GNAT Reference Manual


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GNAT Reference Manual

GNAT Reference Manual

GNAT, The GNU Ada 95 Compiler

GNAT Version for GCC 3.3.5

Ada Core Technologies, Inc.

Copyright © 1995-2001, Free Software Foundation

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the Invariant Sections being “GNU Free Documentation License”, with the Front-Cover Texts being “GNAT Reference Manual”, and with no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled “GNU Free Documentation License”.

--- The Detailed Node Listing ---

About This Guide

The Implementation of Standard I/O

The GNAT Library

Text_IO

Wide_Text_IO

Interfacing to Other Languages

GNAT Implementation of Tasking


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About This Guide

This manual contains useful information in writing programs using the GNAT compiler. It includes information on implementation dependent characteristics of GNAT, including all the information required by Annex M of the standard.

Ada 95 is designed to be highly portable,and guarantees that, for most programs, Ada 95 compilers behave in exactly the same manner on different machines. However, since Ada 95 is designed to be used in a wide variety of applications, it also contains a number of system dependent features to Functbe used in interfacing to the external world.

Note: Any program that makes use of implementation-dependent features may be non-portable. You should follow good programming practice and isolate and clearly document any sections of your program that make use of these features in a non-portable manner.


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What This Reference Manual Contains

This reference manual contains the following chapters:

This reference manual assumes that you are familiar with Ada 95 language, as described in the International Standard ANSI/ISO/IEC-8652:1995, Jan 1995.


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Conventions

Following are examples of the typographical and graphic conventions used in this guide:

Commands that are entered by the user are preceded in this manual by the characters $ (dollar sign followed by space). If your system uses this sequence as a prompt, then the commands will appear exactly as you see them in the manual. If your system uses some other prompt, then the command will appear with the $ replaced by whatever prompt character you are using.


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Related Information

See the following documents for further information on GNAT:


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1 Implementation Defined Pragmas

Ada 95 defines a set of pragmas that can be used to supply additional information to the compiler. These language defined pragmas are implemented in GNAT and work as described in the Ada 95 Reference Manual.

In addition, Ada 95 allows implementations to define additional pragmas whose meaning is defined by the implementation. GNAT provides a number of these implementation-dependent pragmas which can be used to extend and enhance the functionality of the compiler. This section of the GNAT Reference Manual describes these additional pragmas.

Note that any program using these pragmas may not be portable to other compilers (although GNAT implements this set of pragmas on all platforms). Therefore if portability to other compilers is an important consideration, the use of these pragmas should be minimized.

pragma Abort_Defer
Syntax:
          pragma Abort_Defer;
     

This pragma must appear at the start of the statement sequence of a handled sequence of statements (right after the begin). It has the effect of deferring aborts for the sequence of statements (but not for the declarations or handlers, if any, associated with this statement sequence).

pragma Ada_83
Syntax:
          pragma Ada_83;
     

A configuration pragma that establishes Ada 83 mode for the unit to which it applies, regardless of the mode set by the command line switches. In Ada 83 mode, GNAT attempts to be as compatible with the syntax and semantics of Ada 83, as defined in the original Ada 83 Reference Manual as possible. In particular, the new Ada 95 keywords are not recognized, optional package bodies are allowed, and generics may name types with unknown discriminants without using the (<>) notation. In addition, some but not all of the additional restrictions of Ada 83 are enforced.

Ada 83 mode is intended for two purposes. Firstly, it allows existing legacy Ada 83 code to be compiled and adapted to GNAT with less effort. Secondly, it aids in keeping code backwards compatible with Ada 83. However, there is no guarantee that code that is processed correctly by GNAT in Ada 83 mode will in fact compile and execute with an Ada 83 compiler, since GNAT does not enforce all the additional checks required by Ada 83.


pragma Ada_95
Syntax:
          pragma Ada_95;
     

A configuration pragma that establishes Ada 95 mode for the unit to which it applies, regardless of the mode set by the command line switches. This mode is set automatically for the Ada and System packages and their children, so you need not specify it in these contexts. This pragma is useful when writing a reusable component that itself uses Ada 95 features, but which is intended to be usable from either Ada 83 or Ada 95 programs.


pragma Annotate
Syntax:
          pragma Annotate (IDENTIFIER {, ARG});
          
          ARG ::= NAME | EXPRESSION
     

This pragma is used to annotate programs. identifier identifies the type of annotation. GNAT verifies this is an identifier, but does not otherwise analyze it. The arg argument can be either a string literal or an expression. String literals are assumed to be of type Standard.String. Names of entities are simply analyzed as entity names. All other expressions are analyzed as expressions, and must be unambiguous.

The analyzed pragma is retained in the tree, but not otherwise processed by any part of the GNAT compiler. This pragma is intended for use by external tools, including ASIS.


pragma Assert
Syntax:
          pragma Assert (
            boolean_EXPRESSION
            [, static_string_EXPRESSION])
     

The effect of this pragma depends on whether the corresponding command line switch is set to activate assertions. The pragma expands into code equivalent to the following:

          if assertions-enabled then
             if not boolean_EXPRESSION then
                System.Assertions.Raise_Assert_Failure
                  (string_EXPRESSION);
             end if;
          end if;
     

The string argument, if given, is the message that will be associated with the exception occurrence if the exception is raised. If no second argument is given, the default message is file:nnn, where file is the name of the source file containing the assert, and nnn is the line number of the assert. A pragma is not a statement, so if a statement sequence contains nothing but a pragma assert, then a null statement is required in addition, as in:

          ...
          if J > 3 then
             pragma Assert (K > 3, "Bad value for K");
             null;
          end if;
     

Note that, as with the if statement to which it is equivalent, the type of the expression is either Standard.Boolean, or any type derived from this standard type.

