gcc reports two different error messages, the second of them doesn't seem to be correct. If it is somehow correct (I don't think so), it is still misleading:
$ gnatmake -gnatv p.adb gcc -c -gnatv p.adb GNAT 4.3.0 20070127 (experimental) Copyright 1992-2006, Free Software Foundation, Inc. Compiling: p.adb (source file time stamp: 2007-01-27 13:38:37) 5. this.x := value; | >>> left hand side of assignment must be a variable 10. this.x := 42; | >>> assignment to "in" mode parameter not allowed 13 lines: 2 errors gnatmake: "p.adb" compilation error The first message is correct because "this" is a pointer to constant. The second message should be the same because the parameter mode should only affects the mode of the pointer parameter ("this") not the pointee. (When T_Ptr is made access-to-variable, both lines compile fine.) package P is type T is tagged limited private; type T_Ptr is access constant T; -- Note: constant procedure reset(this: T_Ptr); procedure set(this: T_Ptr; value: Integer); private type T is tagged limited record x: Integer; end record; end P; package body P is procedure set(this: T_Ptr; value: Integer) is begin this.x := value; end set; procedure reset(this: T_Ptr) is begin this.x := 42; end reset; end P; -- Summary: compiler puts the blame on in parameter mode, not pointer to constant, for assignment to component Product: gcc Version: 4.3.0 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: enhancement Priority: P3 Component: ada AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: bauhaus at futureapps dot de GCC build triplet: i686-pc-linux-gnu GCC host triplet: i686-pc-linux-gnu GCC target triplet: i686-pc-linux-gnu http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=30614