Aspect-Oriented C

Introduction

This section presents an aspect-oriented extension of the C programming language (hereinafter AOC). This extension allows you to extract cross-cutting concerns of programs into separate modules, so-called aspects, consisting of a set of advices primarily.

You can implement cross-cutting concerns within advice bodies using any correct C code suitable for function bodies. Also, you can use GCC compiler extensions and a set of special directives. Advices include pointucts to specify join points of the program for which it is necessary to execute this code. For instance, AOC deals with definitions and substitutions of macros as well as definitions and declarations of functions, variables, and composite types as join points. In order to simplify the development of aspects, macros and declarations of functions, variables, and types used to describe join points generally coincide in syntax, constraints, and semantics with the corresponding constructions of the C programming language with GCC compiler extensions (see sections Macros and Declarations of functions, variables, and types for details). You can see an example of an aspect in Listing 8.

Listing 8 Example of an aspect with two advices
before: call(void lock(void))
{
    if (locks_counter)
        abort();
    locks_counter++;
}

before: call(void unlock(void))
{
    if (!locks_counter)
        abort();
    locks_counter--;
}

Before parsing aspects, aspect preprocessing is carried out. Aspect preprocessing behaves exactly in the same way as preprocessing performed by the GCC compiler except for symbol @ is treated instead of #. Listing 9 exemplifies using preprocessor directives in the aspect. The corresponding preprocessed aspect is shown in Listing 10.

Listing 9 Example of using preprocessor directives in an aspect
@define LOG_FILE "work/info.txt"
@define GET get_property

@if defined DEBUG
@define LOG(action, prop) $fprintf<LOG_FILE, "%s property %s\n", action, prop>
@else
@define LOG(action, prop)
@endif

query: call(int GET(const char *))
{
    LOG("get", $arg_sign1);
}
Listing 10 Preprocessed aspect
# 10 "aspect-preprocessor-directives.aspect"
query: call(int get_property(const char *))
{
  $fprintf<"work/info.txt", "%s property %s\n", "get", $arg_sign1>;
}

Similarly to the C programming language, you can use comments in aspects. Unlike C, not all comments are eliminated at aspect preprocessing. This is the case for comments used in advice bodies. For instance, in this way you can implement so-called model comments explaining particular actions and checks performed by requirement specifications.

In addition to the possibility to describe cross-cutting concerns in the form of aspects, AOC assumes means for automatic linkage of aspects with source files of the target program. This process is referred to as aspect weaving. In effect, for some representation of program source files, it searches for join points corresponding to advice pointcuts specified in the aspect. In case matches are found, join points are framed with the code specified in advice bodies (you can see section Advices for more insights). Eventually you can get either woven in program source files or their compiled versions.

Following subsections present a formal grammar of AOC. We use the following notation. Nonterminals are bold and they may be links to appropriate definitions, e.g. pointcut, while terminals are enclosed in double quotes, e.g. "call"1. :== following a nonterminal represents a definition of this nonterminal. Various variants of a nonterminal definition are either placed on separate lines or separated by |. In nonterminal definitions optional nonterminals are enclosed in square brackets, e.g. [pointer].

Note

Keep in mind that the actual implementation may be slightly inconsistent with the given description. Some things may be missed while it can bring extra functionality. You can find known issues in the official issue tracker. Please, do not hesitate to report other ones.

1

Double quotes themselves are framed by single quotes like '"'.

Tokens

Syntax

aoc-token ::=  c-or-aoc-keyword
               aoc-identifier
               aoc-integer-constant
               aoc-string-literal
               c-or-aoc-punctuator
               file-name
               advice-body
               location-control-directive
               comment

Constraints

Compared to token defined in 6.4 of [ISO-9899-2011], aoc-token has the following amendments:

In addition, aoc-token supports:

We do not describe preprocessing-token presented in 6.4 of [ISO-9899-2011] according to the remark on aspect preprocessing given in Introduction.

