overloading - How can I overload the '=' operator in Ada without creating a recursive function?

Question

FUNCTION "=" (lString1, lString2 : IN lString) RETURN boolean IS


     IF lString1 = NULL AND lString2 = NULL THEN 
        RETURN true;
      ELSIF lString1 = NULL OR lString2 = NULL THEN
        RETURN false;
      END IF;

I'm trying to overload the equality operator in Ada. Each time I use the operator '=' within the function it causes a recursion which leads to a stack overflow, rather than use the ada defined operator which I need. Is there a way to differentiate it from my overloaded operator?

Answer 1

By introducing a non-overloaded utility function to do the access type comparisons, the OP's function definition, with the needed syntax fixes and modified to use the utility function, can be made to work.

I'm still puzzled, though, as to why invoking "=" as Standard."=" is rejected by the compiler (GNAT) for specifying "incompatible arguments".

with Text_IO; use Text_IO;

procedure non_recursive_equals is

   type Lstring is access String;

   -- Be aware, the ordering of the functions here is important!
   function Is_Equal(Lstring1, Lstring2 : in Lstring) return Boolean is
   begin
      return Lstring1 = Lstring2;
   end Is_Equal;

   function "=" (lString1, lString2 : in Lstring) return Boolean is
   begin
      if Is_Equal(LString1, null) and Is_Equal(LString2, null) then
         return True;
      elsif Is_Equal(LString1, null) or Is_Equal(LString2, null) then
         return False;
      end if;
      return False;
   end "=";

   L1, L2 : Lstring := null;

begin
   Put_Line("L1 and L2 null: " & Boolean'Image(L1 = L2));
   L2 := new String(1..10);
   Put_Line("L2 not null   : " & Boolean'Image(L1 = L2));
end non_recursive_equals;

Edit:

Here's another way, using a renames clause:

with Text_IO; use Text_IO;

procedure non_recursive_equals is

   type Lstring is access String;

   function Is_Equal (lString1, lString2 : in Lstring) return Boolean is
   begin
      if lString1 = null and lString2 = null then
         return True;
      elsif lString1 = null or lString2 = null then
         return False;
      end if;
      return False;
   end Is_Equal;

   function "=" (Lstring1, Lstring2 : in Lstring) return Boolean renames
     Is_Equal;

   L1, L2 : Lstring := null;

begin
   Put_Line ("L1 and L2 null: " & Boolean'Image (L1 = L2));
   L2 := new String (1 .. 10);
   Put_Line ("L2 not null   : " & Boolean'Image (L1 = L2));
end non_recursive_equals;