Re: generic instantiation question ...

Re: generic instantiation question ...

[Robert Dewar]

I do not think Alsys has ever produced an Ada compiler which used shared
generic code. The switch you are thinking of was probably the subunit mode
switch which is something completely different, you get code duplication
either way.

Some Ada compilers do code sharing, notably RR and Rational (which only do
it this way), and Dec (where it is optional)> I think VADS can also used
shared generics, at least in some cases.

Re: generic instantiation question ...

[Mike Meier]

Paul Hager (hagerp@cs.indiana.edu) wrote:
: Q:      Is machine code generated every time a generic is
:         instantiated?  In other words, does each "copy" of
:         the generic generate additional code?

If I remember correctly, our Alsys compiler actually has a compiler
switch which allows us to select whether separate copies are made
for each instantiation or a shared copy is used.  Of course,
you can't have it one way for some generics and another way for
others, but that seems a reasonable limitation when you think of all
the implementation trade-offs.  I expect that other compilers have
similar capabilities.

Mike Meier
Magnavox Electronic Systems Company