re: Variable Length Strings

[GDAU100@BGUVM.BITNET ("Jonathan B. Owen")]

In issue #143, Thomas Hoyt replied to my question about variable length
strings.  He is right by commenting that if the type V_string is used
without the default of zero, your string is not of a variable length...

Cliff baker replied to my question by saying he thinks the Verdix Ada
is not smart enough to recognize the Max. size of the type by taking
into consideration the upper limit of Len_range (and that the problem
has nothing to do with the fact that the package is generic).  Well,
I disagree with this, as the Verdix Ada DOES recognize the max. size,
IF THE UPPER LIMIT OF THE SUBTYPE IS CONSTANT, as in:

   subtype Len_range is integer range 0..132;

I did not bother to mention my work-around to this problem.  I defined
a few non-generic packages to handle V_strings of length 15,80,132,512,
1024,2048.  I had to replicate manually the body of these packages.  Of
course working this way is a compromise...  The point is that the Verdix
Ada works fine with these non-generic packages, in respect to the
issue at hand.

Baring the above in mind, I don't understand why the generic parameter
Max_len should not be considered constant for the issue of determining
the max. size.  After all, it's value is avaliable during elaboration
time, and of course cannot change, there after.

                                   Any thoughts?

                                                Jonathan

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