Nim/compiler/sigmatch.nim

#
#
#           The Nim Compiler
#        (c) Copyright 2013 Andreas Rumpf
#
#    See the file "copying.txt", included in this
#    distribution, for details about the copyright.
#

## This module implements the signature matching for resolving
## the call to overloaded procs, generic procs and operators.

import
  ast, astalgo, semdata, types, msgs, renderer, lookups, semtypinst,
  magicsys, idents, lexer, options, parampatterns, trees,
  linter, lineinfos, lowerings, modulegraphs, concepts, layeredtable

import std/[intsets, strutils, tables]

when defined(nimPreviewSlimSystem):
  import std/assertions

type
  MismatchKind* = enum
    kUnknown, kAlreadyGiven, kUnknownNamedParam, kTypeMismatch, kVarNeeded,
    kMissingParam, kExtraArg, kPositionalAlreadyGiven,
    kGenericParamTypeMismatch, kMissingGenericParam, kExtraGenericParam

  MismatchInfo* = object
    kind*: MismatchKind # reason for mismatch
    arg*: int           # position of provided arguments that mismatches
    formal*: PSym       # parameter that mismatches against provided argument
                        # its position can differ from `arg` because of varargs

  TCandidateState* = enum
    csEmpty, csMatch, csNoMatch

  CandidateError* = object
    sym*: PSym
    firstMismatch*: MismatchInfo
    diagnostics*: seq[string]
    enabled*: bool

  CandidateErrors* = seq[CandidateError]

  TCandidate* = object
    c*: PContext
    exactMatches*: int       # also misused to prefer iters over procs
    genericMatches: int      # also misused to prefer constraints
    subtypeMatches: int
    intConvMatches: int      # conversions to int are not as expensive
    convMatches: int
    state*: TCandidateState
    callee*: PType           # may not be nil!
    calleeSym*: PSym         # may be nil
    calleeScope*: int        # scope depth:
                             # is this a top-level symbol or a nested proc?
    call*: PNode             # modified call
    bindings*: LayeredIdTable # maps types to types
    magic*: TMagic           # magic of operation
    baseTypeMatch: bool      # needed for conversions from T to openarray[T]
                             # for example
    matchedErrorType*: bool  # match is considered successful after matching
                             # error type to avoid cascading errors
                             # this is used to prevent instantiations.
    genericConverter*: bool  # true if a generic converter needs to
                             # be instantiated
    coerceDistincts*: bool   # this is an explicit coercion that can strip away
                             # a distrinct type
    typedescMatched*: bool
    isNoCall*: bool          # misused for generic type instantiations C[T]
    inferredTypes: seq[PType] # inferred types during the current signature
                              # matching. they will be reset if the matching
                              # is not successful. may replace the bindings
                              # table in the future.
    diagnostics*: seq[string] # \
                              # when diagnosticsEnabled, the matching process
                              # will collect extra diagnostics that will be
                              # displayed to the user.
                              # triggered when overload resolution fails
                              # or when the explain pragma is used. may be
                              # triggered with an idetools command in the
                              # future.
                              # to prefer closest father object type
    inheritancePenalty: int
    firstMismatch*: MismatchInfo # mismatch info for better error messages
    diagnosticsEnabled*: bool
    newlyTypedOperands*: seq[int]
      ## indexes of arguments that are newly typechecked in this match
      ## used for type bound op additions

  TTypeRelFlag* = enum
    trDontBind
    trNoCovariance
    trBindGenericParam  # bind tyGenericParam even with trDontBind
    trIsOutParam

  TTypeRelFlags* = set[TTypeRelFlag]


const
  isNilConversion = isConvertible # maybe 'isIntConv' fits better?
  maxInheritancePenalty = high(int) div 2

proc markUsed*(c: PContext; info: TLineInfo, s: PSym; checkStyle = true)
proc markOwnerModuleAsUsed*(c: PContext; s: PSym)

proc initCandidateAux(ctx: PContext,
                      callee: PType): TCandidate {.inline.} =
  result = TCandidate(c: ctx, exactMatches: 0, subtypeMatches: 0,
                      convMatches: 0, intConvMatches: 0, genericMatches: 0,
                      state: csEmpty, firstMismatch: MismatchInfo(),
                      callee: callee, call: nil, baseTypeMatch: false,
                      genericConverter: false, inheritancePenalty: -1
  )

proc initCandidate*(ctx: PContext, callee: PType): TCandidate =
  result = initCandidateAux(ctx, callee)
  result.calleeSym = nil
  result.bindings = initLayeredTypeMap()

proc put(c: var TCandidate, key, val: PType) {.inline.} =
  ## Given: proc foo[T](x: T); foo(4)
  ## key: 'T'
  ## val: 'int' (typeof(4))
  when false:
    let old = lookup(c.bindings, key)
    if old != nil:
      echo "Putting ", typeToString(key), " ", typeToString(val), " and old is ", typeToString(old)
      if typeToString(old) == "float32":
        writeStackTrace()
    if c.c.module.name.s == "temp3":
      echo "binding ", key, " -> ", val
  put(c.bindings, key, val.skipIntLit(c.c.idgen))

proc typeRel*(c: var TCandidate, f, aOrig: PType,
              flags: TTypeRelFlags = {}): TTypeRelation

proc matchGenericParam(m: var TCandidate, formal: PType, n: PNode) =
  var arg = n.typ
  if m.c.inGenericContext > 0:
    # don't match yet-unresolved generic instantiations
    while arg != nil and arg.kind == tyGenericParam:
      arg = lookup(m.bindings, arg)
    if arg == nil or arg.containsUnresolvedType:
      m.state = csNoMatch
      return
  # fix up the type to get ready to match formal:
  var formalBase = formal
  while formalBase.kind == tyGenericParam and
      formalBase.genericParamHasConstraints:
    formalBase = formalBase.genericConstraint
  if formalBase.kind == tyStatic and arg.kind != tyStatic:
    # maybe call `paramTypesMatch` here, for now be conservative
    if n.kind in nkSymChoices: n.flags.excl nfSem
    let evaluated = m.c.semTryConstExpr(m.c, n, formalBase.skipTypes({tyStatic}))
    if evaluated != nil:
      arg = newTypeS(tyStatic, m.c, son = evaluated.typ)
      arg.n = evaluated
  elif formalBase.kind == tyTypeDesc:
    if arg.kind != tyTypeDesc:
      arg = makeTypeDesc(m.c, arg)
  else:
    arg = arg.skipTypes({tyTypeDesc})
  let tm = typeRel(m, formal, arg)
  if tm in {isNone, isConvertible}:
    m.state = csNoMatch
    m.firstMismatch.kind = kGenericParamTypeMismatch
    return

