p[] instead of p^

doc/manual.txt

@@ -932,8 +932,9 @@ untraced references are *unsafe*. However for certain low-level operations
 Traced references are declared with the **ref** keyword, untraced references
 are declared with the **ptr** keyword.
 
-The ``^`` operator can be used to derefer a reference, the ``addr`` procedure
+An empty subscript ``[]`` notation can be used to derefer a reference, 
-returns the address of an item. An address is always an untraced reference.
+the ``addr`` procedure returns the address of an item. An address is always 
+an untraced reference.
 Thus the usage of ``addr`` is an *unsafe* feature.
 
 The ``.`` (access a tuple/object field operator)
@@ -951,7 +952,8 @@ dereferencing operations for reference types:
   var
     n: PNode
   new(n)
-  n.data = 9 # no need to write n^ .data
+  n.data = 9 
+  # no need to write n[].data; in fact n[].data is highly discouraged!
 
 To allocate a new traced object, the built-in procedure ``new`` has to be used.
 To deal with untraced memory, the procedures ``alloc``, ``dealloc`` and
@@ -1941,8 +1943,8 @@ above example is equivalent to:
 .. code-block:: nimrod
   proc divmod(a, b: int,
               res, remainder: ptr int) =
-    res^ = a div b
+    res[] = a div b
-    remainder^ = a mod b
+    remainder[] = a mod b
 
   var
     x, y: int
@@ -2070,6 +2072,7 @@ The `for`:idx: statement is an abstract mechanism to iterate over the elements
 of a container. It relies on an `iterator`:idx: to do so. Like ``while``
 statements, ``for`` statements open an `implicit block`:idx:, so that they
 can be left with a ``break`` statement. The ``for`` loop declares
+
 iteration variables (``x`` in the example) - their scope reaches until the
 end of the loop body. The iteration variables' types are inferred by the
 return type of the iterator.
@@ -2581,6 +2584,7 @@ The `procvar`:idx: pragma is used to mark a proc that it can be passed to a
 procedural variable.
 
 
+
 compileTime pragma
 ------------------
 The `compileTime`:idx: pragma is used to mark a proc to be used at compile

doc/tut1.txt

@@ -1183,9 +1183,9 @@ untraced references are *unsafe*. However for certain low-level operations
 Traced references are declared with the **ref** keyword, untraced references
 are declared with the **ptr** keyword.
 
-The ``^`` operator can be used to *derefer* a reference, meaning to retrieve
+The empty ``[]`` subscript notation can be used to *derefer* a reference, 
-the item the reference points to. The ``addr`` procedure returns the address
+meaning to retrieve the item the reference points to. The ``addr`` procedure 
-of an item. An address is always an untraced reference:
+returns the address of an item. An address is always an untraced reference:
 ``addr`` is an *unsafe* feature.
 
 The ``.`` (access a tuple/object field operator)
@@ -1200,7 +1200,8 @@ dereferencing operations for reference types:
   var
     n: PNode
   new(n)
-  n.data = 9 # no need to write n^ .data
+  n.data = 9 
+  # no need to write n[].data; in fact n[].data is highly discouraged!
 
 (As a convention, reference types use a 'P' prefix.)
 

rod/c2nim/cparse.nim

@@ -1204,7 +1204,7 @@ proc unaryExpression(p: var TParser): PNode =
   of pxPlusPlus: result = incdec(p, "inc")
   of pxMinusMinus: result = incdec(p, "dec")
   of pxAmp: result = unaryOp(p, nkAddr)
-  of pxStar: result = unaryOp(p, nkDerefExpr)
+  of pxStar: result = unaryOp(p, nkBracketExpr)
   of pxPlus: result = prefixCall(p, "+")
   of pxMinus: result = prefixCall(p, "-")
   of pxTilde: result = prefixCall(p, "not")

rod/msgs.nim

@@ -90,7 +90,9 @@ type
     warnCannotWriteMO2, warnCannotReadMO2, warnDeprecated, 
     warnSmallLshouldNotBeUsed, warnUnknownMagic, warnRedefinitionOfLabel, 
     warnUnknownSubstitutionX, warnLanguageXNotSupported, warnCommentXIgnored, 
-    warnXisPassedToProcVar, warnUser, hintSuccess, hintSuccessX, 
+    warnXisPassedToProcVar, warnDerefDeprecated,
+    warnUser, 
+    hintSuccess, hintSuccessX, 
     hintLineTooLong, hintXDeclaredButNotUsed, hintConvToBaseNotNeeded, 
     hintConvFromXtoItselfNotNeeded, hintExprAlwaysX, hintQuitCalled, 
     hintProcessing, hintCodeBegin, hintCodeEnd, hintConf, hintPath, hintUser
@@ -319,6 +321,7 @@ const
     warnLanguageXNotSupported: "language \'$1\' not supported [LanguageXNotSupported]", 
     warnCommentXIgnored: "comment \'$1\' ignored [CommentXIgnored]", 
     warnXisPassedToProcVar: "\'$1\' is passed to a procvar; deprecated [XisPassedToProcVar]", 
+    warnDerefDeprecated: "p^ is deprecated; use p[] instead [DerefDeprecated]",
     warnUser: "$1 [User]", 
     hintSuccess: "operation successful [Success]", 
     hintSuccessX: "operation successful ($1 lines compiled; $2 sec total) [SuccessX]", 
@@ -336,11 +339,11 @@ const
     hintUser: "$1 [User]"]
 