If assertions are disabled (switch -gnata not used), then there is no effect (and in particular, any side effects from the expression are suppressed). More precisely it is not quite true that the pragma has no effect, since the expression is analyzed, and may cause types to be frozen if they are mentioned here for the first time.

If assertions are enabled, then the given expression is tested, and if it is False then System.Assertions.Raise_Assert_Failure is called which results in the raising of Assert_Failure with the given message.

If the boolean expression has side effects, these side effects will turn on and off with the setting of the assertions mode, resulting in assertions that have an effect on the program. You should generally avoid side effects in the expression arguments of this pragma. However, the expressions are analyzed for semantic correctness whether or not assertions are enabled, so turning assertions on and off cannot affect the legality of a program.


pragma Ast_Entry
Syntax:
          pragma AST_Entry (entry_IDENTIFIER);
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. The argument is the simple name of a single entry; at most one AST_Entry pragma is allowed for any given entry. This pragma must be used in conjunction with the AST_Entry attribute, and is only allowed after the entry declaration and in the same task type specification or single task as the entry to which it applies. This pragma specifies that the given entry may be used to handle an OpenVMS asynchronous system trap (AST) resulting from an OpenVMS system service call. The pragma does not affect normal use of the entry. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 9.12a.


pragma C_Pass_By_Copy
Syntax:
          pragma C_Pass_By_Copy
            ([Max_Size =>] static_integer_EXPRESSION);
     

Normally the default mechanism for passing C convention records to C convention subprograms is to pass them by reference, as suggested by RM B.3(69). Use the configuration pragma C_Pass_By_Copy to change this default, by requiring that record formal parameters be passed by copy if all of the following conditions are met:

If these conditions are met the argument is passed by copy, i.e. in a manner consistent with what C expects if the corresponding formal in the C prototype is a struct (rather than a pointer to a struct).

You can also pass records by copy by specifying the convention C_Pass_By_Copy for the record type, or by using the extended Import and Export pragmas, which allow specification of passing mechanisms on a parameter by parameter basis.


pragma Comment
Syntax:
          pragma Comment (static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This is almost identical in effect to pragma Ident. It allows the placement of a comment into the object file and hence into the executable file if the operating system permits such usage. The difference is that Comment, unlike Ident, has no limit on the length of the string argument, and no limitations on placement of the pragma (it can be placed anywhere in the main source unit).


pragma Common_Object
Syntax:
          pragma Common_Object (
               [Internal =>] LOCAL_NAME,
            [, [External =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL]
            [, [Size     =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL] )
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
     

This pragma enables the shared use of variables stored in overlaid linker areas corresponding to the use of COMMON in Fortran. The single object local_name is assigned to the area designated by the External argument. You may define a record to correspond to a series of fields. The size argument is syntax checked in GNAT, but otherwise ignored.

Common_Object is not supported on all platforms. If no support is available, then the code generator will issue a message indicating that the necessary attribute for implementation of this pragma is not available.


pragma Complex_Representation
Syntax:
          pragma Complex_Representation
                  ([Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

The Entity argument must be the name of a record type which has two fields of the same floating-point type. The effect of this pragma is to force gcc to use the special internal complex representation form for this record, which may be more efficient. Note that this may result in the code for this type not conforming to standard ABI (application binary interface) requirements for the handling of record types. For example, in some environments, there is a requirement for passing records by pointer, and the use of this pragma may result in passing this type in floating-point registers.


pragma Component_Alignment
Syntax:
          pragma Component_Alignment (
               [Form =>] ALIGNMENT_CHOICE
            [, [Name =>] type_LOCAL_NAME]);
          
          ALIGNMENT_CHOICE ::=
            Component_Size
          | Component_Size_4
          | Storage_Unit
          | Default
     

Specifies the alignment of components in array or record types. The meaning of the Form argument is as follows:

Component_Size
Aligns scalar components and subcomponents of the array or record type on boundaries appropriate to their inherent size (naturally aligned). For example, 1-byte components are aligned on byte boundaries, 2-byte integer components are aligned on 2-byte boundaries, 4-byte integer components are aligned on 4-byte boundaries and so on. These alignment rules correspond to the normal rules for C compilers on all machines except the VAX.


Component_Size_4
Naturally aligns components with a size of four or fewer bytes. Components that are larger than 4 bytes are placed on the next 4-byte boundary.


Storage_Unit
Specifies that array or record components are byte aligned, i.e. aligned on boundaries determined by the value of the constant System.Storage_Unit.


Default
Specifies that array or record components are aligned on default boundaries, appropriate to the underlying hardware or operating system or both. For OpenVMS VAX systems, the Default choice is the same as the Storage_Unit choice (byte alignment). For all other systems, the Default choice is the same as Component_Size (natural alignment).

If the Name parameter is present, type_local_name must refer to a local record or array type, and the specified alignment choice applies to the specified type. The use of Component_Alignment together with a pragma Pack causes the Component_Alignment pragma to be ignored. The use of Component_Alignment together with a record representation clause is only effective for fields not specified by the representation clause.

If the Name parameter is absent, the pragma can be used as either a configuration pragma, in which case it applies to one or more units in accordance with the normal rules for configuration pragmas, or it can be used within a declarative part, in which case it applies to types that are declared within this declarative part, or within any nested scope within this declarative part. In either case it specifies the alignment to be applied to any record or array type which has otherwise standard representation.

