Newer
Older
@interface NSString : NSObject
- (NSUnrelated *)init; // incorrect usage: NSUnrelated is not NSString or a superclass of NSString
@end
Related result types only affect the type of a message send or property access
via the given method. In all other respects, a method with a related result
type is treated the same way as method that returns ``id``.
Use ``__has_feature(objc_instancetype)`` to determine whether the
``instancetype`` contextual keyword is available.
Automatic reference counting
----------------------------
Clang provides support for :doc:`automated reference counting
<AutomaticReferenceCounting>` in Objective-C, which eliminates the need
for manual ``retain``/``release``/``autorelease`` message sends. There are two
feature macros associated with automatic reference counting:
``__has_feature(objc_arc)`` indicates the availability of automated reference
counting in general, while ``__has_feature(objc_arc_weak)`` indicates that
automated reference counting also includes support for ``__weak`` pointers to
Objective-C objects.
1026
1027
1028
1029
1030
1031
1032
1033
1034
1035
1036
1037
1038
1039
1040
1041
1042
1043
1044
1045
1046
1047
1048
1049
1050
1051
1052
1053
1054
1055
1056
1057
1058
1059
1060
1061
1062
1063
1064
1065
1066
1067
1068
1069
1070
1071
1072
1073
1074
1075
1076
1077
1078
1079
1080
1081
1082
1083
1084
1085
1086
1087
1088
1089
1090
1091
1092
1093
1094
1095
1096
1097
1098
1099
1100
1101
Enumerations with a fixed underlying type
-----------------------------------------
Clang provides support for C++11 enumerations with a fixed underlying type
within Objective-C. For example, one can write an enumeration type as:
.. code-block:: c++
typedef enum : unsigned char { Red, Green, Blue } Color;
This specifies that the underlying type, which is used to store the enumeration
value, is ``unsigned char``.
Use ``__has_feature(objc_fixed_enum)`` to determine whether support for fixed
underlying types is available in Objective-C.
Interoperability with C++11 lambdas
-----------------------------------
Clang provides interoperability between C++11 lambdas and blocks-based APIs, by
permitting a lambda to be implicitly converted to a block pointer with the
corresponding signature. For example, consider an API such as ``NSArray``'s
array-sorting method:
.. code-block:: objc
- (NSArray *)sortedArrayUsingComparator:(NSComparator)cmptr;
``NSComparator`` is simply a typedef for the block pointer ``NSComparisonResult
(^)(id, id)``, and parameters of this type are generally provided with block
literals as arguments. However, one can also use a C++11 lambda so long as it
provides the same signature (in this case, accepting two parameters of type
``id`` and returning an ``NSComparisonResult``):
.. code-block:: objc
NSArray *array = @[@"string 1", @"string 21", @"string 12", @"String 11",
@"String 02"];
const NSStringCompareOptions comparisonOptions
= NSCaseInsensitiveSearch | NSNumericSearch |
NSWidthInsensitiveSearch | NSForcedOrderingSearch;
NSLocale *currentLocale = [NSLocale currentLocale];
NSArray *sorted
= [array sortedArrayUsingComparator:[=](id s1, id s2) -> NSComparisonResult {
NSRange string1Range = NSMakeRange(0, [s1 length]);
return [s1 compare:s2 options:comparisonOptions
range:string1Range locale:currentLocale];
}];
NSLog(@"sorted: %@", sorted);
This code relies on an implicit conversion from the type of the lambda
expression (an unnamed, local class type called the *closure type*) to the
corresponding block pointer type. The conversion itself is expressed by a
conversion operator in that closure type that produces a block pointer with the
same signature as the lambda itself, e.g.,
.. code-block:: objc
operator NSComparisonResult (^)(id, id)() const;
This conversion function returns a new block that simply forwards the two
parameters to the lambda object (which it captures by copy), then returns the
result. The returned block is first copied (with ``Block_copy``) and then
autoreleased. As an optimization, if a lambda expression is immediately
converted to a block pointer (as in the first example, above), then the block
is not copied and autoreleased: rather, it is given the same lifetime as a
block literal written at that point in the program, which avoids the overhead
of copying a block to the heap in the common case.
The conversion from a lambda to a block pointer is only available in
Objective-C++, and not in C++ with blocks, due to its use of Objective-C memory
management (autorelease).
