Re: "out" parameters

[Ludovic Brenta <ludovic.brenta@insalien.org>]

Jo writes:
> Does anyone happen to know whether an "out" parameter in Ada is
> being passed by-copy or by-reference?
>
> If the parameter is a record with neither elementary nor access type
> component in it, then is it true that whether the "out" parameter is
> passed by-copy or by-reference is totally compiler dependent?

Yes, the compiler decides.  Only for tagged types, parameters are
passed by reference no matter what the mode.

Besides by-copy and by-reference, there is also the possibility of
passing parameters in processor registers.

The mechanism chosen also depends on whether or not the called
subprogram is inlined.

-- 
Ludovic Brenta.