 const 
-  WarningsToStr*: array[0..14, string] = ["CannotOpenFile", "OctalEscape", 
+  WarningsToStr*: array[0..15, string] = ["CannotOpenFile", "OctalEscape", 
     "XIsNeverRead", "XmightNotBeenInit", "CannotWriteMO2", "CannotReadMO2", 
     "Deprecated", "SmallLshouldNotBeUsed", "UnknownMagic", 
     "RedefinitionOfLabel", "UnknownSubstitutionX", "LanguageXNotSupported", 
-    "CommentXIgnored", "XisPassedToProcVar", "User"]
+    "CommentXIgnored", "XisPassedToProcVar", "DerefDeprecated", "User"]
 
   HintsToStr*: array[0..13, string] = ["Success", "SuccessX", "LineTooLong", 
     "XDeclaredButNotUsed", "ConvToBaseNotNeeded", "ConvFromXtoItselfNotNeeded", 

rod/pas2nim/pasparse.nim

@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ proc primary(p: var TParser): PNode =
         parMessage(p, errIdentifierExpected, $p.tok)
     of pxHat: 
       var a = result
-      result = newNodeP(nkDerefExpr, p)
+      result = newNodeP(nkBracketExpr, p)
       addSon(result, a)
       getTok(p)
     of pxBracketLe: 

rod/semexprs.nim

@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ proc makeDeref(n: PNode): PNode =
     t = skipTypes(t.sons[0], {tyGenericInst})
   if t.kind in {tyPtr, tyRef}: 
     var a = result
-    result = newNodeIT(nkDerefExpr, n.info, t.sons[0])
+    result = newNodeIT(nkHiddenDeref, n.info, t.sons[0])
     addSon(result, a)
 
 proc builtinFieldAccess(c: PContext, n: PNode, flags: TExprFlags): PNode =
@@ -745,8 +745,23 @@ proc buildOverloadedSubscripts(n: PNode, inAsgn: bool): PNode =
   # now we know the operator
   result.sons[0] = newIdentNode(getIdent(opr), n.info)
   
+proc semDeref(c: PContext, n: PNode): PNode =
+  checkSonsLen(n, 1)
+  n.sons[0] = semExprWithType(c, n.sons[0])
+  result = n
+  var t = skipTypes(n.sons[0].typ, {tyGenericInst, tyVar})
+  case t.kind
+  of tyRef, tyPtr: n.typ = t.sons[0]
+  else: GlobalError(n.sons[0].info, errCircumNeedsPointer)
+  result = n
+  
 proc semSubscript(c: PContext, n: PNode, flags: TExprFlags): PNode =
   ## returns nil if not a built-in subscript operator;
+  if sonsLen(n) == 1: 
+    var x = semDeref(c, n)
+    result = newNodeIT(nkDerefExpr, x.info, x.typ)
+    result.add(x[0])
+    return
   checkMinSonsLen(n, 2)
   n.sons[0] = semExprWithType(c, n.sons[0], flags - {efAllowType})
   var arr = skipTypes(n.sons[0].typ, {tyGenericInst, tyVar, tyPtr, tyRef})
@@ -1041,14 +1056,8 @@ proc semExpr(c: PContext, n: PNode, flags: TExprFlags = {}): PNode =
   of nkBracket: result = semArrayConstr(c, n)
   of nkLambda: result = semLambda(c, n)
   of nkDerefExpr: 
-    checkSonsLen(n, 1)
+    Message(n.info, warnDerefDeprecated)
-    n.sons[0] = semExprWithType(c, n.sons[0])
+    result = semDeref(c, n)
-    result = n
-    var t = skipTypes(n.sons[0].typ, {tyGenericInst, tyVar})
-    case t.kind
-    of tyRef, tyPtr: n.typ = t.sons[0]
-    else: GlobalError(n.sons[0].info, errCircumNeedsPointer)
-    result = n
   of nkAddr: 
     result = n
     checkSonsLen(n, 1)

rod/transf.nim

@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ proc indirectAccess(a, b: PSym): PNode =
   # returns a^ .b as a node
   var x = newSymNode(a)
   var y = newSymNode(b)
-  var deref = newNodeI(nkDerefExpr, x.info)
+  var deref = newNodeI(nkHiddenDeref, x.info)
   deref.typ = x.typ.sons[0]
   addSon(deref, x)
   result = newNodeI(nkDotExpr, x.info)

tests/readme.txt

@@ -1,24 +1,5 @@
 This directory contains the test cases.
 Each test must have a filename of the form: ``t*.nim``
 