If the alignment for a record or array type is not specified (using pragma Pack, pragma Component_Alignment, or a record rep clause), the GNAT uses the default alignment as described previously.


pragma Convention_Identifier
Syntax:
          pragma Convention_Identifier (
                   [Name =>]       IDENTIFIER,
                   [Convention =>] convention_IDENTIFIER);
     

This pragma provides a mechanism for supplying synonyms for existing convention identifiers. The Name identifier can subsequently be used as a synonym for the given convention in other pragmas (including for example pragma Import or another Convention_Identifier pragma). As an example of the use of this, suppose you had legacy code which used Fortran77 as the identifier for Fortran. Then the pragma:

          pragma Convention_Indentifier (Fortran77, Fortran);
     

would allow the use of the convention identifier Fortran77 in subsequent code, avoiding the need to modify the sources. As another example, you could use this to parametrize convention requirements according to systems. Suppose you needed to use Stdcall on windows systems, and C on some other system, then you could define a convention identifier Library and use a single Convention_Identifier pragma to specify which convention would be used system-wide.


pragma CPP_Class
Syntax:
          pragma CPP_Class ([Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

The argument denotes an entity in the current declarative region that is declared as a tagged or untagged record type. It indicates that the type corresponds to an externally declared C++ class type, and is to be laid out the same way that C++ would lay out the type.

If (and only if) the type is tagged, at least one component in the record must be of type Interfaces.CPP.Vtable_Ptr, corresponding to the C++ Vtable (or Vtables in the case of multiple inheritance) used for dispatching.

Types for which CPP_Class is specified do not have assignment or equality operators defined (such operations can be imported or declared as subprograms as required). Initialization is allowed only by constructor functions (see pragma CPP_Constructor).

Pragma CPP_Class is intended primarily for automatic generation using an automatic binding generator tool. See Interfacing to C++ for related information.


pragma CPP_Constructor
Syntax:
          pragma CPP_Constructor ([Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

This pragma identifies an imported function (imported in the usual way with pragma Import) as corresponding to a C++ constructor. The argument is a name that must have been previously mentioned in a pragma Import with Convention = CPP, and must be of one of the following forms:

where T is a tagged type to which the pragma CPP_Class applies.

The first form is the default constructor, used when an object of type T is created on the Ada side with no explicit constructor. Other constructors (including the copy constructor, which is simply a special case of the second form in which the one and only argument is of type T), can only appear in two contexts:

Although the constructor is described as a function that returns a value on the Ada side, it is typically a procedure with an extra implicit argument (the object being initialized) at the implementation level. GNAT issues the appropriate call, whatever it is, to get the object properly initialized.

In the case of derived objects, you may use one of two possible forms for declaring and creating an object:

In the first case the default constructor is called and extension fields if any are initialized according to the default initialization expressions in the Ada declaration. In the second case, the given constructor is called and the extension aggregate indicates the explicit values of the extension fields.

If no constructors are imported, it is impossible to create any objects on the Ada side. If no default constructor is imported, only the initialization forms using an explicit call to a constructor are permitted.

Pragma CPP_Constructor is intended primarily for automatic generation using an automatic binding generator tool. See Interfacing to C++ for more related information.


pragma CPP_Virtual
Syntax:
          pragma CPP_Virtual
               [Entity     =>] ENTITY,
            [, [Vtable_Ptr =>] vtable_ENTITY,]
            [, [Position   =>] static_integer_EXPRESSION])
     

This pragma serves the same function as pragma Import in that case of a virtual function imported from C++. The Entity argument must be a primitive subprogram of a tagged type to which pragma CPP_Class applies. The Vtable_Ptr argument specifies the Vtable_Ptr component which contains the entry for this virtual function. The Position argument is the sequential number counting virtual functions for this Vtable starting at 1.

The Vtable_Ptr and Position arguments may be omitted if there is one Vtable_Ptr present (single inheritance case) and all virtual functions are imported. In that case the compiler can deduce both these values.

No External_Name or Link_Name arguments are required for a virtual function, since it is always accessed indirectly via the appropriate Vtable entry.

Pragma CPP_Virtual is intended primarily for automatic generation using an automatic binding generator tool. See Interfacing to C++ for related information.


pragma CPP_Vtable
Syntax:
          pragma CPP_Vtable (
            [Entity      =>] ENTITY,
            [Vtable_Ptr  =>] vtable_ENTITY,
            [Entry_Count =>] static_integer_EXPRESSION);
     

Given a record to which the pragma CPP_Class applies, this pragma can be specified for each component of type CPP.Interfaces.Vtable_Ptr. Entity is the tagged type, Vtable_Ptr is the record field of type Vtable_Ptr, and Entry_Count is the number of virtual functions on the C++ side. Not all of these functions need to be imported on the Ada side.

You may omit the CPP_Vtable pragma if there is only one Vtable_Ptr component in the record and all virtual functions are imported on the Ada side (the default value for the entry count in this case is simply the total number of virtual functions).

Pragma CPP_Vtable is intended primarily for automatic generation using an automatic binding generator tool. See Interfacing to C++ for related information.


pragma Debug
Syntax:
          pragma Debug (PROCEDURE_CALL_WITHOUT_SEMICOLON);
          
          PROCEDURE_CALL_WITHOUT_SEMICOLON ::=
            PROCEDURE_NAME
          | PROCEDURE_PREFIX ACTUAL_PARAMETER_PART
     

The argument has the syntactic form of an expression, meeting the syntactic requirements for pragmas.

