b} with 2.
@code{expand_member_init} places each initialization (a with 1) on the
global list.  Then, when the fndecl is being processed,
@code{emit_base_init} runs down the list, initializing them.  It used to
be the case that g++ first ran down @code{current_member_init_list},
then ran down the list of members initializing the ones that weren't
explicitly initialized.  Things were rewritten to perform the
initializations in order of declaration in the class.  So, for the above
example, @samp{a} and @samp{b} will be initialized in the order that
they were declared:

@example
class foo @{ public: int b; int a; foo (); @};
@end example

@noindent
Thus, @samp{b} will be initialized with 2 first, then @samp{a} will be
initialized with 1, regardless of how they're listed in the mem-initializer.

@item Argument Matching

In early 1993, the argument matching scheme in @sc{gnu} C++ changed
significantly.  The original code was completely replaced with a new
method that will, hopefully, be easier to understand and make fixing
specific cases much easier.

The @samp{-fansi-overloading} option is used to enable the new code; at
some point in the future, it will become the default behavior of the
compiler.

The file @file{cp-call.c} contains all of the new work, in the functions
@code{rank_for_overload}, @code{compute_harshness},
@code{compute_conversion_costs}, and @code{ideal_candidate}.

Instead of using obscure numerical values, the quality of an argument
match is now represented by clear, individual codes.  The new data
structure @code{struct harshness} (it used to be an @code{unsigned}
number) contains:

@enumerate a
@item the @samp{code} field, to signify what was involved in matching two
arguments;
@item the @samp{distance} field, used in situations where inheritance
decides which function should be called (one is ``closer'' than
another);
@item and the @samp{int_penalty} field, used by some codes as a tie-breaker.
@end enumerate

The @samp{code} field is a number with a given bit set for each type of
code, OR'd together.  The new codes are:

@itemize @bullet
@item @code{EVIL_CODE}
The argument was not a permissible match.

@item @code{CONST_CODE}
Currently, this is only used by @code{compute_conversion_costs}, to
distinguish when a non-@code{const} member function is called from a
@code{const} member function.

@item @code{ELLIPSIS_CODE}
A match against an ellipsis @samp{...} is considered worse than all others.

@item @code{USER_CODE}
Used for a match involving a user-defined conversion.

@item @code{STD_CODE}
A match involving a standard conversion.

@item @code{PROMO_CODE}
A match involving an integral promotion.  For these, the
@code{int_penalty} field is used to handle the ARM's rule (XXX cite)
that a smaller @code{unsigned} type should promote to a @code{int}, not
to an @code{unsigned int}.

@item @code{QUAL_CODE}
Used to mark use of qualifiers like @code{const} and @code{volatile}.

@item @code{TRIVIAL_CODE}
Used for trivial conversions.  The @samp{int_penalty} field is used by
@code{convert_harshness} to communicate further penalty information back
to @code{build_overload_call_real} when deciding which function should
be call.
@end itemize

The functions @code{convert_to_aggr} and @code{build_method_call} use
@code{compute_conversion_costs} to rate each argument's suitability for
a given candidate function (that's how we get the list of candidates for
@code{ideal_candidate}).

@end itemize

@node Glossary, Macros, Implementation Specifics, Top
@section Glossary

@table @r
@item binfo
The main data structure in the compiler used to represent the
inheritance relationships between classes.  The data in the binfo can be
accessed by the BINFO_ accessor macros.

@item vtable
@itemx virtual function table

The virtual function table holds information used in virtual function
dispatching.  In the compiler, they are usually referred to as vtables,
or vtbls.  The first index is not used in the normal way, I believe it
is probably used for the virtual destructor.

@item vfield

vfields can be thought of as the base information needed to build
vtables.  For every vtable that exists for a class, there is a vfield.
See also vtable and virtual function table pointer.  When a type is used
as a base class to another type, the virtual function table for the
derived class can be based upon the vtable for the base class, just
extended to include the additional virtual methods declared in the
derived class.  The virtual function table from a virtual base class is
never reused in a derived class.  @code{is_normal} depends upon this.