Keywords

Syntax

c-or-aoc-keyword ::=  c-keyword
                      aoc-keyword
c-keyword        ::=  "auto"         | "char"     | "const"      | "double"
                      "enum"         | "extern"   | "float"      | "inline"
                      "int"          | "long"     | "register"   | "restrict"
                      "short"        | "signed"   | "static"     | "struct"
                      "typedef"      | "union"    | "unsigned"   | "void"
                      "volatile"     | "_Bool"    | "_Complex"   | "_Imaginary"
aoc-keyword      ::=  "after"        | "around"   | "before"     | "call"
                      "declare_func" | "define"   | "execution"  | "expand"
                      "file"         | "get"      | "get_global" | "get_local"
                      "infile"       | "infunc"   | "info"       | "introduce"
                      "new"          | "pointcut" | "set"        | "set_global"
                      "set_local"    | "query"

Constraints

In comparison with keyword presented in 6.4.1 of [ISO-9899-2011] in AOC c-or-aoc-keyword can be either a c-keyword keyword or an AOC aoc-keyword keyword. c-keyword does not support "break", "case", "continue", "default", "do", "else", "for", "goto", "if", "return", "switch" and "while", i.e. those keywords that can only be used in C statements and expressions. You still can use them in advice bodies, but they are not parsed at aspect weaving.

aoc-keyword is the definition of AOC keywords. It supports:

  • "after", "around", "before", "info", "new" and "query" (Advices);

  • "call", "define", "declare_func", "execution", "expand", "file", "get", "get_global", "get_local", "infile", "infunc", "introduce", "pointcut", "set", "set_global" and "set_local" (Pointcuts).

Semantics

Basically the semantics of keywords c-or-aoc-keyword corresponds to the semantics of keyword described in 6.4.1 of [ISO-9899-2011]. An important difference is that a word can be aoc-keyword only outside of comments, advice bodies, macros and declarations of functions, variables, and types. Besides, only words used in declarations of functions, variables, and types can represent keywords of the C programming language.

Identifiers

Syntax

aoc-identifier          ::=  aoc-identifier-nondigit
                             aoc-identifier aoc-identifier-nondigit
                             aoc-identifier digit
aoc-identifier-nondigit ::=  nondigit
                             "$"

Constraints

Nonterminals digit and nondigit are defined in 6.4.2 of [ISO-9899-2011]. Compared to identifier, which is presented in 6.4.2 of [ISO-9899-2011], AOC aoc-identifier supports modified set of non-digital characters aoc-identifier-nondigit instead of identifier-nondigit.

aoc-identifier-nondigit does not support universal character names universal-character-name and any other characters. Additionally, aoc-identifier-nondigit supports wildcard "$" (take into account that the $ symbol is not included in the standard sets of non-digital characters nondigit and digits digit). We will consider other constraints related to "$" in following sections.

Semantics

In general the semantics of aoc-identifier corresponds to the semantics of identifier described in 6.4.2 of [ISO-9899-2011]. Each "$" wildcard in aoc-identifier corresponds to a sequence of characters (both digit and nondigit) of arbitrary length2. For instance, aoc-identifier $_property$ will match such identifiers as get_property, set_property and get_property_value, but it will not match, say, receive_message. If several "$" wildcards are contiguous in the same identifier, they are treated as one "$". An identifier is not converted to a keyword if it uses at least one "$" wildcard. Following sections describe specific semantics of "$" wildcards for certain entities.

2

Everywhere in this document an arbitrary length includes zero.

Integer constants

Syntax

aoc-integer-constant ::=  decimal-constant

Constraints

Nonterminal decimal-constant is defined in 6.4.4.1 of [ISO-9899-2011]. Compared to integer-constant defined in 6.4.4.1 of [ISO-9899-2011], in AOC aoc-integer-constant does not support:

  • octal-constant.

  • hexadecimal-constant.

  • integer-suffix.

Semantics

aoc-integer-constant dumbs down integer-constant presented in 6.4.4.1 of [ISO-9899-2011]. Appropriate integer constants are always stored in a variable with the unsigned int type (standard type conversion rules are applied in case of overflows).

String literals

Syntax

aoc-string-literal ::=  '"' [s-char-sequence] '"'

Constraints

Nonterminal s-char-sequence is defined in 6.4.5 of [ISO-9899-2011]. Compared to string-literal specified in 6.4.5 of [ISO-9899-2011], aoc-string-literal does not support wide string literals L" s-char-sequenceopt ".

Semantics

aoc-string-literal is a simplification of string-literal presented in 6.4.5 of [ISO-9899-2011].

