Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> writes:

Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> writes:

Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> writes:

Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> writes:

Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> writes:

Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> writes:
[snip discussion of a program that divides by zero]

An implementation can refuse to translate the program, but not
because undefined behavior occurs. The undefined behavior here
happens only when the program is executed, but just compiling the
program doesn't do that. No execution, no undefined behavior.
Still the program may be rejected, because it is not strictly
conforming (by virtue of having output depend on the undefined
behavior if the program is ever run).

Just to be clear, would you say that a conforming hosted
implementation may reject this program:

#include <limits.h>
#include <stdio.h>
int main(void) {
printf("INT_MAX = %d\n", INT_MAX);
}

solely because it's not strictly conforming?

My understanding of the C standard is that a hosted implementation
may choose not to accept the above program and still be conforming,
because this program is not strictly conforming. (Please assume
subsequent remarks always refer to implementations that are both
hosted and conforming.)

Also, assuming we have ruled out cases involving #error, a
conforming implementation may choose not to accept a given program
if and only if the program is not strictly conforming. Being
strictly conforming is the only criterion that matters (again
assuming there is no #error) in deciding whether an implementation
may choose not to accept the program in question.

I'm guessing that what you mean by "may reject" is the same as what
I mean by "may choose not to accept". I'd like to know if you think
that's right, or if you think there is some difference between the
two. (My intention is that the two phrases have the same meaning.)

Does the above adequately address the question you want answered?

I'm not sure. As I recall, I gave up on trying to understand what
you think "accept" means.

N1570 5.1.2.3p6:

[CORRECTION: 3p4]

A program that is correct in all other aspects, operating on
correct data, containing unspecified behavior shall be a
correct program and act in accordance with 5.1.2.3.

Does that not apply to the program above? How can it do so if it's
rejected (or not "accepted")?

The same paragraph says that "A *conforming hosted implementation*
shall accept any strictly conforming program". Are you reading
that as implying that *only* strictly conforming programs must be
accepted?

As a practical matter, an implementation that accepts *only*
strictly conforming programs would be very nearly useless. I
don't see anything in the standard that says a program can be
rejected purely because it's not strictly conforming, and I don't
believe that was the intent.

My understanding of the C standard is that 'shall accept' is
meant in the sense of 'shall use its best efforts to complete
translation phases 1 through 8 successfully and produce an
executable'.

That sounds reasonable. I wish the standard actually defined
"accept".

Where you say "5.1.2.3p6:" I expect you mean "4p3".

Yes.

Where you say "the same paragraph" I expect you mean "4p6".

Yes.

The word "reject" does not appear in the C standard. In my own
writing I am trying henceforth to use "accept" exclusively and
not use "reject". For the safe of discussion I can take "reject"
to mean the logical complement of "accept", which is to say a
program is either accepted or rejected, never both and never
neither. Does that last sentence match your own usage?

Yes, "reject" means "not accept". There might be some nuance that
that definition misses, so I'll try to avoid using the word "reject"
in this discussion.

The C standard has only one place where a statement is made about
accepting a program, saying in 4p6 that implementations shall
accept any strictly conforming program; no other paragraph in the
standard mentions accepting a program. Given that, it's hard for
me to understand how someone could read the standard as saying
anything other than that a program must be accepted if it is
strictly conforming, but if the program is not strictly conforming
then there is no requirement that it be accepted. In short form, a
program must be accepted if and only if it is strictly conforming.
Does that summary mean something different than your phrase "*only*
strictly conforming programs must be accepted"?. My understanding
of the C standard is that strictly conforming programs must be
accepted, but implementations are not required to accept any
program that is not strictly conforming.

Certainly a conforming implementation must accept any strictly
conforming program (insert handwaving about capacity limits).

No handwaving needed. If "accept" is taken to mean 'shall use its
best efforts to ...', etc., there is no problem with those efforts
failing for reasons outside the implementation's control.

I can understand how one might read that requirement as implying
that an implementation need not accept any program that is not
strictly conforming. I don't read it that way.

James Kuyper has said

The standard never talks about rejection. It requires that
"A conforming hosted implementation shall accept any
strictly conforming program.". No such requirement applies
to any program which is not strictly conforming. (4p6)

Clearly James thinks implementations are free not to accept any
program that is not strictly conforming. Do you think James is
wrong?

In an earlier posting you said

I don't see anything in the standard that says a program can
be rejected purely because it's not strictly conforming, and
I don't believe that was the intent.

What is the basis for that belief? Can you point to some passage in
the C standard, or some other materials, that supports it? Or do
you believe it just because you think no sensible person could
intend otherwise?

In response to your question about 4p3, the short answer is that
any non-strictly-conforming program that an implementation chooses
not to accept is not correct in all other aspects, so 4p3 does not
apply. If you want to talk about that further we should split that
off into a separate thread, because 4p3 has nothing to do with
program acceptance.

I say it does. Under 4p3, the above program (that prints the value
of INT_MAX) is a "correct program", so it must "act in accordance
with 5.1.2.3". It cannot do so unless it is first accepted.

It's a circular argument. You assume that a non-strictly conforming
program does not violate the requirement that the program be "correct
in all other aspects" and then conclude that the program is correct.
You're assuming the very thing you set out to prove.

What is the purpose of 4p3? What is the motivation for including it
in the C standard? Do you think it's there only to make programs
like the INT_MAX program above be non-rejectable? What else does it
do? What do you think is meant by "act in accordance with 5.1.2.3"?
Besides the C standard, what other materials or resources have you
consulted in forming your opinions or drawing your conclusions?

Suppose 4p3 were not included in the C standard. How would that
change the C language? What would be different, besides questions
like the one we are considering now?

The C90 standard does not include any requirement along the lines of
4p3 in C99 and later. Does that mean C90 is different in some way?
What prompted the insertion of 4p3 into C99? What efforts have you
made to investigate that? Or have you not made any?

You're saying that the correctness of a program can depend on
whether an implementation chooses to accept it. I disagree.

Certainly whether a program is strictly conforming CAN make a
difference in whether a program is "correct in all other aspects"
with respect to whether 4p3 applies. I have posted an example
actually observed in the behaviors of gcc and clang (having to do
with the size of an array type). The example violates no
constraints or syntax rules, has no undefined behavior, and uses
only language features specified in the C standard. Despite all
that clang rejects it. The only basis for clang's rejecting the
program is that the program is not strictly conforming. So one way
or another 4p3 is not relevant.

An implementation that does not accept the above program is not
conforming because the implementation violates 4p3.

Your reasoning the 4p3 applies here is flawed, because it's a
circular argument. More compellingly, you haven't presented any
evidence that 4p3 is meant to be relevant to the question of
acceptance. I know you think it is, and you have offered some
reasoning why it should be, but your explanations are not evidence.
What leads you to believe that members of the ISO C committee look
at this issue the same way you do? Have you made any effort to
answer that question?

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