+/**
+ * Frees the entity.
+ *
+ * The owner will still contain the pointer to this
+ * entity, as well as all other references!
+ */
+void free_entity (entity *ent);
+
+/** Returns the name of an entity. */
+const char *get_entity_name (const entity *ent);
+
+/** Returns the ident of an entity. */
+ident *get_entity_ident (const entity *ent);
+
+/** Returns the mangled name of the entity.
+ *
+ * If the mangled name is set it returns the existing name.
+ * Else it generates a name with mangle_entity()
+ * and remembers this new name internally.
+ */
+ident *get_entity_ld_ident (entity *ent);
+
+/** Sets the mangled name of the entity. */
+void set_entity_ld_ident (entity *ent, ident *ld_ident);
+
+/** Returns the mangled name of the entity as a string. */
+const char *get_entity_ld_name (entity *ent);
+
+/** Returns the owner of the entity. */
+ir_type *get_entity_owner (entity *ent);
+
+/** Sets the owner field in entity to owner. Don't forget to add
+ ent to owner!! */
+void set_entity_owner (entity *ent, ir_type *owner);
+
+/** Asserts if the type owner is either a compound type or an array */
+void assert_legal_owner_of_ent(ir_type *owner);
+
+/** Returns the type of an entity. */
+ir_type *get_entity_type (entity *ent);
+
+/** Sets the type of an entity. */
+void set_entity_type (entity *ent, ir_type *tp);
+
+/** The allocation type. */
+typedef enum {
+ allocation_automatic, /**< The entity is allocated during runtime, implicitly
+ as component of a compound type. This is the default. */
+ allocation_parameter, /**< The entity is a parameter. It is also automatic allocated.
+ We distinguish the allocation of parameters from the allocation
+ of local variables as their placement depends on the calling
+ conventions. */
+ allocation_dynamic, /**< The entity is allocated during runtime, explicitly
+ by an Alloc node. */
+ allocation_static /**< The entity is allocated statically. We can use a
+ Const as address of the entity. */
+} ent_allocation;
+
+/** Returns the allocation type of an entity. */
+ent_allocation get_entity_allocation (const entity *ent);
+
+/** Sets the allocation type of an entity. */
+void set_entity_allocation (entity *ent, ent_allocation al);
+
+/** Return the name of the allocation type. */
+const char *get_allocation_name(ent_allocation vis);
+
+/** Returns the visibility of an entity. */
+visibility get_entity_visibility (const entity *ent);
+
+/** Sets the visibility of an entity. */
+void set_entity_visibility (entity *ent, visibility vis);
+
+/** Return the name of the visibility */
+const char *get_visibility_name(visibility vis);
+
+/** This enumeration flags the variability of entities. */
+typedef enum {
+ variability_uninitialized, /**< The content of the entity is completely unknown. Default. */
+ variability_initialized, /**< After allocation the entity is initialized with the
+ value given somewhere in the entity. */
+ variability_part_constant, /**< For entities of compound types.
+ The members of the entity are mixed constant,
+ initialized or uninitialized. */
+ variability_constant /**< The entity is constant. */
+} ent_variability;
+
+/** Returns the variability of an entity. */
+ent_variability get_entity_variability (const entity *ent);
+
+/** Sets the variability of an entity. */
+void set_entity_variability (entity *ent, ent_variability var);
+
+/** Return the name of the variability. */
+const char *get_variability_name(ent_variability var);
+
+/** This enumeration flags the volatility of entities. */
+typedef enum {
+ volatility_non_volatile, /**< The entity is not volatile. Default. */
+ volatility_is_volatile /**< The entity is volatile */
+} ent_volatility;
+
+/** Returns the volatility of an entity. */
+ent_volatility get_entity_volatility (const entity *ent);
+
+/** Sets the volatility of an entity. */
+void set_entity_volatility (entity *ent, ent_volatility vol);
+
+/** Return the name of the volatility. */
+const char *get_volatility_name(ent_volatility var);
+
+/** This enumeration flags the stickyness of an entity. */
+typedef enum {
+ stickyness_unsticky, /**< The entity can be removed from
+ the program, unless contraindicated
+ by other attributes. Default. */
+ stickyness_sticky /**< The entity must remain in the
+ program in any case. */
+} ent_stickyness;
+
+/** Get the entity's stickyness */
+ent_stickyness get_entity_stickyness(const entity *ent);
+
+/** Set the entity's stickyness */
+void set_entity_stickyness(entity *ent, ent_stickyness stickyness);
+
+/** Returns the offset of an entity (in a compound) in bytes. Only set if layout = fixed. */
+int get_entity_offset_bytes(const entity *ent);
+
+/** Returns the offset of an entity (in a compound) in bits. Only set if layout = fixed. */
+int get_entity_offset_bits(const entity *ent);
+
+/** Sets the offset of an entity (in a compound) in bytes. */
+void set_entity_offset_bytes(entity *ent, int offset);
+
+/** Sets the offset of an entity (in a compound) in bits. */
+void set_entity_offset_bits(entity *ent, int offset);
+
+/** Returns the stored intermediate information. */
+void* get_entity_link(const entity *ent);
+
+/** Stores new intermediate information. */
+void set_entity_link(entity *ent, void *l);
+
+/* -- Fields of method entities -- */
+/** The entity knows the corresponding irg if the entity is a method.
