Re: System.Address'Size - not a static integer expression?

[presbeis@look.ca (FGD)]

Wes Groleau <wesgroleau@despammed.com> wrote in message news:<3C877185.1CF93423@despammed.com>...
> > > a.ads:12:33: static integer expression required here
> > >
> > > Is this a compiler bug?
> > 
> > No, it is a correct diagnostic, this is not a static
> > expression.
> 
> Vadim, I had the same misunderstanding at one time,
> so perhaps I can clarify:
> 
> The 'Size attribute, even though "static" in nature
> much of the time is officially defined as non-static
> in the RM, and therefore not allowed where a "static"
> value is required.
> 
> In other words, compilers are required to pretend
> that they don't know the value of 'Size at compile
> time.  Sometimes the value is known, sometimes not,
> so it's simpler to pretend it's always unknown.


I've wondered about this in the past, I can't remember any "official"
justification for this. Why does the RM say it's not static? It
requires static expression when defining it. Only unconstrained types
can have non-static 'Size. (Am I missing something?) Maybe it's a
language simplification, but a very inconvenient one...

-- Frank