@item virtual function table pointer

These are @code{FIELD_DECL}s that are pointer types that point to
vtables.  See also vtable and vfield.
@end table

@node Macros, Typical Behavior, Glossary, Top
@section Macros

This section describes some of the macros used on trees.  The list
should be alphabetical.  Eventually all macros should be documented
here.  There are some postscript drawings that can be used to better
understnad from of the more complex data structures, contact Mike Stump
(@code{mrs@@cygnus.com}) for information about them.

@table @code
@item BINFO_BASETYPES
A vector of additional binfos for the types inherited by this basetype.
The binfos are fully unshared (except for virtual bases, in which
case the binfo structure is shared).

   If this basetype describes type D as inherited in C,
   and if the basetypes of D are E anf F,
   then this vector contains binfos for inheritance of E and F by C.

Has values of:

        TREE_VECs


@item BINFO_INHERITANCE_CHAIN
Temporarily used to represent specific inheritances.  It usually points
to the binfo associated with the lesser derived type, but it can be
reversed by reverse_path.  For example:

@example
        Z ZbY   least derived
        |
        Y YbX
        |
        X Xb    most derived

TYPE_BINFO (X) == Xb
BINFO_INHERITANCE_CHAIN (Xb) == YbX
BINFO_INHERITANCE_CHAIN (Yb) == ZbY
BINFO_INHERITANCE_CHAIN (Zb) == 0
@end example

Not sure is the above is really true, get_base_distance has is point
towards the most derived type, opposite from above.

Set by build_vbase_path, recursive_bounded_basetype_p,
get_base_distance, lookup_field, lookup_fnfields, and reverse_path.

What things can this be used on:

        TREE_VECs that are binfos


@item BINFO_OFFSET
The offset where this basetype appears in its containing type.
BINFO_OFFSET slot holds the offset (in bytes) from the base of the
complete object to the base of the part of the object that is allocated
on behalf of this `type'.  This is always 0 except when there is
multiple inheritance.

Used on TREE_VEC_ELTs of the binfos BINFO_BASETYPES (...) for example.


@item BINFO_VIRTUALS
A unique list of functions for the virtual function table.  See also
TYPE_BINFO_VIRTUALS.

What things can this be used on:

        TREE_VECs that are binfos


@item BINFO_VTABLE
Used to find the VAR_DECL that is the virtual function table associated
with this binfo.  See also TYPE_BINFO_VTABLE.  To get the virtual
function table pointer, see CLASSTYPE_VFIELD.

What things can this be used on:

        TREE_VECs that are binfos

Has values of:

        VAR_DECLs that are virtual function tables


@item BLOCK_SUPERCONTEXT
In the outermost scope of each function, it points to the FUNCTION_DECL
node.  It aids in better DWARF support of inline functions.


@item CLASSTYPE_TAGS
CLASSTYPE_TAGS is a linked (via TREE_CHAIN) list of member classes of a
class. TREE_PURPOSE is the name, TREE_VALUE is the type (pushclass scans
these and calls pushtag on them.)

finish_struct scans these to produce TYPE_DECLs to add to the
TYPE_FIELDS of the type.

It is expected that name found in the TREE_PURPOSE slot is unique,
resolve_scope_to_name is one such place that depends upon this
uniqueness.


@item CLASSTYPE_METHOD_VEC
The following is true after finish_struct has been called (on the
class?) but not before.  Before finish_struct is called, things are
different to some extent.  Contains a TREE_VEC of methods of the class.
The TREE_VEC_LENGTH is the number of differently named methods plus one
for the 0th entry.  The 0th entry is always allocated, and reserved for
ctors and dtors.  If there are none, TREE_VEC_ELT(N,0) == NULL_TREE.
Each entry of the TREE_VEC is a FUNCTION_DECL.  For each FUNCTION_DECL,
there is a DECL_CHAIN slot.  If the FUNCTION_DECL is the last one with a
given name, the DECL_CHAIN slot is NULL_TREE.  Otherwise it is the next
method that has the same name (but a different signature).  It would
seem that it is not true that because the DECL_CHAIN slot is used in
this way, we cannot call pushdecl to put the method in the global scope
(cause that would overwrite the TREE_CHAIN slot), because they use
different _CHAINs.  finish_struct_methods setups up one version of the
TREE_CHAIN slots on the FUNCTION_DECLs.

friends are kept in TREE_LISTs, so that there's no need to use their
TREE_CHAIN slot for anything.

