On 04/08/2013 09:03 AM, Robert Dewar wrote:
It may be interesting to look at what we have done in
Ada with regard to overflow in intermediate expressions.
Briefly we allow specification of three modes
all intermediate arithmetic is done in the base type,
with overflow signalled if an intermediate value is
outside this range.
all intermediate arithmetic is done in the widest
integer type, with overflow signalled if an intermediate
value is outside this range.
all intermediate arithmetic uses an infinite precision
arithmetic package built for this purpose.
In the second and third cases we do range analysis that
allows smaller intermediate precision if we know it's
safe.
We also allow separate specification of the mode inside
and outside assertions (e.g. preconditions and postconditions)
since in the latter you often want to regard integers as
mathematical, not subject to intermediate overflow.
So then how does a language like ada work in gcc? My assumption is
that most of what you describe here is done in the front end and by the
time you get to the middle end of the compiler, you have chosen types
for which you are comfortable to have any remaining math done in along
with explicit checks for overflow where the programmer asked for them.
Otherwise, how could ada have ever worked with gcc?
kenny
