Repository navigation

Add a "strict" mode #1191

Open

Labels

gapdays2017-springkind: enhancementtopic: kernel

opened

on Mar 16, 2017

Let's add a strict mode (like e.g. perl has) which warns resp. errors on extra things:

if a function returns sometimes an obj and sometimes nothing (see PR (WIP) Add a simple check against functions containing both return; and return <obj>; #466)
invalid backslash escaped chars inside strings (see PR Stricter string escape #619)
syntax errors are actual errors (see issue Add --quit-on-syntax-error option? #1981)
warn if a function has unused locals (i.e. local variables that are never read from; so completely unused, or only ever assigned to)
...

This mode could be enabled or disabled via a command line switch.

fingolfin
added
kind: enhancementLabel for issues suggesting enhancements; and for pull requests implementing enhancements
on Mar 16, 2017
olexandr-konovalov
added
gapdays2017-springIssues and PRs that arose at https://www.gapdays.de/gapdays2017-spring
on Mar 16, 2017
fingolfin
added
topic: kernel

good first issueIssues that can be understood and addressed by newcomers to GAP development
on Jul 14, 2017
fingolfin commented on Jul 14, 2017
fingolfin
on Jul 14, 2017
MemberAuthor
So to elaborate a bit, here is what I'd do:

add a global boolean flag to the kernel, say StrictMode, which defaults to 0 / false.

add a command line option --strict which changes the default to 1 / true (can be added in src/system.c next to the other command line options)

then look at the code in the two pull requests referenced above; try to adapt their patches so that their warnings are only printed if StrictMode is 1 / true.

think about other things it could do, and/or ask about

also consider exposing the state of the mode to the GAP language level somehow (say by setting a global variable)
fingolfin commented on Dec 20, 2024
fingolfin
on Dec 20, 2024
MemberAuthor
I also have code that prints a warning when a function contains an unused local.
Reacted by Wilf Wilson
wilfwilson commented on Aug 27, 2025
wilfwilson
on Aug 27, 2025
Member
This sounds nice.
fingolfin
removed
good first issueIssues that can be understood and addressed by newcomers to GAP development
on Apr 20, 2026

to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment

Metadata

Assignees

No one assigned

Labels

gapdays2017-springkind: enhancementtopic: kernel

Type

No type

Projects

No projects

Milestone

No milestone

Relationships

None yet

Development

No branches or pull requests