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When a pointer variable is initialized with a null pointer, the AST contains a NullToPointer cast. If we just emit a null pointer of the correct type, we will miss any side effects that occur in the initializer. This change adds code to emit the initializer expression if it is not a simple constant.

This results in an extra null pointer constant being emitted when the expression has side effects, but the constant emitted while visiting the expression does not have the correct type, so the alternative would be to capture the emitted constant and bitcast it to the correct type. An extra constant seems less intrusive than an unnecessary bitcast.

When a pointer variable is initialized with a null pointer, the AST
contains a NullToPointer cast. If we just emit a null pointer of the
correct type, we will miss any side effects that occur in the initializer.
This change adds code to emit the initializer expression if it is not a
simple constant.

This results in an extra null pointer constant being emitted when the
expression has side effects, but the constant emitted while visiting
the expression does not have the correct type, so the alternative would
be to capture the emitted constant and bitcast it to the correct type.
An extra constant seems less intrusive than an unnecessary bitcast.
@andykaylor
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Thanks to @dkolsen-pgi for suggesting the test case to introduce side effects in the initializer!

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@bcardosolopes bcardosolopes left a comment

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Nice catch, LGTM

@bcardosolopes bcardosolopes merged commit 9f2da98 into llvm:main Apr 4, 2025
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terapines-osc-cir pushed a commit to Terapines/clangir that referenced this pull request Sep 2, 2025
…llvm#1547)

When a pointer variable is initialized with a null pointer, the AST
contains a NullToPointer cast. If we just emit a null pointer of the
correct type, we will miss any side effects that occur in the
initializer. This change adds code to emit the initializer expression if
it is not a simple constant.

This results in an extra null pointer constant being emitted when the
expression has side effects, but the constant emitted while visiting the
expression does not have the correct type, so the alternative would be
to capture the emitted constant and bitcast it to the correct type. An
extra constant seems less intrusive than an unnecessary bitcast.
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2 participants