Has values of:

        TREE_VECs
        

@item CLASSTYPE_VFIELD
Seems to be in the process of being renamed TYPE_VFIELD.  Use on types
to get the main virtual function table pointer.  To get the virtual
function table use BINFO_VTABLE (TYPE_BINFO ()).

Has values of:

        FIELD_DECLs that are virtual function table pointers

What things can this be used on:

        RECORD_TYPEs


@item DECL_CLASS_CONTEXT
Identifies the context that the _DECL was found in.  For virtual function
tables, it points to the type associated with the virtual function
table.  See also DECL_CONTEXT, DECL_FIELD_CONTEXT and DECL_FCONTEXT.

The difference between this and DECL_CONTEXT, is that for virtuals
functions like:

@example
struct A
@{
  virtual int f ();
@};

struct B : A
@{
  int f ();
@};

DECL_CONTEXT (A::f) == A
DECL_CLASS_CONTEXT (A::f) == A

DECL_CONTEXT (B::f) == A
DECL_CLASS_CONTEXT (B::f) == B
@end example

Has values of:

        RECORD_TYPEs, or UNION_TYPEs

What things can this be used on:

        TYPE_DECLs, _DECLs


@item DECL_CONTEXT
Identifies the context that the _DECL was found in.  Can be used on
virtual function tables to find the type associated with the virtual
function table, but since they are FIELD_DECLs, DECL_FIELD_CONTEXT is a
better access method.  Internally the same as DECL_FIELD_CONTEXT, so
don't us both.  See also DECL_FIELD_CONTEXT, DECL_FCONTEXT and
DECL_CLASS_CONTEXT.

Has values of:

        RECORD_TYPEs


What things can this be used on:

@display
VAR_DECLs that are virtual function tables
_DECLs
@end display


@item DECL_FIELD_CONTEXT
Identifies the context that the FIELD_DECL was found in.  Internally the
same as DECL_CONTEXT, so don't us both.  See also DECL_CONTEXT,
DECL_FCONTEXT and DECL_CLASS_CONTEXT.

Has values of:

        RECORD_TYPEs

What things can this be used on:

@display
FIELD_DECLs that are virtual function pointers
FIELD_DECLs
@end display


@item DECL_NESTED_TYPENAME
Holds the fully qualified type name.  Example, Base::Derived.

Has values of:

        IDENTIFIER_NODEs

What things can this be used on:

        TYPE_DECLs


@item DECL_NAME

Has values of:

@display
0 for things that don't have names
IDENTIFIER_NODEs for TYPE_DECLs
@end display

@item DECL_IGNORED_P
A bit that can be set to inform the debug information output routines in
the back-end that a certain _DECL node should be totally ignored.

Used in cases where it is known that the debugging information will be
output in another file, or where a sub-type is known not to be needed
because the enclosing type is not needed.

A compiler constructed virtual destructor in derived classes that do not
define an exlicit destructor that was defined exlicit in a base class
has this bit set as well.  Also used on __FUNCTION__ and
__PRETTY_FUNCTION__ to mark they are ``compiler generated.''  c-decl and
c-lex.c both want DECL_IGNORED_P set for ``internally generated vars,''
and ``user-invisible variable.''

Functions built by the C++ front-end such as default destructors,
virtual desctructors and default constructors want to be marked that
they are compiler generated, but unsure why.

Currently, it is used in an absolute way in the C++ front-end, as an
optimization, to tell the debug information output routines to not
generate debugging information that will be output by another separately
compiled file.


