Changeset 2980ccb8 for doc/theses/fangren_yu_MMath
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doc/theses/fangren_yu_MMath/intro.tex
r262a864 r2980ccb8 12 12 Therefore, one of the key goals in \CFA is to push the boundary on overloading, and hence, overload resolution. 13 13 As well, \CFA follows the current trend of replacing nominal inheritance with traits. 14 Together, the resulting \CFA type-system has a number of unique features making it different from all other programming languages.14 Together, the resulting \CFA type-system has a number of unique features making it different from other programming languages with expressive, static type-systems. 15 15 16 16 … … 23 23 All computers have multiple types because computer architects optimize the hardware around a few basic types with well defined (mathematical) operations: boolean, integral, floating-point, and occasionally strings. 24 24 A programming language and its compiler present ways to declare types that ultimately map into the ones provided by the underlying hardware. 25 These language types are thrustupon programmers, with their syntactic and semantic rules and restrictions.25 These language types are \emph{thrust} upon programmers, with their syntactic and semantic rules and restrictions. 26 26 These rules are used to transform a language expression to a hardware expression. 27 27 Modern programming-languages allow user-defined types and generalize across multiple types using polymorphism. … … 34 34 Virtually all programming languages overload the arithmetic operators across the basic computational types using the number and type of parameters and returns. 35 35 Like \CC, \CFA also allows these operators to be overloaded with user-defined types. 36 The syntax for operator names uses the @'?'@ character to denote a parameter, \eg unary left and rightoperators: @?++@ and @++?@, and binary operators @?+?@ and @?<=?@.36 The syntax for operator names uses the @'?'@ character to denote a parameter, \eg left and right unary operators: @?++@ and @++?@, and binary operators @?+?@ and @?<=?@. 37 37 Here, a user-defined type is extended with an addition operation with the same syntax as builtin types. 38 38 \begin{cfa} … … 44 44 \end{cfa} 45 45 The type system examines each call site and selects the best matching overloaded function based on the number and types of arguments. 46 If there are mixed-mode operands, @2 + 3.5@, the type system , like in C/\CC, attempts (safe) conversions, converting the argument type(s) to the parameter type(s).46 If there are mixed-mode operands, @2 + 3.5@, the type system attempts (safe) conversions, like in C/\CC, converting the argument type(s) to the parameter type(s). 47 47 Conversions are necessary because the hardware rarely supports mix-mode operations, so both operands must be the same type. 48 48 Note, without implicit conversions, programmers must write an exponential number of functions covering all possible exact-match cases among all possible types. … … 71 71 double d = f( 3 ); $\C{// select (2)}\CRT$ 72 72 \end{cfa} 73 Alternatively, if the type system looks at the return type, there is an exact match for each call, which matches with programmer intuition and expectation.73 Alternatively, if the type system looks at the return type, there is an exact match for each call, which again matches with programmer intuition and expectation. 74 74 This capability can be taken to the extreme, where there are no function parameters. 75 75 \begin{cfa} … … 80 80 \end{cfa} 81 81 Again, there is an exact match for each call. 82 If there is no exact match, a set of minimal conversions can be added to find a best match, as for operator overloading.82 If there is no exact match, a set of minimal, safe conversions can be added to find a best match, as for operator overloading. 83 83 84 84 … … 99 99 \end{cfa} 100 100 It is interesting that shadow overloading is considered a normal programming-language feature with only slight software-engineering problems. 101 However, variable overloading within a scope is considered extremely dangerous, without any evidence to corroborate this claim.102 Similarly, function overloading occurs silently within the global scope in \CCfrom @#include@ files all the time without problems.101 However, variable overloading within a scope is often considered extremely dangerous, without any evidence to corroborate this claim. 102 In contrast, function overloading in \CC occurs silently within the global scope from @#include@ files all the time without problems. 103 103 104 104 In \CFA, the type system simply treats overloaded variables as an overloaded function returning a value with no parameters. … … 114 114 Hence, the name @MAX@ can replace all the C type-specific names, \eg @INT_MAX@, @LONG_MAX@, @DBL_MAX@, \etc. 115 115 The result is a significant reduction in names to access typed constants. 116 % Paraphrasing Shakespeare, ``The \emph{name} is the thing.''. 116 117 As an aside, C has a separate namespace for type and variables allowing overloading between the namespaces, using @struct@ (qualification) to disambiguate. 