+ This allows to get from a Call to the called irg.
+ Only entities of peculiarity "existent" can have a corresponding irg,
+ else the field is fixed to NULL. (Get returns NULL, set asserts.) */
+ir_graph *get_entity_irg(const entity *ent);
+void set_entity_irg(entity *ent, ir_graph *irg);
+
+/** Return the peculiarity of an entity. */
+peculiarity get_entity_peculiarity (const entity *ent);
+
+/** Sets the peculiarity of an entity. */
+void set_entity_peculiarity (entity *ent, peculiarity pec);
+
+/** Return the name of the peculiarity. */
+const char *get_peculiarity_name(peculiarity var);
+
+/* -- Representation of constant values of entities -- */
+/** Returns true if the the node is representable as code on
+ * const_code_irg. */
+int is_irn_const_expression(ir_node *n);
+/* Set current_ir_graph to get_const_code_irg() to generate a constant
+ expression. */
+
+/**
+ * Copies a firm subgraph that complies to the restrictions for
+ * constant expressions to current_block in current_ir_graph.
+ */
+ir_node *copy_const_value(dbg_info *dbg, ir_node *n);
+
+/* Set has no effect for existent entities of type method. */
+ir_node *get_atomic_ent_value(entity *ent);
+void set_atomic_ent_value(entity *ent, ir_node *val);
+
+/**
+ * The following type describes a path to a leave in the compound graph.
+ * Node 0 in the path must be an entity of type tp given in the constructor. If
+ * the type of this element is compound, the path node 1 is an element of the type
+ * of node 0 an so forth, until an entity of atomic type is reached.
+ */
+#ifndef _COMPOUND_GRAPH_PATH_TYPEDEF_
+#define _COMPOUND_GRAPH_PATH_TYPEDEF_
+typedef struct compound_graph_path compound_graph_path;
+#endif /* _COMPOUND_GRAPH_PATH_TYPEDEF_ */
+
+/** Creates a new compound graph path. */
+compound_graph_path *new_compound_graph_path(ir_type *tp, int length);
+
+/** Returns non-zero if an object is a compound graph path */
+int is_compound_graph_path(void *thing);
+
+/** Frees a graph path object */
+void free_compound_graph_path (compound_graph_path *gr);
+
+/** Returns the length of a graph path */
+int get_compound_graph_path_length(compound_graph_path *gr);
+
+entity *get_compound_graph_path_node(compound_graph_path *gr, int pos);
+void set_compound_graph_path_node(compound_graph_path *gr, int pos, entity *node);
+int get_compound_graph_path_array_index(compound_graph_path *gr, int pos);
+void set_compound_graph_path_array_index(compound_graph_path *gr, int pos, int index);
+
+/** Checks whether the path up to pos is correct. If the path contains a NULL,
+ * assumes the path is not complete and returns non-zero. */
+int is_proper_compound_graph_path(compound_graph_path *gr, int pos);
+
+/* A value of a compound entity is a pair of a value and the description of the
+ corresponding access path to the member of the compound. */
+void add_compound_ent_value_w_path(entity *ent, ir_node *val, compound_graph_path *path);
+void set_compound_ent_value_w_path(entity *ent, ir_node *val, compound_graph_path *path, int pos);
+/** Returns the number of constant values needed to initialize the entity.
+ *
+ * Asserts if the entity has variability_uninitialized.
+ * */
+int get_compound_ent_n_values(entity *ent);
+/** Returns a constant value given the position. */
+ir_node *get_compound_ent_value(entity *ent, int pos);
+/** Returns the access path for value at position pos. */
+compound_graph_path *get_compound_ent_value_path(entity *ent, int pos);
+/** Returns the position of a value with the given path.
+ * The path must contain array indicees for all array element entities. */
+int get_compound_ent_pos_by_path(entity *ent, compound_graph_path *path);
+/** Returns a constant value given the access path.
