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4.9.1 Statically Matching Constraints and Subtypes

Static Semantics

1/2
{AI95-00311-01} A constraint statically matches another constraint if: 
1.1/2
both are null constraints;
1.a/5
Discussion: A null constraint has nothing to do with null exclusions! Unconstrained array subtypes, subtypes with unknown discriminants, and subtypes with no explicit constraint have null constraints (see 3.2). This terminology became confusing when null exclusions were introduced in the 2007 Amendment.
1.2/2
both are static and have equal corresponding bounds or discriminant values;
1.3/2
both are nonstatic and result from the same elaboration of a constraint of a subtype_indication or the same evaluation of a range of a discrete_subtype_definition; or
1.4/2
{AI95-00311-01} both are nonstatic and come from the same formal_type_declaration.
1.5/5
 {AI12-0374-2} {AI12-0427-1} The Global or Global'Class aspects (see 6.1.2) of two entities statically match if both consist of a single global_aspect_definition where each is the reserved word null, or each is of the form “global_mode global_designator” with each global_mode being the same sequence of reserved words and each global_designator being the same reserved word, or each being a global_name that statically names the same entity.
2/5
{AI95-00231-01} {AI95-00254-01} {AI05-0153-3} {AI12-0059-1} {AI12-0374-2} A subtype statically matches another subtype of the same type if they have statically matching constraints, all predicate specifications that apply to them come from the same declarations, Nonblocking aspects have the same value, global aspects statically match, Object_Size (see 13.3) has been specified to have a nonconfirming value for either both or neither, and the nonconfirming values, if any, are the same, and, for access subtypes, either both or neither exclude null. Two anonymous access-to-object subtypes statically match if their designated subtypes statically match, and either both or neither exclude null, and either both or neither are access-to-constant. Two anonymous access-to-subprogram subtypes statically match if their designated profiles are subtype conformant, and either both or neither exclude null. 
2.a
Ramification: Statically matching constraints and subtypes are the basis for subtype conformance of profiles (see 6.3.1).
2.b/2
Reason: Even though anonymous access types always represent different types, they can statically match. That's important so that they can be used widely. For instance, if this wasn't true, access parameters and access discriminants could never conform, so they couldn't be used in separate specifications. 
2.c/5
Ramification: {AI12-0059-1} If one of the subtypes is not yet frozen, an implementation may have to repeat the check when the subtypes are both frozen (as it is impossible to check the Object_Size part before the subtypes are frozen). This recheck can only make a previously statically matching subtype fail to match; it cannot make a match legal. 
2.d/5
Discussion: {AI12-0059-1} We exclude the case where both Object_Sizes are confirming so that we don't introduce an incompatibility for existing Ada code. But practically the implementation can simply check that the Object_Size values are the same, as we have a rule in 13.1 that the subtype-specific aspects (such as Object_Size) are always the same for statically matching subtypes. We wrote the rules this way to avoid having wording that appeared to require predicting the future ("would statically match if ...").
3
Two ranges of the same type statically match if both result from the same evaluation of a range, or if both are static and have equal corresponding bounds. 
3.a
Ramification: The notion of static matching of ranges is used in 12.5.3, “Formal Array Types”; the index ranges of formal and actual constrained array subtypes have to statically match. 
4/3
{AI05-0086-1} {AI05-0153-3} A constraint is statically compatible with a scalar subtype if it statically matches the constraint of the subtype, or if both are static and the constraint is compatible with the subtype. A constraint is statically compatible with an access or composite subtype if it statically matches the constraint of the subtype, or if the subtype is unconstrained. 
4.a
Discussion: Static compatibility is required when constraining a parent subtype with a discriminant from a new discriminant_part. See 3.7. Static compatibility is also used in matching generic formal derived types.
4.b
Note that statically compatible with a subtype does not imply compatible with a type. It is OK since the terms are used in different contexts. 
5/3
{AI05-0153-3} Two statically matching subtypes are statically compatible with each other. In addition, a subtype S1 is statically compatible with a subtype S2 if: 
6/3
the constraint of S1 is statically compatible with S2, and
7/3
{AI05-0086-1} if S2 excludes null, so does S1, and
8/3
either: 
9/3
all predicate specifications that apply to S2 apply also to S1, or
10/4
{AI05-0290-1} {AI12-0071-1} both subtypes are static, every value that satisfies the predicates of S1 also satisfies the predicates of S2, and it is not the case that both types each have at least one applicable predicate specification, predicate checks are enabled (see 11.4.2) for S2, and predicate checks are not enabled for S1

Wording Changes from Ada 83

10.a
This subclause is new to Ada 95. 

Wording Changes from Ada 95

10.b/2
{AI95-00231-01} {AI95-00254-01} Added static matching rules for null exclusions and anonymous access-to-subprogram types; both of these are new.
10.c/2
{AI95-00311-01} We clarify that the constraint of the first subtype of a scalar formal type statically matches itself. 

Incompatibilities With Ada 2005

10.d/3
{AI05-0086-1} Correction: Updated the statically compatible rules to take null exclusions into account. This is technically incompatible, as it could cause a legal Ada 2005 program to be rejected; however, such a program violates the intent of the rules (for instance, 3.7(15)) and this probably will simply detect bugs. 

Wording Changes from Ada 2005

10.e/3
{AI05-0153-3} {AI05-0290-1} Modified static matching and static compatibility to take predicate aspects (see 3.2.4) into account. 

Wording Changes from Ada 2012

10.f/4
{AI12-0071-1} Corrigendum: Updated wording of static compatibility to use the new term "satisfies the predicates" (see 3.2.4).
10.g/5
{AI12-0059-1} Updated wording to take nonconfirming values of Object_Size into account.
10.h/5
{AI12-0374-2} Static matching now includes the effects of Global aspects and the Nonblocking aspect. 

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