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digitalmars.D.learn - alias and typedef declarations

reply Ary Manzana <ary esperanto.org.ar> writes:
I'm almost finishing the AST nodes "à la JDT" for the Descent plugin, 
and I run into the following:

A typical alias declaration is:



But this is also allowed:



Now, the AST nodes must record enough information to fully reflect what 
is written in the source code. Currently in DMD the last sentence is 
turned into a VarDeclaration that saves the storage class (const), the 
variable name (x) and the initializer (1, which is mandatory for this 
class of declarations). So the "alias" keyword is lost, and if you 
modify the AST and rewrite, it will definitely be lost.

So it seems the "alias" keyword isn't changing anything, so rewriting it 
as "const x = 1;" it's the same. Should I care about keeping the "alias" 
keyword or not? It's pretty much easier for me not to keep it.

Any suggestion?

(the same happens if "typedef" is used instead of "alias")

BTW, while building the AST I found out that any declaration can be 
preceded with modifiers. Sometimes it's pretty funny but luckily makes 
no harm, so I'm not complaining for this anymore. For example:



 Will it evaluate? It's abstract :-P




 Now that's a final assert!




 If I defined it previously, now I can make it clear that I'm 


overriding it

Etc.

Thanks,
Ary
Dec 17 2006
parent reply Bruno Medeiros <brunodomedeiros+spam com.gmail> writes:
Ary Manzana wrote:

 I'm almost finishing the AST nodes "à la JDT" for the Descent plugin, 
 and I run into the following:
 
 A typical alias declaration is:
 

 
 But this is also allowed:
 

 
 Now, the AST nodes must record enough information to fully reflect what 
 is written in the source code. Currently in DMD the last sentence is 
 turned into a VarDeclaration that saves the storage class (const), the 
 variable name (x) and the initializer (1, which is mandatory for this 
 class of declarations). So the "alias" keyword is lost, and if you 
 modify the AST and rewrite, it will definitely be lost.
 
 So it seems the "alias" keyword isn't changing anything, so rewriting it 
 as "const x = 1;" it's the same. Should I care about keeping the "alias" 
 keyword or not? It's pretty much easier for me not to keep it.
 
 Any suggestion?
 
 (the same happens if "typedef" is used instead of "alias")
 
 BTW, while building the AST I found out that any declaration can be 
 preceded with modifiers. Sometimes it's pretty funny but luckily makes 
 no harm, so I'm not complaining for this anymore. For example:
 

  > Will it evaluate? It's abstract :-P
 

  > Now that's a final assert!
 

  > If I defined it previously, now I can make it clear that I'm 
 overriding it
 
 Etc.
 
 Thanks,
 Ary


Yes, unfortunately it really is that DMD allows modifiers in many 
declarations where it does not make any sense (and that's according to 
spec grammar). I would suggest Walter should fix this eventually, in the 
meanwhile (which I suspect may be long), we can either try to be fully 
DMD compliant, or start creating our own view of what modifiers are 
allowed or not. I personally favor this later one, since the first is 
IMO broken, and may lead to extra unnecessary work in the (AST) 
implementation.

-- 
Bruno Medeiros - MSc in CS/E student
http://www.prowiki.org/wiki4d/wiki.cgi?BrunoMedeiros#D
Dec 19 2006
parent Ary Manzana <ary esperanto.org.ar> writes:
Bruno Medeiros escribió:

 Ary Manzana wrote:

 I'm almost finishing the AST nodes "à la JDT" for the Descent plugin, 
 and I run into the following:

 A typical alias declaration is:



 But this is also allowed:



 Now, the AST nodes must record enough information to fully reflect 
 what is written in the source code. Currently in DMD the last sentence 
 is turned into a VarDeclaration that saves the storage class (const), 
 the variable name (x) and the initializer (1, which is mandatory for 
 this class of declarations). So the "alias" keyword is lost, and if 
 you modify the AST and rewrite, it will definitely be lost.

 So it seems the "alias" keyword isn't changing anything, so rewriting 
 it as "const x = 1;" it's the same. Should I care about keeping the 
 "alias" keyword or not? It's pretty much easier for me not to keep it.

 Any suggestion?

 (the same happens if "typedef" is used instead of "alias")

 BTW, while building the AST I found out that any declaration can be 
 preceded with modifiers. Sometimes it's pretty funny but luckily makes 
 no harm, so I'm not complaining for this anymore. For example:


  > Will it evaluate? It's abstract :-P


  > Now that's a final assert!


  > If I defined it previously, now I can make it clear that I'm 
 overriding it

 Etc.

 Thanks,
 Ary


 
 Yes, unfortunately it really is that DMD allows modifiers in many 
 declarations where it does not make any sense (and that's according to 
 spec grammar). I would suggest Walter should fix this eventually, in the 
 meanwhile (which I suspect may be long), we can either try to be fully 
 DMD compliant, or start creating our own view of what modifiers are 
 allowed or not. I personally favor this later one, since the first is 
 IMO broken, and may lead to extra unnecessary work in the (AST) 
 implementation.
 


I will do that in the Descent plugin. It will show you, only as warning, 
something like "This token has no effect, remove it". It'll still be DMD 
compliant, since they are only warnings, not errors, and one would be 
abe to turn them off. :-)
Dec 19 2006