diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'src/test/ui/mir-dataflow/README.md')
-rw-r--r-- | src/test/ui/mir-dataflow/README.md | 53 |
1 files changed, 53 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/src/test/ui/mir-dataflow/README.md b/src/test/ui/mir-dataflow/README.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..a3ab14b23 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/test/ui/mir-dataflow/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,53 @@ +This directory contains unit tests for the MIR-based dataflow +analysis. + +These unit tests check the dataflow analysis by embedding calls to a +special `rustc_peek` intrinsic within the code, in tandem with an +attribute `#[rustc_mir(rustc_peek_maybe_init)]` (\*). With that +attribute in place, `rustc_peek` calls are a signal to the compiler to +lookup the computed dataflow state for the Lvalue corresponding to the +argument expression being fed to `rustc_peek`. If the dataflow state +for that Lvalue is a 1-bit at that point in the control flow, then no +error is emitted by the compiler at that point; if it is a 0-bit, then +that invocation of `rustc_peek` will emit an error with the message +"rustc_peek: bit not set". + +(\*): Or `#[rustc_mir(rustc_peek_maybe_uninit)]`, and perhaps other +variants in the future. + +The end effect is that one can write unit tests for MIR dataflow that +perform simple-queries of the computed dataflow state, and the tests +should be able to be robust in the face of changes to how MIR is +represented or constructed. + +---- + +Sometimes understanding the dataflow results is difficult without +looking at the actual MIR control-flow graph being processed with the +corresponding GEN and KILL sets. + +For a graphviz-rendering with dataflow annotations, add the attribute +`#[rustc_mir(borrowck_graphviz_postflow="/path/to/suffix.dot")]` to +the function in question. (You can change the content of +`"suffix.dot"` to control the filenames used for the output). This +will generate a separate file for each dataflow analysis, adding a +prefix (corresponding to the name of the analysis) to the filename in +each generated output path. + + * For example, the above attribute will currently cause two files to + be generated: `/path/to/maybe_init_suffix.dot` and + `/path/to/maybe_uninit_suffix.dot`. + + * The generated `.dot` file shows both the computed dataflow results + on *entry* to each block, as well as the gen- and kill-sets that + were so-called "transfer functions" summarizing the effect of each + basic block. + + * (In addition to the `borrowck_graphviz_postflow` attribute-key + noted above, there is also `borrowck_graphviz_preflow`; it has the + same interface and generates the same set of files, but it renders + the dataflow state after building the gen- and kill-sets but + *before* running the dataflow analysis itself, so each entry-set is + just the initial default state for that dataflow analysis. This is + less useful for understanding the error message output in these + tests.) |