Re: Comment on IR1.99.05

Peter,

It is true that the declaration of the object is important for understanding its scope and 
visibility. However, given that LRM 4.8 states that a scalar nature declaration also 
declares the reference terminal of the simple nature of the nature, it seems clear that 
the reference terminal is declared at that place. Since the reference terminal is a 
property of a simple nature, and since every nature has a simple nature, the reference 
terminal of any declared nature is always declared, so there should not be any issue. 
This, I believe, may have been the reason for calling the rewording a minor point.

The question now arises whether the proposed rewording doesn't do more harm than good, as 
it could be read to imply that the reference terminal is declared twice. I'll study the 
issue and will update the IR accordingly.

Thanks.
Ernst Christen

On Mon, 10 Apr 2006 21:31:50 -0700, Peter Ashenden wrote:
> Folks,
>
> In IR1.99.05, the analysis includes:
>
>   Perhaps it would have been better if the text (LRM 3.5.1, first
> paragraph),
>
>   "A scalar nature definition defines a scalar nature, its branch types,
>   and the name of its reference terminal."
>
>   were modified to read:
>
>   "A scalar nature definition defines a scalar nature and its branch types,
>   and declares the name of the reference terminal which is of the nature."
>
>   ...but it seems a minor point.
>
> The clarification is significant, in that is makes it clear that the
> reference terminal name is declared by a nature declaration. The
> ramification is that the reference terminal name has a scope and is visible.
> The rules for scope and visibility only apply to declarations. If the
> reference terminal name were not treated as a declaration, it would not have
> scope or visibility, and so could not be referred to by name.
>
> Cheers,
>
> PA
>
> --
> Dr. Peter J. Ashenden                peter@ashenden.com.au
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