Object Literals and Subscripting
--------------------------------
Clang provides support for :doc:`Object Literals and Subscripting
<ObjectiveCLiterals>` in Objective-C, which simplifies common Objective-C
programming patterns, makes programs more concise, and improves the safety of
container creation. There are several feature macros associated with object
literals and subscripting: ``__has_feature(objc_array_literals)`` tests the
availability of array literals; ``__has_feature(objc_dictionary_literals)``
tests the availability of dictionary literals;
``__has_feature(objc_subscripting)`` tests the availability of object
subscripting.
Objective-C Autosynthesis of Properties
---------------------------------------
Clang provides support for autosynthesis of declared properties. Using this
feature, clang provides default synthesis of those properties not declared
@dynamic and not having user provided backing getter and setter methods.
``__has_feature(objc_default_synthesize_properties)`` checks for availability
of this feature in version of clang being used.
.. _langext-objc-retain-release:
Objective-C retaining behavior attributes
-----------------------------------------
In Objective-C, functions and methods are generally assumed to follow the
`Cocoa Memory Management
<http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/MemoryMgmt/Articles/mmRules.html>`_
conventions for ownership of object arguments and
return values. However, there are exceptions, and so Clang provides attributes
to allow these exceptions to be documented. This are used by ARC and the
`static analyzer <http://clang-analyzer.llvm.org>`_ Some exceptions may be

Aaron Ballman
committed
better described using the ``objc_method_family`` attribute instead.
1134
1135
1136
1137
1138
1139
1140
1141
1142
1143
1144
1145
1146
1147
1148
1149
1150
1151
1152
1153
1154
1155
1156
1157
1158
1159
1160
1161
1162
1163
1164
1165
1166
1167
1168
1169
1170
1171
1172
1173
1174
**Usage**: The ``ns_returns_retained``, ``ns_returns_not_retained``,
``ns_returns_autoreleased``, ``cf_returns_retained``, and
``cf_returns_not_retained`` attributes can be placed on methods and functions
that return Objective-C or CoreFoundation objects. They are commonly placed at
the end of a function prototype or method declaration:
.. code-block:: objc
id foo() __attribute__((ns_returns_retained));
- (NSString *)bar:(int)x __attribute__((ns_returns_retained));
The ``*_returns_retained`` attributes specify that the returned object has a +1
retain count. The ``*_returns_not_retained`` attributes specify that the return
object has a +0 retain count, even if the normal convention for its selector
would be +1. ``ns_returns_autoreleased`` specifies that the returned object is
+0, but is guaranteed to live at least as long as the next flush of an
autorelease pool.
**Usage**: The ``ns_consumed`` and ``cf_consumed`` attributes can be placed on
an parameter declaration; they specify that the argument is expected to have a
+1 retain count, which will be balanced in some way by the function or method.
The ``ns_consumes_self`` attribute can only be placed on an Objective-C
method; it specifies that the method expects its ``self`` parameter to have a
+1 retain count, which it will balance in some way.
.. code-block:: objc
void foo(__attribute__((ns_consumed)) NSString *string);
- (void) bar __attribute__((ns_consumes_self));
- (void) baz:(id) __attribute__((ns_consumed)) x;
Further examples of these attributes are available in the static analyzer's `list of annotations for analysis
<http://clang-analyzer.llvm.org/annotations.html#cocoa_mem>`_.
Query for these features with ``__has_attribute(ns_consumed)``,
``__has_attribute(ns_returns_retained)``, etc.
Objective-C++ ABI: protocol-qualifier mangling of parameters
------------------------------------------------------------
Starting with LLVM 3.4, Clang produces a new mangling for parameters whose
type is a qualified-``id`` (e.g., ``id<Foo>``). This mangling allows such
parameters to be differentiated from those with the regular unqualified ``id``
type.
This was a non-backward compatible mangling change to the ABI. This change
allows proper overloading, and also prevents mangling conflicts with template
parameters of protocol-qualified type.
Query the presence of this new mangling with
``__has_feature(objc_protocol_qualifier_mangling)``.