If assertions are not enabled on the command line, this pragma has no effect. If asserts are enabled, the semantics of the pragma is exactly equivalent to the procedure call statement corresponding to the argument with a terminating semicolon. Pragmas are permitted in sequences of declarations, so you can use pragma Debug to intersperse calls to debug procedures in the middle of declarations.


pragma Elaboration_Checks
Syntax:
          pragma Elaboration_Checks (RM | Static);
     

This is a configuration pragma that provides control over the elaboration model used by the compilation affected by the pragma. If the parameter is RM, then the dynamic elaboration model described in the Ada Reference Manual is used, as though the -gnatE switch had been specified on the command line. If the parameter is Static, then the default GNAT static model is used. This configuration pragma overrides the setting of the command line. For full details on the elaboration models used by the GNAT compiler, see section “Elaboration Order Handling in GNAT” in the GNAT User's Guide.


pragma Eliminate
Syntax:
          pragma Eliminate (
              [Unit_Name =>] IDENTIFIER |
                             SELECTED_COMPONENT);
          
          pragma Eliminate (
              [Unit_Name       =>]  IDENTIFIER |
                                    SELECTED_COMPONENT,
              [Entity          =>]  IDENTIFIER |
                                    SELECTED_COMPONENT |
                                    STRING_LITERAL
            [,[Parameter_Types =>]  PARAMETER_TYPES]
            [,[Result_Type     =>]  result_SUBTYPE_NAME]
            [,[Homonym_Number  =>]  INTEGER_LITERAL]);
          
          PARAMETER_TYPES ::= (SUBTYPE_NAME {, SUBTYPE_NAME})
          SUBTYPE_NAME    ::= STRING_LITERAL
     

This pragma indicates that the given entity is not used outside the compilation unit it is defined in. The entity may be either a subprogram or a variable.

If the entity to be eliminated is a library level subprogram, then the first form of pragma Eliminate is used with only a single argument. In this form, the Unit_Name argument specifies the name of the library level unit to be eliminated.

In all other cases, both Unit_Name and Entity arguments are required. item is an entity of a library package, then the first argument specifies the unit name, and the second argument specifies the particular entity. If the second argument is in string form, it must correspond to the internal manner in which GNAT stores entity names (see compilation unit Namet in the compiler sources for details).

The remaining parameters are optionally used to distinguish between overloaded subprograms. There are two ways of doing this.

Use Parameter_Types and Result_Type to specify the profile of the subprogram to be eliminated in a manner similar to that used for the extended Import and Export pragmas, except that the subtype names are always given as string literals, again corresponding to the internal manner in which GNAT stores entity names.

Alternatively, the Homonym_Number parameter is used to specify which overloaded alternative is to be eliminated. A value of 1 indicates the first subprogram (in lexical order), 2 indicates the second etc.

The effect of the pragma is to allow the compiler to eliminate the code or data associated with the named entity. Any reference to an eliminated entity outside the compilation unit it is defined in, causes a compile time or link time error.

The parameters of this pragma may be given in any order, as long as the usual rules for use of named parameters and position parameters are used.

The intention of pragma Eliminate is to allow a program to be compiled in a system independent manner, with unused entities eliminated, without the requirement of modifying the source text. Normally the required set of Eliminate pragmas is constructed automatically using the gnatelim tool. Elimination of unused entities local to a compilation unit is automatic, without requiring the use of pragma Eliminate.

Note that the reason this pragma takes string literals where names might be expected is that a pragma Eliminate can appear in a context where the relevant names are not visible.


pragma Export_Exception
Syntax:
          pragma Export_Exception (
               [Internal =>] LOCAL_NAME,
            [, [External =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL,]
            [, [Form     =>] Ada | VMS]
            [, [Code     =>] static_integer_EXPRESSION]);
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It causes the specified exception to be propagated outside of the Ada program, so that it can be handled by programs written in other OpenVMS languages. This pragma establishes an external name for an Ada exception and makes the name available to the OpenVMS Linker as a global symbol. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 13.9a3.2.


pragma Export_Function ...
Syntax:
          pragma Export_Function (
               [Internal         =>] LOCAL_NAME,
            [, [External         =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL]
            [, [Parameter_Types  =>] PARAMETER_TYPES]
            [, [Result_Type      =>] result_SUBTYPE_MARK]
            [, [Mechanism        =>] MECHANISM]
            [, [Result_Mechanism =>] MECHANISM_NAME]);
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
          
          PARAMETER_TYPES ::=
            null
          | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK}
          
          MECHANISM ::=
            MECHANISM_NAME
          | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION})
          
          MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::=
            [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME
          
          MECHANISM_NAME ::=
            Value
          | Reference
          | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)]
          
          CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca
     

Use this pragma to make a function externally callable and optionally provide information on mechanisms to be used for passing parameter and result values. We recommend, for the purposes of improving portability, this pragma always be used in conjunction with a separate pragma Export, which must precede the pragma Export_Function. GNAT does not require a separate pragma Export, but if none is present, Convention Ada is assumed, which is usually not what is wanted, so it is usually appropriate to use this pragma in conjunction with a Export or Convention pragma that specifies the desired foreign convention. Pragma Export_Function (and Export, if present) must appear in the same declarative region as the function to which they apply.