@item DECL_VIRTUAL_P
A flag used on FIELD_DECLs and VAR_DECLs.  (Documentation in tree.h is
wrong.)  Used in VAR_DECLs to indicate that the variable is a vtable.
It is also used in FIELD_DECLs for vtable pointers.

What things can this be used on:

        FIELD_DECLs and VAR_DECLs


@item DECL_VPARENT
Used to point to the parent type of the vtable if there is one, else it
is just the type associated with the vtable.  Because of the sharing of
virtual function tables that goes on, this slot is not very useful, and
is in fact, not used in the compiler at all.  It can be removed.

What things can this be used on:

        VAR_DECLs that are virtual function tables

Has values of:

        RECORD_TYPEs maybe UNION_TYPEs


@item DECL_FCONTEXT
Used to find the first baseclass in which this FIELD_DECL is defined.
See also DECL_CONTEXT, DECL_FIELD_CONTEXT and DECL_CLASS_CONTEXT.

How it is used:

        Used when writing out debugging information about vfield and
        vbase decls.

What things can this be used on:

        FIELD_DECLs that are virtual function pointers
        FIELD_DECLs


@item DECL_REFERENCE_SLOT
Used to hold the initialize for the reference.

What things can this be used on:

        PARM_DECLs and VAR_DECLs that have a reference type


@item DECL_VINDEX
Used for FUNCTION_DECLs in two different ways.  Before the structure
containing the FUNCTION_DECL is laid out, DECL_VINDEX may point to a
FUNCTION_DECL in a base class which is the FUNCTION_DECL which this
FUNCTION_DECL will replace as a virtual function.  When the class is
laid out, this pointer is changed to an INTEGER_CST node which is
suitable to find an index into the virtual function table.  See
get_vtable_entry as to how one can find the right index into the virtual
function table.  The first index 0, of a virtual function table it not
used in the normal way, so the first real index is 1.

DECL_VINDEX may be a TREE_LIST, that would seem to be a list of
overridden FUNCTION_DECLs.  add_virtual_function has code to deal with
this when it uses the variable base_fndecl_list, but it would seem that
somehow, it is possible for the TREE_LIST to pursist until method_call,
and it should not.


What things can this be used on:

        FUNCTION_DECLs


@item DECL_SOURCE_FILE
Identifies what source file a particular declaration was found in.

Has values of:

        "<built-in>" on TYPE_DECLs to mean the typedef is built in


@item DECL_SOURCE_LINE
Identifies what source line number in the source file the declaration
was found at.

Has values of:

@display
0 for an undefined label

0 for TYPE_DECLs that are internally generated

0 for FUNCTION_DECLs for functions generated by the compiler
        (not yet, but should be)

0 for ``magic'' arguments to functions, that the user has no
        control over
@end display


@item TREE_USED

Has values of:

        0 for unused labels


@item TREE_ADDRESSABLE
A flag that is set for any type that has a constructor.


@item TREE_COMPLEXITY
They seem a kludge way to track recursion, poping, and pushing.  They only
appear in cp-decl.c and cp-decl2.c, so the are a good candidate for
proper fixing, and removal.


@item TREE_PRIVATE
Set for FIELD_DECLs by finish_struct.  But not uniformly set.

The following routines do something with PRIVATE access:
build_method_call, alter_access, finish_struct_methods,
finish_struct, convert_to_aggr, CWriteLanguageDecl, CWriteLanguageType,
CWriteUseObject, compute_access, lookup_field, dfs_pushdecl,
GNU_xref_member, dbxout_type_fields, dbxout_type_method_1


@item TREE_PROTECTED
The following routines do something with PROTECTED access:
build_method_call, alter_access, finish_struct, convert_to_aggr,
CWriteLanguageDecl, CWriteLanguageType, CWriteUseObject,
compute_access, lookup_field, GNU_xref_member, dbxout_type_fields,
dbxout_type_method_1


@item TYPE_BINFO
Used to get the binfo for the type.

Has values of:

        TREE_VECs that are binfos

What things can this be used on:

        RECORD_TYPEs


@item TYPE_BINFO_BASETYPES
See also BINFO_BASETYPES.

