\end{prog}
for each of $C$'s superclasses $A$ in the same chain in some (unimportant)
order. The (somewhat obtuse) purpose of this union is to engage the `common
-initial sequence' rule of \cite[6.5.2.3]{FIXME:C99}.
+initial sequence' rule of \cite[6.5.2.3]{ISO:1990:IIP,ANSI:1999:AII}.
\subsubsection{The ichain structure}
The @|ichain| structure contains (in order), a pointer
place. The layout of vtables doesn't have this second requirement: it
doesn't matter that there are multiple method entry pointers for the same
effective method as long as they all work correctly. Indeed, it's essential
-that they do, because each chain's method entry function will need to apply a
-different offset to the receiver pointer before invoking the effective
-method.
+that there are multiple entry pointers, because each chain's method entry
+function will need to apply a different offset to the receiver pointer before
+invoking the effective method.
A vtable for a class $C$ with chain head $H$ has the following general
structure.
This is mostly an irrelevant detail, whose purpose is to defend against
malicious compilers: pointers are always to one of the inner @|vt|
-structures. It's important only because it's the outer @|vtu| union which is
-exported by name. Specifically, for each chain of $C$'s superclasses there is
-an external object
+structures. It's important only because it's the outer @|vtu| union which is
+exported by name. Specifically, for each chain of $C$'s superclasses there
+is an external object
\begin{prog}
const union $A$__vtu_$i$ $C$__vtable_$i$;
\end{prog}
~mdw / sod / blobdiff