-The testcases may contain the directives ``#ERROR``, ``#ERROR_IN``, 
+Each test can contain a spec in ``"""``.
-``#ERROR_MSG`` or ``#OUT``.
-``#ERROR`` is used to indicate that the compiler should report
-an error in the marked line (the line that contains the ``#ERROR``
-directive.)
-The format for ``#ERROR_IN`` is::
 
-     #ERROR_IN filename linenumber
-
-You can omit the extension of the filename (``.nim`` is then assumed).
-The format for ``#ERROR_MSG`` is::
-
-     #ERROR_MSG message
-
-This directive specifies the error message Nimrod shall produce.
-
-Tests which contain none of the ``#ERROR*`` directives should compile. 
-Thus they are executed after successful compilation and their output 
-is compared to the expected results (specified with the ``#OUT`` 
-directive). Tests which require user interaction are currently not 
-possible.

tests/tester.nim

@@ -17,8 +17,11 @@ const
   resultsFile = "testresults.html"
 
 type
+  TTestAction = enum
+    actionCompile, actionRun, actionReject
   TSpec {.pure.} = object
-    file: string
+    action: TTestAction
+    file, cmd: string
     outp: string
     line: int
     msg: string
@@ -72,13 +75,21 @@ proc parseSpec(filename: string): TSpec =
   result.err = true
   result.msg = ""
   result.outp = ""
+  result.cmd = cmdTemplate
   parseSpecAux:
     case normalize(e.key)
+    of "action": 
+      case e.value.normalize
+      of "compile": result.action = actionCompile
+      of "run": result.action = actionRun
+      of "reject": result.action = actionReject
+      else: echo ignoreMsg(p, e)
     of "file": result.file = e.value
     of "line": discard parseInt(e.value, result.line)
     of "output": result.outp = e.value
     of "errormsg", "msg": result.msg = e.value
     of "disabled": result.disabled = parseCfgBool(e.value)
+    of "cmd": result.cmd = e.value
     else: echo ignoreMsg(p, e)
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -92,7 +103,7 @@ var
   pegSuccess = peg"'Hint: operation successful'.*"
   pegOfInterest = pegLineError / pegOtherError / pegSuccess
 
-proc callCompiler(filename, options: string): TSpec =
+proc callCompiler(cmdTemplate, filename, options: string): TSpec =
   var c = parseCmdLine(cmdTemplate % [options, filename])
   var a: seq[string] = @[] # slicing is not yet implemented :-(
   for i in 1 .. c.len-1: add(a, c[i])
@@ -192,7 +203,7 @@ proc reject(r: var TResults, dir, options: string) =
       r.addResult(t, "", "", reIgnored)
       inc(r.skipped)
     else:
-      var given = callCompiler(test, options)
+      var given = callCompiler(expected.cmd, test, options)
       cmpMsgs(r, expected, given, t)
   
 proc compile(r: var TResults, pattern, options: string) = 
@@ -200,7 +211,7 @@ proc compile(r: var TResults, pattern, options: string) =
     var t = extractFilename(test)
     inc(r.total)
     echo t
-    var given = callCompiler(test, options)
+    var given = callCompiler(cmdTemplate, test, options)
     r.addResult(t, given.msg, if given.err: reFailure else: reSuccess)
     if not given.err: inc(r.passed)
   
@@ -214,7 +225,7 @@ proc run(r: var TResults, dir, options: string) =
       r.addResult(t, "", "", reIgnored)
       inc(r.skipped)
     else:
-      var given = callCompiler(test, options)
+      var given = callCompiler(expected.cmd, test, options)
       if given.err:
         r.addResult(t, "", given.msg, reFailure)
       else:

todo.txt

@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
   add --deadlock_prevention:on|off switch
 - built-in serialization
 
-- deprecate ^ and make it available as operator
-
 
 High priority (version 0.9.0)
 =============================
@@ -14,6 +12,7 @@ High priority (version 0.9.0)
 - fix the streams implementation so that it uses methods
 - fix overloading resolution
 - wrong co-/contravariance
+- deprecate ^ and make it available as operator; new other notation: p[]
 
 
 Bugs

web/news.txt

@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ Changes affecting backwards compatibility
   if both ``$#`` and ``$i`` are involved.
 - The ``pegs`` and ``re`` modules distinguish between ``replace`` 
   and ``replacef`` operations.
+- The pointer dereference operation ``p^`` is deprecated and might become
+  ``^p`` in later versions or be dropped entirely since it is rarely used. 
+  Use the new notation ``p[]`` to dereference a pointer.
+  
 
 Additions
 ---------