Extending .annot files

["Nathaniel Gray" <n8gray@gmail.com>]

On Thu, Sep 18, 2008 at 10:02 AM, Xavier Leroy <Xavier.Leroy@inria.fr> wrote:
>
> From what I've heard, there's also an OCaml summer of code project
> that enriched the info found in .annot files.  So, it's certainly time
> to discuss extensions to .annot files, but let's do that globally, not
> one at a time.  It is probably too late for inclusion in 3.11, but as
> long as these extensions are backward compatible, inclusion in bugfix
> releases can be considered.

I'm really happy to hear that you're open to including some of this
stuff.  I think there are actually only a few data that one wants to
have in .annot files (and that the compiler can reasonably provide).

For any identifier it would be good to know:
1. Its inferred type
2. Its fully-qualified module "path"
3. Where it was defined, if it was defined in the current file.

In addition, for each module referenced in the file it would be good
to know what file the module was read from.  (This will allow some
hope of tracking down definitions in other files)

It's hard for me to think of anything else that belongs in .annot
files.  If I stretch a bit I suppose annotating variable definitions
with their range of scope might be cute.  Maybe other people can think
of more original ideas.

Finally, it may be worth putting a little work into reducing the size
of .annot files.  One could certainly do much better with very little
effort.

Cheers,
-n8

-- 
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