@item TYPE_BINFO_VIRTUALS
A unique list of functions for the virtual function table.  See also
BINFO_VIRTUALS.

What things can this be used on:

        RECORD_TYPEs


@item TYPE_BINFO_VTABLE
Points to the virtual function table associated with the given type.
See also BINFO_VTABLE.

What things can this be used on:

        RECORD_TYPEs

Has values of:

        VAR_DECLs that are virtual function tables


@item TYPE_NAME
Names the type.

Has values of:

@display
0 for things that don't have names.
should be IDENTIFIER_NODE for RECORD_TYPEs UNION_TYPEs and 
        ENUM_TYPEs.
TYPE_DECL for RECORD_TYPEs, UNION_TYPEs and ENUM_TYPEs, but 
        shouldn't be.
TYPE_DECL for typedefs, unsure why.
@end display

What things can one use this on:

@display
TYPE_DECLs
RECORD_TYPEs
UNION_TYPEs
ENUM_TYPEs
@end display

History:

        It currently points to the TYPE_DECL for RECORD_TYPEs,
        UNION_TYPEs and ENUM_TYPEs, but it should be history soon.


@item TYPE_METHODS
Synonym for @code{CLASSTYPE_METHOD_VEC}.  Chained together with
@code{TREE_CHAIN}.  @file{dbxout.c} uses this to get at the methods of a
class.


@item TYPE_DECL
Used to represent typedefs, and used to represent bindings layers.

Components:

        DECL_NAME is the name of the typedef.  For example, foo would
        be found in the DECL_NAME slot when @code{typedef int foo;} is
        seen.

        DECL_SOURCE_LINE identifies what source line number in the
        source file the declaration was found at.  A value of 0
        indicates that this TYPE_DECL is just an internal binding layer
        marker, and does not correspond to a user suppiled typedef.

        DECL_SOURCE_FILE

@item TYPE_FIELDS
A linked list (via @code{TREE_CHAIN}) of member types of a class.  The
list can contain @code{TYPE_DECL}s, but there can also be other things
in the list apparently.  See also @code{CLASSTYPE_TAGS}.


@item TYPE_VIRTUAL_P
A flag used on a @code{FIELD_DECL} or a @code{VAR_DECL}, indicates it is
a virtual function table or a pointer to one.  When used on a
@code{FUNCTION_DECL}, indicates that it is a virtual function.  When
used on an @code{IDENTIFIER_NODE}, indicates that a function with this
same name exists and has been declared virtual.

When used on types, it indicates that the type has virtual functions, or
is derived from one that does.

Not sure if the above about virtual function tables is still true.  See
also info on @code{DECL_VIRTUAL_P}.

What things can this be used on:

        FIELD_DECLs, VAR_DECLs, FUNCTION_DECLs, IDENTIFIER_NODEs


@item VF_BASETYPE_VALUE
Get the associated type from the binfo that caused the given vfield to
exist.  This is the least derived class (the most parent class) that
needed a virtual function table.  It is probably the case that all uses
of this field are misguided, but they need to be examined on a
case-by-case basis.  See history for more information on why the
previous statement was made.

Set at @code{finish_base_struct} time.

What things can this be used on:

        TREE_LISTs that are vfields

History:

        This field was used to determine if a virtual function table's
        slot should be filled in with a certain virtual function, by
        checking to see if the type returned by VF_BASETYPE_VALUE was a
        parent of the context in which the old virtual function existed.
        This incorrectly assumes that a given type _could_ not appear as
        a parent twice in a given inheritance lattice.  For single
        inheritance, this would in fact work, because a type could not
        possibly appear more than once in an inheritance lattice, but
        with multiple inheritance, a type can appear more than once.