proc matchGenericParams*(m: var TCandidate, binding: PNode, callee: PSym) =
  ## matches explicit generic instantiation `binding` against generic params of
  ## proc symbol `callee`
  ## state is set to `csMatch` if all generic params match, `csEmpty` if
  ## implicit generic parameters are missing (matches but cannot instantiate),
  ## `csNoMatch` if a constraint fails or param count doesn't match
  let c = m.c
  let typeParams = callee.ast[genericParamsPos]
  let paramCount = typeParams.len
  let bindingCount = binding.len-1
  if bindingCount > paramCount:
    m.state = csNoMatch
    m.firstMismatch.kind = kExtraGenericParam
    m.firstMismatch.arg = paramCount + 1
    return
  for i in 1..bindingCount:
    matchGenericParam(m, typeParams[i-1].typ, binding[i])
    if m.state == csNoMatch:
      m.firstMismatch.arg = i
      m.firstMismatch.formal = typeParams[i-1].sym
      return
  # not enough generic params given, check if remaining have defaults:
  for i in bindingCount ..< paramCount:
    let param = typeParams[i]
    assert param.kind == nkSym
    let paramSym = param.sym
    if paramSym.ast != nil:
      matchGenericParam(m, param.typ, paramSym.ast)
      if m.state == csNoMatch:
        m.firstMismatch.arg = i + 1
        m.firstMismatch.formal = paramSym
        return
    elif tfImplicitTypeParam in paramSym.typ.flags:
      # not a mismatch, but can't create sym
      m.state = csEmpty
      m.firstMismatch.kind = kMissingGenericParam
      m.firstMismatch.arg = i + 1
      m.firstMismatch.formal = paramSym
      return
    else:
      m.state = csNoMatch
      m.firstMismatch.kind = kMissingGenericParam
      m.firstMismatch.arg = i + 1
      m.firstMismatch.formal = paramSym
      return
  m.state = csMatch

proc copyingEraseVoidParams(m: TCandidate, t: var PType) =
  ## if `t` is a proc type with void parameters, copies it and erases them
  assert t.kind == tyProc
  let original = t
  var copied = false
  for i in 1 ..< original.len:
    var f = original[i]
    var isVoidParam = f.kind == tyVoid
    if not isVoidParam:
      let prev = lookup(m.bindings, f)
      if prev != nil: f = prev
      isVoidParam = f.kind == tyVoid
    if isVoidParam:
      if not copied:
        # keep first i children
        t = copyType(original, m.c.idgen, t.owner)
        t.setSonsLen(i)
        t.n = copyNode(original.n)
        t.n.sons = original.n.sons
        t.n.sons.setLen(i)
        copied = true
    elif copied:
      t.add(f)
      t.n.add(original.n[i])

proc initCandidate*(ctx: PContext, callee: PSym,
                    binding: PNode, calleeScope = -1,
                    diagnosticsEnabled = false): TCandidate =
  result = initCandidateAux(ctx, callee.typ)
  result.calleeSym = callee
  if callee.kind in skProcKinds and calleeScope == -1:
    result.calleeScope = cmpScopes(ctx, callee)
  else:
    result.calleeScope = calleeScope
  result.diagnostics = @[] # if diagnosticsEnabled: @[] else: nil
  result.diagnosticsEnabled = diagnosticsEnabled
  result.magic = result.calleeSym.magic
  result.bindings = initLayeredTypeMap()
  if binding != nil and callee.kind in routineKinds:
    matchGenericParams(result, binding, callee)
    let genericMatch = result.state
    if genericMatch != csNoMatch:
      result.state = csEmpty
      if genericMatch == csMatch: # csEmpty if not fully instantiated
        # instantiate the type, emulates old compiler behavior
        # wouldn't be needed if sigmatch could handle complex cases,
        # examples are in texplicitgenerics
        # might be buggy, see rest of generateInstance if problems occur
        let typ = ctx.instantiateOnlyProcType(ctx, result.bindings, callee, binding.info)
        result.callee = typ
      else:
        # createThread[void] requires this if the above branch is removed:
        copyingEraseVoidParams(result, result.callee)

proc newCandidate*(ctx: PContext, callee: PSym,
                   binding: PNode, calleeScope = -1): TCandidate =
  result = initCandidate(ctx, callee, binding, calleeScope)

proc newCandidate*(ctx: PContext, callee: PType): TCandidate =
  result = initCandidate(ctx, callee)

proc shallowCopyCandidate(dest: var TCandidate, src: TCandidate) =
  dest.c = src.c
  dest.exactMatches = src.exactMatches
  dest.subtypeMatches = src.subtypeMatches
  dest.convMatches = src.convMatches
  dest.intConvMatches = src.intConvMatches
  dest.genericMatches = src.genericMatches
  dest.state = src.state
  dest.callee = src.callee
  dest.calleeSym = src.calleeSym
  dest.call = copyTree(src.call)
  dest.baseTypeMatch = src.baseTypeMatch
  dest.bindings = shallowCopy(src.bindings)

proc checkGeneric(a, b: TCandidate): int =
  let c = a.c
  let aa = a.callee
  let bb = b.callee
  var winner = 0
  for aai, bbi in underspecifiedPairs(aa, bb, 1):
    var ma = newCandidate(c, bbi)
    let tra = typeRel(ma, bbi, aai, {trDontBind})
    var mb = newCandidate(c, aai)
    let trb = typeRel(mb, aai, bbi, {trDontBind})
    if tra == isGeneric and trb in {isNone, isInferred, isInferredConvertible}:
      if winner == -1: return 0
      winner = 1
    if trb == isGeneric and tra in {isNone, isInferred, isInferredConvertible}:
      if winner == 1: return 0
      winner = -1
  result = winner