118 \begin{cfa} 119 void S() { 120 struct @S@ { int S; }; 121 @struct S@ S; 122 void S( @struct S@ S ) { S.S = 1; }; 123 } 124 \end{cfa} 117 125 118 126 … … 120 128 121 129 \CFA is unique in providing restricted constant overloading for the values @0@ and @1@, which have special status in C, \eg the value @0@ is both an integer and a pointer literal, so its meaning depends on context. 122 In addition, several operations are defined in terms of values @0@ and @1@, \eg: 123 \begin{cfa} 124 if ( x ) ++x $\C{// if ( x != 0 ) x += 1;}$ 125 \end{cfa} 126 Every @if@ and iteration statement in C compares the condition with @0@, and every increment and decrement operator is semantically equivalent to adding or subtracting the value @1@ and storing the result. 127 These two constants are given types @zero_t@ and @one_t@ in \CFA, which allows overloading various operations for new types that seamlessly connect to all special @0@ and @1@ contexts. 130 In addition, several operations are defined in terms of values @0@ and @1@. 131 For example, every @if@ and iteration statement in C compares the condition with @0@, and every increment and decrement operator is semantically equivalent to adding or subtracting the value @1@ and storing the result. 132 \begin{cfa} 133 if ( x ) ++x; => if ( x @!= 0@ ) x @+= 1@; 134 for ( ; x; --x ) => for ( ; x @!= 0@; x @-= 1@ ) 135 \end{cfa} 136 To generalize this feature, both constants are given types @zero_t@ and @one_t@ in \CFA, which allows overloading various operations for new types that seamlessly work with the special @0@ and @1@ contexts. 128 137 The types @zero_t@ and @one_t@ have special builtin implicit conversions to the various integral types, and a conversion to pointer types for @0@, which allows standard C code involving @0@ and @1@ to work. 129 138 \begin{cfa} … … 133 142 S ?=?( S & dst, zero_t ) { dst.[i,j] = 0; return dst; } $\C{// assignment}$ 134 143 S ?=?( S & dst, one_t ) { dst.[i,j] = 1; return dst; } 135 S ?+=?( S & s, one_t ) { s.[i,j] += 1; return s; } $\C{// increment/decrement }$144 S ?+=?( S & s, one_t ) { s.[i,j] += 1; return s; } $\C{// increment/decrement each field}$ 136 145 S ?-=?( S & s, one_t ) { s.[i,j] -= 1; return s; } 137 146 int ?!=?( S s, zero_t ) { return s.i != 0 && s.j != 0; } $\C{// comparison}$ 138 S s = @0@; 139 s = @0@; 147 S s = @0@; $\C{// initialization}$ 148 s = @0@; $\C{// assignments}$ 140 149 s = @1@; 141 if ( @s@ ) @++s@; $\C{// unary ++/-\,- comefrom +=/-=}$142 \end{cfa} 143 He nce, type @S@ is first-class with respect to the basic types, working with all existing implicit C mechanisms.150 if ( @s@ ) @++s@; $\C{// special, unary ++/-\,- come implicitly from +=/-=}$ 151 \end{cfa} 152 Here, type @S@ is first-class with respect to the basic types, working with all existing implicit C mechanisms. 144 153 145 154 … … 180 189 \end{cfa} 181 190 In both overloads of @f@, the type system works from the constant initializations inwards and/or outwards to determine the types of all variables and functions. 182 Note, like template meta -programming, there could be a new function generated for the second @f@ depending on the types of the arguments, assuming these types are meaningful in the body of @f@.191 Note, like template meta programming, there could be a new function generated for the second @f@ depending on the types of the arguments, assuming these types are meaningful in the body of @f@. 183 192 Inferring type constraints, by analysing the body of @f@ is possible, and these constraints must be satisfied at each call site by the argument types; 184 193 in this case, parametric polymorphism can allow separate compilation. … … 200 209 \begin{cfa} 201 210 202 auto x = 3.0 * 4;211 auto x = 3.0 * i; 203 212 int y; 204 213 auto z = y; … … 223 232 This issue is exaggerated with \CC templates, where type names are 100s of characters long, resulting in unreadable error messages. 224 233 \item 225 Ensuring the type of secondary variables, always match a primary variable.234 Ensuring the type of secondary variables, match a primary variable(s). 226 235 \begin{cfa} 227 236 int x; $\C{// primary variable}$ … … 284 293 There are full-time Java consultants, who are hired to find memory-management problems in large Java programs.} 285 294 The entire area of Computer-Science data-structures is obsessed with time and space, and that obsession should continue into regular programming. 286 Understanding space and time issues arean essential part of the programming craft.287 Given @typedef@ and @typeof@ in \CFA, and the strong needto use the left-hand type in resolution, implicit type-inferencing is unsupported.295 Understanding space and time issues is an essential part of the programming craft. 296 Given @typedef@ and @typeof@ in \CFA, and the strong desire to use the left-hand type in resolution, implicit type-inferencing is unsupported. 288 297 Should a significant need arise, this feature can be revisited. 