[Dwarf-Discuss] imported_unit and reference identity

[David Anderson]

Chris Quenelle wrote:
> I think most of the discussion in Appendix E relates to
> combining type information that is actually the exact
> same type, but it would otherwise be recorded multiple
> times in executable.  In this sense, A::foo and B::foo are
> not the exact same type.  They have the same shape, but
> they are not the same type.
>
>   
I think this is the essential point for the example. They are not the 
same type.
So sharing across namespaces is not correct.    (Therefore making struct foo
a separate partial unit from the namespace is pointless.)

Looking for support in the document, I find in Section E.5 (picking the 
Oct 7 2008 draft
somewhat arbitrarily as we've not changed this recently) :

  "The DW_TAG_partial_unit compilation unit will be referenced from
  elsewhere and the referencing locations give the appropriate context
  for interpreting the partial compilation unit."


Roland's example fails this requirement in that it does not give the 
appropriate context,
it does not refer to a struct-in-a-namespace.    Therefore it's not an 
appropriate
interpretation of DWARF  in the way  appendix E describes  partial units.

I do wonder if there isn't a better way to express the requirement, as 
in the example it's not entirely
the referencing location giving the namespace context of foo, but the  
partial unit itself that 
contributes to  the  namespace context of  its unique struct foo type in 
this example.  Thereby expressing
the meaning of the C++ language construct as it applies to a use of a 
particular struct foo.
[Sigh. This is an opaque paragraph.  Sorry.]


A revised version of Roland's example might be a good example for section E.

Regards,
David Anderson