.. _langext-overloading:
1192
1193
1194
1195
1196
1197
1198
1199
1200
1201
1202
1203
1204
1205
1206
1207
1208
1209
1210
1211
1212
1213
1214
1215
1216
1217
1218
1219
1220
1221
1222
1223
1224
1225
1226
1227
1228
1229
1230
1231
1232
1233
1234
1235
1236
1237
1238
1239
1240
1241
1242
1243
1244
1245
1246
1247
1248
1249
1250
1251
1252
1253
1254
1255
1256
1257
1258
1259
1260
1261
1262
1263
1264
1265
1266
1267
Initializer lists for complex numbers in C
==========================================
clang supports an extension which allows the following in C:
.. code-block:: c++
#include <math.h>
#include <complex.h>
complex float x = { 1.0f, INFINITY }; // Init to (1, Inf)
This construct is useful because there is no way to separately initialize the
real and imaginary parts of a complex variable in standard C, given that clang
does not support ``_Imaginary``. (Clang also supports the ``__real__`` and
``__imag__`` extensions from gcc, which help in some cases, but are not usable
in static initializers.)
Note that this extension does not allow eliding the braces; the meaning of the
following two lines is different:
.. code-block:: c++
complex float x[] = { { 1.0f, 1.0f } }; // [0] = (1, 1)
complex float x[] = { 1.0f, 1.0f }; // [0] = (1, 0), [1] = (1, 0)
This extension also works in C++ mode, as far as that goes, but does not apply
to the C++ ``std::complex``. (In C++11, list initialization allows the same
syntax to be used with ``std::complex`` with the same meaning.)
Builtin Functions
=================
Clang supports a number of builtin library functions with the same syntax as
GCC, including things like ``__builtin_nan``, ``__builtin_constant_p``,
``__builtin_choose_expr``, ``__builtin_types_compatible_p``,
``__sync_fetch_and_add``, etc. In addition to the GCC builtins, Clang supports
a number of builtins that GCC does not, which are listed here.
Please note that Clang does not and will not support all of the GCC builtins
for vector operations. Instead of using builtins, you should use the functions
defined in target-specific header files like ``<xmmintrin.h>``, which define
portable wrappers for these. Many of the Clang versions of these functions are
implemented directly in terms of :ref:`extended vector support
<langext-vectors>` instead of builtins, in order to reduce the number of
builtins that we need to implement.
``__builtin_readcyclecounter``
------------------------------
``__builtin_readcyclecounter`` is used to access the cycle counter register (or
a similar low-latency, high-accuracy clock) on those targets that support it.
**Syntax**:
.. code-block:: c++
__builtin_readcyclecounter()
**Example of Use**:
.. code-block:: c++
unsigned long long t0 = __builtin_readcyclecounter();
do_something();
unsigned long long t1 = __builtin_readcyclecounter();
unsigned long long cycles_to_do_something = t1 - t0; // assuming no overflow
**Description**:
The ``__builtin_readcyclecounter()`` builtin returns the cycle counter value,
which may be either global or process/thread-specific depending on the target.
As the backing counters often overflow quickly (on the order of seconds) this
should only be used for timing small intervals. When not supported by the
target, the return value is always zero. This builtin takes no arguments and
produces an unsigned long long result.
Query for this feature with ``__has_builtin(__builtin_readcyclecounter)``. Note
that even if present, its use may depend on run-time privilege or other OS
controlled state.
1271
1272
1273
1274
1275
1276
1277
1278
1279
1280
1281
1282
1283
1284
1285
1286
1287
1288
1289
1290
1291
.. _langext-__builtin_shufflevector:
``__builtin_shufflevector``
---------------------------
``__builtin_shufflevector`` is used to express generic vector
permutation/shuffle/swizzle operations. This builtin is also very important
for the implementation of various target-specific header files like
``<xmmintrin.h>``.
**Syntax**:
.. code-block:: c++
__builtin_shufflevector(vec1, vec2, index1, index2, ...)
**Examples**:
.. code-block:: c++

Craig Topper
committed
// identity operation - return 4-element vector v1.
__builtin_shufflevector(v1, v1, 0, 1, 2, 3)
// "Splat" element 0 of V1 into a 4-element result.
__builtin_shufflevector(V1, V1, 0, 0, 0, 0)
// Reverse 4-element vector V1.
__builtin_shufflevector(V1, V1, 3, 2, 1, 0)
// Concatenate every other element of 4-element vectors V1 and V2.
__builtin_shufflevector(V1, V2, 0, 2, 4, 6)
// Concatenate every other element of 8-element vectors V1 and V2.