proc sumGeneric(t: PType): int =
  # count the "genericness" so that Foo[Foo[T]] has the value 3
  # and Foo[T] has the value 2 so that we know Foo[Foo[T]] is more
  # specific than Foo[T].
  result = 0
  var t = t
  while true:
    case t.kind
    of tyAlias, tySink, tyNot: t = t.skipModifier
    of tyArray, tyRef, tyPtr, tyDistinct, tyUncheckedArray,
        tyOpenArray, tyVarargs, tySet, tyRange, tySequence,
        tyLent, tyOwned, tyVar:
      t = t.elementType
      inc result
    of tyBool, tyChar, tyEnum, tyObject, tyPointer, tyVoid,
        tyString, tyCstring, tyInt..tyInt64, tyFloat..tyFloat128,
        tyUInt..tyUInt64, tyCompositeTypeClass, tyBuiltInTypeClass:
      inc result
      break
    of tyGenericBody:
      t = t.typeBodyImpl
    of tyGenericInst, tyStatic:
      t = t.skipModifier
      inc result
    of tyOr:
      var maxBranch = 0
      for branch in t.kids:
        let branchSum = sumGeneric(branch)
        if branchSum > maxBranch: maxBranch = branchSum
      inc result, maxBranch
      break
    of tyTypeDesc:
      t = t.elementType
      if t.kind == tyEmpty: break
      inc result
    of tyGenericParam:
      if t.len > 0:
        t = t.skipModifier
      else:
        inc result
        break
    of tyUntyped, tyTyped: break
    of tyGenericInvocation, tyTuple, tyAnd:
      result += ord(t.kind == tyAnd)
      for a in t.kids:
        if a != nil:
          result += sumGeneric(a)
      break
    of tyProc:
      if t.returnType != nil:
        result += sumGeneric(t.returnType)
      for _, a in t.paramTypes:
        result += sumGeneric(a)
      break
    else:
      break

proc complexDisambiguation(a, b: PType): int =
  # 'a' matches better if *every* argument matches better or equal than 'b'.
  var winner = 0
  for ai, bi in underspecifiedPairs(a, b, 1):
    let x = ai.sumGeneric
    let y = bi.sumGeneric
    if x != y:
      if winner == 0:
        if x > y: winner = 1
        else: winner = -1
      elif x > y:
        if winner != 1:
          # contradiction
          return 0
      else:
        if winner != -1:
          return 0
  result = winner
  when false:
    var x, y: int
    for i in 1..<a.len: x += ai.sumGeneric
    for i in 1..<b.len: y += bi.sumGeneric
    result = x - y

proc writeMatches*(c: TCandidate) =
  echo "Candidate '", c.calleeSym.name.s, "' at ", c.c.config $ c.calleeSym.info
  echo "  exact matches: ", c.exactMatches
  echo "  generic matches: ", c.genericMatches
  echo "  subtype matches: ", c.subtypeMatches
  echo "  intconv matches: ", c.intConvMatches
  echo "  conv matches: ", c.convMatches
  echo "  inheritance: ", c.inheritancePenalty

proc cmpInheritancePenalty(a, b: int): int =
  var eb = b
  var ea = a
  if b < 0:
    eb = maxInheritancePenalty  # defacto max penalty
  if a < 0:
    ea = maxInheritancePenalty
  eb - ea

proc cmpCandidates*(a, b: TCandidate, isFormal=true): int =
  result = a.exactMatches - b.exactMatches
  if result != 0: return
  result = a.genericMatches - b.genericMatches
  if result != 0: return
  result = a.subtypeMatches - b.subtypeMatches
  if result != 0: return
  result = a.intConvMatches - b.intConvMatches
  if result != 0: return
  result = a.convMatches - b.convMatches
  if result != 0: return
  result = cmpInheritancePenalty(a.inheritancePenalty, b.inheritancePenalty)
  if result != 0: return
  if isFormal:
    # check for generic subclass relation
    result = checkGeneric(a, b)
    if result != 0: return
    # prefer more specialized generic over more general generic:
    result = complexDisambiguation(a.callee, b.callee)
  if result != 0: return
  # only as a last resort, consider scoping:
  result = a.calleeScope - b.calleeScope

proc argTypeToString(arg: PNode; prefer: TPreferedDesc): string =
  if arg.kind in nkSymChoices:
    result = typeToString(arg[0].typ, prefer)
    for i in 1..<arg.len:
      result.add(" | ")
      result.add typeToString(arg[i].typ, prefer)
  elif arg.typ == nil:
    result = "void"
  else:
    result = arg.typ.typeToString(prefer)

template describeArgImpl(c: PContext, n: PNode, i: int, startIdx = 1; prefer = preferName) =
  var arg = n[i]
  if n[i].kind == nkExprEqExpr:
    result.add renderTree(n[i][0])
    result.add ": "
    if arg.typ.isNil and arg.kind notin {nkStmtList, nkDo}:
      arg = c.semTryExpr(c, n[i][1])
      if arg == nil:
        arg = n[i][1]
        arg.typ() = newTypeS(tyUntyped, c)
      else:
        if arg.typ == nil:
          arg.typ() = newTypeS(tyVoid, c)
        n[i].typ() = arg.typ
        n[i][1] = arg
  else:
    if arg.typ.isNil and arg.kind notin {nkStmtList, nkDo, nkElse,
                                          nkOfBranch, nkElifBranch,
                                          nkExceptBranch}:
      arg = c.semTryExpr(c, n[i])
      if arg == nil:
        arg = n[i]
        arg.typ() = newTypeS(tyUntyped, c)
      else:
        if arg.typ == nil:
          arg.typ() = newTypeS(tyVoid, c)
        n[i] = arg
  if arg.typ != nil and arg.typ.kind == tyError: return
  result.add argTypeToString(arg, prefer)

proc describeArg*(c: PContext, n: PNode, i: int, startIdx = 1; prefer = preferName): string =
  result = ""
  describeArgImpl(c, n, i, startIdx, prefer)

proc describeArgs*(c: PContext, n: PNode, startIdx = 1; prefer = preferName): string =
  result = ""
  for i in startIdx..<n.len:
    describeArgImpl(c, n, i, startIdx, prefer)
    if i != n.len - 1: result.add ", "

proc concreteType(c: TCandidate, t: PType; f: PType = nil): PType =
  case t.kind
  of tyTypeDesc:
    if c.isNoCall: result = t
    else: result = nil
  of tySequence, tySet:
    if t.elementType.kind == tyEmpty: result = nil
    else: result = t
  of tyGenericParam, tyAnything, tyConcept:
    result = t
    if c.isNoCall: return
    while true:
      result = lookup(c.bindings, t)
      if result == nil:
        break # it's ok, no match
        # example code that triggers it:
        # proc sort[T](cmp: proc(a, b: T): int = cmp)
      if result.kind != tyGenericParam: break
  of tyGenericInvocation:
    result = nil
  of tyOwned:
    # bug #11257: the comparison system.`==`[T: proc](x, y: T) works
    # better without the 'owned' type:
    if f != nil and f.hasElementType and f.elementType.skipTypes({tyBuiltInTypeClass, tyOr}).kind == tyProc:
      result = t.skipModifier
    else:
      result = t
  else:
    result = t                # Note: empty is valid here