289 298 … … 291 300 \section{Polymorphism} 292 301 293 \CFA provides polymorphic functions and types, where the polymorphic function can be the constraintstypes using assertions based on traits.294 295 \subsection{\texorpdfstring{\protect\lstinline{forall} functions}{forall functions}} 296 \ label{sec:poly-fns}297 298 The signature feature of \CFA is parametric-polymorphic functions~\cite{forceone:impl,Cormack90,Duggan96} with functionsgeneralized using a @forall@ clause (giving the language its name).302 \CFA provides polymorphic functions and types, where a polymorphic function can constrain types using assertions based on traits. 303 304 305 \subsection{Polymorphic Function} 306 307 The signature feature of the \CFA type-system is parametric-polymorphic functions~\cite{forceone:impl,Cormack90,Duggan96}, generalized using a @forall@ clause (giving the language its name). 299 308 \begin{cfa} 300 309 @forall( T )@ T identity( T val ) { return val; } 301 310 int forty_two = identity( 42 ); $\C{// T is bound to int, forty\_two == 42}$ 302 311 \end{cfa} 303 This @identity@ function can be applied to any complete \newterm{object type} (or @otype@). 304 The type variable @T@ is transformed into a set of additional implicit parameters encoding sufficient information about @T@ to create and return a variable of that type. 305 The \CFA implementation passes the size and alignment of the type represented by an @otype@ parameter, as well as an assignment operator, constructor, copy constructor, and destructor. 306 If this extra information is not needed, for instance, for a pointer, the type parameter can be declared as a \newterm{data type} (or @dtype@). 307 308 In \CFA, the polymorphic runtime cost is spread over each polymorphic call, because more arguments are passed to polymorphic functions; 309 the experiments in Section~\ref{sec:eval} show this overhead is similar to \CC virtual function calls. 310 A design advantage is that, unlike \CC template functions, \CFA polymorphic functions are compatible with C \emph{separate compilation}, preventing compilation and code bloat. 311 312 Since bare polymorphic types provide a restricted set of available operations, \CFA provides a \newterm{type assertion}~\cite[pp.~37-44]{Alphard} mechanism to provide further type information, where type assertions may be variable or function declarations that depend on a polymorphic type variable. 313 For example, the function @twice@ can be defined using the \CFA syntax for operator overloading. 314 \begin{cfa} 315 forall( T @| { T ?+?(T, T); }@ ) T twice( T x ) { return x @+@ x; } $\C{// ? denotes operands}$ 316 int val = twice( twice( 3.7 ) ); $\C{// val == 14}$ 317 \end{cfa} 318 This works for any type @T@ with a matching addition operator. 319 The polymorphism is achieved by creating a wrapper function for calling @+@ with the @T@ bound to @double@ and then passing this function to the first call of @twice@. 320 There is now the option of using the same @twice@ and converting the result into @int@ on assignment or creating another @twice@ with the type parameter @T@ bound to @int@ because \CFA uses the return type~\cite{Cormack81,Baker82,Ada} in its type analysis. 321 The first approach has a late conversion from @double@ to @int@ on the final assignment, whereas the second has an early conversion to @int@. 322 \CFA minimizes the number of conversions and their potential to lose information; 323 hence, it selects the first approach, which corresponds with C programmer intuition. 324 325 Crucial to the design of a new programming language are the libraries to access thousands of external software features. 326 Like \CC, \CFA inherits a massive compatible library base, where other programming languages must rewrite or provide fragile interlanguage communication with C. 327 A simple example is leveraging the existing type-unsafe (@void *@) C @bsearch@ to binary search a sorted float array. 328 \begin{cfa} 329 void * bsearch( const void * key, const void * base, size_t nmemb, size_t size, 330 int (* compar)( const void *, const void * )); 331 int comp( const void * t1, const void * t2 ) { 332 return *(double *)t1 < *(double *)t2 ? -1 : *(double *)t2 < *(double *)t1 ? 1 : 0; 333 } 334 double key = 5.0, vals[10] = { /* 10 sorted float values */ }; 335 double * val = (double *)bsearch( &key, vals, 10, sizeof(vals[0]), comp ); $\C{// search sorted array}$ 336 \end{cfa} 337 This can be augmented simply with generalized, type-safe, \CFA-overloaded wrappers. 338 \begin{cfa} 339 forall( T | { int ?<?( T, T ); } ) T * bsearch( T key, const T * arr, size_t size ) { 340 int comp( const void * t1, const void * t2 ) { /* as above with double changed to T */ } 341 return (T *)bsearch( &key, arr, size, sizeof(T), comp ); 342 } 343 forall( T | { int ?<?( T, T ); } ) unsigned int bsearch( T key, const T * arr, size_t size ) { 344 T * result = bsearch( key, arr, size ); $\C{// call first version}$ 345 return result ? result - arr : size; $\C{// pointer subtraction includes sizeof(T)}$ 346 } 347 double * val = bsearch( 5.0, vals, 10 ); $\C{// selection based on return type}$ 348 int posn = bsearch( 5.0, vals, 10 ); 349 \end{cfa} 350 The nested function @comp@ provides the hidden interface from typed \CFA to untyped (@void *@) C, plus the cast of the result. 