Punctuators

Syntax

c-or-aoc-punctuator ::=  c-punctuator
                         aoc-punctuator
c-punctuator        ::=  "(" | ")" | "[" | "]" | "*" | "..." | "," | "$" | ".."
aoc-punctuator      ::=  "(" | ")" | ":" | "!" | "&&" | "||"

Constraints

In comparison with punctuator, which is presented in 6.4.6 of [ISO-9899-2011], in AOC c-or-aoc-punctuator can be either punctuator of the C programming language c-punctuator, or AOC punctuator aoc-punctuator. The definition of c-punctuator supports only "(", ")", "[", "]", "*", "..." and "," from the punctuator definition, i.e. those punctuators that can be used when writing macros and declarations of functions, variables, and types. Besides, c-punctuator supports following extra punctuators:

The aoc-punctuator definition includes:

Semantics

The semantics of c-or-aoc-punctuator generally corresponds to the semantics of punctuator described in 6.4.6 of [ISO-9899-2011]. A vital difference is that a punctuator can be aoc-punctuator only outside of comments, advice bodies, macros and declarations of functions, variables, and types. Besides, only punctuators used in macros and declarations of functions, variables and composite types are considered as punctuators of the C programming language (Macros and Declarations of functions, variables, and types). The semantics of additional punctuators of c-punctuator is discussed in detail in sections Macros and Declarations of functions, variables, and types. Sections Pointcuts and Advices delves into the semantics of aoc-punctuator. We do not consider punctuators used in special directives here, because they have no meaning outside the context of special directives that are parsed in a special way.

File names

Syntax

file-name ::=  '"' q-char-sequence '"'

Constraints

The q-char-sequence nonterminal is defined in 6.4.7 of [ISO-9899-2011].

Semantics

Basically the semantics of file-name corresponds to the semantics of header-name described in 6.4.7 of [ISO-9899-2011]. Some specific character sequences in file names are interpreted as follows:

  • One or more $$3. Each $$ corresponds to sequence of q-characters q-char-sequence of arbitrary length. If several $$ are contiguous in the same file name, they are treated as one $$.

  • Special directive $this that can be used only to indicate the file name and only in the form of "$this" (Special directives).

  • Special directives with predefined values (see Special directives for more details).

Note

Generally speaking, one can use $ characters in file names but this is not considered in AOC.

3

A pair of $ characters is used to avoid collisions with special directives.

Advice bodies

Syntax

advice-body ::=  "{" compound-statement-with-comments-and-special-directives "}"

Constraints

advice-body represents a C code enclosed in curly braces. It is similar to compound-statement of function-definition from 6.9.1 of [ISO-9899-2011]. In advice bodies one can use any correct C code with GCC compiler extensions that can be used in function bodies. In addition, advice bodies may contain comments and special directives which reflect information about joint points or have some special purpose. For example, special directive $arg_numb denotes the number of function parameters, $fprintf is intended for formatted output of data to a file, $env denotes a value of an environment variable.

Semantics

Advice bodies are not parsed except for special directives and comments. Special directives are substituted with corresponding values either during parsing of aspects (so-called special directives with predefined values) or at aspect weaving. Comments are ignored to correctly balance curly braces and determine ends of advice bodies. After parsing comments remain in advice bodies as is. This is necessary in order to keep, say, model comments.

Special directives

Syntax

special-directive                ::=  "$" aoc-identifier [aoc-integer-constant]
                                      "$" aoc-identifier [aoc-integer-constant] "<" special-directive-parameter-list ">"
special-directive-parameter-list ::=  special-directive-parameter
                                      special-directive-parameter-list "," special-directive-parameter
special-directive-parameter      ::=  special-directive
                                      aoc-integer-constant
                                      aoc-string-literal

Constraints

special-directive can be used only in advice-body and file-name. In order to avoid collisions with the C code used in advice bodies along with special directives, it is prohibited to use whitespace characters in special directives except for separating special directive parameters from each other. All special directives start with the $ symbol which cannot be used in the C code.

identifier defines a type of special directive. The following types of special directives are supported: $arg, $arg_numb, $arg_sign, $arg_size, $arg_type, $arg_val, $context_file, $context_func_file, $context_func_name, $env, $fprintf, $name, $proceed, $res, $ret_type, $storage_class, $signature and $this. It is forbidden to use digits in identifier of special-directive. This is done to avoid collisions of identifiers with aoc-integer-constant that may be a part of special directives.

