Re: pragma Import with 'Address clause

["Randy Brukardt" <randy@rrsoftware.com>]

Beard, Frank Randolph CIV wrote in message ...
>> The Pragma Import should not be needed.

>Shouldn't be needed but isn't guaranteed.  The Pragma Import is
>there to ensure the compiler doesn't initialize the data.  There
>is no guarantee that the compiler won't initialize it to
>something, despite the fact the data structure doesn't have a
>default expression.


Absolutely right. Also recall that Ada requires implicit initialization
of discriminants and access objects, so you need to insure that there is
nothing that requires implicit initialization as well as default
expressions.

>When we were on VAX Ada, it seemed to initialize everything within
>the range of the type.

I'm told that Rational Apex does this (I haven't checked it myself).

Conclusion: if you need your code to be portable enough to compile with
another Ada compiler (including a new version of the one you are using),
you'll use the pragma Import.

            Randy.