351 % FIX 352 Providing a hidden @comp@ function in \CC is awkward as lambdas do not use C calling conventions and template declarations cannot appear in block scope. 353 In addition, an alternate kind of return is made available: position versus pointer to found element. 354 \CC's type system cannot disambiguate between the two versions of @bsearch@ because it does not use the return type in overload resolution, nor can \CC separately compile a template @bsearch@. 355 356 \CFA has replacement libraries condensing hundreds of existing C functions into tens of \CFA overloaded functions, all without rewriting the actual computations (see Section~\ref{sec:libraries}). 357 For example, it is possible to write a type-safe \CFA wrapper @malloc@ based on the C @malloc@, where the return type supplies the type/size of the allocation, which is impossible in most type systems. 358 \begin{cfa} 359 forall( T & | sized(T) ) T * malloc( void ) { return (T *)malloc( sizeof(T) ); } 312 This @identity@ function can be applied to an \newterm{object type}, \ie a type with a known size and alignment, which is sufficient to stack allocate, default or copy initialize, assign, and delete. 313 The \CFA implementation passes the size and alignment for each type parameter, as well as any implicit/explicit constructor, copy constructor, assignment operator, and destructor. 314 For an incomplete \newterm{data type}, \eg pointer/reference types, this information is not needed. 315 \begin{cfa} 316 forall( T * ) T * identity( T * val ) { return val; } 317 int i, * ip = identity( &i ); 318 \end{cfa} 319 Unlike \CC template functions, \CFA polymorphic functions are compatible with C \emph{separate compilation}, preventing compilation and code bloat. 320 321 To constrain polymorphic types, \CFA uses \newterm{type assertions}~\cite[pp.~37-44]{Alphard} to provide further type information, where type assertions may be variable or function declarations that depend on a polymorphic type variable. 322 For example, the function @twice@ works for any type @T@ with a matching addition operator. 323 \begin{cfa} 324 forall( T @| { T ?+?(T, T); }@ ) T twice( T x ) { return x @+@ x; } 325 int val = twice( twice( 3 ) ); $\C{// val == 12}$ 326 \end{cfa} 327 For example. parametric polymorphism and assertions occurs in existing type-unsafe (@void *@) C @qsort@ to sort an array. 328 \begin{cfa} 329 void qsort( void * base, size_t nmemb, size_t size, int (*cmp)( const void *, const void * ) ); 330 \end{cfa} 331 Here, the polymorphism is type-erasure, and the parametric assertion is the comparison routine, which is explicitly passed. 332 \begin{cfa} 333 enum { N = 5 }; 334 double val[N] = { 5.1, 4.1, 3.1, 2.1, 1.1 }; 335 int cmp( const void * v1, const void * v2 ) { $\C{// compare two doubles}$ 336 return *(double *)v1 < *(double *)v2 ? -1 : *(double *)v2 < *(double *)v1 ? 1 : 0; 337 } 338 qsort( val, N, sizeof( double ), cmp ); 339 \end{cfa} 340 The equivalent type-safe version in \CFA is a wrapper over the C version. 341 \begin{cfa} 342 forall( ET | { int @?<?@( ET, ET ); } ) $\C{// type must have < operator}$ 343 void qsort( ET * vals, size_t dim ) { 344 int cmp( const void * t1, const void * t2 ) { $\C{// nested function}$ 345 return *(ET *)t1 @<@ *(ET *)t2 ? -1 : *(ET *)t2 @<@ *(ET *)t1 ? 1 : 0; 346 } 347 qsort( vals, dim, sizeof(ET), cmp ); $\C{// call C version}$ 348 } 349 qsort( val, N ); $\C{// deduct type double, and pass builtin < for double}$ 350 \end{cfa} 351 The nested function @cmp@ is implicitly built and provides the interface from typed \CFA to untyped (@void *@) C. 352 Providing a hidden @cmp@ function in \CC is awkward as lambdas do not use C calling conventions and template declarations cannot appear in block scope. 353 % In addition, an alternate kind of return is made available: position versus pointer to found element. 354 % \CC's type system cannot disambiguate between the two versions of @bsearch@ because it does not use the return type in overload resolution, nor can \CC separately compile a template @bsearch@. 355 Call-site inferencing and nested functions provide a localized form of inheritance. 356 For example, the \CFA @qsort@ can be made to sort in descending order by locally changing the behaviour of @<@. 357 \begin{cfa} 358 { 359 int ?<?( double x, double y ) { return x @>@ y; } $\C{// locally override behaviour}$ 360 qsort( vals, 10 ); $\C{// descending sort}$ 361 } 362 \end{cfa} 363 The local version of @?<?@ overrides the built-in @?<?@ so it is passed to @qsort@. 364 The local version performs @?>?@, making @qsort@ sort in descending order. 365 Hence, any number of assertion functions can be overridden locally to maximize the reuse of existing functions and types, without the construction of a named inheritance hierarchy. 366 A final example is a type-safe wrapper for C @malloc@, where the return type supplies the type/size of the allocation, which is impossible in most type systems. 367 \begin{cfa} 368 static inline forall( T & | sized(T) ) 369 T * malloc( void ) { 370 if ( _Alignof(T) <= __BIGGEST_ALIGNMENT__ ) return (T *)malloc( sizeof(T) ); // C allocation 371 else return (T *)memalign( _Alignof(T), sizeof(T) ); 372 } 360 373 // select type and size from left-hand side 361 int * ip = malloc(); double * dp = malloc(); struct S {...