aoc-integer-constant of special-directive should be used only together with $arg, $arg_sign, $arg_size, $arg_type or $arg_val. These integer constants can only refer ordinal numbers of arguments of functions or macros from appropriate join points. Numbering begins with 1. You can not separate aoc-integer-constant from aoc-identifier as it was stated above.

special-directive-parameter-list should be used only along with $env and $fprintf. The only parameter allowed for $env is aoc-string-literal. This string literal should exactly match a name of one of environment variables. You can use any number of parameters for $fprintf but at least two parameters are mandatory. The first parameter should be either a string literal or a special directive with a predefined value which is also a string literal. This string literal should represent a file name (either relative or absolute path) that can be opened for writing4. The second parameter should be aoc-string-literal. This string literal represents simplified format defined in 7.21.6.1 of [ISO-9899-2011]. Only %d and %s specifiers are acceptable. They should match aoc-integer-constant and aoc-string-literal respectively among other parameters of special directives. Also, any of these parameters can be a special directive whose value is aoc-integer-constant or aoc-string-literal. Listing 10 contains an example of $fprintf.

Semantics

All special directives except $fprintf are replaced with some values: integers, identifiers without $ wildcards or string literals.

Special directive $fprintf performs formatted data output to a specified file in the same way as standard C function fprintf described in 7.21.6.1 of [ISO-9899-2011].

Special directives $env and $this are the only special directives with predefined values. These values are determined at the stage of aspect parsing. Instead of $env a value of a corresponding environment variable is substituted. $this is identified with a name of a woven in C source file.

The remaining special directives are substituted at aspect weaving as follows:

  • $argi – a name of ith formal parameter of a function or macro.

  • $arg_numb – the number of parameters of a function or macro.

  • $arg_signi – a signature of ith actual parameter of a function. An argument signature is an identifier based on a syntax tree of a corresponding argument. Argument signatures should be built in a way to distinguish arguments corresponding to different memory objects unambiguously though it is not always possible.

  • $arg_sizei – an array size if ith actual parameter of a function is a pointer to a one-dimensional array or -1 otherwise.

  • $arg_typei – a type of ith formal parameter of a function. A corresponding type is provided by using typedef, so function pointers are also supported.

  • $arg_vali – a function name if ith actual parameter of a function is an address of some known function or 0 otherwise.

  • $context_file – a path to a file containing a join point.

  • $context_func_file – a path to a file that defines a function containing a join point.

  • $context_func_name – a name of a function containing a join point.

  • $name – a name of a macro, function, variable or composite type corresponding to a join point.

  • $proceed – a join point itself, for example, an original function call.

  • $res – a function return value (it is provided by a special variable).

  • $ret_type – a type of function’s return value or variable or a composite type (it is provided via typedef).

  • $storage_class – a storage class of a function or global variable.

4

This file is created if it does not exist.

Location control directives

Syntax

location-control-directive ::=  "#" aoc-integer-constant aoc-string-literal new-line

Constraints

The new-line nonterminal is defined in 5.2.1 of [ISO-9899-2011].

Location control directives (aka line directives) can be used outside of advice bodies. They should occupy exactly one line.

Semantics

The semantics of location-control-directive generally corresponds to the semantics of line control preprocessing directives described in 6.10.4 of [ISO-9899-2011]. In the location-control-directive definition aoc-integer-constant points out line numbers in files whose names are specified by aoc-string-literal.

line directives can arise at aspect preprocessing considered in Introduction. Users should unlikely use them.

Comments

Outside of comment the // symbols indicate the beginning of a one-line comment. The content of this comment is scanned only to detect the new-line character that ends it up and that is not included in the comment itself. Outside of comment the /* characters indicate the beginning of a multiline comment. The content of this comment is scanned only to detect the */ characters that end it.

On aspect preprocessing all comments always remain in the text of the resulting file with the aspect. This is done in order to keep, say, model comments. For a similar reason comments are kept within advice bodies at aspect parsing and aspect weaving.

