3.8 Record Types

A record object is a composite object consisting of named components. The value of a record object is a composite value consisting of the values of the components.

The expected type for the default_expression, if any, in a component_declaration is the type of the component. 

Each component_declaration declares a component of the record type. Besides components declared by component_declarations, the components of a record type include any components declared by discriminant_specifications of the record type declaration. The identifiers of all components of a record type shall be distinct. 

Within a type_declaration, a name that denotes a component, protected subprogram, or entry of the type is allowed only in the following cases:

If the name of the current instance of a type (see 8.6) is used to define the constraint of a component, then it shall appear as a direct_name that is the prefix of an attribute_reference whose result is of an access type, and the attribute_reference shall appear alone. 

  If a record_type_definition includes the reserved word limited, the type is called an explicitly limited record type.

The component_definition of a component_declaration defines the (nominal) subtype of the component. If the reserved word aliased appears in the component_definition, then the component is aliased (see 3.10).

If the component_list of a record type is defined by the reserved word null and there are no discriminants, then the record type has no components and all records of the type are null records. A record_definition of null record is equivalent to record null; end record.

The elaboration of a record_type_definition creates the record type and its first subtype, and consists of the elaboration of the record_definition. The elaboration of a record_definition consists of the elaboration of its component_list, if any.

The elaboration of a component_list consists of the elaboration of the component_items and variant_part, if any, in the order in which they appear. The elaboration of a component_declaration consists of the elaboration of the component_definition.

Within the definition of a composite type, if a component_definition or discrete_subtype_definition (see 9.5.2) includes a name that denotes a discriminant of the type, or that is an attribute_reference whose prefix denotes the current instance of the type, the expression containing the name is called a per-object expression, and the constraint or range being defined is called a per-object constraint. For the elaboration of a component_definition of a component_declaration or the discrete_subtype_definition of an entry_declaration for an entry family (see 9.5.2), if the component subtype is defined by an access_definition or if the constraint or range of the subtype_indication or discrete_subtype_definition is not a per-object constraint, then the access_definition, subtype_indication, or discrete_subtype_definition is elaborated. On the other hand, if the constraint or range is a per-object constraint, then the elaboration consists of the evaluation of any included expression that is not part of a per-object expression. Each such expression is evaluated once unless it is part of a named association in a discriminant constraint, in which case it is evaluated once for each associated discriminant.

  When a per-object constraint is elaborated (as part of creating an object), each per-object expression of the constraint is evaluated. For other expressions, the values determined during the elaboration of the component_definition or entry_declaration are used. Any checks associated with the enclosing subtype_indication or discrete_subtype_definition are performed, including the subtype compatibility check (see 3.2.2), and the associated subtype is created.