ETSI's Bug Tracker - Part 01: TTCN-3 Core Language
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ID | Project | Category | View Status | Date Submitted | Last Update
0006756 | Part 01: TTCN-3 Core Language | Technical | public | 07-05-2014 10:35 | 05-01-2015 16:11

Reporter | Andras Kovacs |
Assigned To | Gyorgy Rethy |
Priority | normal | Severity | minor | Reproducibility | N/A
Status | closed | Resolution | fixed |
Platform |  | OS |  | OS Version |
Product Version | v4.6.1 (published 2014-06) |
Target Version | v4.7.1 (published 2015-06) | Fixed in Version | v4.7.1 (published 2015-06) |
Clause Reference(s) | 16.1.3
Source (company - Author) | STF470 - Andras Kovacs

Summary | 0006756: External Function constraint exceptions should be revised

Description

The section on External functions states the following constraints:
"External functions are not allowed to contain default handling, configuration, communication or timer operations, except the check, checkstate, alive, running, done, killed, read, mtc, system, and self operations."
Does it really make sense to allow check, done, killed, read, mtc, system and self operations in the above exception list? If it makes sense, then examples should be provided on how to use such function call.
In the view of STF470, the above mentioned exceptions make sense only in two unlikely scenarios:
1. The external function contains default parameter values and these values are returned from a function call. This function then might contain one of the forbidden operation. However, we don't consider parameter value assignment to be a part of the called external function. In our opinion, default parameter values are calculated before the external function is actually called.
2. TTCN-3 tools might contain proprietary features allowing to execute ordinary TTCN-3 functions from external functions. In this case, the restriction makes sense, but it is a question whether the standard should contain rules that regulate proprietary solutions.

Steps To Reproduce |
Additional Information |
Tags | No tags attached.
Relationships |
Attached Files | CR6756_v1-141104-JG.docx (17,838) 04-11-2014 10:29 http://oldforge.etsi.org/mantis/file_download.php?file_id=3154&type=bug

Issue History
Date Modified | Username | Field | Change
07-05-2014 10:35 | Andras Kovacs | New Issue |
07-05-2014 13:31 | Jacob Wieland - Spirent | Note Added: 0012064 |
13-06-2014 15:40 | Gyorgy Rethy | Target Version | => v4.7.1 (published 2015-06)
03-11-2014 16:48 | Gyorgy Rethy | Note Added: 0012386 |
03-11-2014 16:48 | Gyorgy Rethy | Assigned To | => Jens Grabowski
03-11-2014 16:48 | Gyorgy Rethy | Status | new => assigned
04-11-2014 10:28 | Jens Grabowski | Note Added: 0012389 |
04-11-2014 10:29 | Jens Grabowski | File Added: CR6756_v1-141104-JG.docx |
04-11-2014 10:29 | Jens Grabowski | Assigned To | Jens Grabowski => Tomas Urban
04-11-2014 10:29 | Jens Grabowski | Status | assigned => confirmed
04-11-2014 13:49 | Tomas Urban | Note Added: 0012398 |
04-11-2014 13:49 | Tomas Urban | Status | confirmed => resolved
04-11-2014 13:49 | Tomas Urban | Fixed in Version | => v4.7.1 (published 2015-06)
04-11-2014 13:49 | Tomas Urban | Resolution | open => fixed
04-11-2014 13:49 | Tomas Urban | Assigned To | Tomas Urban => Gyorgy Rethy
05-01-2015 16:11 | Gyorgy Rethy | Note Added: 0012618 |
05-01-2015 16:11 | Gyorgy Rethy | Status | resolved => closed

Notes

(0012064)
Jacob Wieland - Spirent
07-05-2014 13:31

In my opinion, these restrictions should be changed to a cautionary NOTE that, dependent on the context where the external function is used, all state-changing operations should be avoided to avoid unwanted side-effects.

(0012386)
Gyorgy Rethy
03-11-2014 16:48

STF discussion: change the sentence to a note.

(0012389)
Jens Grabowski
04-11-2014 10:28

Please check resolution proposal.

(0012398)
Tomas Urban
04-11-2014 13:49

I reviewed the proposal and found no problems. The proposed changes can be added to the next version of the core language specification.

(0012618)
Gyorgy Rethy
05-01-2015 16:11

Added to draft V4.6.3