} * sp = malloc(); 362 \end{cfa} 363 364 Call site inferencing and nested functions provide a localized form of inheritance. 365 For example, the \CFA @qsort@ only sorts in ascending order using @<@. 366 However, it is trivial to locally change this behavior. 367 \begin{cfa} 368 forall( T | { int ?<?( T, T ); } ) void qsort( const T * arr, size_t size ) { /* use C qsort */ } 369 int main() { 370 int ?<?( double x, double y ) { return x @>@ y; } $\C{// locally override behavior}$ 371 qsort( vals, 10 ); $\C{// descending sort}$ 372 } 373 \end{cfa} 374 The local version of @?<?@ performs @?>?@ overriding the built-in @?<?@ so it is passed to @qsort@. 375 Therefore, programmers can easily form local environments, adding and modifying appropriate functions, to maximize the reuse of other existing functions and types. 376 377 To reduce duplication, it is possible to distribute a group of @forall@ (and storage-class qualifiers) over functions/types, such that each block declaration is prefixed by the group (see the example in Appendix~\ref{s:CforallStack}). 378 \begin{cfa} 379 forall( @T@ ) { $\C{// distribution block, add forall qualifier to declarations}$ 380 struct stack { stack_node(@T@) * head; }; $\C{// generic type}$ 381 inline { $\C{// nested distribution block, add forall/inline to declarations}$ 382 void push( stack(@T@) & s, @T@ value ) ... $\C{// generic operations}$ 383 } 384 } 385 \end{cfa} 374 int * ip = malloc(); double * dp = malloc(); $@$[aligned(64)] struct S {...} * sp = malloc(); 375 \end{cfa} 376 The @sized@ assertion passes size and alignment as a data object has no implicit assertions. 377 Both assertions are used in @malloc@ via @sizeof@ and @_Alignof@. 378 379 These mechanism are used to construct type-safe wrapper-libraries condensing hundreds of existing C functions into tens of \CFA overloaded functions. 380 Hence, existing C legacy code is leveraged as much as possible; 381 other programming languages must build supporting libraries from scratch, even in \CC. 386 382 387 383 … … 390 386 \CFA provides \newterm{traits} to name a group of type assertions, where the trait name allows specifying the same set of assertions in multiple locations, preventing repetition mistakes at each function declaration. 391 387 \begin{cquote} 392 \lstDeleteShortInline@% 393 \begin{tabular}{@{}l@{\hspace{\parindentlnth}}|@{\hspace{\parindentlnth}}l@{}} 388 \begin{tabular}{@{}l|@{\hspace{10pt}}l@{}} 394 389 \begin{cfa} 395 390 trait @sumable@( T ) { 396 391 void @?{}@( T &, zero_t ); // 0 literal constructor 397 T ?+?( T, T ); 392 T ?+?( T, T ); // assortment of additions 398 393 T @?+=?@( T &, T ); 399 394 T ++?( T & ); … … 412 407 \end{cfa} 413 408 \end{tabular} 414 \lstMakeShortInline@%415 409 \end{cquote} 416 417 Note that the @sumable@ trait does not include a copy constructor needed for the right side of @?+=?@ and return; 418 it is provided by @otype@, which is syntactic sugar for the following trait.419 \begin{cfa} 420 trait otype( T & | sized(T) ) { // sized is a pseudo-trait for types with known size and alignment410 Traits are simply flatten at the use point, as if written in full by the programmer, where traits often contain overlapping assertions, \eg operator @+@. 411 Hence, trait names play no part in type equivalence. 412 Note, the type @T@ is an object type, and hence, has the implicit internal trait @otype@. 413 \begin{cfa} 414 trait otype( T & | sized(T) ) { 421 415 void ?{}( T & ); $\C{// default constructor}$ 422 416 void ?{}( T &, T ); $\C{// copy constructor}$ … … 425 419 }; 426 420 \end{cfa} 427 Given the information provided for an @otype@, variables of polymorphic type can be treated as if they were a complete type: stack allocatable, default or copy initialized, assigned, and deleted. 428 429 In summation, the \CFA type system uses \newterm{nominal typing} for concrete types, matching with the C type system, and \newterm{structural typing} for polymorphic types. 430 Hence, trait names play no part in type equivalence; 431 the names are simply macros for a list of polymorphic assertions, which are expanded at usage sites. 432 Nevertheless, trait names form a logical subtype hierarchy with @dtype@ at the top, where traits often contain overlapping assertions, \eg operator @+@. 433 Traits are used like interfaces in Java or abstract base classes in \CC, but without the nominal inheritance relationships. 434 Instead, each polymorphic function (or generic type) defines the structural type needed for its execution (polymorphic type key), and this key is fulfilled at each call site from the lexical environment, which is similar to the Go~\cite{Go} interfaces. 435 Hence, new lexical scopes and nested functions are used extensively to create local subtypes, as in the @qsort@ example, without having to manage a nominal inheritance hierarchy. 