__builtin_shufflevector(V1, V2, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14)

Craig Topper
committed
// Shuffle v1 with some elements being undefined
__builtin_shufflevector(v1, v1, 3, -1, 1, -1)
**Description**:
The first two arguments to ``__builtin_shufflevector`` are vectors that have
the same element type. The remaining arguments are a list of integers that
specify the elements indices of the first two vectors that should be extracted
and returned in a new vector. These element indices are numbered sequentially
starting with the first vector, continuing into the second vector. Thus, if
``vec1`` is a 4-element vector, index 5 would refer to the second element of

Craig Topper
committed
``vec2``. An index of -1 can be used to indicate that the corresponding element
in the returned vector is a don't care and can be optimized by the backend.
The result of ``__builtin_shufflevector`` is a vector with the same element
type as ``vec1``/``vec2`` but that has an element count equal to the number of
indices specified.
Query for this feature with ``__has_builtin(__builtin_shufflevector)``.
1327
1328
1329
1330
1331
1332
1333
1334
1335
1336
1337
1338
1339
1340
1341
1342
1343
1344
1345
1346
1347
1348
1349
1350
1351
1352
1353
1354
1355
1356
1357
1358
1359
1360
1361
1362
1363
1364
1365
1366
1367
1368
1369
1370
``__builtin_convertvector``
---------------------------
``__builtin_convertvector`` is used to express generic vector
type-conversion operations. The input vector and the output vector
type must have the same number of elements.
**Syntax**:
.. code-block:: c++
__builtin_convertvector(src_vec, dst_vec_type)
**Examples**:
.. code-block:: c++
typedef double vector4double __attribute__((__vector_size__(32)));
typedef float vector4float __attribute__((__vector_size__(16)));
typedef short vector4short __attribute__((__vector_size__(8)));
vector4float vf; vector4short vs;
// convert from a vector of 4 floats to a vector of 4 doubles.
__builtin_convertvector(vf, vector4double)
// equivalent to:
(vector4double) { (double) vf[0], (double) vf[1], (double) vf[2], (double) vf[3] }
// convert from a vector of 4 shorts to a vector of 4 floats.
__builtin_convertvector(vs, vector4float)
// equivalent to:
(vector4float) { (float) vf[0], (float) vf[1], (float) vf[2], (float) vf[3] }
**Description**:
The first argument to ``__builtin_convertvector`` is a vector, and the second
argument is a vector type with the same number of elements as the first
argument.
The result of ``__builtin_convertvector`` is a vector with the same element
type as the second argument, with a value defined in terms of the action of a
C-style cast applied to each element of the first argument.
Query for this feature with ``__has_builtin(__builtin_convertvector)``.
1371
1372
1373
1374
1375
1376
1377
1378
1379
1380
1381
1382
1383
1384
1385
1386
1387
1388
1389
1390
1391
1392
1393
1394
1395
1396
1397
1398
1399
1400
1401
1402
1403
1404
1405
1406
1407
1408
1409
1410
1411
1412
1413
1414
1415
1416
1417
1418
1419
1420
1421
1422
1423
1424
1425
1426
1427
1428
1429
1430
1431
1432
``__builtin_unreachable``
-------------------------
``__builtin_unreachable`` is used to indicate that a specific point in the
program cannot be reached, even if the compiler might otherwise think it can.
This is useful to improve optimization and eliminates certain warnings. For
example, without the ``__builtin_unreachable`` in the example below, the
compiler assumes that the inline asm can fall through and prints a "function
declared '``noreturn``' should not return" warning.
**Syntax**:
.. code-block:: c++
__builtin_unreachable()
**Example of use**:
.. code-block:: c++
void myabort(void) __attribute__((noreturn));
void myabort(void) {
asm("int3");
__builtin_unreachable();
}
**Description**:
The ``__builtin_unreachable()`` builtin has completely undefined behavior.
Since it has undefined behavior, it is a statement that it is never reached and
the optimizer can take advantage of this to produce better code. This builtin
takes no arguments and produces a void result.
Query for this feature with ``__has_builtin(__builtin_unreachable)``.
``__sync_swap``
---------------
``__sync_swap`` is used to atomically swap integers or pointers in memory.
**Syntax**:
.. code-block:: c++
type __sync_swap(type *ptr, type value, ...)
**Example of Use**:
.. code-block:: c++
int old_value = __sync_swap(&value, new_value);
**Description**:
The ``__sync_swap()`` builtin extends the existing ``__sync_*()`` family of
atomic intrinsics to allow code to atomically swap the current value with the
new value. More importantly, it helps developers write more efficient and
correct code by avoiding expensive loops around
``__sync_bool_compare_and_swap()`` or relying on the platform specific
implementation details of ``__sync_lock_test_and_set()``. The
``__sync_swap()`` builtin is a full barrier.

