Re: private types and recompilation

[emery@goldfinger.mitre.org (David Emery)]

In this particular situation, Ada can do what you want.  You can
complete an incomplete type in the package body.  So, given:

	private
	  type LIST;
	  type POSITION is access LIST;
	  type LIST is record
	    A: ATOM;
	    NEXT: POSITION;
	  end record;
	end LIST_ADT;

you can do the following:

	private
	  type LIST;
	  type POSITION is access LIST;
	end LIST_ADT;

	package body LIST_ADT is

	  type LIST is record
	    A: ATOM;
	    NEXT: POSITION;
	  end record;

	...
	end LIST_ADT;

(Thanks to Tucker Taft who argued for this feature in Ada 83.)

				dave