internal_name must uniquely designate the function to which the pragma applies. If more than one function name exists of this name in the declarative part you must use the Parameter_Types and Result_Type parameters is mandatory to achieve the required unique designation. subtype_ marks in these parameters must exactly match the subtypes in the corresponding function specification, using positional notation to match parameters with subtype marks. Passing by descriptor is supported only on the OpenVMS ports of GNAT.


pragma Export_Object ...
Syntax:
          pragma Export_Object
                [Internal =>] LOCAL_NAME,
             [, [External =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL]
             [, [Size     =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL]
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
     

This pragma designates an object as exported, and apart from the extended rules for external symbols, is identical in effect to the use of the normal Export pragma applied to an object. You may use a separate Export pragma (and you probably should from the point of view of portability), but it is not required. Size is syntax checked, but otherwise ignored by GNAT.


pragma Export_Procedure ...
Syntax:
          pragma Export_Procedure (
               [Internal        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External        =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL]
            [, [Parameter_Types =>] PARAMETER_TYPES]
            [, [Mechanism       =>] MECHANISM]);
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
          
          PARAMETER_TYPES ::=
            null
          | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK}
          
          MECHANISM ::=
            MECHANISM_NAME
          | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION})
          
          MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::=
            [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME
          
          MECHANISM_NAME ::=
            Value
          | Reference
          | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)]
          
          CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca
     

This pragma is identical to Export_Function except that it applies to a procedure rather than a function and the parameters Result_Type and Result_Mechanism are not permitted. GNAT does not require a separate pragma Export, but if none is present, Convention Ada is assumed, which is usually not what is wanted, so it is usually appropriate to use this pragma in conjunction with a Export or Convention pragma that specifies the desired foreign convention.


pragma Export_Valued_Procedure
Syntax:
          pragma Export_Valued_Procedure (
               [Internal        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External        =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL]
            [, [Parameter_Types =>] PARAMETER_TYPES]
            [, [Mechanism       =>] MECHANISM]);
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
          
          PARAMETER_TYPES ::=
            null
          | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK}
          
          MECHANISM ::=
            MECHANISM_NAME
          | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION})
          
          MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::=
            [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME
          
          MECHANISM_NAME ::=
            Value
          | Reference
          | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)]
          
          CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca
     

This pragma is identical to Export_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. GNAT provides for this capability to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). GNAT does not require a separate pragma Export, but if none is present, Convention Ada is assumed, which is almost certainly not what is wanted since the whole point of this pragma is to interface with foreign language functions, so it is usually appropriate to use this pragma in conjunction with a Export or Convention pragma that specifies the desired foreign convention.


pragma Extend_System
Syntax:
          pragma Extend_System ([Name =>] IDENTIFIER);
     

This pragma is used to provide backwards compatibility with other implementations that extend the facilities of package System. In GNAT, System contains only the definitions that are present in the Ada 95 RM. However, other implementations, notably the DEC Ada 83 implementation, provide many extensions to package System.

For each such implementation accommodated by this pragma, GNAT provides a package Aux_xxx, e.g. Aux_DEC for the DEC Ada 83 implementation, which provides the required additional definitions. You can use this package in two ways. You can with it in the normal way and access entities either by selection or using a use clause. In this case no special processing is required.

However, if existing code contains references such as System.xxx where xxx is an entity in the extended definitions provided in package System, you may use this pragma to extend visibility in System in a non-standard way that provides greater compatibility with the existing code. Pragma Extend_System is a configuration pragma whose single argument is the name of the package containing the extended definition (e.g. Aux_DEC for the DEC Ada case). A unit compiled under control of this pragma will be processed using special visibility processing that looks in package System.Aux_xxx where Aux_xxx is the pragma argument for any entity referenced in package System, but not found in package System.

You can use this pragma either to access a predefined System extension supplied with the compiler, for example Aux_DEC or you can construct your own extension unit following the above definition. Note that such a package is a child of System and thus is considered part of the implementation. To compile it you will have to use the appropriate switch for compiling system units. See the GNAT User's Guide for details.


pragma External
Syntax:
          pragma External (
            [   Convention    =>] convention_IDENTIFIER,
            [   Entity        =>] local_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION ]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION ]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to pragma Export as defined in the Ada Reference Manual. It is provided for compatibility with some Ada 83 compilers that used this pragma for exactly the same purposes as pragma Export before the latter was standardized.


pragma External_Name_Casing
Syntax:
          pragma External_Name_Casing (
            Uppercase | Lowercase
            [, Uppercase | Lowercase | As_Is]);
     

This pragma provides control over the casing of external names associated with Import and Export pragmas. There are two cases to consider:

Implicit external names
Implicit external names are derived from identifiers. The most common case arises when a standard Ada 95 Import or Export pragma is used with only two arguments, as in:
                  pragma Import (C, C_Routine);
          

Since Ada is a case insensitive language, the spelling of the identifier in the Ada source program does not provide any information on the desired casing of the external name, and so a convention is needed. In GNAT the default treatment is that such names are converted to all lower case letters. This corresponds to the normal C style in many environments. The first argument of pragma External_Name_Casing can be used to control this treatment. If Uppercase is specified, then the name will be forced to all uppercase letters. If Lowercase is specified, then the normal default of all lower case letters will be used.

This same implicit treatment is also used in the case of extended DEC Ada 83 compatible Import and Export pragmas where an external name is explicitly specified using an identifier rather than a string.

