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3.7.1 Discriminant Constraints

1
   A discriminant_constraint specifies the values of the discriminants for a given discriminated type.

Language Design Principles

1.a
The rules in this clause are intentionally parallel to those given in Record Aggregates.

Syntax

2
discriminant_constraint ::=
   (discriminant_association {, discriminant_association})
3
discriminant_association ::=
   [discriminant_selector_name {| discriminant_selector_name} =>] expression
4
{named discriminant association} A discriminant_association is said to be named if it has one or more discriminant_selector_names; {positional discriminant association} it is otherwise said to be positional. In a discriminant_constraint, any positional associations shall precede any named associations.

Name Resolution Rules

5
   Each selector_name of a named discriminant_association shall resolve to denote a discriminant of the subtype being constrained; {associated discriminants (of a named discriminant_association)} the discriminants so named are the associated discriminants of the named association. {associated discriminants (of a positional discriminant_association)} For a positional association, the associated discriminant is the one whose discriminant_specification occurred in the corresponding position in the known_discriminant_part that defined the discriminants of the subtype being constrained.
6
   {expected type (discriminant_association expression) [partial]} The expected type for the expression in a discriminant_association is that of the associated discriminant(s).

Legality Rules

7/1
     {8652/0008} A discriminant_constraint is only allowed in a subtype_indication whose subtype_mark denotes either an unconstrained discriminated subtype, or an unconstrained access subtype whose designated subtype is an unconstrained discriminated subtype. However, in the case of a general access subtype, a discriminant_constraint is illegal if there is a place within the immediate scope of the designated subtype where the designated subtype's view is constrained.
7.a.1/1
Reason: {8652/0008} The second rule is necessary to prevent assignments that change the discriminant of a constrained object. See the defect report for examples.
8
   A named discriminant_association with more than one selector_name is allowed only if the named discriminants are all of the same type. A discriminant_constraint shall provide exactly one value for each discriminant of the subtype being constrained.
9
   The expression associated with an access discriminant shall be of a type convertible to the anonymous access type. {convertible (required) [partial]}
9.a
Ramification: This implies both convertibility of designated types, and static accessibility. This implies that if an object of type T with an access discriminant is created by an allocator for an access type A, then it requires that the type of the expression associated with the access discriminant have an accessibility level that is not statically deeper than that of A. This is to avoid dangling references.

Dynamic Semantics

10
    {compatibility (discriminant constraint with a subtype) [partial]} A discriminant_constraint is compatible with an unconstrained discriminated subtype if each discriminant value belongs to the subtype of the corresponding discriminant.
10.a
Ramification: The "dependent compatibility check" has been eliminated in Ada 95. Any checking on subcomponents is performed when (and if) an object is created.
10.b
Discussion: There is no need to define compatibility with a constrained discriminated subtype, because one is not allowed to constrain it again.
11
    {satisfies (a discriminant constraint) [partial]} A composite value satisfies a discriminant constraint if and only if each discriminant of the composite value has the value imposed by the discriminant constraint.
12
    {elaboration (discriminant_constraint) [partial]} For the elaboration of a discriminant_constraint, the expressions in the discriminant_associations are evaluated in an arbitrary order and converted to the type of the associated discriminant (which might raise Constraint_Error -- see 4.6); the expression of a named association is evaluated (and converted) once for each associated discriminant. {implicit subtype conversion (discriminant values) [partial]} The result of each evaluation and conversion is the value imposed by the constraint for the associated discriminant.
12.a
Reason: We convert to the type, not the subtype, so that the definition of compatibility of discriminant constraints is not vacuous.
NOTES
13
54  The rules of the language ensure that a discriminant of an object always has a value, either from explicit or implicit initialization.
13.a
Discussion: Although it is illegal to constrain a class-wide tagged subtype, it is possible to have a partially constrained class-wide subtype: If the subtype S is defined by T(A => B), then S'Class is partially constrained in the sense that objects of subtype S'Class have to have discriminants corresponding to A equal to B, but there can be other discriminants defined in extensions that are not constrained to any particular value.

Examples

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    Examples (using types declared above in clause 3.7):
15
Large   : Buffer(200);  --  constrained, always 200 characters
                        --   (explicit discriminant value)
Message : Buffer;       --  unconstrained, initially 100 characters
                        --   (default discriminant value)
Basis   : Square(5);    --  constrained, always 5 by 5
Illegal : Square;       --  illegal, a Square has to be constrained

Inconsistencies With Ada 83

15.a
{inconsistencies with Ada 83} Dependent compatibility checks are no longer performed on subtype declaration. Instead they are deferred until object creation (see 3.3.1). This is upward compatible for a program that does not raise Constraint_Error.

Wording Changes from Ada 83

15.b
Everything in RM83-3.7.2(7-12), which specifies the initial values for discriminants, is now redundant with 3.3.1, 6.4.1, 8.5.1, and 12.4. Therefore, we don't repeat it here. Since the material is largely intuitive, but nevertheless complicated to state formally, it doesn't seem worth putting it in a "NOTE."

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