Re: Curious function signature issue

[Adam Beneschan <adambeneschan@aol.com>]

On Thursday, October 24, 2013 2:12:28 PM UTC-7, RasikaSr...@gmail.com wrote:
> all
> 
> I have a package P that looks like this:
> 
> package P is
>    type Person_Type is private ;
>    function Create( targetsfile : String := "targets.dat" ;
>                     basalfile : String := "basal.dat" ;
>                     isffile : String := "isf.dat" ;
>                     icrfile : String := "icr.dat" )
>                    return Person_Type ;
>    function Create return Person_Type ;
> ....
> ....
> end P ;
 
> 
> I am curious how gnat (2013 if it matters) can distinguish between the two overloaded "Create" functions?
> 
> The project built successfully though I am yet to exercise the runtime.

> thanks for any clues, srini

You cannot use the Create function with no parameters, because Ada can't tell which one to use.  However, that doesn't prevent the package from compiling.  You won't get an error unless you actually try to use the Create function with no parameters.  (You could still define a function that renames the second Create and use that, however.)

If you're actually using P.Create with no parameters, and you're not getting an error, it's a GNAT bug.  But in that case I'd want to see a small example that demonstrates the problem, to make sure there aren't any other constructs that might be affecting something.

                              -- Adam