Richard Smith
committed
``__builtin_addressof``
-----------------------
``__builtin_addressof`` performs the functionality of the built-in ``&``
operator, ignoring any ``operator&`` overload. This is useful in constant
expressions in C++11, where there is no other way to take the address of an
object that overloads ``operator&``.
**Example of use**:
.. code-block:: c++
template<typename T> constexpr T *addressof(T &value) {
return __builtin_addressof(value);
}
1449
1450
1451
1452
1453
1454
1455
1456
1457
1458
1459
1460
1461
1462
1463
1464
1465
1466
1467
1468
1469
1470
1471
1472
1473
1474
1475
1476
Multiprecision Arithmetic Builtins
----------------------------------
Clang provides a set of builtins which expose multiprecision arithmetic in a
manner amenable to C. They all have the following form:
.. code-block:: c
unsigned x = ..., y = ..., carryin = ..., carryout;
unsigned sum = __builtin_addc(x, y, carryin, &carryout);
Thus one can form a multiprecision addition chain in the following manner:
.. code-block:: c
unsigned *x, *y, *z, carryin=0, carryout;
z[0] = __builtin_addc(x[0], y[0], carryin, &carryout);
carryin = carryout;
z[1] = __builtin_addc(x[1], y[1], carryin, &carryout);
carryin = carryout;
z[2] = __builtin_addc(x[2], y[2], carryin, &carryout);
carryin = carryout;
z[3] = __builtin_addc(x[3], y[3], carryin, &carryout);
The complete list of builtins are:
.. code-block:: c

Michael Gottesman
committed
unsigned char __builtin_addcb (unsigned char x, unsigned char y, unsigned char carryin, unsigned char *carryout);
unsigned short __builtin_addcs (unsigned short x, unsigned short y, unsigned short carryin, unsigned short *carryout);
unsigned __builtin_addc (unsigned x, unsigned y, unsigned carryin, unsigned *carryout);
unsigned long __builtin_addcl (unsigned long x, unsigned long y, unsigned long carryin, unsigned long *carryout);
unsigned long long __builtin_addcll(unsigned long long x, unsigned long long y, unsigned long long carryin, unsigned long long *carryout);

Michael Gottesman
committed
unsigned char __builtin_subcb (unsigned char x, unsigned char y, unsigned char carryin, unsigned char *carryout);
unsigned short __builtin_subcs (unsigned short x, unsigned short y, unsigned short carryin, unsigned short *carryout);
unsigned __builtin_subc (unsigned x, unsigned y, unsigned carryin, unsigned *carryout);
unsigned long __builtin_subcl (unsigned long x, unsigned long y, unsigned long carryin, unsigned long *carryout);
unsigned long long __builtin_subcll(unsigned long long x, unsigned long long y, unsigned long long carryin, unsigned long long *carryout);

Michael Gottesman
committed
1487
1488
1489
1490
1491
1492
1493
1494
1495
1496
1497
1498
1499
1500
1501
1502
1503
1504
1505
1506
1507
1508
1509
1510
1511
1512
1513
1514
1515
1516
1517
1518
1519
1520
1521
1522
1523
1524
1525
1526
1527
1528
1529
Checked Arithmetic Builtins
---------------------------
Clang provides a set of builtins that implement checked arithmetic for security
critical applications in a manner that is fast and easily expressable in C. As
an example of their usage:
.. code-block:: c
errorcode_t security_critical_application(...) {
unsigned x, y, result;
...
if (__builtin_umul_overflow(x, y, &result))
return kErrorCodeHackers;
...
use_multiply(result);
...
