Re: Help with type definition

["G.B." <rm-dash-bau-haus@dash.futureapps.de>]

On 16.05.14 09:37, hanslad@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello,
> I need an advise on how to define a type in my project.
> I want to implement a network protocol with the following definition on the type "string":
>
> "All String values are encoded as a sequence of UTF8 characters without a null terminator and preceded by the length in bytes.
> The length in bytes is encoded as Int32.

Does Int32 stand for a type that has exactly 32 bits
and is signed?  Then, Integer is not a suitable candidate
on the Ada side, because Integer is implementation defined
(and may well be 16 bits on a 32 bits platform).
Similarly, predefined type String may not be suitable
because String is indexed by Positive, which is a subtype
of Integer.

If all is well, though, I'd choose Interfaces.Integer_32.

Or just define some type if the benefits (and requirements)
stated for Interfaces.Integer_32 by the LRM are not that important.

   type Int32 is range -2^31 .. +2**31-1;
   for Int32'Size use 32;

Do you read octets? Some conversion might be needed
in any case, so you might as well try Storage_Array
instead of String, and then convert (or re-interpret)
as needed.

Your pointer-to-string type can be an "access constant" if
the strings so allocated do not need any overwrites.

Can you reuse a string buffer and pass it to processing
routines?