@item VF_BINFO_VALUE
Identifies the binfo that caused this vfield to exist.  If this vfield
is from the first direct base class that has a virtual function table,
then VF_BINFO_VALUE is NULL_TREE, otherwise it will be the binfo of the
direct base where the vfield came from.  Can use @code{TREE_VIA_VIRTUAL}
on result to find out if it is a virtual base class.  Related to the
binfo found by

@example
get_binfo (VF_BASETYPE_VALUE (vfield), t, 0)
@end example

@noindent
where @samp{t} is the type that has the given vfield.

@example
get_binfo (VF_BASETYPE_VALUE (vfield), t, 0)
@end example

@noindent
will return the binfo for the the given vfield.

May or may not be set at @code{modify_vtable_entries} time.  Set at
@code{finish_base_struct} time.

What things can this be used on:

        TREE_LISTs that are vfields


@item VF_DERIVED_VALUE
Identifies the type of the most derived class of the vfield, excluding
the the class this vfield is for.

Set at @code{finish_base_struct} time.

What things can this be used on:

        TREE_LISTs that are vfields


@item VF_NORMAL_VALUE
Identifies the type of the most derived class of the vfield, including
the class this vfield is for.

Set at @code{finish_base_struct} time.

What things can this be used on:

        TREE_LISTs that are vfields


@item WRITABLE_VTABLES
This is a option that can be defined when building the compiler, that
will cause the compiler to output vtables into the data segment so that
the vtables maybe written.  This is undefined by default, because
normally the vtables should be unwritable.  People that implement object
I/O facilities may, or people that want to change the dynamic type of
objects may want to have the vtables writable.  Another way of achieving
this would be to make a copy of the vtable into writable memory, but the
drawback there is that that method only changes the type for one object.

@end table

@node Typical Behavior, Coding Conventions, Macros, Top
@section Typical Behavior

@cindex parse errors

Whenever seemingly normal code fails with errors like
@code{syntax error at `\@{'}, it's highly likely that grokdeclarator is
returning a NULL_TREE for whatever reason.

@node Coding Conventions, Templates, Typical Behavior, Top
@section Coding Conventions

It should never be that case that trees are modified in-place by the
back-end, @emph{unless} it is guaranteed that the semantics are the same
no matter how shared the tree structure is.  @file{fold-const.c} still
has some cases where this is not true, but rms hypothesizes that this
will never be a problem.

@node Templates, Access Control, Coding Conventions, Top
@section Templates

g++ uses the simple approach to instantiating templates: it blindly
generates the code for each instantiation as needed.  For class
templates, g++ pushes the template parameters into the namespace for the
duration of the instantiation; for function templates, it's a simple
search and replace.

This approach does not support any of the template definition-time error
checking that is being bandied about by X3J16.  It makes no attempt to deal
with name binding in a consistent way.

Instantiation of a class template is triggered by the use of a template
class anywhere but in a straight declaration like @code{class A<int>}.
This is wrong; in fact, it should not be triggered by typedefs or
declarations of pointers.  Now that explicit instantiation is supported,
this misfeature is not necessary.

Important functions:

@table @code
@item instantiate_class_template
This function 
@end table

@node Access Control, Error Reporting, Templates, Top
@section Access Control
The function compute_access returns one of three values:

@table @code
@item access_public
means that the field can be accessed by the current lexical scope.

@item access_protected
means that the field cannot be accessed by the current lexical scope
because it is protected.

@item access_private
means that the field cannot be accessed by the current lexical scope
because it is private.
@end table

DECL_ACCESS is used for access declarations; alter_access creates a list
of types and accesses for a given decl.

Formerly, DECL_@{PUBLIC,PROTECTED,PRIVATE@} corresponded to the return
codes of compute_access and were used as a cache for compute_access.
Now they are not used at all.

TREE_PROTECTED and TREE_PRIVATE are used to record the access levels
granted by the containing class.  BEWARE: TREE_PUBLIC means something
completely unrelated to access control!