Macros

Syntax

macro                        ::=  identifier
                                  identifier "(" [identifier-or-any-param-list] ")"
                                  identifier "(" [identifier] "..." ")"
                                  identifier "(" identifier-or-any-param-list "," [identifier] "..." ")"
identifier-or-any-param-list ::=  identifier
                                  ".."
                                  identifier-or-any-param-list "," identifier

Constraints

In comparison with preprocessor directives defined in 6.10 of [ISO-9899-2011], in AOC macro supports a GCC compiler extension that allows associating a name to "..." in the form of optional identifier before it. "..." designates a list of arbitrary macro parameters of arbitrary length. Also, identifier-or-any-param-list supports the ".." wildcard. It means a list of arbitrary macro parameters of arbitrary length.

Semantics

In general, the semantics of macro corresponds to the semantics of preprocessor directives described in 6.10 of [ISO-9899-2011]. Wildcard ".." matches a list of arbitrary macro parameters of arbitrary length at a joint point. For instance, LOCK(x, ..) will match both LOCK(x), LOCK(x, y) and LOCK(x, y, z), but it will not match LOCK() and LOCK. If there are several consecutive ".." separated by commas, they are treated as one "..".

Declarations of functions, variables, and types

Syntax

declaration                ::=  declaration-specifiers [declarator]
declaration-specifiers     ::=  storage-class-specifier [declaration-specifiers]
                                type-specifier [declaration-specifiers]
                                type-qualifier [declaration-specifiers]
                                ".." [declaration-specifiers]
                                "..."
storage-class-specifier    ::=  "typedef"
                                "extern"
                                "static"
                                "auto"
                                "register"
type-specifier             ::=  "void"
                                "char"
                                "short"
                                "int"
                                "long"
                                "float"
                                "double"
                                "signed"
                                "unsigned"
                                "_Bool"
                                "_Complex"
                                struct-or-union-specifier
                                enum-specifier
                                typedef-name
                                "$"
struct-or-union-specifier  ::=  struct-or-union identifier
struct-or-union            ::=  "struct"
                                "union"
enum-specifier             ::=  "enum" identifier
typedef-name               ::=  identifier
type-qualifier             ::=  "const"
                                "restrict"
                                "volatile"
function-specifier         ::=  "inline"
declarator                 ::=  [pointer] direct-declarator
direct-declarator          ::=  identifier
                                "(" declarator ")"
                                direct-declarator "[" [integer-constant] "]"
                                direct-declarator "[" "$" "]"
                                direct-declarator "(" parameter-type-list ")"
pointer                    ::=  "*" [type_qualifier_list]
                                "*" [type_qualifier_list] pointer
type_qualifier_list        ::=  type-qualifier
                                type_qualifier_list type-qualifier
parameter-type-list        ::=  parameter-list
parameter-list             ::=  parameter-declaration
                                parameter-list "," parameter-declaration
parameter-declaration      ::=  declaration-specifiers declarator
                                declaration-specifiers abstract-declaratoropt
abstract-declarator        ::=  pointer
                                [pointer] direct-abstract-declarator
direct-abstract-declarator ::=  "(" abstract-declarator ")"
                                "[" direct-abstract-declarator "]" "[" [integer-constant] "]"
                                [direct-abstract-declarator] "[" "$" "]"
                                [direct-abstract-declarator] "(" [parameter-type-list] ")"

Constraints

In comparison with declaration that represents declarations of functions, variables, and types and that is defined in 6.7 of [ISO-9899-2011], AOC declaration have the following differences:

  • It does not support init-declarator-list. Only declarator itself can be used instead.

  • struct-or-union-specifier does not support specifying structure or union fields.

  • enum-specifier does not support setting enumeration constants.

  • The direct-declarator definition does not support:

    • Various forms of array assignment.

    • The outdated form of providing function parameters.

  • parameter-type-list does not support "..." that designates a list of arbitrary function parameters of arbitrary length (it is supported at the level of declaration-specifiers which is discussed below).

  • The direct-abstract-declarator definition does not support various forms of array assignment.

  • declaration-specifiers additionally supports:

    • Wildcard ".." capturing a list of arbitrary function parameters of arbitrary length.

    • "..." that designates a list of arbitrary function parameters of arbitrary length. This works only for declarations from parameter-list.

