[erlang-questions] How to get the line number of current executable code?

[Andras Georgy Bekes]

>   - the meta-data for a module records which exported functions are
>     pure and which are not
>   - when the compiler notes a pure function calling a function
>     from another module, it records a dependency on that function
>     being exported as pure
>   - when a module is loaded, the run time system checks that
>     every function it tries to import as pure from some other
>     module IS pure if that module is already loaded,
>     every module that depends on this one exporting some
>     function(s) as pure is satisfied.
>     If either check fails, the module is not loaded.
This is completely against current Erlang practice.

Currently if a module A uses module B, noone checks if B contains the 
used functions or not. Neither at compile time, nor at module load 
time. I think because the check would make module upgrades way more 
difficult.

Think about a module B using a function AF from module A. In the next 
version of the modules, the function A:AF is removed and B is not using 
it any more. Currently you just load the two modules. In the presence 
of a load-time check, you'd have to load module B first, then A. No 
problem here.

Now think about a module A using B's BF and B using A's AF. When both 
functions are removed, there is no legal upgrade order.

The same problem exists with checked pure functions. Module A using B's 
pure BF (and expects it to be pure), and B using A's pure AF (and 
expects it to be pure). In the next version both the functions switch 
to impure, together with their consumers. There is no legal upgrade 
order :-(

There probably are solutions (simultaneous atomic loading of several 
modules? using extra transition module versions to make the upgrade 
possible?), but current module upgrading technology/practice must 
change radically.

	Georgy