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From: steve quinlan <steven.quinlan@lmco.com>
Subject: Re: Getting GNAT to issue ARM error messages
Date: 1999/02/16
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Date: 1999-02-16T00:00:00+00:00
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You will never change Robert's mind on this. To my mind the flaw is in
thinking that a bunch of Ada experts can determine whether in  any given case
users (which users?)  would find RM references useful. I don't think they can
reliably.

I had this same argument with him when I was doing a compiler trade study (we
picked GNAT anyway, but this did get counted against it). Even if we can't
change his mind, the fact that overwhelmingly users want this seems like it
should move ACT to be more responsive. But they know best what we need to
correct our errors. (;-)

Yes, their "hey, dummy, didn't you really mean to .." messages are great. I
guess I would even bend on insisting that  every error message would need an
RM reference. But, at at least the ones where there is no "hey, dummy" message
-- if the compiler  can't tell me how to fix the error, then it ought to tell
me which rule I violated.

I think I do remember him agreeing that the error messages should use relevant
RM terminology. If they do, then at least a text search of the RM could
potentially get you to relevant sections. But, not everyone may have a
searchable version. The HTML isn't easily searchable. There is a plain text
version which can be searched I guess.