  • The type-specifier definition supports universal type specifier "$" in addition. One declaration can contain no more than one universal type specifier among all its specifiers. This restriction is important since exactly the same wildcard can be used in place of a declaration name. For a structure, union, or enumeration declaration a corresponding type specifier should be specified. This is necessary to distinguish declarations using two "$" symbols that match variables or functions. For example, $ $ can correspond to variables such as int var1, static long int var2 and char var3[10], but it does not match struct S, union U and enum E types. For the latter you can use struct $, union $ and enum $ respectively.

  • direct-declarator and direct-abstract-declarator supports universal array size "$".

Semantics

Declarations are distinguished in the following way. Absence of declarator in the declaration definition means that this declaration is a composite type declaration. If declarator is present then the declaration is either a function declaration (if there is parameter-type-list) or a variable.

Wildcard ".." in the definition of declaration-specifiers corresponds to a list of arbitrary function parameters of arbitrary length at a joint point. Several consecutive, separated by commas ".." are treated as one "..".

As a matter of fact "..." in declaration-specifiers exactly coincides with the same terminal in parameter-type-list (6.7.6 of [ISO-9899-2011]). The need to transfer it arose due to the ambiguity of the grammar otherwise.

Basically the semantics of declaration corresponds to the semantics of declaration described in 6.7 of [ISO-9899-2011].

Universal type specifier "$" in the definition of type-specifier means the following:

  • If the universal type specifier is located before any other type specifier, then it denotes a list of arbitrary declaration specifiers of arbitrary length (the "$" symbol does not match arbitrary typedef-name). For instance, $ matches char, int, unsigned int, static inline int and so on.

  • If the universal type specifier is the only type specifier among declaration specifiers (according to the restriction specified earlier, it can be functions or variables only), then it denotes a type of variable or return value of a function, which is arbitrary up to the specified declaration specifiers. For instance, $ int matches int, unsigned int and static inline int, but it does not match, say, char.

Universal array size "$" in definitions of direct-declarator and direct-abstract-declarator corresponds to an arbitrary array size at a joint point. For example, int array[$] will match both int array[3] and int array[5].

Pointcuts

Syntax

named-pointcut     ::=  "pointcut" identifier ":" pointcut
pointcut           ::=  identifier
                        primitive-pointcut
                        composite-pointcut
composite-pointcut ::=  "!" pointcut
                        pointcut1 "||" pointcut2
                        pointcut1 "&&" pointcut2
                        "(" pointcut ")"
primitive-pointcut ::=  "define" "(" macro ")"
                        "expand" "(" macro ")"
                        "declare_func" "(" declaration ")"
                        "execution" "(" declaration ")"
                        "call" "(" declaration ")"
                        "get" "(" declaration ")"
                        "get_global" "(" declaration ")"
                        "get_local" "(" declaration ")"
                        "infunc" "(" declaration ")"
                        "introduce" "(" declaration ")"
                        "set" "(" declaration ")"
                        "set_global" "(" declaration ")"
                        "set_local" "(" declaration ")"
                        "file" "(" file-name ")"
                        "infile" "(" file-name ")"

Constraints

It is forbidden to use "$" wildcards in identifier in the definition of named-pointcut. Preprocessed aspect files can not define several named pointcuts with the same identifier.

identifier can be only an identifier of a previously defined named pointcut in the definition of pointcut. It also can not use "$" wildcards.

Strictly speaking pointcut1 and pointcut2 represent different pointcuts in the definition of composite-pointcut.

The definition of primitive-pointcut has following constraints (you can find extra details about declarations in Declarations of functions, variables, and types):

  • declaration for "declare_func", "execution" and "call" should be only a function declaration.

  • declaration for "get", "get_global", "get_local", "set", "set_global" and "set_local" should be only a variable declaration.

  • declaration for "introduce" should be only a declaration of a composite type.

Semantics

named-pointcut binds pointcut to identifier that one can use in other pointcuts to refer the given one.

composite-pointcut is a composition of pointcuts obtained using parentheses and operators "!", "&&" and "||". The precedence of operators "!", "&&" and "||" decreases left to right.

primitive-pointcut describes the following sets of joint points:

  • "define" and "expand" – respectively a definition or substitution of macro.

  • "declare_func", "execution" and "call" – correspondingly a declaration, definition, or call of a function having appropriate declaration.

