Minutes, October 17, 2000

Discussion: Representation of "void *".
    Problems with the representation of "void *" focused on the
    way that a type alias (typedef) was represented in Dwarf 2. It
    was generally agreed that a reasonable representation for a
    pointer to an memory location exists in Dwarf, using the base
    type encoding DW_ATE_address. But there appeared to be no way to
    reasonably represent "typedef void gorp;".

    Ada has an access declaration which permits reference to a memory
    location with an unspecified type, similar to that referenced by
    C's "void *". Algol 68 has a type "any" which serves a similar
    function.

    Certain approaches were considered and rejected: adding a void
    base type "encoding", permitting a type that had no size entry, and
    modifying the specification for DW_TAG_typedef (5.3) to explicitly
    specify that it was an alias for void.

    The final resolution was to suggest the creation of a new tag,
    DW_TAG_unspecified, which would be an incomplete type (in some sense
    similar to an incomplete struct definition) which could be referenced
    by another type or typedef entry.

    Ron Brender will submit a proposal for this tag.

Issue discussion:
    000929.1 Fortran 90/95 Module Support
    A Fortran import specification can limit, extend, or rename
    the names imported from a module. This proposal extends
    DW_TAG_imported_module to permit it to have child entries
    which are exceptions to importing all names from the specified
    module. Proposal adopted.

Dave Anderson will chair the next meeting on October 31.