+void set_master_type_visited(unsigned long val);
+unsigned long get_master_type_visited();
+void inc_master_type_visited();
+/*****/
+
+/****f* type/is_type
+ *
+ * NAME
+ * is_type - Checks whether a pointer points to a type.
+ * SYNOPSIS
+ * bool is_type (void *thing);
+ * INPUTS
+ * thing - a pointer
+ * RESULT
+ * true if the thing is a type, else false
+ ***
+ */
+int is_type (void *thing);
+
+/****f* type/equal_types
+ *
+ * NAME
+ * equal_type - Checks whether two types are structural equal.
+ * SYNOPSIS
+ * bool equal_types (type *typ1, type *typ2);
+ * INPUTS
+ * two pointer types
+ * RESULT
+ * true if the types are equal, else false.
+ * Types are equal if
+ * - they are the same type kind
+ * - they have the same name
+ * - they have the same mode (if applicable)
+ * - they have the same type_state and, ev., the same size
+ * - they are class types and have
+ * - the same members (see same_entity in entity.h)
+ * - the same supertypes -- the C-pointers are compared --> no recursive call.
+ * - the same number of subtypes. Subtypes are not compared,
+ * as this could cause a cyclic test.
+ * - the same peculiarity
+ * - they are structure types and have the same members
+ * - they are method types and have
+ * - the same parameter types
+ * - the same result types
+ * - they are union types and have the same members
+ * - they are array types and have
+ * - the same number of dimensions
+ * - the same dimension bounds
+ * - the same dimension order
+ * - the same element type
+ * - they are enumeration types and have the same enumerator names
+ * - they are pointer types and have the identical points_to type
+ * (i.e., the same C-struct to represent the type, type_id is skipped.
+ * This is to avoid endless recursions; with pointer types circlic
+ * type graphs are possible.)
+ *
+ ***
+ */
+bool equal_type(type *tpy1, type *typ2);
+
+/****f* type/smaller_type
+ *
+ * NAME
+ * smaller_type - Checks whether two types are structural comparable.
+ * SYNOPSIS
+ * bool smaller_type (type *st, type *lt);
+ * INPUTS
+ * two pointer type
+ * RESULT
+ * true if type st is smaller than type lt, i.e. whenever
+ * lt is expected a st can be used.
+ * This is true if
+ * - they are the same type kind
+ * - mode(st) < mode (lt) (if applicable)
+ * - they are class types and st is (transitive) subtype of lt,
+ * - they are structure types and
+ * - the members of st have exactly one counterpart in lt with the same name,
+ * - the counterpart has a bigger type.
+ * - they are method types and have
+ * - the same number of parameter and result types,
+ * - the parameter types of st are smaller than those of lt,
+ * - the result types of st are smaller than those of lt
+ * - they are union types and have the members of st have exactly one
+ * counterpart in lt and the type is smaller
+ * - they are array types and have
+ * - the same number of dimensions
+ * - all bounds of lt are bound of st
+ * - the same dimension order
+ * - the same element type
+ * or
+ * - the element type of st is smaller than that of lt
+ * - the element types have the same size and fixed layout.
+ * - they are enumeration types and have the same enumerator names
+ * - they are pointer types and have the points_to type of st is
+ * smaller than the points_to type of lt.
+ ***
+ */
+bool smaller_type (type *st, type *lt);
+
+/****** type/class
+ * NAME
+ * Representation of a class type.
+ * NOTE
+ * If the type opcode is set to type_class the type represents class
+ * types. A list of fields and methods is associated with a class.
+ * Further a class can inherit from and bequest to other classes.
+ * @@@ value class???
+ * ATTRIBUTES
+ * The following attributes are private to this type kind.
+ * member All entities belonging to this class. This are methode entities
+ * which have type_method or fields that can have any of the
+ * following type kinds: type_class, type_struct, type_union,
+ * type_array, type_enumeration, type_pointer, type_primitive.
+ *
+ * subtypes A list of direct subclasses.
+ *
+ * supertypes A list of direct superclasses.
+ *
+ * These are dynamic lists that can be grown with an "add_" function,
+ * but not shrinked.
+ *
+ * peculiarity The peculiarity of this class. If the class is of peculiarity
+ * "description" it only is a description of requirememts to a class,
+ * as, e.g., a Java interface. The class will never be allocated.
+ * Peculiatity inherited is only possible for entities. An entity
+ * is of peculiarity inherited if the compiler generated the entity
+ * to explicitly resolve inheritance. An inherited method entity has
+ * no value for irg.
+ * Values: description, existent, inherited. Default: existent.
+ *
+ * SOURCE
+ */
+/* create a new class type */
+type *new_type_class (ident *name);
+type *new_d_type_class (ident *name, dbg_info *db);
+
+/** manipulate private fields of class type **/
+/* Adds the entity as member of the class. */
+void add_class_member (type *clss, entity *member);
+/* Returns the number of members of this class. */
+int get_class_n_members (type *clss);
+/* Returns the member at position pos, 0 <= pos < n_member */
+entity *get_class_member (type *clss, int pos);
+/* Overwrites the member at position pos, 0 <= pos < n_member with
+ the passed entity. */
+void set_class_member (type *clss, entity *member, int pos);
+/* Replaces complete member list in class type by the list passed. Copies the
+ list passed. This function is necessary to reduce the number of members.
