Re: Newbe Q: generic array not working OK

[Tucker Taft <stt@averstar.com>]

Ehud Lamm wrote:
> 
> Maybe it is worth mentioning that the distinction between unconstrained
> and constrained generic array paramters was introduced in Ada95.
> The interested reader can check the Rational, for the rational of this
> decision (tightening the contract model).

Not quite.  Ada 83 and Ada 95 both distinguish constrained generic
array parameters from unconstrained ones.  Ada 95 introduced
the distinction between "definite" private and "indefinite" private (aka "<>")
formal types.  Also, in Ada 95, array type matching is done statically
(at compile-time) rather than involving any run-time checks.

Here is a quote from Ada 83, 12.3.4(2): "... the formal type and the
actual type must be either both constrained or both unconstrained."

> 
> Ehud Lamm mslamm@mscc.huji.ac.il
> http://purl.oclc.org/NET/ehudlamm <== My home on the web
> Check it out and subscribe to the E-List- for interesting essays and more!

-- 
-Tucker Taft   stt@averstar.com   http://www.averstar.com/~stt/
Technical Director, Distributed IT Solutions  (www.averstar.com/tools)
AverStar (formerly Intermetrics, Inc.)   Burlington, MA  USA