@node Error Reporting, Parser, Access Control, Top
@section Error Reporting

The C++ front-end uses a call-back mechanism to allow functions to print
out reasonable strings for types and functions without putting extra
logic in the functions where errors are found.  The interface is through
the @code{cp_error} function (or @code{cp_warning}, etc.).  The
syntax is exactly like that of @code{error}, except that a few more
conversions are supported:

@itemize @bullet
@item
%C indicates a value of `enum tree_code'.
@item
%D indicates a *_DECL node.
@item
%E indicates a *_EXPR node.
@item
%L indicates a value of `enum languages'.
@item
%P indicates the name of a parameter (i.e. "this", "1", "2", ...)
@item
%T indicates a *_TYPE node.
@item
%O indicates the name of an operator (MODIFY_EXPR -> "operator =").

@end itemize

There is some overlap between these; for instance, any of the node
options can be used for printing an identifier (though only @code{%D}
tries to decipher function names).

For a more verbose message (@code{class foo} as opposed to just @code{foo},
including the return type for functions), use @code{%#c}.
To have the line number on the error message indicate the line of the
DECL, use @code{cp_error_at} and its ilk; to indicate which argument you want,
use @code{%+D}, or it will default to the first.

@node Parser, Copying Objects, Error Reporting, Top
@section Parser

Some comments on the parser:

The @code{after_type_declarator} / @code{notype_declarator} hack is
necessary in order to allow redeclarations of @code{TYPENAME}s, for
instance

@example
typedef int foo;
class A @{
  char *foo;
@};
@end example

In the above, the first @code{foo} is parsed as a @code{notype_declarator},
and the second as a @code{after_type_declarator}.

Ambiguities:

There are currently four reduce/reduce ambiguities in the parser.  They are:

1) Between @code{template_parm} and
@code{named_class_head_sans_basetype}, for the tokens @code{aggr
identifier}.  This situation occurs in code looking like

@example
template <class T> class A @{ @};
@end example

It is ambiguous whether @code{class T} should be parsed as the
declaration of a template type parameter named @code{T} or an unnamed
constant parameter of type @code{class T}.  Section 14.6, paragraph 3 of
the January '94 working paper states that the first interpretation is
the correct one.  This ambiguity results in two reduce/reduce conflicts.

2) Between @code{primary} and @code{type_id} for code like @samp{int()}
in places where both can be accepted, such as the argument to
@code{sizeof}.  Section 8.1 of the pre-San Diego working paper specifies
that these ambiguous constructs will be interpreted as @code{typename}s.
This ambiguity results in six reduce/reduce conflicts between
@samp{absdcl} and @samp{functional_cast}.

3) Between @code{functional_cast} and
@code{complex_direct_notype_declarator}, for various token strings.
This situation occurs in code looking like

@example
int (*a);
@end example

This code is ambiguous; it could be a declaration of the variable
@samp{a} as a pointer to @samp{int}, or it could be a functional cast of
@samp{*a} to @samp{int}.  Section 6.8 specifies that the former
interpretation is correct.  This ambiguity results in 7 reduce/reduce
conflicts.  Another aspect of this ambiguity is code like 'int (x[2]);',
which is resolved at the '[' and accounts for 6 reduce/reduce conflicts
between @samp{direct_notype_declarator} and
@samp{primary}/@samp{overqualified_id}.  Finally, there are 4 r/r
conflicts between @samp{expr_or_declarator} and @samp{primary} over code
like 'int (a);', which could probably be resolved but would also
probably be more trouble than it's worth.  In all, this situation
accounts for 17 conflicts.  Ack!

The second case above is responsible for the failure to parse 'LinppFile
ppfile (String (argv[1]), &outs, argc, argv);' (from Rogue Wave
Math.h++) as an object declaration, and must be fixed so that it does
not resolve until later.

4) Indirectly between @code{after_type_declarator} and @code{parm}, for
type names.  This occurs in (as one example) code like

@example
typedef int foo, bar;
class A @{
  foo (bar);
@};
@end example

What is @code{bar} inside the class definition?  We currently interpret
it as a @code{parm}, as does Cfront, but IBM xlC interprets it as an
@code{after_type_declarator}.  I believe that xlC is correct, in light
of 7.1p2, which says "The longest sequence of @i{decl-specifiers} that
could possibly be a type name is taken as the @i{decl-specifier-seq} of
a @i{declaration}."  However, it seems clear that this rule must be
violated in the case of constructors.  This ambiguity accounts for 8
conflicts.