Explicit external names
Explicit external names are given as string literals. The most common case arises when a standard Ada 95 Import or Export pragma is used with three arguments, as in:
               pragma Import (C, C_Routine, "C_routine");
          

In this case, the string literal normally provides the exact casing required for the external name. The second argument of pragma External_Name_Casing may be used to modify this behavior. If Uppercase is specified, then the name will be forced to all uppercase letters. If Lowercase is specified, then the name will be forced to all lowercase letters. A specification of As_Is provides the normal default behavior in which the casing is taken from the string provided.

This pragma may appear anywhere that a pragma is valid. In particular, it can be used as a configuration pragma in the gnat.adc file, in which case it applies to all subsequent compilations, or it can be used as a program unit pragma, in which case it only applies to the current unit, or it can be used more locally to control individual Import/Export pragmas.

It is primarily intended for use with OpenVMS systems, where many compilers convert all symbols to upper case by default. For interfacing to such compilers (e.g. the DEC C compiler), it may be convenient to use the pragma:

          pragma External_Name_Casing (Uppercase, Uppercase);
     

to enforce the upper casing of all external symbols.


pragma Finalize_Storage_Only
Syntax:
          pragma Finalize_Storage_Only (first_subtype_LOCAL_NAME);
     

This pragma allows the compiler not to emit a Finalize call for objects defined at the library level. This is mostly useful for types where finalization is only used to deal with storage reclamation since in most environments it is not necessary to reclaim memory just before terminating execution, hence the name.


pragma Float_Representation
Syntax:
          pragma Float_Representation (FLOAT_REP);
          
          FLOAT_REP ::= VAX_Float | IEEE_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined floating point types declared in the packages Standard and System. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7a. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT Users Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Ident
Syntax:
          pragma Ident (static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma provides a string identification in the generated object file, if the system supports the concept of this kind of identification string. The maximum permitted length of the string literal is 31 characters. This pragma is allowed only in the outermost declarative part or declarative items of a compilation unit. On OpenVMS systems, the effect of the pragma is identical to the effect of the DEC Ada 83 pragma of the same name.


pragma Import_Exception
Syntax:
          pragma Import_Exception (
               [Internal =>] LOCAL_NAME,
            [, [External =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL,]
            [, [Form     =>] Ada | VMS]
            [, [Code     =>] static_integer_EXPRESSION]);
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows OpenVMS conditions (for example, from OpenVMS system services or other OpenVMS languages) to be propagated to Ada programs as Ada exceptions. The pragma specifies that the exception associated with an exception declaration in an Ada program be defined externally (in non-Ada code). For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 13.9a.3.1.


pragma Import_Function ...
Syntax:
          pragma Import_Function (
               [Internal                 =>] LOCAL_NAME,
            [, [External                 =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL]
            [, [Parameter_Types          =>] PARAMETER_TYPES]
            [, [Result_Type              =>] SUBTYPE_MARK]
            [, [Mechanism                =>] MECHANISM]
            [, [Result_Mechanism         =>] MECHANISM_NAME]
            [, [First_Optional_Parameter =>] IDENTIFIER]);
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
          
          PARAMETER_TYPES ::=
            null
          | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK}
          
          MECHANISM ::=
            MECHANISM_NAME
          | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION})
          
          MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::=
            [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME
          
          MECHANISM_NAME ::=
            Value
          | Reference
          | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)]
          
          CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca
     

This pragma is used in conjunction with a pragma Import to specify additional information for an imported function. The pragma Import (or equivalent pragma Interface) must precede the Import_Function pragma and both must appear in the same declarative part as the function specification.

The Internal_Name argument must uniquely designate the function to which the pragma applies. If more than one function name exists of this name in the declarative part you must use the Parameter_Types and Result_Type parameters to achieve the required unique designation. Subtype marks in these parameters must exactly match the subtypes in the corresponding function specification, using positional notation to match parameters with subtype marks.

You may optionally use the Mechanism and Result_Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters and result. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Passing by descriptor is supported only on the to OpenVMS ports of GNAT.

First_Optional_Parameter applies only to OpenVMS ports of GNAT. It specifies that the designated parameter and all following parameters are optional, meaning that they are not passed at the generated code level (this is distinct from the notion of optional parameters in Ada where the parameters are passed anyway with the designated optional parameters). All optional parameters must be of mode IN and have default parameter values that are either known at compile time expressions, or uses of the 'Null_Parameter attribute.


pragma Import_Object
Syntax:
          pragma Import_Object
               [Internal =>] LOCAL_NAME,
            [, [External =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL],
            [, [Size     =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL])
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
     

This pragma designates an object as imported, and apart from the extended rules for external symbols, is identical in effect to the use of the normal Import pragma applied to an object. Unlike the subprogram case, you need not use a separate Import pragma, although you may do so (and probably should do so from a portability point of view). size is syntax checked, but otherwise ignored by GNAT.


pragma Import_Procedure
Syntax:
          pragma Import_Procedure (
               [Internal                 =>] LOCAL_NAME,
            [, [External                 =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL]
            [, [Parameter_Types          =>] PARAMETER_TYPES]
            [, [Mechanism                =>] MECHANISM]
            [, [First_Optional_Parameter =>] IDENTIFIER]);
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
          
          PARAMETER_TYPES ::=
            null
          | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK}
          
          MECHANISM ::=
            MECHANISM_NAME
          | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION})
          
          MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::=
            [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME
          
          MECHANISM_NAME ::=
            Value
          | Reference
          | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)]
          
          CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca
     

This pragma is identical to Import_Function except that it applies to a procedure rather than a function and the parameters Result_Type and Result_Mechanism are not permitted.


pragma Import_Valued_Procedure ...
Syntax:
          pragma Import_Valued_Procedure (
               [Internal                 =>] LOCAL_NAME,
            [, [External                 =>] EXTERNAL_SYMBOL]
            [, [Parameter_Types          =>] PARAMETER_TYPES]
            [, [Mechanism                =>] MECHANISM]
            [, [First_Optional_Parameter =>] IDENTIFIER]);
          
          EXTERNAL_SYMBOL ::=
            IDENTIFIER
          | static_string_EXPRESSION
          
          PARAMETER_TYPES ::=
            null
          | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK}
          
          MECHANISM ::=
            MECHANISM_NAME
          | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION})
          
          MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::=
            [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME
          
          MECHANISM_NAME ::=
            Value
          | Reference
          | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)]
          
          CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca
     

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT, and externally the subprogram is treated as a function with this parameter as the result of the function. The purpose of this capability is to allow the use of OUT and IN OUT parameters in interfacing to external functions (which are not permitted in Ada functions). You may optionally use the Mechanism parameters to specify passing mechanisms for the parameters. If you specify a single mechanism name, it applies to all parameters. Otherwise you may specify a mechanism on a parameter by parameter basis using either positional or named notation. If the mechanism is not specified, the default mechanism is used.

Note that it is important to use this pragma in conjunction with a separate pragma Import that specifies the desired convention, since otherwise the default convention is Ada, which is almost certainly not what is required.


pragma Initialize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Initialize_Scalars;
     

This pragma is similar to Normalize_Scalars conceptually but has two important differences. First, there is no requirement for the pragma to be used uniformly in all units of a partition, in particular, it is fine to use this just for some or all of the application units of a partition, without needing to recompile the run-time library.

In the case where some units are compiled with the pragma, and some without, then a declaration of a variable where the type is defined in package Standard or is locally declared will always be subject to initialization, as will any declaration of a scalar variable. For composite variables, whether the variable is initialized may also depend on whether the package in which the type of the variable is declared is compiled with the pragma.

The other important difference is that there is control over the value used for initializing scalar objects. At bind time, you can select whether to initialize with invalid values (like Normalize_Scalars), or with high or low values, or with a specified bit pattern. See the users guide for binder options for specifying these cases.

This means that you can compile a program, and then without having to recompile the program, you can run it with different values being used for initializing otherwise uninitialized values, to test if your program behavior depends on the choice. Of course the behavior should not change, and if it does, then most likely you have an erroneous reference to an uninitialized value.

Note that pragma Initialize_Scalars is particularly useful in conjunction with the enhanced validity checking that is now provided in GNAT, which checks for invalid values under more conditions. Using this feature (see description of the -gnatv flag in the users guide) in conjunction with pragma Initialize_Scalars provides a powerful new tool to assist in the detection of problems caused by uninitialized variables.


pragma Inline_Always
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Always (NAME [, NAME]);
     

Similar to pragma Inline except that inlining is not subject to the use of option -gnatn for inter-unit inlining.


pragma Inline_Generic
Syntax:
          pragma Inline_Generic (generic_package_NAME)
     

This is implemented for compatibility with DEC Ada 83 and is recognized, but otherwise ignored, by GNAT. All generic instantiations are inlined by default when using GNAT.


pragma Interface
Syntax:
          pragma Interface (
               [Convention    =>] convention_identifier,
               [Entity =>] local_name
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_expression],
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_expression]);
     

This pragma is identical in syntax and semantics to the standard Ada 95 pragma Import. It is provided for compatibility with Ada 83. The definition is upwards compatible both with pragma Interface as defined in the Ada 83 Reference Manual, and also with some extended implementations of this pragma in certain Ada 83 implementations.


pragma Interface_Name
Syntax:
          pragma Interface_Name (
               [Entity        =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [, [External_Name =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]
            [, [Link_Name     =>] static_string_EXPRESSION]);
     

This pragma provides an alternative way of specifying the interface name for an interfaced subprogram, and is provided for compatibility with Ada 83 compilers that use the pragma for this purpose. You must provide at least one of External_Name or Link_Name.


pragma License
Syntax:
          pragma License (Unrestricted | GPL | Modified_GPL | Restricted);
     

This pragma is provided to allow automated checking for appropriate license conditions with respect to the standard and modified GPL. A pragma License, which is a configuration pragma that typically appears at the start of a source file or in a separate gnat.adc file, specifies the licensing conditions of a unit as follows:

  • Unrestricted This is used for a unit that can be freely used with no license restrictions. Examples of such units are public domain units, and units from the Ada Reference Manual.
  • GPL This is used for a unit that is licensed under the unmodified GPL, and which therefore cannot be with'ed by a restricted unit.
  • Modified_GPL This is used for a unit licensed under the GNAT modified GPL that includes a special exception paragraph that specifically permits the inclusion of the unit in programs without requiring the entire program to be released under the GPL. This is the license used for the GNAT run-time which ensures that the run-time can be used freely in any program without GPL concerns.
  • Restricted This is used for a unit that is restricted in that it is not permitted to depend on units that are licensed under the GPL. Typical examples are proprietary code that is to be released under more restrictive license conditions. Note that restricted units are permitted to with units which are licensed under the modified GPL (this is the whole point of the modified GPL).

Normally a unit with no License pragma is considered to have an unknown license, and no checking is done. However, standard GNAT headers are recognized, and license information is derived from them as follows.

