[mpi-21] Ballot 4 proposal: INOUT arguments

[Jeff Squyres]

This would be in accordance with the existing MPI-1:2.2 language, and  
therefore (I think) redundant.

However, see my summary e-mail from last night about the C++ bindings  
-- I am wondering why the special case for [IN]OUT handle arguments  
exists to begin with (that a parameter is OUT if the underlying MPI  
object is changed when the handle is not).

On Jan 22, 2008, at 11:29 AM, Rolf Rabenseifner wrote:

> An alternative-proposal would be to add a clarifying sentence in
> Terms and Conventions, MPI-2.0 Sect. 2.5.1, page 9, line 7:
>  Handle arguments can be marked at INOUT to indicate that the handle
>  itself may be changed by the routine (e.g., in MPI_TYPE_COMMIT),
>  or to indicate that the object referenced by the handle may be
>  changed but the handle itself is kept unchanged
>  (e.g., MPI_TYPE_SET_NAME).
>
> Rolf Rabenseifner
>
>
> On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:42:02 -0500
> Jeff Squyres <jsquyres_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>> This is not already on Bill's errata page.
>>
>> Proposal: change the INOUT designation of the MPI handle parameters  
>> in  several MPI-2 functions to be IN, because the values of the  
>> handles  are not changing.  Only the underlying MPI objects are  
>> changing.  The  C bindings for each of these functions do *not*  
>> pass the MPI handle by  reference, therefore disallowing the  
>> possibility of these parameters  actually being INOUT.  By the same  
>> argument, the C++ methods for these  functions should be const  
>> since the C++ object invoking the method  will not be changed.
>>
>> The functions in question are:
>>
>> MPI_*_SET_NAME for communicators, datatypes, windows
>> MPI_*_SET_ATTR for communicators, datatypes, windows
>> MPI_*_SET_ERRHANDLER for communicators, files, windows
>>
>> Locations of specific text to be changed (INOUT -> IN, add "const"  
>> to C ++ methods):
>>
>> MPI_COMM_SET_NAME: MPI-2:8.4, p177:35,44
>>                   MPI-2:A.8.5, p336:28
>> MPI_TYPE_SET_NAME: MPI-2:8.4, p179:41, p180:2
>>                   MPI-2:A.8.5, p337:2
>> MPI_WIN_SET_NAME: MPI-2:8.4, p181:25,35
>>                   MPI-2:A.8.5, p337:36
>>
>> MPI_COMM_SET_ATTR: MPI-2:8.8.1, p201:6,17
>>                   MPI-2:A.8.5, p336:27
>> MPI_WIN_SET_ATTR: MPI-2:8.8.2, p204:2,12
>>                   MPI-2:A.8.5, p337:35
>> MPI_TYPE_SET_ATTR: MPI-2:8.8.3, p206:26,37
>>                   MPI-2:A.8.5, p337:1
>>
>> MPI_COMM_SET_ERRHANDLER: MPI-2:4.13.1, p62:35,43
>>                         MPI-2:A.8.1, p331:38
>> MPI_WIN_SET_ERRHANDLER: MPI-2:4.13.2, p64:2,10
>>                        MPI-2:A.8.1, p333:13
>> MPI_FILE_SET_ERRHANDLER: MPI-2:4.13.3, p65:14,22
>>                         MPI-2:A.8.1, p332:34
>>
>> NOTE: The "const" issues of this proposal will be dependent upon a  
>> 2nd  proposal about re-instituting the "const" on MPI predefined  
>> handles  that was removed in ballot 2.
>>
>> -- 
>> Jeff Squyres
>> Cisco Systems
>>
>
>
>
> Dr. Rolf Rabenseifner . . . . . . . . . .. email rabenseifner_at_[hidden]
> High Performance Computing Center (HLRS) . phone ++49(0)711/685-65530
> University of Stuttgart . . . . . . . . .. fax ++49(0)711 / 685-65832
> Head of Dpmt Parallel Computing . . . www.hlrs.de/people/rabenseifner
> Nobelstr. 19, D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany . (Office: Allmandring 30)
>


-- 
Jeff Squyres
Cisco Systems