436 % (Nominal inheritance can be approximated with traits using marker variables or functions, as is done in Go.) 437 438 % Nominal inheritance can be simulated with traits using marker variables or functions: 439 % \begin{cfa} 440 % trait nominal(T) { 441 % T is_nominal; 442 % }; 443 % int is_nominal; $\C{// int now satisfies the nominal trait}$ 444 % \end{cfa} 445 % 446 % Traits, however, are significantly more powerful than nominal-inheritance interfaces; most notably, traits may be used to declare a relationship \emph{among} multiple types, a property that may be difficult or impossible to represent in nominal-inheritance type systems: 447 % \begin{cfa} 448 % trait pointer_like(Ptr, El) { 449 % lvalue El *?(Ptr); $\C{// Ptr can be dereferenced into a modifiable value of type El}$ 450 % } 451 % struct list { 452 % int value; 453 % list * next; $\C{// may omit "struct" on type names as in \CC}$ 454 % }; 455 % typedef list * list_iterator; 456 % 457 % lvalue int *?( list_iterator it ) { return it->value; } 458 % \end{cfa} 459 % In the example above, @(list_iterator, int)@ satisfies @pointer_like@ by the user-defined dereference function, and @(list_iterator, list)@ also satisfies @pointer_like@ by the built-in dereference operator for pointers. Given a declaration @list_iterator it@, @*it@ can be either an @int@ or a @list@, with the meaning disambiguated by context (\eg @int x = *it;@ interprets @*it@ as an @int@, while @(*it).value = 42;@ interprets @*it@ as a @list@). 460 % While a nominal-inheritance system with associated types could model one of those two relationships by making @El@ an associated type of @Ptr@ in the @pointer_like@ implementation, few such systems could model both relationships simultaneously. 421 The implicit routines are used by the @sumable@ operator @?+=?@ for the right side of @?+=?@ and return. 461 422 462 423 … … 465 426 A significant shortcoming of standard C is the lack of reusable type-safe abstractions for generic data structures and algorithms. 466 427 Broadly speaking, there are three approaches to implement abstract data structures in C. 467 One approach is to write bespoke data structures for each context in which they are needed. 468 While this approach is flexible and supports integration with the C type checker and tooling, it is also tedious and error prone, especially for more complex data structures. 469 A second approach is to use @void *@-based polymorphism, \eg the C standard library functions @bsearch@ and @qsort@, which allow for the reuse of code with common functionality. 470 However, basing all polymorphism on @void *@ eliminates the type checker's ability to ensure that argument types are properly matched, often requiring a number of extra function parameters, pointer indirection, and dynamic allocation that is otherwise not needed. 471 A third approach to generic code is to use preprocessor macros, which does allow the generated code to be both generic and type checked, but errors may be difficult to interpret. 472 Furthermore, writing and using preprocessor macros is unnatural and inflexible. 473 474 \CC, Java, and other languages use \newterm{generic types} to produce type-safe abstract data types. 428 \begin{enumerate}[leftmargin=*] 429 \item 430 Write bespoke data structures for each context they are needed. 431 While this approach is flexible and supports integration with the C type checker and tooling, it is tedious and error prone, especially for more complex data structures. 432 \item 433 Use @void *@-based polymorphism, \eg the C standard library functions @bsearch@ and @qsort@, which allow for the reuse of code with common functionality. 434 However, this approach eliminates the type checker's ability to ensure argument types are properly matched, often requiring a number of extra function parameters, pointer indirection, and dynamic allocation that is otherwise unnecessary. 435 \item 436 Use preprocessor macros, similar to \CC @templates@, to generate code that is both generic and type checked, but errors may be difficult to interpret. 437 Furthermore, writing and using preprocessor macros is difficult and inflexible. 438 \end{enumerate} 439 440 \CC, Java, and other languages use \newterm{generic types} to produce type-safe abstract data-types. 475 441 \CFA generic types integrate efficiently and naturally with the existing polymorphic functions, while retaining backward compatibility with C and providing separate compilation. 476 442 However, for known concrete parameters, the generic-type definition can be inlined, like \CC templates. … … 478 444 A generic type can be declared by placing a @forall@ specifier on a @struct@ or @union@ declaration and instantiated using a parenthesized list of types after the type name. 479 445 \begin{cquote} 480 \lstDeleteShortInline@% 481 \begin{tabular}{@{}l|@{\hspace{\parindentlnth}}l@{}} 482 \begin{cfa} 483 @forall( R, S )@ struct pair { 484 R first; S second; 446 \begin{tabular}{@{}l|@{\hspace{10pt}}l@{}} 447 \begin{cfa} 448 @forall( F, S )@ struct pair { 449 F first; S second; 485 450 }; 486 @forall( T )@ // dynamic487 T value( pair(const char *, T) p ) { return p.second; }488 @forall( dtype F, T )@ // dtype-static (concrete)489 T value( pair(F *, T * ) p) { return *p.second; }451 @forall( F, S )@ // object 452 S second( pair( F, S ) p ) { return p.second; } 453 @forall( F *, S * )@ // sized 454 S * second( pair( F *, S * ) p ) { return p.second; } 490 455 \end{cfa} 491 456 & 492 457 \begin{cfa} 493 pair( const char *, int) p = {"magic", 42}; // concrete494 int i = value( p);495 pair( void *, int *) q = { 0, &p.second }; // concrete496 i = value( q);458 pair( double, int ) dpr = { 3.5, 42 }; 459 int i = second( dpr ); 460 pair( void *, int * ) vipr = { 0p, &i }; 461 int * ip = second( vipr ); 497 462 double d = 1.0; 498 pair( double *, double *) r = { &d, &d }; // concrete499 d = value(r );463 pair( int *, double * ) idpr = { &i, &d }; 464 double * dp = second( idpr ); 500 465 \end{cfa} 501 466 \end{tabular} 502 \lstMakeShortInline@%503 467 \end{cquote} 504 505 \CFA classifies generic types as either \newterm{concrete} or \newterm{dynamic}. 506 Concrete types have a fixed memory layout regardless of type parameters, whereas dynamic types vary in memory layout depending on their type parameters. 507 A \newterm{dtype-static} type has polymorphic parameters but is still concrete. 508 Polymorphic pointers are an example of dtype-static types; 509 given some type variable @T@, @T@ is a polymorphic type, as is @T *@, but @T *@ has a fixed size and can, therefore, be represented by @void *@ in code generation. 510 511 \CFA generic types also allow checked argument constraints. 512 For example, the following declaration of a sorted set type ensures the set key supports equality and relational comparison. 513 \begin{cfa} 514 forall( Key | { _Bool ?==?(Key, Key); _Bool ?<?(Key, Key); } ) struct sorted_set; 515 \end{cfa} 516 517 518 \subsection{Concrete generic types} 519 520 The \CFA translator template expands concrete generic types into new structure types, affording maximal inlining. 521 To enable interoperation among equivalent instantiations of a generic type, the translator saves the set of instantiations currently in scope and reuses the generated structure declarations where appropriate. 522 A function declaration that accepts or returns a concrete generic type produces a declaration for the instantiated structure in the same scope, which all callers may reuse. 523 For example, the concrete instantiation for @pair( const char *, int )@ is 524 \begin{cfa} 525 struct _pair_conc0 { 526 const char * first; int second; 527 }; 528 \end{cfa} 529 530 A concrete generic type with dtype-static parameters is also expanded to a structure type, but this type is used for all matching instantiations. 531 In the above example, the @pair( F *, T * )@ parameter to @value@ is such a type; its expansion is below, and it is used as the type of the variables @q@ and @r@ as well, with casts for member access where appropriate. 532 \begin{cfa} 533 struct _pair_conc1 { 534 void * first, * second; 535 }; 536 \end{cfa} 537 538 539 \subsection{Dynamic generic types} 540 541 Though \CFA implements concrete generic types efficiently, it also has a fully general system for dynamic generic types. 542 As mentioned in Section~\ref{sec:poly-fns}, @otype@ function parameters (in fact, all @sized@ polymorphic parameters) come with implicit size and alignment parameters provided by the caller. 543 Dynamic generic types also have an \newterm{offset array} containing structure-member offsets. 544 A dynamic generic @union@ needs no such offset array, as all members are at offset 0, but size and alignment are still necessary. 545 Access to members of a dynamic structure is provided at runtime via base displacement addressing 546 % FIX 547 using the structure pointer and the member offset (similar to the @offsetof@ macro), moving a compile-time offset calculation to runtime. 548 549 The offset arrays are statically generated where possible. 550 If a dynamic generic type is declared to be passed or returned by value from a polymorphic function, the translator can safely assume that the generic type is complete (\ie has a known layout) at any call site, and the offset array is passed from the caller; 551 if the generic type is concrete at the call site, the elements of this offset array can even be statically generated using the C @offsetof@ macro. 552 As an example, the body of the second @value@ function is implemented as 553 \begin{cfa} 554 _assign_T( _retval, p + _offsetof_pair[1] ); $\C{// return *p.second}$ 555 \end{cfa} 556 \newpage 557 \noindent 558 Here, @_assign_T@ is passed in as an implicit parameter from @T@, and takes two @T *@ (@void *@ in the generated code), a destination and a source, and @_retval@ is the pointer to a caller-allocated buffer for the return value, the usual \CFA method to handle dynamically sized return types. 559 @_offsetof_pair@ is the offset array passed into @value@; 560 this array is generated at the call site as 561 \begin{cfa} 562 size_t _offsetof_pair[] = { offsetof( _pair_conc0, first ), offsetof( _pair_conc0, second ) } 563 \end{cfa} 564 565 In some cases, the offset arrays cannot be statically generated. 