+ members is an array of entities, num the size of this array. Sets all
+ owners of the members passed to clss. */
+void set_class_members (type *clss, entity *members[], int arity);
+/* Finds member in the list of members and removes it.
+ Shrinks the member list, so iterate from the end!!!
+ Does not deallocate the entity. */
+void remove_class_member(type *clss, entity *member);
+
+
+/* Adds subtype as subtype to clss.
+ Checks whether clss is a supertype of subtype. If not
+ adds also clss as supertype to subtype. */
+void add_class_subtype (type *clss, type *subtype);
+/* Returns the number of subtypes */
+int get_class_n_subtypes (type *clss);
+/* Gets the subtype at position pos, 0 <= pos < n_subtype. */
+type *get_class_subtype (type *clss, int pos);
+/* Sets the subtype at positioin pos, 0 <= pos < n_subtype. Does not
+ set the corresponding supertype relation for subtype: this might
+ be a different position! */
+void set_class_subtype (type *clss, type *subtype, int pos);
+/* Finds subtype in the list of subtypes and removes it */
+void remove_class_subtype(type *clss, type *subtype);
+
+
+/* Adds supertype as supertype to class.
+ Checks whether clss is a subtype of supertype. If not
+ adds also clss as subtype to supertype. */
+void add_class_supertype (type *clss, type *supertype);
+/* Returns the number of supertypes */
+int get_class_n_supertypes (type *clss);
+/* Gets the supertype at position pos, 0 <= pos < n_supertype. */
+type *get_class_supertype (type *clss, int pos);
+/* Sets the supertype at postition pos, 0 <= pos < n_subtype. Does not
+ set the corresponding subtype relation for supertype: this might
+ be a different position! */
+void set_class_supertype (type *clss, type *supertype, int pos);
+/* Finds supertype in the list of supertypes and removes it */
+void remove_class_supertype(type *clss, type *supertype);
+
+/* This enumeration flags the peculiarity of entities and types. */
+typedef enum peculiarity {
+ description, /* Represents only a description. The entity/type is never
+ allocated, no code/data exists for this entity/type. */
+ inherited, /* Describes explicitly that other entities are
+ inherited to the owner of this entity.
+ Overwrites must refer to at least one other
+ entity. If this is a method entity there exists
+ no irg for this entity, only for one of the
+ overwritten ones. */
+ existent /* The entity/type (can) exist. */
+} peculiarity;
+
+/* The peculiarity of the class. The enumeration peculiarity is defined
+ in entity.h */
+INLINE peculiarity get_class_peculiarity (type *clss);
+INLINE void set_class_peculiarity (type *clss, peculiarity pec);
+
+/* Set and get a class' dfn --
+ @@@ This is an undocumented field, subject to change! */
+void set_class_dfn (type *clss, int dfn);
+int get_class_dfn (type *clss);
+
+/* typecheck */
+bool is_class_type(type *clss);
+/* Returns true if low is subclass of high. */
+bool is_subclass_of(type *low, type *high);
+/*****/
+
+/****** type/struct
+ * NAME
+ * Representation of a struct type.
+ * NOTE
+ * Type_strct represents aggregate types that consist of a list
+ * of fields.
+ * ATTRIBUTES
+ * member All entities belonging to this class. This are the fields
+ * that can have any of the following types: type_class,
+ * type_struct, type_union, type_array, type_enumeration,
+ * type_pointer, type_primitive.
+ * This is a dynamic list that can be grown with an "add_" function,
+ * but not shrinked.
+ * This is a dynamic list that can be grown with an "add_" function,
+ * but not shrinked.
+ * SOURCE
+ */
+/* create a new type struct */
+type *new_type_struct (ident *name);
+type *new_d_type_struct (ident *name, dbg_info* db);
+
+/* manipulate private fields of struct */
+void add_struct_member (type *strct, entity *member);
+int get_struct_n_members (type *strct);
+entity *get_struct_member (type *strct, int pos);
+void set_struct_member (type *strct, int pos, entity *member);
+/* Finds member in the list of memberss and removees it */
+void remove_struct_member (type *strct, entity *member);
+
+/* typecheck */
+bool is_struct_type(type *strct);
+/*****/
+
+/****** type/method
+ * NAME
+ * Representation of a method type.
+ * NOTE
+ * A method type represents a method, function or procedure type.
+ * It contains a list of the parameter and result types, as these
+ * are part of the type description. These lists should not
+ * be changed by a optimization, as a change creates a new method
+ * type. Therefore optimizations should allocated new method types.
+ * The set_ routines are only for construction by a frontend.
+ * ATTRIBUTES
+ * n_params Number of parameters to the procedure.
+ * A procedure in FIRM has only call by value parameters.
