Bug 45892

Bug: 45892

Impact:

Informational

Product:

GemStone/S 64 Bit

Versions:

3.7.1, 3.7, 3.6.8, 3.6.7, 3.6.6, 3.6.5, 3.6.4, 3.6.3, 3.6.2, 3.6.1, 3.6, 3.5.8, 3.5.7, 3.5.6, 3.5.5, 3.5.4, 3.5.3, 3.5.2, 3.5.1, 3.5, 3.4.5, 3.4.4, 3.4.3, 3.4.2, 3.4.1, 3.4, 3.3.9, 3.3.8, 3.3.7, 3.3.6, 3.3.5, 3.3.4, 3.3.3, 3.3.1, 3.3, 3.2.16, 3.2.15, 3.2.14, 3.2.13, 3.2.12, 3.2.11, 3.2.10, 3.2.9, 3.2.8.1, 3.2.8, 3.2.7, 3.2.6, 3.2.5, 3.2.4, 3.2.3, 3.2.2, 3.2.1, 3.2, 3.1.0.6, 3.1.0.5, 3.1.0.4, 3.1.0.2, 3.1.0.1, 3.1, 3.0.1, 3.0

Platform:

All Platforms

Fixed In:

Syntax errors due to GemConvertArrayBuilder setting during upgrades / file-ins / compiles

In GS/64 3.0, the syntax for Array constructors was changed from using square brackets with commas (for example: #[a, b, c] ) to using curly brackets with periods (for example: {a . b . c} ).  This was done to avoid conflicts with the use of square brackets for ByteArray constructors (for example: #[1 2 3] ) for compatibility with other Smalltalks.

The System configuration parameter  #GemConvertArrayBuilder was introduced to inform the compiler to treat #[ ... ] as a pre-3.0 Array constructor and to compile it accordingly.  But note that this will cause problems if processing post-3.0 code containg #[...] ByteArray constructors.

For example, if compiling code using the pre-3.0 Array constructor #[a , b, c], and #GemConvertArrayBuilder is incorrectly set to nil/false, a compiler error similar to the following will be generated:

 GemStone Smalltalk Compiler Errors:
   #[a, b, c]
 * ^1 ^2 *******

1: [1035] expected a right bracket (]) 2: [1034] unexpected token

Inversely, if compiling post-3.0 code containing the ByteArray constructor #[1 2 3] and #GemConvertArrayBuilder is incorrectly set to true, a compiler error similar to the following will be generated:

 GemStone Smalltalk Compiler Errors: #[1 2 3]
 * ^1
******* 1: [1034] unexpected token 

When compiling code (for example, during upgrades or file-ins) be aware of which type of constructor is used in the source code and make sure that #GemConvertArrayBuilder is set accordingly. In general this means that for pre-3.0 code #GemConvertArrayBuilder should be set to true, and for post-3.0 code the parameter can be left unset or set to false/nil. If not correctly set, compiler errors will be generated on any #[ ] constructors.

Workaround

Make sure #GemConvertArrayBuilder is set properly (true for pre-3.0 code, unset/nil/false for post-3.0 code).