Next: , Previous: 6, Up: 6


6.1 Subprogram Declarations

1
A subprogram_declaration declares a procedure or function.

Syntax

2/2

subprogram_declaration::=
    [overriding_indicator]
    subprogram_specification;

3/2

This paragraph was deleted.

4/2

subprogram_specification::=
    procedure_specification
  | function_specification

4.1/2

procedure_specification::= procedure defining_program_unit_name parameter_profile

4.2/2

function_specification::= function defining_designator parameter_and_result_profile

5

designator::= [parent_unit_name . ]identifier | operator_symbol

6

defining_designator::= defining_program_unit_name | defining_operator_symbol

7

defining_program_unit_name::= [parent_unit_name . ]defining_identifier

8

The optional parent_unit_name is only allowed for library units (see 10.1.1).

9

operator_symbol::= string_literal

10/2

The sequence of characters in an operator_symbol shall form a reserved word, a delimiter, or compound delimiter that corresponds to an operator belonging to one of the six categories of operators defined in clause 4.5.

11

defining_operator_symbol::= operator_symbol

12

parameter_profile::= [formal_part]

13/2

parameter_and_result_profile::=
    [formal_part] return [null_exclusion] subtype_mark
  | [formal_part] return access_definition

14

formal_part::=
   (parameter_specification {; parameter_specification})

15/2

parameter_specification::=
    defining_identifier_list : mode [null_exclusion] subtype_mark [:= default_expression]
  | defining_identifier_list : access_definition [:= default_expression]

16

mode::= [in] | in out | out
Name Resolution Rules

17
A formal parameter is an object directly visible within a subprogram_body that represents the actual parameter passed to the subprogram in a call; it is declared by a parameter_specification. For a formal parameter, the expected type for its default_expression, if any, is that of the formal parameter.

Legality Rules

18
The parameter mode of a formal parameter conveys the direction of information transfer with the actual parameter: in, in out, or out. Mode in is the default, and is the mode of a parameter defined by an access_definition. The formal parameters of a function, if any, shall have the mode in.

19
A default_expression is only allowed in a parameter_specification for a formal parameter of mode in.

20/2
A subprogram_declaration or a generic_subprogram_declaration requires a completion: a body, a renaming_declaration (see 8.5), or a pragma Import (see B.1). A completion is not allowed for an abstract_subprogram_declaration (see 3.9.3) or a null_procedure_declaration (see 6.7).

21
A name that denotes a formal parameter is not allowed within the formal_part in which it is declared, nor within the formal_part of a corresponding body or accept_statement.

Static Semantics

22
The profile of (a view of) a callable entity is either a parameter_profile or parameter_and_result_profile; it embodies information about the interface to that entity −− for example, the profile includes information about parameters passed to the callable entity. All callable entities have a profile −− enumeration literals, other subprograms, and entries. An access−to−subprogram type has a designated profile. Associated with a profile is a calling convention. A subprogram_declaration declares a procedure or a function, as indicated by the initial reserved word, with name and profile as given by its specification.

23/2
The nominal subtype of a formal parameter is the subtype determined by the optional null_exclusion and the subtype_mark, or defined by the access_definition, in the parameter_specification. The nominal subtype of a function result is the subtype determined by the optional null_exclusion and the subtype_mark, or defined by the access_definition, in the parameter_and_result_profile. 24/2
An access parameter is a formal in parameter specified by an access_definition. An access result type is a function result type specified by an access_definition. An access parameter or result type is of an anonymous access type (see 3.10). Access parameters of an access−to−object type allow dispatching calls to be controlled by access values. Access parameters of an access−to−subprogram type permit calls to subprograms passed as parameters irrespective of their accessibility level.

25
The subtypes of a profile are:

26

27/2

27.1/2

28/2

28.1/2

28.2/2

29
The types of a profile are the types of those subtypes.

30/2
A subprogram declared by an abstract_subprogram_declaration is abstract; a subprogram declared by a subprogram_declaration is not. See 3.9.3, "3.9.3 Abstract Types and Subprograms". Similarly, a procedure defined by a null_procedure_declaration is a null procedure; a procedure declared by a subprogram_declaration is not. See 6.7, "6.7 Null Procedures".

30.1/2
An overriding_indicator is used to indicate whether overriding is intended. See 8.3.1, "8.3.1 Overriding Indicators".

Dynamic Semantics

31/2
The elaboration of a subprogram_declaration has no effect.

     NOTES

32

1  A parameter_specification with several identifiers is equivalent to a sequence of single parameter_specifications, as explained in 3.3.

33

2  Abstract subprograms do not have bodies, and cannot be used in a nondispatching call (see 3.9.3, "3.9.3 Abstract Types and Subprograms").

34

3  The evaluation of default_expressions is caused by certain calls, as described in 6.4.1. They are not evaluated during the elaboration of the subprogram declaration.

35

4  Subprograms can be called recursively and can be called concurrently from multiple tasks.
Examples

36
Examples of subprogram declarations:

37

     procedure Traverse_Tree;
     procedure Increment(X : in out Integer);
     procedure Right_Indent(Margin : out Line_Size);          −−  see 3.5.4
     procedure Switch(From, To : in out Link);                −−  see 3.10.1

38

     function Random return Probability;                      −−  see 3.5.7

39

     function Min_Cell(X : Link) return Cell;                 −−  see 3.10.1
     function Next_Frame(K : Positive) return Frame;          −−  see 3.10
     function Dot_Product(Left, Right : Vector) return Real;  −−  see 3.6

40

     function "*"(Left, Right : Matrix) return Matrix;        −−  see 3.6

41
Examples of in parameters with default expressions:

42

     procedure Print_Header(Pages  : in Natural;
                 Header : in Line    :=  (1 .. Line'Last => ' ');  −−  see 3.6
                 Center : in Boolean := True);