Unlike the others, this ambiguity is not recognized by the Working Paper.

@node  Copying Objects, Exception Handling, Parser, Top
@section Copying Objects

The generated copy assignment operator in g++ does not currently do the
right thing for multiple inheritance involving virtual bases; it just
calls the copy assignment operators for its direct bases.  What it
should probably do is:

1) Split up the copy assignment operator for all classes that have
vbases into "copy my vbases" and "copy everything else" parts.  Or do
the trickiness that the constructors do to ensure that vbases don't get
initialized by intermediate bases.

2) Wander through the class lattice, find all vbases for which no
intermediate base has a user-defined copy assignment operator, and call
their "copy everything else" routines.  If not all of my vbases satisfy
this criterion, warn, because this may be surprising behavior.

3) Call the "copy everything else" routine for my direct bases.

If we only have one direct base, we can just foist everything off onto
them.

This issue is currently under discussion in the core reflector
(2/28/94).

@node  Exception Handling, Free Store, Copying Objects, Top
@section Exception Handling

This section describes the mapping of C++ exceptions in the C++
front-end, into the back-end exception handling framework.

The basic mechanism of exception handling in the back-end is
unwind-protect a la elisp.  This is a general, robust, and language
independent representation for exceptions.

The C++ front-end exceptions are mapping into the unwind-protect
semantics by the C++ front-end.  The mapping is describe below.

Objects with RTTI support should use the RTTI information to do mapping
and checking.  Objects without RTTI, like int and const char *, have to
use another means of matching.  Currently we use the normal mangling used in
building functions names.  Int's are "i", const char * is PCc, etc...

Unfortunately, the standard allows standard type conversions on throw
parameters so they can match catch handlers.  This means we need a
mechanism to handle type conversion at run time, ICK.

In C++, all cleanups should be protected by exception regions.  The
region starts just after the reason why the cleanup is created has
ended.  For example, with an automatic variable, that has a constructor,
it would be right after the constructor is run.  The region ends just
before the finalization is expanded.  Since the backend may expand the
cleanup multiple times along different paths, once for normal end of the
region, once for non-local gotos, once for returns, etc, the backend
must take special care to protect the finalization expansion, if the
expansion is for any other reason than normal region end, and it is
`inline' (it is inside the exception region).  The backend can either
choose to move them out of line, or it can created an exception region
over the finalization to protect it, and in the handler associated with
it, it would not run the finalization as it otherwise would have, but
rather just rethrow to the outer handler, careful to skip the normal
handler for the original region.

In Ada, they will use the more runtime intensive approach of having
fewer regions, but at the cost of additional work at run time, to keep a
list of things that need cleanups.  When a variable has finished
construction, they add the cleanup to the list, when the come to the end
of the lifetime of the variable, the run the list down.  If the take a
hit before the section finishes normally, they examine the list for
actions to perform.  I hope they add this logic into the back-end, as it
would be nice to get that alternative approach in C++.

@node Free Store, Concept Index, Exception Handling, Top
@section Free Store

operator new [] adds a magic cookie to the beginning of arrays for which
the number of elements will be needed by operator delete [].  These are
arrays of objects with destructors and arrays of objects that define
operator delete [] with the optional size_t argument.  This cookie can
be examined from a program as follows:

@example
typedef unsigned long size_t;
extern "C" int printf (const char *, ...);

size_t nelts (void *p)
@{
  struct cookie @{
    size_t nelts __attribute__ ((aligned (sizeof (double))));
  @};

  cookie *cp = (cookie *)p;
  --cp;

  return cp->nelts;
@}

struct A @{
  ~A() @{ @}
@};

main()
@{
  A *ap = new A[3];
  printf ("%ld\n", nelts (ap));
@}
@end example

@node Concept Index,  , Free Store, Top
@section Concept Index

@printindex cp

@bye