proc handleRange(c: PContext, f, a: PType, min, max: TTypeKind): TTypeRelation =
  if a.kind == f.kind:
    result = isEqual
  else:
    let ab = skipTypes(a, {tyRange})
    let k = ab.kind
    let nf = c.config.normalizeKind(f.kind)
    let na = c.config.normalizeKind(k)
    if k == f.kind:
      # `a` is a range type matching its base type
      # see very bottom for range types matching different types
      if isIntLit(ab):
        # range type can only give isFromIntLit for base type
        result = isFromIntLit
      else:
        result = isSubrange
    elif a.kind == tyInt and f.kind in {tyRange, tyInt..tyInt64,
                                        tyUInt..tyUInt64} and
        isIntLit(ab) and getInt(ab.n) >= firstOrd(nil, f) and
                         getInt(ab.n) <= lastOrd(nil, f):
      # passing 'nil' to firstOrd/lastOrd here as type checking rules should
      # not depend on the target integer size configurations!
      # integer literal in the proper range; we want ``i16 + 4`` to stay an
      # ``int16`` operation so we declare the ``4`` pseudo-equal to int16
      result = isFromIntLit
    elif a.kind == tyInt and nf == c.config.targetSizeSignedToKind:
      result = isIntConv
    elif a.kind == tyUInt and nf == c.config.targetSizeUnsignedToKind:
      result = isIntConv
    elif f.kind == tyInt and na in {tyInt8 .. pred(c.config.targetSizeSignedToKind)}:
      result = isIntConv
    elif f.kind == tyUInt and na in {tyUInt8 .. pred(c.config.targetSizeUnsignedToKind)}:
      result = isIntConv
    elif k >= min and k <= max:
      result = isConvertible
    elif a.kind == tyRange and
      # Make sure the conversion happens between types w/ same signedness
      (f.kind in {tyInt..tyInt64} and a[0].kind in {tyInt..tyInt64} or
       f.kind in {tyUInt8..tyUInt32} and a[0].kind in {tyUInt8..tyUInt32}) and
      a.n[0].intVal >= firstOrd(nil, f) and a.n[1].intVal <= lastOrd(nil, f):
      # passing 'nil' to firstOrd/lastOrd here as type checking rules should
      # not depend on the target integer size configurations!
      result = isConvertible
    else: result = isNone

proc isConvertibleToRange(c: PContext, f, a: PType): bool =
  if f.kind in {tyInt..tyInt64, tyUInt..tyUInt64} and
     a.kind in {tyInt..tyInt64, tyUInt..tyUInt64}:
    case f.kind
    of tyInt8: result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyInt8}
    of tyInt16: result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyInt8, tyInt16}
    of tyInt32: result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyInt8, tyInt16, tyInt32}
    # This is wrong, but seems like there's a lot of code that relies on it :(
    of tyInt, tyUInt: result = true
    # of tyInt: result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyInt8 .. c.config.targetSizeSignedToKind}
    of tyInt64: result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyInt8, tyInt16, tyInt32, tyInt, tyInt64}
    of tyUInt8: result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyUInt8}
    of tyUInt16: result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyUInt8, tyUInt16}
    of tyUInt32: result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyUInt8, tyUInt16, tyUInt32}
    # of tyUInt: result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyUInt8 .. c.config.targetSizeUnsignedToKind}
    of tyUInt64: result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyUInt8, tyUInt16, tyUInt32, tyUInt64}
    else: result = false
  elif f.kind in {tyFloat..tyFloat128}:
    # `isIntLit` is correct and should be used above as well, see PR:
    # https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/pull/11197
    result = isIntLit(a) or a.kind in {tyFloat..tyFloat128}
  else:
    result = false

proc handleFloatRange(f, a: PType): TTypeRelation =
  if a.kind == f.kind:
    result = isEqual
  else:
    let ab = skipTypes(a, {tyRange})
    var k = ab.kind
    if k == f.kind: result = isSubrange
    elif isFloatLit(ab): result = isFromIntLit
    elif isIntLit(ab): result = isConvertible
    elif k >= tyFloat and k <= tyFloat128:
      # conversion to "float32" is not as good:
      if f.kind == tyFloat32: result = isConvertible
      else: result = isIntConv
    else: result = isNone

proc genericParamPut(c: var TCandidate; last, fGenericOrigin: PType) =
  if fGenericOrigin != nil and last.kind == tyGenericInst and
     last.kidsLen-1 == fGenericOrigin.kidsLen:
    for i in FirstGenericParamAt..<fGenericOrigin.kidsLen:
      let x = lookup(c.bindings, fGenericOrigin[i])
      if x == nil:
        put(c, fGenericOrigin[i], last[i])

proc isGenericObjectOf(f, a: PType): bool =
  ## checks if `f` is an unparametrized generic type
  ## that `a` is an instance of
  if not (f.sym != nil and f.sym.typ.kind == tyGenericBody):
    # covers the case where `f` is the last child (body) of the `tyGenericBody`
    return false
  let aRoot = genericRoot(a)
  # use sym equality to check if the `tyGenericBody` types are equal
  result = aRoot != nil and f.sym == aRoot.sym

proc isObjectSubtype(c: var TCandidate; a, f, fGenericOrigin: PType): int =
  var t = a
  assert t.kind == tyObject
  var depth = 0
  var last = a
  while t != nil and not (sameObjectTypes(f, t) or isGenericObjectOf(f, t)):
    if t.kind != tyObject:  # avoid entering generic params etc
      return -1
    t = t.baseClass
    if t == nil: break
    last = t
    t = skipTypes(t, skipPtrs)
    inc depth
  if t != nil:
    genericParamPut(c, last, fGenericOrigin)
    result = depth
  else:
    result = -1

type
  SkippedPtr = enum skippedNone, skippedRef, skippedPtr

proc skipToObject(t: PType; skipped: var SkippedPtr): PType =
  var r = t
  # we're allowed to skip one level of ptr/ref:
  var ptrs = 0
  while r != nil:
    case r.kind
    of tyGenericInvocation:
      r = r.genericHead
    of tyRef:
      inc ptrs
      skipped = skippedRef
      r = r.elementType
    of tyPtr:
      inc ptrs
      skipped = skippedPtr
      r = r.elementType
    of tyGenericInst, tyAlias, tySink, tyOwned:
      r = r.elementType
    of tyGenericBody:
      r = r.typeBodyImpl
    else:
      break
  if r.kind == tyObject and ptrs <= 1: result = r
  else: result = nil