}
A complete enumeration of the builtins are:
.. code-block:: c
bool __builtin_uadd_overflow (unsigned x, unsigned y, unsigned *sum);
bool __builtin_uaddl_overflow (unsigned long x, unsigned long y, unsigned long *sum);
bool __builtin_uaddll_overflow(unsigned long long x, unsigned long long y, unsigned long long *sum);
bool __builtin_usub_overflow (unsigned x, unsigned y, unsigned *diff);
bool __builtin_usubl_overflow (unsigned long x, unsigned long y, unsigned long *diff);
bool __builtin_usubll_overflow(unsigned long long x, unsigned long long y, unsigned long long *diff);
bool __builtin_umul_overflow (unsigned x, unsigned y, unsigned *prod);
bool __builtin_umull_overflow (unsigned long x, unsigned long y, unsigned long *prod);
bool __builtin_umulll_overflow(unsigned long long x, unsigned long long y, unsigned long long *prod);
bool __builtin_sadd_overflow (int x, int y, int *sum);
bool __builtin_saddl_overflow (long x, long y, long *sum);
bool __builtin_saddll_overflow(long long x, long long y, long long *sum);
bool __builtin_ssub_overflow (int x, int y, int *diff);
bool __builtin_ssubl_overflow (long x, long y, long *diff);
bool __builtin_ssubll_overflow(long long x, long long y, long long *diff);
bool __builtin_smul_overflow (int x, int y, int *prod);
bool __builtin_smull_overflow (long x, long y, long *prod);
bool __builtin_smulll_overflow(long long x, long long y, long long *prod);
1531
1532
1533
1534
1535
1536
1537
1538
1539
1540
1541
1542
1543
1544
1545
1546
1547
1548
1549
1550
1551
1552
1553
1554
1555
.. _langext-__c11_atomic:
__c11_atomic builtins
---------------------
Clang provides a set of builtins which are intended to be used to implement
C11's ``<stdatomic.h>`` header. These builtins provide the semantics of the
``_explicit`` form of the corresponding C11 operation, and are named with a
``__c11_`` prefix. The supported operations are:
* ``__c11_atomic_init``
* ``__c11_atomic_thread_fence``
* ``__c11_atomic_signal_fence``
* ``__c11_atomic_is_lock_free``
* ``__c11_atomic_store``
* ``__c11_atomic_load``
* ``__c11_atomic_exchange``
* ``__c11_atomic_compare_exchange_strong``
* ``__c11_atomic_compare_exchange_weak``
* ``__c11_atomic_fetch_add``
* ``__c11_atomic_fetch_sub``
* ``__c11_atomic_fetch_and``
* ``__c11_atomic_fetch_or``
* ``__c11_atomic_fetch_xor``
Low-level ARM exclusive memory builtins
---------------------------------------
Clang provides overloaded builtins giving direct access to the three key ARM
instructions for implementing atomic operations.
.. code-block:: c
T __builtin_arm_ldrex(const volatile T *addr);
int __builtin_arm_strex(T val, volatile T *addr);
void __builtin_arm_clrex(void);
The types ``T`` currently supported are:
* Integer types with width at most 64 bits (or 128 bits on AArch64).
* Floating-point types
* Pointer types.
Note that the compiler does not guarantee it will not insert stores which clear
the exclusive monitor in between an ``ldrex`` and its paired ``strex``. In
practice this is only usually a risk when the extra store is on the same cache
line as the variable being modified and Clang will only insert stack stores on
its own, so it is best not to use these operations on variables with automatic
storage duration.
Also, loads and stores may be implicit in code written between the ``ldrex`` and
``strex``. Clang will not necessarily mitigate the effects of these either, so
care should be exercised.
For these reasons the higher level atomic primitives should be preferred where
possible.
Non-standard C++11 Attributes
=============================
Clang's non-standard C++11 attributes live in the ``clang`` attribute
namespace.

Aaron Ballman
committed
Clang supports GCC's ``gnu`` attribute namespace. All GCC attributes which
are accepted with the ``__attribute__((foo))`` syntax are also accepted as
``[[gnu::foo]]``. This only extends to attributes which are specified by GCC
(see the list of `GCC function attributes
<http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Function-Attributes.html>`_, `GCC variable
attributes <http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Variable-Attributes.html>`_, and
`GCC type attributes
<http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Type-Attributes.html>`_). As with the GCC
implementation, these attributes must appertain to the *declarator-id* in a
declaration, which means they must go either at the start of the declaration or
immediately after the name being declared.
For example, this applies the GNU ``unused`` attribute to ``a`` and ``f``, and
also applies the GNU ``noreturn`` attribute to ``f``.
.. code-block:: c++
[[gnu::unused]] int a, f [[gnu::noreturn]] ();
1612
1613
1614
1615
1616
1617
1618
1619
1620
1621
1622
1623
1624
1625
1626
1627
1628
1629
1630
1631
1632
1633
1634
1635
1636
1637
1638
1639
1640
1641
1642
1643
1644
1645
1646
1647
1648
Target-Specific Extensions
==========================
Clang supports some language features conditionally on some targets.