  • "get" and "set" – respectively a usage or assignment of a value to a variable with corresponding declaration.

  • "get_global", "set_global", "get_local" and "set_local" – the same as the previous primitive pointcut, but global and local (including function parameters) variables are distinguished.

  • "infunc" – join points in a context of a function with specified declaration.

  • "introduce" – a definition of a structure, union, or enumeration with specified declaration.

  • "file" – a file with file-name.

  • "infile" – join points in a context of a file with file-name.

Advices

Syntax

advice             ::=  advice-declaration advice-body
advice-declaration ::=  "before" ":" pointcut
                        "around" ":" pointcut
                        "after"  ":" pointcut
                        "info"   ":" pointcut
                        "new"    ":" pointcut
                        "query"  ":" pointcut

Note

"info" is a deprecated alias for "query". You can use any of them, but "query" is more preferable.

Note

It is not recommended to use "new".

Constraints

Each advice should consist of advice-declaration and advice-body. Any pointcut is allowed for advice-declaration with "before", "around", "after" and "query". Only primitive-pointcut corresponding to file-name is allowed for "new" advice-declaration.

In advice-body of "before", "around", "after", "new" and "query" one can use special directives "$env", "$fprintf" (if other special directives represent its parameters, then similar restrictions are imposed on them) and "$signature". Besides, in advice-body of "before", "around", "after" and "query" it is possible to use the following special directives when pointcut matches an appropriate joint point:

  • For macro definitions – "$arg", "$arg_numb", "$context_file", "$name" and "$proceed".

  • For macro substitutions – "$arg", "$arg_numb", "$arg_val" (a value of an actual macro parameter as is), "$context_file", "$name" and "$proceed".

  • For function calls – "$arg", "$arg_numb", "$arg_sign", "$arg_size", "$arg_type", "$arg_val", "$context_file", "$context_func_file", "$context_func_name", "$name", "$proceed", "$res" (only for "after"), "$ret_type" and "$storage_class".

  • For function declarations – "$arg_numb", "$arg_type", "$context_file", "$name", "$ret_type" and "$storage_class".

  • For function definitions – "$arg", "$arg_numb", "$arg_type", "$context_file", "$name", "$proceed", "$res" (only for "after"), "$ret_type" and "$storage_class".

  • For usages and assignments of values to local or global variables – "$context_file", "$context_func_file", "$context_func_name", "$name", "$proceed", "$res" (only for "after"), "$ret_type" (a matched variable type) and "$storage_class" (only for global variables).

  • For declarations of composite types – "$context_file", "$name" and "$ret_type" (a matched composite type).

Semantics

pointcut included in advice-declaration determines a set of join points for which this advice should be applied, that assumes either executing the code from advice-body or framing join points with it.

"before", "after" and "around" advices are applied before, after or instead matched join points respectively. "around" advices can also wrap corresponding join points indicated by the "$proceed" special directive in advice-body.

"query" advices do not change the program code. These advices are used only for formatted output of information about joint points to a file by means of special directives "$fprintf".

The "new" advice creates a file that is specified in "pointcut". This feature allows, for example, to declare common variables and functions for several C source files.

In advice-body it is allowed to write arbitrary correct C code with GCC compiler extensions as well as a set of special directives (Special directives). You can use only special directives "$fprintf" in bodies of "query" advices (parameters of this special directive may be other valid special directives).

If parameter names are used in parameter-type-list, then you can use them to refer corresponding parameters in advice-body.

If several advices match the same join point, then only the one that occurs earlier in the aspect file is applied. For more complex cases, for example, when a program is woven in with several aspects at once, the behavior of the aspect weaver is uncertain.

Aspects

Syntax

text                          ::=  [advice-or-named-pointcut-list]
advice-or-named-pointcut-list ::=  advice-or-named-pointcut-list advice
                                   advice-or-named-pointcut-list named-pointcut

Constraints

Aspects should be placed in separate files. After performing aspect preprocessing (see Introduction for details), each aspect can either be empty or consist of one or more advices and named pointcuts. In addition, line directives and comments can be used.

Semantics

Aspects are additional modules that describe the cross-cutting concerns of programs.

ISO-9899-2011(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27)

ISO/IEC 9899:2011 Information technology – Programming languages – C