proc isGenericSubtype(c: var TCandidate; a, f: PType, d: var int, fGenericOrigin: PType): bool =
  assert f.kind in {tyGenericInst, tyGenericInvocation, tyGenericBody}
  var askip = skippedNone
  var fskip = skippedNone
  var t = a.skipToObject(askip)
  let r = f.skipToObject(fskip)
  if r == nil: return false
  var depth = 0
  var last = a
  # XXX sameObjectType can return false here. Need to investigate
  # why that is but sameObjectType does way too much work here anyway.
  while t != nil and r.sym != t.sym and askip == fskip:
    t = t.baseClass
    if t == nil: break
    last = t
    t = t.skipToObject(askip)
    inc depth
  if t != nil and askip == fskip:
    genericParamPut(c, last, fGenericOrigin)
    d = depth
    result = true
  else:
    result = false

proc minRel(a, b: TTypeRelation): TTypeRelation =
  if a <= b: result = a
  else: result = b

proc recordRel(c: var TCandidate, f, a: PType, flags: TTypeRelFlags): TTypeRelation =
  result = isNone
  if sameType(f, a):
    result = isEqual
  elif sameTupleLengths(a, f):
    result = isEqual
    let firstField = if f.kind == tyTuple: 0
                     else: 1
    for _, ff, aa in tupleTypePairs(f, a):
      var m = typeRel(c, ff, aa, flags)
      if m < isSubtype: return isNone
      if m == isSubtype and aa.kind != tyNil and c.inheritancePenalty > -1:
        # we can't process individual element type conversions from a
        # type conversion for the whole tuple
        # subtype relations need type conversions when inheritance is used
        return isNone
      result = minRel(result, m)
    if f.n != nil and a.n != nil:
      for i in 0..<f.n.len:
        # check field names:
        if f.n[i].kind != nkSym: return isNone
        elif a.n[i].kind != nkSym: return isNone
        else:
          var x = f.n[i].sym
          var y = a.n[i].sym
          if f.kind == tyObject and typeRel(c, x.typ, y.typ, flags) < isSubtype:
            return isNone
          if x.name.id != y.name.id: return isNone

proc allowsNil(f: PType): TTypeRelation {.inline.} =
  result = if tfNotNil notin f.flags: isSubtype else: isNone

proc inconsistentVarTypes(f, a: PType): bool {.inline.} =
  result = (f.kind != a.kind and
    (f.kind in {tyVar, tyLent, tySink} or a.kind in {tyVar, tyLent, tySink})) or
    isOutParam(f) != isOutParam(a)

proc procParamTypeRel(c: var TCandidate; f, a: PType): TTypeRelation =
  ## For example we have:
  ##   ```nim
  ##   proc myMap[T,S](sIn: seq[T], f: proc(x: T): S): seq[S] = ...
  ##   proc innerProc[Q,W](q: Q): W = ...
  ##   ```
  ## And we want to match: myMap(@[1,2,3], innerProc)
  ## This proc (procParamTypeRel) will do the following steps in
  ## three different calls:
  ## - matches f=T to a=Q. Since f is metatype, we resolve it
  ##    to int (which is already known at this point). So in this case
  ##    Q=int mapping will be saved to c.bindings.
  ## - matches f=S to a=W. Both of these metatypes are unknown, so we
  ##    return with isBothMetaConvertible to ask for rerun.
  ## - matches f=S to a=W. At this point the return type of innerProc
  ##    is known (we get it from c.bindings). We can use that value
  ##    to match with f, and save back to c.bindings.
  var
    f = f
    a = a

  if a.isMetaType:
    let aResolved = lookup(c.bindings, a)
    if aResolved != nil:
      a = aResolved
  if a.isMetaType:
    if f.isMetaType:
      # We are matching a generic proc (as proc param)
      # to another generic type appearing in the proc
      # signature. There is a chance that the target
      # type is already fully-determined, so we are
      # going to try resolve it
      if c.call != nil:
        f = generateTypeInstance(c.c, c.bindings, c.call.info, f)
      else:
        f = nil
      if f == nil or f.isMetaType:
        # no luck resolving the type, so the inference fails
        return isBothMetaConvertible
    # Note that this typeRel call will save a's resolved type into c.bindings
    let reverseRel = typeRel(c, a, f)
    if reverseRel >= isGeneric:
      result = isInferred
      #inc c.genericMatches
    else:
      result = isNone
  else:
    # Note that this typeRel call will save f's resolved type into c.bindings
    # if f is metatype.
    result = typeRel(c, f, a)

  if result <= isSubrange or inconsistentVarTypes(f, a):
    result = isNone

  #if result == isEqual:
  #  inc c.exactMatches

proc procTypeRel(c: var TCandidate, f, a: PType): TTypeRelation =
  case a.kind
  of tyProc:
    var f = f
    copyingEraseVoidParams(c, f)
    if f.signatureLen != a.signatureLen: return
    result = isEqual      # start with maximum; also correct for no
                          # params at all

    if f.flags * {tfIterator} != a.flags * {tfIterator}:
      return isNone

    template checkParam(f, a) =
      result = minRel(result, procParamTypeRel(c, f, a))
      if result == isNone: return

    # Note: We have to do unification for the parameters before the
    # return type!
    for i in 1..<f.len:
      checkParam(f[i], a[i])

    if f[0] != nil:
      if a[0] != nil:
        checkParam(f[0], a[0])
      else:
        return isNone
    elif a[0] != nil:
      return isNone

    result = getProcConvMismatch(c.c.config, f, a, result)[1]

    when useEffectSystem:
      if compatibleEffects(f, a) != efCompat: return isNone
    when defined(drnim):
      if not c.c.graph.compatibleProps(c.c.graph, f, a): return isNone

  of tyNil:
    result = f.allowsNil
  else: result = isNone

proc typeRangeRel(f, a: PType): TTypeRelation {.noinline.} =
  template checkRange[T](a0, a1, f0, f1: T): TTypeRelation =
    if a0 == f0 and a1 == f1:
      isEqual
    elif a0 >= f0 and a1 <= f1:
      isConvertible
    elif a0 <= f1 and f0 <= a1:
      # X..Y and C..D overlap iff (X <= D and C <= Y)
      isConvertible
    else:
      isNone

  if f.isOrdinalType:
    checkRange(firstOrd(nil, a), lastOrd(nil, a), firstOrd(nil, f), lastOrd(nil, f))
  else:
    checkRange(firstFloat(a), lastFloat(a), firstFloat(f), lastFloat(f))


proc matchUserTypeClass*(m: var TCandidate; ff, a: PType): PType =
  var
    c = m.c
    typeClass = ff.skipTypes({tyUserTypeClassInst})
    body = typeClass.n[3]
    matchedConceptContext = TMatchedConcept()
    prevMatchedConcept = c.matchedConcept
    prevCandidateType = typeClass[0][0]