+ *
+ * param_type A list with the types of parameters. This list is ordered.
+ * The nth type in this list corresponds to the nth element
+ * in the parameter tuple that is a result of the start node.
+ * (See ircons.h for more information.)
+ *
+ * n_res The number of results of the method. In general, procedures
+ * have zero results, functions one.
+ *
+ * res_type A list with the types of parameters. This list is ordered.
+ * The nth type in this list corresponds to the nth input to
+ * Return nodes. (See ircons.h for more information.)
+ * SOURCE
+ */
+
+/* Create a new method type.
+ N_param is the number of parameters, n_res the number of results.
+ The arrays for the parameter and result types are not initialized by
+ the constructor. */
+type *new_type_method (ident *name, int n_param, int n_res);
+type *new_d_type_method (ident *name, int n_param, int n_res, dbg_info* db);
+
+/* manipulate private fields of method. */
+int get_method_n_params (type *method);
+type *get_method_param_type(type *method, int pos);
+void set_method_param_type(type *method, int pos, type* tp);
+
+int get_method_n_ress (type *method);
+type *get_method_res_type(type *method, int pos);
+void set_method_res_type(type *method, int pos, type* tp);
+
+/* typecheck */
+bool is_method_type (type *method);
+/*****/
+
+/****** type/union
+ * NAME
+ * Representation of a union type.
+ * NOTE
+ * The union type represents union types.
+ * ATTRIBUTES
+ * n_types Number of unioned types.
+ * members Entities for unioned types. Fixed length array.
+ * This is a dynamic list that can be grown with an "add_" function,
+ * but not shrinked.
+ * SOURCE
+ */
+/* create a new type union */
+type *new_type_union (ident *name);
+type *new_d_type_union (ident *name, dbg_info* db);
+
+/* manipulate private fields of struct */
+int get_union_n_members (type *uni);
+void add_union_member (type *uni, entity *member);
+entity *get_union_member (type *uni, int pos);
+void set_union_member (type *uni, int pos, entity *member);
+/* Finds member in the list of members and removes it. */
+void remove_union_member (type *uni, entity *member);
+
+/* typecheck */
+bool is_union_type (type *uni);
+/*****/
+
+/****** type/array
+ * NAME
+ * Representation of an array type.
+ * NOTE
+ * The array type represents rectangular multi dimensional arrays.
+ * The constants representing the bounds must be allocated to
+ * get_const_code_irg() by setting current_ir_graph accordingly.
+ * ATTRIBUTES
+ * n_dimensions Number of array dimensions.
+ * *lower_bound Lower bounds of dimensions. Usually all 0.
+ * *upper_bound Upper bounds or dimensions.
+ * *element_type The type of the array elements.
+ * *element_ent An entity for the array elements to be used for
+ * element selection with Sel.
+ * @@@ Do we need several entities? One might want
+ * to select a dimension and not a single element in
+ * case of multidim arrays.
+ * SOURCE
+ */
+/* create a new type array --
+ Sets n_dimension to dimension and all dimension entries to NULL.
+ Initializes order to the order of the dimensions.
+ The entity for array elements is built automatically.
+ Set dimension sizes after call to constructor with set_* routines. */
+type *new_type_array (ident *name, int n_dimensions,
+ type *element_type);
+type *new_d_type_array (ident *name, int n_dimensions,
+ type *element_type, dbg_info* db);
+
+/* manipulate private fields of array type */
+int get_array_n_dimensions (type *array);
+/* Allocates Const nodes of mode_I for the array dimensions */
+void set_array_bounds_int (type *array, int dimension, int lower_bound,
+ int upper_bound);
+void set_array_bounds (type *array, int dimension, ir_node *lower_bound,
+ ir_node *upper_bound);
+void set_array_lower_bound (type *array, int dimension, ir_node *lower_bound);
+void set_array_lower_bound_int (type *array, int dimension, int lower_bound);
+void set_array_upper_bound (type *array, int dimension, ir_node *upper_bound);
+void set_array_upper_bound_int (type *array, int dimension, int lower_bound);
+ir_node * get_array_lower_bound (type *array, int dimension);
+ir_node * get_array_upper_bound (type *array, int dimension);
+
+void set_array_order (type *array, int dimension, int order);
+int get_array_order (type *array, int dimension);
+
+void set_array_element_type (type *array, type *tp);
+type *get_array_element_type (type *array);
+
+void set_array_element_entity (type *array, entity *ent);
+entity *get_array_element_entity (type *array);
+
+/* typecheck */
+bool is_array_type (type *array);
+/*****/
+
+/****** type/enumeration
+ * NAME
+ * Representation of an enumeration type.
+ * NOTE
+ * Enumeration types need not necessarily be represented explicitly
+ * by Firm types, as the frontend can lower them to integer constants as
+ * well. For debugging purposes or similar tasks this information is useful.
+ * ATTRIBUTES
+ * *enum The target values representing the constants used to
+ * represent individual enumerations.
+ * *enum_nameid Idents containing the source program name of the enumeration
+ * constants
+ *
+*****