X86/X86-64 Language Extensions
------------------------------
The X86 backend has these language extensions:
Memory references off the GS segment
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Annotating a pointer with address space #256 causes it to be code generated
relative to the X86 GS segment register, and address space #257 causes it to be
relative to the X86 FS segment. Note that this is a very very low-level
feature that should only be used if you know what you're doing (for example in
an OS kernel).
Here is an example:
.. code-block:: c++
#define GS_RELATIVE __attribute__((address_space(256)))
int foo(int GS_RELATIVE *P) {
return *P;
}
Which compiles to (on X86-32):
.. code-block:: gas
_foo:
movl 4(%esp), %eax
movl %gs:(%eax), %eax
ret
Extensions for Static Analysis

Dmitri Gribenko
committed
==============================
Clang supports additional attributes that are useful for documenting program
invariants and rules for static analysis tools, such as the `Clang Static
Analyzer <http://clang-analyzer.llvm.org/>`_. These attributes are documented
in the analyzer's `list of source-level annotations
<http://clang-analyzer.llvm.org/annotations.html>`_.
Extensions for Dynamic Analysis

Dmitri Gribenko
committed
===============================
Use ``__has_feature(address_sanitizer)`` to check if the code is being built

Dmitri Gribenko
committed
with :doc:`AddressSanitizer`.
Use ``__has_feature(thread_sanitizer)`` to check if the code is being built
with :doc:`ThreadSanitizer`.
Use ``__has_feature(memory_sanitizer)`` to check if the code is being built
with :doc:`MemorySanitizer`.
1670
1671
1672
1673
1674
1675
1676
1677
1678
1679
1680
1681
1682
1683
1684
1685
1686
1687
1688
1689
1690
1691
1692
1693
1694
1695
1696
1697
1698
1699
1700
1701
1702
1703
1704
1705
1706
1707
1708
1709
1710
1711
1712
1713
1714
1715
1716
1717
1718
1719
1720
1721
1722
1723
1724
1725
1726
1727
1728
1729
1730
1731
1732
1733
1734
1735
1736
1737
1738
1739
1740
1741
1742
1743
1744
1745
1746
1747
1748
Extensions for selectively disabling optimization
=================================================
Clang provides a mechanism for selectively disabling optimizations in functions
and methods.
To disable optimizations in a single function definition, the GNU-style or C++11
non-standard attribute ``optnone`` can be used.
.. code-block:: c++
// The following functions will not be optimized.
// GNU-style attribute
__attribute__((optnone)) int foo() {
// ... code
}
// C++11 attribute
[[clang::optnone]] int bar() {
// ... code
}
To facilitate disabling optimization for a range of function definitions, a
range-based pragma is provided. Its syntax is ``#pragma clang optimize``
followed by ``off`` or ``on``.
All function definitions in the region between an ``off`` and the following
``on`` will be decorated with the ``optnone`` attribute unless doing so would
conflict with explicit attributes already present on the function (e.g. the
ones that control inlining).
.. code-block:: c++
#pragma clang optimize off
// This function will be decorated with optnone.
int foo() {
// ... code
}
// optnone conflicts with always_inline, so bar() will not be decorated.
__attribute__((always_inline)) int bar() {
// ... code
}
#pragma clang optimize on
If no ``on`` is found to close an ``off`` region, the end of the region is the
end of the compilation unit.
Note that a stray ``#pragma clang optimize on`` does not selectively enable
additional optimizations when compiling at low optimization levels. This feature
can only be used to selectively disable optimizations.
The pragma has an effect on functions only at the point of their definition; for
function templates, this means that the state of the pragma at the point of an
instantiation is not necessarily relevant. Consider the following example:
.. code-block:: c++
template<typename T> T twice(T t) {
return 2 * t;
}
#pragma clang optimize off
template<typename T> T thrice(T t) {
return 3 * t;
}
int container(int a, int b) {
return twice(a) + thrice(b);
}
#pragma clang optimize on
In this example, the definition of the template function ``twice`` is outside
the pragma region, whereas the definition of ``thrice`` is inside the region.
The ``container`` function is also in the region and will not be optimized, but
it causes the instantiation of ``twice`` and ``thrice`` with an ``int`` type; of
these two instantiations, ``twice`` will be optimized (because its definition
was outside the region) and ``thrice`` will not be optimized.