  if prevMatchedConcept != nil:
    matchedConceptContext.prev = prevMatchedConcept
    matchedConceptContext.depth = prevMatchedConcept.depth + 1
    if prevMatchedConcept.depth > 4:
      localError(m.c.graph.config, body.info, $body & " too nested for type matching")
      return nil

  openScope(c)
  matchedConceptContext.candidateType = a
  typeClass[0][0] = a
  c.matchedConcept = addr(matchedConceptContext)
  defer:
    c.matchedConcept = prevMatchedConcept
    typeClass[0][0] = prevCandidateType
    closeScope(c)

  var typeParams: seq[(PSym, PType)] = @[]

  if ff.kind == tyUserTypeClassInst:
    for i in 1..<(ff.len - 1):
      var
        typeParamName = ff.base[i-1].sym.name
        typ = ff[i]
        param: PSym = nil
        alreadyBound = lookup(m.bindings, typ)

      if alreadyBound != nil: typ = alreadyBound

      template paramSym(kind): untyped =
        newSym(kind, typeParamName, c.idgen, typeClass.sym, typeClass.sym.info, {})

      block addTypeParam:
        for prev in typeParams:
          if prev[1].id == typ.id:
            param = paramSym prev[0].kind
            param.typ = prev[0].typ
            break addTypeParam

        case typ.kind
        of tyStatic:
          param = paramSym skConst
          param.typ = typ.exactReplica
          #copyType(typ, c.idgen, typ.owner)
          if typ.n == nil:
            param.typ.flags.incl tfInferrableStatic
          else:
            param.ast = typ.n
        of tyFromExpr:
          param = paramSym skVar
          param.typ = typ.exactReplica
          #copyType(typ, c.idgen, typ.owner)
        else:
          param = paramSym skType
          param.typ = if typ.isMetaType:
                        newTypeS(tyInferred, c, typ)
                      else:
                        makeTypeDesc(c, typ)

        typeParams.add((param, typ))

      addDecl(c, param)

  var
    oldWriteHook = default typeof(m.c.config.writelnHook)
    diagnostics: seq[string] = @[]
    errorPrefix: string
    flags: TExprFlags = {}
    collectDiagnostics = m.diagnosticsEnabled or
                         sfExplain in typeClass.sym.flags

  if collectDiagnostics:
    oldWriteHook = m.c.config.writelnHook
    # XXX: we can't write to m.diagnostics directly, because
    # Nim doesn't support capturing var params in closures
    diagnostics = @[]
    flags = {efExplain}
    m.c.config.writelnHook = proc (s: string) =
      if errorPrefix.len == 0: errorPrefix = typeClass.sym.name.s & ":"
      let msg = s.replace("Error:", errorPrefix)
      if oldWriteHook != nil: oldWriteHook msg
      diagnostics.add msg

  var checkedBody = c.semTryExpr(c, body.copyTree, flags)

  if collectDiagnostics:
    m.c.config.writelnHook = oldWriteHook
    for msg in diagnostics:
      m.diagnostics.add msg
      m.diagnosticsEnabled = true

  if checkedBody == nil: return nil

  # The inferrable type params have been identified during the semTryExpr above.
  # We need to put them in the current sigmatch's binding table in order for them
  # to be resolvable while matching the rest of the parameters
  for p in typeParams:
    put(m, p[1], p[0].typ)

  if ff.kind == tyUserTypeClassInst:
    result = generateTypeInstance(c, m.bindings, typeClass.sym.info, ff)
  else:
    result = ff.exactReplica
    #copyType(ff, c.idgen, ff.owner)

  result.n = checkedBody

proc shouldSkipDistinct(m: TCandidate; rules: PNode, callIdent: PIdent): bool =
  # XXX This is bad as 'considerQuotedIdent' can produce an error!
  if rules.kind == nkWith:
    for r in rules:
      if considerQuotedIdent(m.c, r) == callIdent: return true
    return false
  else:
    for r in rules:
      if considerQuotedIdent(m.c, r) == callIdent: return false
    return true

proc maybeSkipDistinct(m: TCandidate; t: PType, callee: PSym): PType =
  if t != nil and t.kind == tyDistinct and t.n != nil and
     shouldSkipDistinct(m, t.n, callee.name):
    result = t.base
  else:
    result = t

proc tryResolvingStaticExpr(c: var TCandidate, n: PNode,
                            allowUnresolved = false,
                            allowCalls = false,
                            expectedType: PType = nil): PNode =
  # Consider this example:
  #   type Value[N: static[int]] = object
  #   proc foo[N](a: Value[N], r: range[0..(N-1)])
  # Here, N-1 will be initially nkStaticExpr that can be evaluated only after
  # N is bound to a concrete value during the matching of the first param.
  # This proc is used to evaluate such static expressions.
  let instantiated = replaceTypesInBody(c.c, c.bindings, n, nil,
                                        allowMetaTypes = allowUnresolved)
  if not allowCalls and instantiated.kind in nkCallKinds:
    return nil
  result = c.c.semExpr(c.c, instantiated)

proc inferStaticParam*(c: var TCandidate, lhs: PNode, rhs: BiggestInt): bool =
  # This is a simple integer arithimetic equation solver,
  # capable of deriving the value of a static parameter in
  # expressions such as (N + 5) / 2 = rhs
  #
  # Preconditions:
  #
  #   * The input of this proc must be semantized
  #     - all templates should be expanded
  #     - aby constant folding possible should already be performed
  #
  #   * There must be exactly one unresolved static parameter
  #
  # Result:
  #
  #   The proc will return true if the static types was successfully
  #   inferred. The result will be bound to the original static type
  #   in the TCandidate.
  #
  if lhs.kind in nkCallKinds and lhs[0].kind == nkSym:
    case lhs[0].sym.magic
    of mAddI, mAddU, mInc, mSucc:
      if lhs[1].kind == nkIntLit:
        return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[2], rhs - lhs[1].intVal)
      elif lhs[2].kind == nkIntLit:
        return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[1], rhs - lhs[2].intVal)

    of mDec, mSubI, mSubU, mPred:
      if lhs[1].kind == nkIntLit:
        return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[2], lhs[1].intVal - rhs)
      elif lhs[2].kind == nkIntLit:
        return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[1], rhs + lhs[2].intVal)

    of mMulI, mMulU:
      if lhs[1].kind == nkIntLit:
        if rhs mod lhs[1].intVal == 0:
          return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[2], rhs div lhs[1].intVal)
      elif lhs[2].kind == nkIntLit:
        if rhs mod lhs[2].intVal == 0:
          return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[1], rhs div lhs[2].intVal)