+ * The path must contain array indicees for all array element entities. */
+ir_node *get_compound_ent_value_by_path(entity *ent, compound_graph_path *path);
+
+/** Removes all constant entries where the path ends at value_ent. Does not
+ free the memory of the paths. (The same path might be used for several
+ constant entities. */
+void remove_compound_ent_value(entity *ent, entity *value_ent);
+
+/* Some languages support only trivial access paths, i.e., the member is a
+ direct, atomic member of the constant entities type. In this case the
+ corresponding entity can be accessed directly. The following functions
+ allow direct access. */
+
+/** generates a Path with length 1 */
+void add_compound_ent_value(entity *ent, ir_node *val, entity *member);
+
+/** Returns the last member in the path */
+entity *get_compound_ent_value_member(entity *ent, int pos);
+
+/** Sets the path at pos 0 */
+void set_compound_ent_value(entity *ent, ir_node *val, entity *member, int pos);
+
+/** Initializes the entity ent which must be of a one dimensional
+ array type with the values given in the values array.
+ The array must have a lower and an upper bound. Keeps the
+ order of values. Does not test whether the number of values
+ fits into the given array size. Does not test whether the
+ values have the proper mode for the array. */
+void set_array_entity_values(entity *ent, tarval **values, int num_vals);
+
+/** Return the overall offset of value at position pos in bits.
+ *
+ * This requires that the layout of all concerned types is fixed.
+ *
+ * @param ent Any entity of compound type with at least pos initialization values.
+ * @param pos The position of the value for which the offset is requested.
+ */
+int get_compound_ent_value_offset_bits(entity *ent, int pos);
+
+/** Return the overall offset of value at position pos in bytes.
+ *
+ * This requires that the layout of all concerned types is fixed.
+ * Asserts if bit offset is not byte aligned.
+ *
+ * @param ent Any entity of compound type with at least pos initialization values.
+ * @param pos The position of the value for which the offset is requested.
+ */
+int get_compound_ent_value_offset_bytes(entity *ent, int pos);
+
+/** Compute the array indicees in compound graph paths of initialized entities.
+ *
+ * All arrays must have fixed lower and upper bounds. One array can
+ * have an open upper bound. If there are several open bounds, we do
+ * nothing. There must be initializer elements for all array
+ * elements. Uses the link field in the array element entities. The
+ * array bounds must be representable as integers.
+ *
+ * @param ent Any entity.
+ */
+void compute_compound_ent_array_indicees(entity *ent);
+
+/** Sort the values of the compound entity by their overall offset.
+ *
+ * This requires that the layout of all concerned types is fixed.
+ * If the entity has no initialization information the method just
+ * returns. This is needed to dump the entity in a backend.
+ *
+ * @param ent Any entity.
+ */
+void sort_compound_ent_values(entity *ent);
+
+
+/* --- Fields of entities with a class type as owner --- */
+/* Overwrites is a field that specifies that an access to the overwritten
+ entity in the supertype must use this entity. It's a list as with
+ multiple inheritance several entities can be overwritten. This field
+ is mostly useful for method entities.
+ If a Sel node selects an entity that is overwritten by other entities it
+ must return a pointer to the entity of the dynamic type of the pointer
+ that is passed to it. Lowering of the Sel node must assure this.
+ Overwrittenby is the inverse of overwrites. Both add routines add
+ both relations, they only differ in the order of arguments. */
+void add_entity_overwrites (entity *ent, entity *overwritten);
+int get_entity_n_overwrites (entity *ent);
+int get_entity_overwrites_index(entity *ent, entity *overwritten);
+entity *get_entity_overwrites (entity *ent, int pos);
+void set_entity_overwrites (entity *ent, int pos, entity *overwritten);
+void remove_entity_overwrites(entity *ent, entity *overwritten);
+
+void add_entity_overwrittenby (entity *ent, entity *overwrites);
+int get_entity_n_overwrittenby (entity *ent);
+int get_entity_overwrittenby_index(entity *ent, entity *overwrites);
+entity *get_entity_overwrittenby (entity *ent, int pos);
+void set_entity_overwrittenby (entity *ent, int pos, entity *overwrites);
+void remove_entity_overwrittenby(entity *ent, entity *overwrites);
+
+/**
+ * Checks whether a pointer points to an entity.
+ *
+ * @param thing an arbitrary pointer
+ *
+ * @return
+ * true if the thing is an entity, else false
+ */
+int is_entity (const void *thing);
+
+/** Returns true if the type of the entity is a primitive, pointer
+ enumeration or method type. */
+int is_atomic_entity(entity *ent);
+/** Returns true if the type of the entity is a class, structure,
+ array or union type. */
+int is_compound_entity(entity *ent);
+
+/** Returns non-zero if ent1 and ent2 have are equal except for their owner.
+ Two entities are equal if
+ - they have the same type (the same C-struct)
+ - ...?