Specify generic constraints added to support nullable reference types in C# 8

[BillWagner]

Add the class? and notnull constraint.

The default constraint is added in C# 9, so is not included.

[BillWagner]

@jskeet I added the meeting discuss label on this. I doubt that it's final, but it's worth a first look.

[jskeet]

(I'll wait for responses to @KalleOlaviNiemitalo's questions before reviewing, if that's okay.)

[Nigel-Ecma]

Some comments plus ANTLRizing some grammar rules.

I haven’t considered per se what should (not) be in the Standard in regards to the specification of NRT.

[jskeet]

I like Nigel's suggestions in general. My guess is that the currently-unused rules are intended to be used in the future? Would be good to know.

[BillWagner]

@jskeet

My guess is that the currently-unused rules are intended to be used in the future? Would be good to know.

Which rules do you think are unused? I didn't see any.

[jskeet]

@jskeet

My guess is that the currently-unused rules are intended to be used in the future? Would be good to know.

Which rules do you think are unused? I didn't see any.

non_nullable_non_value_type_parameter and nullable_type_parameter - see Nigel's comments.

[BillWagner]

@jskeet

My guess is that the currently-unused rules are intended to be used in the future? Would be good to know.

Which rules do you think are unused? I didn't see any.

non_nullable_non_value_type_parameter and nullable_type_parameter - see Nigel's comments.

Got it. I'd missed some edits. See latest commit.

[BillWagner]

Example discussed in the meeting:

M("Hello", null);
M(7, 3);
M<int?>(8, null);    // Warning

void M<T>(T t, T? n) where T : notnull 
{
    T t1 = t;
    T t2 = n;        // Warning
    T t3 = default;  // Warning
    T? n1 = t;
    T? n2 = n;
    T? n3 = default;
    T? n4 = null;    // Error

}

[jskeet]

@BillWagner Is this ready for another round of review?

[BillWagner]

Is this ready for another round of review?

@jskeet Not yet. But on my list for this week.

Edits made and pushed this morning (my time). It's ready for review.

[jskeet]

Just one comment for now. I need to have another look when more awake...

[jskeet]

I think I'm starting to get my head round this again...

[jskeet]

As noted by Neal, this is an error:

public partial class PartialList : List<string>
{
}

public partial class PartialList : List<string?>
{
}

Error: CS0263 Partial declarations of 'PartialList' must not specify different base classes

[jskeet]

Discussions:

• Using T? when T is unconstrained should be forbidden in C# 8. (For C# 9 we'll need to explain some oddities.)
• where T : class should be described as T being a non-nullable reference type, and class? is "any reference type" - although the non-nullable reference constraint only generates a warning. (We're debating how to specify this.)
• We need to explain what T? means when T itself is nullable

[jskeet]

We observe that Roslyn allows both of these:

public class Foo<T> where T : notnull, Stream
public class Foo<T> where T : notnull, Stream?

This PR prohibits both. @BillWagner will file a bug against Roslyn (which we suspect will be closed).

[Nigel-Ecma]

@BillWagner – I made some changes in PR #1195 thinking this PR was already merged, oops. I've removed them from 1195 but cannot make direct suggestions here as the changes are on lines this PR has not modified. SO here they are as text blocks.

The changes centred around changing ? in the text to *nullable_type_attribute* – the latter is introduced in this PR so these changes should either be here or in a subsequent PR.

In types.md §8.9.1, first para, line 729 there are a couple of ?’s, I suggest:

A nullable reference type is denoted by appending a nullable_type_attribute (?) to a non-nullable reference type. There is no semantic difference between a non-nullable reference type and its corresponding nullable type, both can either be a reference to an object or null. The presence or absence of the nullable_type_attribute declares whether an expression is intended to permit null values or not. A compiler may provide diagnostics when an expression is not used according to that intent. The null state of an expression is defined in §8.9.5. An identity conversion exists among a nullable reference type and its corresponding non-nullable reference type (§10.2.2).

I made a few other word changes, e.g. can -> may.

I do think this para needs some work on its clarity, but I’ve no suggestions right now – and that can come in a subsequent PR as its nothing to do with this one per se.

For line 738 I suggest:

The syntactic distinction between a nullable reference type and its corresponding non-nullable reference type enables a compiler to generate diagnostics. A compiler must allow the nullable_type_attribute as defined in §8.2.1. The diagnostics must be limited to warnings. Neither the presence or absence of nullable annotations, nor the state of the nullable context can change the compile time or runtime behavior of a program except for changes in any diagnostic messages generated at compile time.

On line 746 there is another ? but as it is in reference to a preceding T? I think that is fine.

There might be other ?s which would be better as nullable_type_attribute (or nullable type attribute?), I haven’t done an exhaustive search.

(Note: There is a simple typo on line 728, I’ve added PR #1199 to fix it.)

Before I removed the changes from #1195 @KalleOlaviNiemitalo raised a comment on the naming of nullable_type_attribute – I've asked them to make the comment in this PR.