12.7 Formal Packages
1
[
Formal
packages can be used to pass packages to a generic unit. The
formal_package_declaration
declares that the formal package is an instance of a given generic package.
Upon instantiation, the actual package has to be an instance of that
generic package.]
Syntax
2/3
3/2
3.1/2
3.2/2
Legality Rules
4
The
generic_package_name
shall denote a generic package (the
template for the formal package);
the formal package is an instance of the template.
4.1/3
4.2/3
4.3/3
4.4/3
4.5/3
4.a/3
Discussion: {
AI05-0200-1}
The above rule is simple to state, though it does
not reflect the fact that the formal package functions like an instantiation
of a special kind, where each box association for a generic_formal_parameter_declaration
F is replaced with a new entity F' that has the same characteristics
as F: if F is a formal discrete type then F' is
a discrete type, if F is a formal subprogram then F' is
a subprogram with a similar signature, etc. In practice this is achieved
by making the association into a copy of the declaration of the generic
formal.
5/2
{
AI95-00317-01}
The actual shall be an instance of the template. If the
formal_package_actual_part
is (<>)
or (others => <>),
[then the actual may be any instance of the template]; otherwise,
certain
of the actual parameters each actual parameter
of the actual instance shall match the corresponding actual
parameters parameter
of the formal package
, determined [(whether the actual parameter is given explicitly or by default)],
as follows:
5.1/2
5.2/2
{
AI95-00317-01}
Otherwise, all actual parameters shall match[,
whether any actual parameter is given explicitly or by default].
5.3/2
{
AI95-00317-01}
The rules for matching of actual parameters between
the actual instance and the formal package are as follows:6/2
{
AI95-00317-01}
For a formal object of mode
in, the
actuals match if they are static expressions with the same value, or
if they statically denote the same constant, or if they are both the
literal
null.
6.a
Reason: We can't simply require full
conformance between the two actual parameter expressions, because the
two expressions are being evaluated at different times.
7
For a formal subtype, the actuals match if they
denote statically matching subtypes.
8
For other kinds of formals, the actuals match if
they statically denote the same entity.
8.1/1
{
8652/0039}
{
AI95-00213-01}
For the purposes of matching, any actual parameter
that is the name of a formal object of mode in is replaced by
the formal object's actual expression (recursively). Static Semantics
9
10/2
{
AI95-00317-01}
The visible part of a formal package includes the
first list of
basic_declarative_items
of the
package_specification.
In addition,
for each actual parameter that is
not required to match, a copy of the declaration of the corresponding
formal parameter of the template is included in the visible part of the
formal package. If the copied declaration is for a formal type, copies
of the implicit declarations of the primitive subprograms of the formal
type are also included in the visible part of if
the formal_package_actual_part
is (<>), it also includes the generic_formal_part
of the template for the formal package.
10.a/2
Ramification: {
AI95-00317-01}
If the
formal_package_actual_part
is (<>), then the declarations that occur immediately within the
generic_formal_part
of the template for the formal package are visible outside the formal
package, and can be denoted by expanded names outside the formal package.
If
only some of the actual parameters are given by <>, then the declaration
corresponding to those parameters (but not the others) are made visible.
10.b/3
Reason: {
AI05-0005-1}
We always want either the actuals or the formals of an instance to be
nameable namable
from outside, but never both. If both were
nameable namable,
one would get some funny anomalies since they denote the same entity,
but, in the case of types at least, they might have different and inconsistent
sets of primitive operators due to predefined operator “reemergence.”
Formal derived types exacerbate the difference. We want the implicit
declarations of the
generic_formal_part
as well as the explicit declarations, so we get operations on the formal
types.
10.c
Ramification: A generic formal package
is a package, and is an instance. Hence, it is possible to pass a generic
formal package as an actual to another generic formal package.
11/2
{
AI95-00317-01}
For the purposes of matching, if the actual instance
A is itself a formal package, then the actual parameters of A
are those specified explicitly or implicitly in the formal_package_actual_part
for A, plus, for those not specified, the copies of the formal
parameters of the template included in the visible part of A.Examples
12/2
{
AI95-00433-01}
Example of a generic package with formal package
parameters:13/2
with Ada.Containers.Ordered_Maps; -- see A.18.6
generic
with package Mapping_1 is new Ada.Containers.Ordered_Maps(<>);
with package Mapping_2 is new Ada.Containers.Ordered_Maps
(Key_Type => Mapping_1.Element_Type,
others => <>);
package Ordered_Join is
-- Provide a "join" between two mappings
14/2
subtype Key_Type is Mapping_1.Key_Type;
subtype Element_Type is Mapping_2.Element_Type;
15/2
function Lookup(Key : Key_Type) return Element_Type;
16/2
...
end Ordered_Join;
17/2
{
AI95-00433-01}
Example of an instantiation of a package with
formal packages:18/2
with Ada.Containers.Ordered_Maps;
package Symbol_Package is
19/2
type String_Id is ...
20/2
type Symbol_Info is ...
21/2
package String_Table is new Ada.Containers.Ordered_Maps
(Key_Type => String,
Element_Type => String_Id);
22/2
package Symbol_Table is new Ada.Containers.Ordered_Maps
(Key_Type => String_Id,
Element_Type => Symbol_Info);
23/2
package String_Info is new Ordered_Join(Mapping_1 => String_Table,
Mapping_2 => Symbol_Table);
24/2
Apple_Info : constant Symbol_Info := String_Info.Lookup("Apple");
25/2
end Symbol_Package;
Extensions to Ada 83
25.a
Formal packages are new
to Ada 95.
Extensions to Ada 95
25.b/2
{
AI95-00317-01}
{
AI95-00398-01}
It's now allowed to mix actuals
of a formal package that are specified with those that are not specified.
Wording Changes from Ada 95
25.c/2
{
8652/0039}
{
AI95-00213-01}
Corrigendum: Corrected the description of
formal package matching to say that formal parameters are always replaced
by their actual parameters (recursively). This matches the actual practice
of compilers, as the ACATS has always required this behavior.25.d/2
{
AI95-00317-01}
The description of which operations are visible
in a formal package has been clarified. We also specify how matching
is done when the actual is a formal package. Incompatibilities With Ada 2005
25.e/3
{
AI05-0025-1}
{
AI05-0200-1}
Correction: Added missing
rules for parameters of generic formal package that parallel those in
12.3, as well as some specific to <>
parameters. These are technically incompatibilities because generic formal
package parameters that Ada 95 and Ada 2005 would have considered legal
now have to be rejected. But this should not be an issue in practice
as such formal parameters could not have matched any actual generics.
And it is quite likely that implementations already enforce some of these
rules. Extensions to Ada 2005
25.f/3
Ada 2005 and 2012 Editions sponsored in part by Ada-Europe