566 For instance, modularity is generally provided in C by including an opaque forward declaration of a structure and associated accessor and mutator functions in a header file, with the actual implementations in a separately compiled @.c@ file. 567 \CFA supports this pattern for generic types, but the caller does not know the actual layout or size of the dynamic generic type and only holds it by a pointer. 568 The \CFA translator automatically generates \newterm{layout functions} for cases where the size, alignment, and offset array of a generic struct cannot be passed into a function from that function's caller. 569 These layout functions take as arguments pointers to size and alignment variables and a caller-allocated array of member offsets, as well as the size and alignment of all @sized@ parameters to the generic structure (un@sized@ parameters are forbidden from being used in a context that affects layout). 570 Results of these layout functions are cached so that they are only computed once per type per function. %, as in the example below for @pair@. 571 Layout functions also allow generic types to be used in a function definition without reflecting them in the function signature. 572 For instance, a function that strips duplicate values from an unsorted @vector(T)@ likely has a pointer to the vector as its only explicit parameter, but uses some sort of @set(T)@ internally to test for duplicate values. 573 This function could acquire the layout for @set(T)@ by calling its layout function with the layout of @T@ implicitly passed into the function. 574 575 Whether a type is concrete, dtype-static, or dynamic is decided solely on the @forall@'s type parameters. 576 This design allows opaque forward declarations of generic types, \eg @forall(T)@ @struct Box@ -- like in C, all uses of @Box(T)@ can be separately compiled, and callers from other translation units know the proper calling conventions to use. 577 If the definition of a structure type is included in deciding whether a generic type is dynamic or concrete, some further types may be recognized as dtype-static (\eg @forall(T)@ @struct unique_ptr { T * p }@ does not depend on @T@ for its layout, but the existence of an @otype@ parameter means that it \emph{could}.); 578 however, preserving separate compilation (and the associated C compatibility) in the existing design is judged to be an appropriate trade-off. 468 \CFA generic types are \newterm{fixed} or \newterm{dynamic} sized. 469 Fixed-size types have a fixed memory layout regardless of type parameters, whereas dynamic types vary in memory layout depending on their type parameters. 470 For example, the type variable @T *@ is fixed size and is represented by @void *@ in code generation; 471 whereas, the type variable @T@ is dynamic and set at the point of instantiation. 472 The difference between fixed and dynamic is the complexity and cost of field access. 473 For fixed, field offsets are computed (known) at compile time and embedded as displacements in instructions. 474 For dynamic, field offsets are computed at compile time at the call site, stored in an array of offset values, passed as a polymorphic parameter, and added to the structure address for each field dereference within a polymorphic routine. 475 See~\cite[\S~3.2]{Moss19} for complete implementation details. 476 477 Currently, \CFA generic types allow assertion. 478 For example, the following declaration of a sorted set-type ensures the set key supports equality and relational comparison. 479 \begin{cfa} 480 forall( Elem, @Key@ | { _Bool ?==?( Key, Key ); _Bool ?<?( Key, Key ); } ) 481 struct Sorted_Set { Elem elem; @Key@ key; ... }; 482 \end{cfa} 483 However, the operations that insert/remove elements from the set should not appear as part of the generic-types assertions. 484 \begin{cfa} 485 forall( @Elem@ | /* any assertions on element type */ ) { 486 void insert( Sorted_Set set, @Elem@ elem ) { ... } 487 bool remove( Sorted_Set set, @Elem@ elem ) { ... } // false => element not present 488 ... // more set operations 489 } // distribution 490 \end{cfa} 491 (Note, the @forall@ clause can be distributed across multiple functions.) 492 For software-engineering reasons, the set assertions would be refactored into a trait to allow alternative implementations, like a Java \lstinline[language=java]{interface}. 493 494 In summation, the \CFA type system inherits \newterm{nominal typing} for concrete types from C, and adds \newterm{structural typing} for polymorphic types. 495 Traits are used like interfaces in Java or abstract base-classes in \CC, but without the nominal inheritance relationships. 496 Instead, each polymorphic function or generic type defines the structural type needed for its execution, which is fulfilled at each call site from the lexical environment, like Go~\cite{Go} or Rust~\cite{Rust} interfaces. 497 Hence, new lexical scopes and nested functions are used extensively to create local subtypes, as in the @qsort@ example, without having to manage a nominal inheritance hierarchy. 579 498 580 499 581 500 \section{Contributions} 582 501 502 \begin{enumerate} 503 \item 504 \item 505 \item 506 \end{enumerate} 583 507 584 508
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