    of mDivI, mDivU:
      if lhs[1].kind == nkIntLit:
        if lhs[1].intVal mod rhs == 0:
          return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[2], lhs[1].intVal div rhs)
      elif lhs[2].kind == nkIntLit:
        return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[1], lhs[2].intVal * rhs)

    of mShlI:
      if lhs[2].kind == nkIntLit:
        return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[1], rhs shr lhs[2].intVal)

    of mShrI:
      if lhs[2].kind == nkIntLit:
        return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[1], rhs shl lhs[2].intVal)

    of mAshrI:
      if lhs[2].kind == nkIntLit:
        return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[1], ashr(rhs, lhs[2].intVal))

    of mUnaryMinusI:
      return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[1], -rhs)

    of mUnaryPlusI:
      return inferStaticParam(c, lhs[1], rhs)

    else: discard

  elif lhs.kind == nkSym and lhs.typ.kind == tyStatic and
      (lhs.typ.n == nil or lookup(c.bindings, lhs.typ) == nil):
    var inferred = newTypeS(tyStatic, c.c, lhs.typ.elementType)
    inferred.n = newIntNode(nkIntLit, rhs)
    put(c, lhs.typ, inferred)
    if c.c.matchedConcept != nil:
      # inside concepts, binding is currently done with
      # direct mutation of the involved types:
      lhs.typ.n = inferred.n
    return true

  return false

proc failureToInferStaticParam(conf: ConfigRef; n: PNode) =
  let staticParam = n.findUnresolvedStatic
  let name = if staticParam != nil: staticParam.sym.name.s
             else: "unknown"
  localError(conf, n.info, "cannot infer the value of the static param '" & name & "'")

proc inferStaticsInRange(c: var TCandidate,
                         inferred, concrete: PType): TTypeRelation =
  let lowerBound = tryResolvingStaticExpr(c, inferred.n[0],
                                          allowUnresolved = true)
  let upperBound = tryResolvingStaticExpr(c, inferred.n[1],
                                          allowUnresolved = true)
  template doInferStatic(e: PNode, r: Int128) =
    var exp = e
    var rhs = r
    if inferStaticParam(c, exp, toInt64(rhs)):
      return isGeneric
    else:
      failureToInferStaticParam(c.c.config, exp)

  result = isNone
  if lowerBound.kind == nkIntLit:
    if upperBound.kind == nkIntLit:
      if lengthOrd(c.c.config, concrete) == upperBound.intVal - lowerBound.intVal + 1:
        return isGeneric
      else:
        return isNone
    doInferStatic(upperBound, lengthOrd(c.c.config, concrete) + lowerBound.intVal - 1)
  elif upperBound.kind == nkIntLit:
    doInferStatic(lowerBound, getInt(upperBound) + 1 - lengthOrd(c.c.config, concrete))

template subtypeCheck() =
  case result
  of isIntConv:
    result = isNone
  of isSubrange:
    discard # XXX should be isNone with preview define, warnings
  of isConvertible:
    if f.last.skipTypes(abstractInst).kind != tyOpenArray:
      # exclude var openarray which compiler supports
      result = isNone
  of isSubtype:
    if f.last.skipTypes(abstractInst).kind in {
        tyRef, tyPtr, tyVar, tyLent, tyOwned}:
      # compiler can't handle subtype conversions with pointer indirection
      result = isNone
  else: discard

proc isCovariantPtr(c: var TCandidate, f, a: PType): bool =
  # this proc is always called for a pair of matching types
  assert f.kind == a.kind

  template baseTypesCheck(lhs, rhs: PType): bool =
    lhs.kind notin {tyPtr, tyRef, tyVar, tyLent, tyOwned} and
      typeRel(c, lhs, rhs, {trNoCovariance}) == isSubtype

  case f.kind
  of tyRef, tyPtr, tyOwned:
    return baseTypesCheck(f.base, a.base)
  of tyGenericInst:
    let body = f.base
    return body == a.base and
           a.len == 3 and
           tfWeakCovariant notin body[0].flags and
           baseTypesCheck(f[1], a[1])
  else:
    return false

when false:
  proc maxNumericType(prev, candidate: PType): PType =
    let c = candidate.skipTypes({tyRange})
    template greater(s) =
      if c.kind in s: result = c
    case prev.kind
    of tyInt: greater({tyInt64})
    of tyInt8: greater({tyInt, tyInt16, tyInt32, tyInt64})
    of tyInt16: greater({tyInt, tyInt32, tyInt64})
    of tyInt32: greater({tyInt64})

    of tyUInt: greater({tyUInt64})
    of tyUInt8: greater({tyUInt, tyUInt16, tyUInt32, tyUInt64})
    of tyUInt16: greater({tyUInt, tyUInt32, tyUInt64})
    of tyUInt32: greater({tyUInt64})

    of tyFloat32: greater({tyFloat64, tyFloat128})
    of tyFloat64: greater({tyFloat128})
    else: discard

template skipOwned(a) =
  if a.kind == tyOwned: a = a.skipTypes({tyOwned, tyGenericInst})

proc typeRel(c: var TCandidate, f, aOrig: PType,
             flags: TTypeRelFlags = {}): TTypeRelation =
  # typeRel can be used to establish various relationships between types:
  #
  # 1) When used with concrete types, it will check for type equivalence
  # or a subtype relationship.
  #
  # 2) When used with a concrete type against a type class (such as generic
  # signature of a proc), it will check whether the concrete type is a member
  # of the designated type class.
  #
  # 3) When used with two type classes, it will check whether the types
  # matching the first type class (aOrig) are a strict subset of the types matching
  # the other (f). This allows us to compare the signatures of generic procs in
  # order to give preferrence to the most specific one:
  #
  # seq[seq[any]] is a strict subset of seq[any] and hence more specific.