    A GNAT license header starts with a line containing 78 hyphens. The following comment text is searched for the appearence of any of the following strings.

    If the string “GNU General Public License” is found, then the unit is assumed to have GPL license, unless the string “As a special exception” follows, in which case the license is assumed to be modified GPL.

    If one of the strings “This specification is adapated from the Ada Semantic Interface” or “This specification is derived from the Ada Reference Manual” is found then the unit is assumed to be unrestricted.

These default actions means that a program with a restricted license pragma will automatically get warnings if a GPL unit is inappropriately with'ed. For example, the program:

          with Sem_Ch3;
          with GNAT.Sockets;
          procedure Secret_Stuff is
          ...
          end Secret_Stuff
     

if compiled with pragma License (Restricted) in a gnat.adc file will generate the warning:

          1.  with Sem_Ch3;
                  |
             >>> license of withed unit "Sem_Ch3" is incompatible
          
          2.  with GNAT.Sockets;
          3.  procedure Secret_Stuff is
     

Here we get a warning on Sem_Ch3 since it is part of the GNAT compiler and is licensed under the GPL, but no warning for GNAT.Sockets which is part of the GNAT run time, and is therefore licensed under the modified GPL.


pragma Link_With
Syntax:
          pragma Link_With (static_string_EXPRESSION {,static_string_EXPRESSION});
     

This pragma is provided for compatibility with certain Ada 83 compilers. It has exactly the same effect as pragma Linker_Options except that spaces occurring within one of the string expressions are treated as separators. For example, in the following case:

          pragma Link_With ("-labc -ldef");
     

results in passing the strings -labc and -ldef as two separate arguments to the linker. In addition pragma Link_With allows multiple arguments, with the same effect as successive pragmas.


pragma Linker_Alias
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Alias (
            [Entity =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Alias  =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma establishes a linker alias for the given named entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma Linker_Section
Syntax:
          pragma Linker_Section (
            [Entity  =>] LOCAL_NAME
            [Section =>] static_string_EXPRESSION);
     

This pragma specifies the name of the linker section for the given entity. For further details on the exact effect, consult the GCC manual.


pragma No_Run_Time
Syntax:
          pragma No_Run_Time;
     

This is a configuration pragma that makes sure the user code does not use nor need anything from the GNAT run time. This is mostly useful in context where code certification is required. Please consult the GNAT Pro High-Integrity Edition User's Guide for additional information.


pragma Normalize_Scalars
Syntax:
          pragma Normalize_Scalars;
     

This is a language defined pragma which is fully implemented in GNAT. The effect is to cause all scalar objects that are not otherwise initialized to be initialized. The initial values are implementation dependent and are as follows:

Standard.Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Character are initialized to Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Standard.Wide_Character
Objects whose root type is Standard.Wide_Character are initialized to Wide_Character'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Integer types
Objects of an integer type are initialized to base_type'First, where base_type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value. For example, if you declare the subtype:
               subtype Ityp is integer range 1 .. 10;
          

then objects of type x will be initialized to Integer'First, a negative number that is certainly outside the range of subtype Ityp.

Real types
Objects of all real types (fixed and floating) are initialized to base_type'First, where base_Type is the base type of the object type. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype range excludes this value.
Modular types
Objects of a modular type are initialized to typ'Last. This will be out of range of the subtype only if the subtype excludes this value.
Enumeration types
Objects of an enumeration type are initialized to all one-bits, i.e. to the value 2 ** typ'Size - 1. This will be out of range of the enumeration subtype in all cases except where the subtype contains exactly 2**8, 2**16, or 2**32 elements.


pragma Long_Float
Syntax:
          pragma Long_Float (FLOAT_FORMAT);
          
          FLOAT_FORMAT ::= D_Float | G_Float
     

This pragma is implemented only in the OpenVMS implementation of GNAT. It allows control over the internal representation chosen for the predefined type Long_Float and for floating point type representations with digits specified in the range 7 through 15. For further details on this pragma, see the DEC Ada Language Reference Manual, section 3.5.7b. Note that to use this pragma, the standard runtime libraries must be recompiled. See the description of the GNAT LIBRARY command in the OpenVMS version of the GNAT User's Guide for details on the use of this command.


pragma Machine_Attribute ...
Syntax:
          pragma Machine_Attribute (
            [Attribute_Name =>] string_EXPRESSION,
            [Entity         =>] LOCAL_NAME);
     

Machine dependent attributes can be specified for types and/or declarations. Currently only subprogram entities are supported. This pragma is semantically equivalent to __attribute__((string_expression)) in GNU C, where string_expression is recognized by the GNU C macros VALID_MACHINE_TYPE_ATTRIBUTE and VALID_MACHINE_DECL_ATTRIBUTE which are defined in the configuration header file tm.h for each machine. See the GCC manual for further information.


pragma Main_Storage IDENTIFIER | static_string_EXPRESSION PARAMETER_TYPES ::= null | SUBTYPE_MARK {, SUBTYPE_MARK} MECHANISM ::= MECHANISM_NAME | (MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION {, MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION}) MECHANISM_ASSOCIATION ::= [formal_parameter_NAME =>] MECHANISM_NAME MECHANISM_NAME ::= Value | Reference | Descriptor [([Class =>] CLASS_NAME)] CLASS_NAME ::= ubs | ubsb | uba | s | sb | a | nca

This pragma is identical to Import_Procedure except that the first parameter of local_name, which must be present, must be of mode OUT,