  result = isNone
  assert(f != nil)

  when declared(deallocatedRefId):
    let corrupt = deallocatedRefId(cast[pointer](f))
    if corrupt != 0:
      c.c.config.quitOrRaise "it's corrupt " & $corrupt

  if f.kind == tyUntyped:
    if aOrig != nil: put(c, f, aOrig)
    return isGeneric

  assert(aOrig != nil)

  var
    useTypeLoweringRuleInTypeClass = c.c.matchedConcept != nil and
                                     not c.isNoCall and
                                     f.kind != tyTypeDesc and
                                     tfExplicit notin aOrig.flags and
                                     tfConceptMatchedTypeSym notin aOrig.flags

    aOrig = if useTypeLoweringRuleInTypeClass:
          aOrig.skipTypes({tyTypeDesc})
        else:
          aOrig

  if aOrig.kind == tyInferred:
    let prev = aOrig.previouslyInferred
    if prev != nil:
      return typeRel(c, f, prev, flags)
    else:
      var candidate = f

      case f.kind
      of tyGenericParam:
        var prev = lookup(c.bindings, f)
        if prev != nil: candidate = prev
      of tyFromExpr:
        let computedType = tryResolvingStaticExpr(c, f.n).typ
        case computedType.kind
        of tyTypeDesc:
          candidate = computedType.base
        of tyStatic:
          candidate = computedType
        else:
          # XXX What is this non-sense? Error reporting in signature matching?
          discard "localError(f.n.info, errTypeExpected)"
      else:
        discard

      result = typeRel(c, aOrig.base, candidate, flags)
      if result != isNone:
        c.inferredTypes.add aOrig
        aOrig.add candidate
        result = isEqual
      return

  template doBind: bool = trDontBind notin flags

  # var, sink and static arguments match regular modifier-free types
  var a = maybeSkipDistinct(c, aOrig.skipTypes({tyStatic, tyVar, tyLent, tySink}), c.calleeSym)
  # XXX: Theoretically, maybeSkipDistinct could be called before we even
  # start the param matching process. This could be done in `prepareOperand`
  # for example, but unfortunately `prepareOperand` is not called in certain
  # situation when nkDotExpr are rotated to nkDotCalls

  if aOrig.kind in {tyAlias, tySink}:
    return typeRel(c, f, skipModifier(aOrig), flags)

  if a.kind == tyGenericInst and
      skipTypes(f, {tyStatic, tyVar, tyLent, tySink}).kind notin {
        tyGenericBody, tyGenericInvocation,
        tyGenericInst, tyGenericParam} + tyTypeClasses:
    return typeRel(c, f, skipModifier(a), flags)

  if a.isResolvedUserTypeClass:
    return typeRel(c, f, a.skipModifier, flags)

  template bindingRet(res) =
    if doBind:
      let bound = aOrig.skipTypes({tyRange}).skipIntLit(c.c.idgen)
      put(c, f, bound)
    return res

  template considerPreviousT(body: untyped) =
    var prev = lookup(c.bindings, f)
    if prev == nil: body
    else: return typeRel(c, prev, a, flags)

  if c.c.inGenericContext > 0 and not c.isNoCall and
      (tfUnresolved in a.flags or a.kind in tyTypeClasses):
    # cheap check for unresolved arg, not nested
    return isNone

  case a.kind
  of tyOr:
    # XXX: deal with the current dual meaning of tyGenericParam
    c.typedescMatched = true
    # seq[int|string] vs seq[number]
    # both int and string must match against number
    # but ensure that '[T: A|A]' matches as good as '[T: A]' (bug #2219):
    result = isGeneric
    for branch in a.kids:
      let x = typeRel(c, f, branch, flags + {trDontBind})
      if x == isNone: return isNone
      if x < result: result = x
    return result
  of tyAnd:
    # XXX: deal with the current dual meaning of tyGenericParam
    c.typedescMatched = true
    # seq[Sortable and Iterable] vs seq[Sortable]
    # only one match is enough
    for branch in a.kids:
      let x = typeRel(c, f, branch, flags + {trDontBind})
      if x != isNone:
        return if x >= isGeneric: isGeneric else: x
    return isNone
  of tyIterable:
    if f.kind != tyIterable: return isNone
  of tyNot:
    case f.kind
    of tyNot:
      # seq[!int] vs seq[!number]
      # seq[float] matches the first, but not the second
      # we must turn the problem around:
      # is number a subset of int?
      return typeRel(c, a.elementType, f.elementType, flags)

    else:
      # negative type classes are essentially infinite,
      # so only the `any` type class is their superset
      return if f.kind == tyAnything: isGeneric
             else: isNone
  of tyAnything:
    if f.kind == tyAnything: return isGeneric
    else: return isNone
  of tyUserTypeClass, tyUserTypeClassInst:
    if c.c.matchedConcept != nil and c.c.matchedConcept.depth <= 4:
      # consider this: 'var g: Node' *within* a concept where 'Node'
      # is a concept too (tgraph)
      inc c.c.matchedConcept.depth
      let x = typeRel(c, a, f, flags + {trDontBind})
      if x >= isGeneric:
        return isGeneric
  of tyFromExpr:
    if c.c.inGenericContext > 0:
      if not c.isNoCall:
        # generic type bodies can sometimes compile call expressions
        # prevent expressions with unresolved types from
        # being passed as parameters
        return isNone
      else:
        # Foo[templateCall(T)] shouldn't fail early if Foo has a constraint
        # and we can't evaluate `templateCall(T)` yet
        return isGeneric
  else: discard

  case f.kind
  of tyEnum:
    if a.kind == f.kind and sameEnumTypes(f, a): result = isEqual
    elif sameEnumTypes(f, skipTypes(a, {tyRange})): result = isSubtype
  of tyBool, tyChar:
    if a.kind == f.kind: result = isEqual
    elif skipTypes(a, {tyRange}).kind == f.kind: result = isSubtype
  of tyRange:
    if a.kind == f.kind:
      if f.base.kind == tyNone: return isGeneric
      result = typeRel(c, base(f), base(a), flags)
      # bugfix: accept integer conversions here
      #if result < isGeneric: result = isNone
      if result notin {isNone, isGeneric}:
        # resolve any late-bound static expressions
        # that may appear in the range:
        let expectedType = base(f)
        for i in 0..1:
          if f.n[i].kind == nkStaticExpr:
            let r = tryResolvingStaticExpr(c, f.n[i], expectedType = expectedType)
            if r != nil:
              f.n[i] = r
        result = typeRangeRel(f, a)
    else:
      let f = skipTypes(f, {tyRange})
      if f.kind == a.kind and (f.kind != tyEnum or sameEnumTypes(f, a)):
        result = isIntConv
      elif isConvertibleToRange(c.c, f, a):
        result = isConvertible  # a convertible to f
  of tyInt:      result = handleRange(c.c, f, a, tyInt8, c.c.config.targetSizeSignedToKind)
  of tyInt8:     result = handleRange(c.c, f, a, tyInt8, tyInt8)
  of tyInt16:    result = handleRange(c.c, f, a, tyInt8, tyInt16)
  of tyInt32:    result = handleRange(c.c, f, a, tyInt8, tyInt32)
  of tyInt64:    result = handleRange(c.c, f, a, tyInt, tyInt64)
  of tyUInt:     result = handleRange(c.c, f, a, tyUInt8, c.c.config.targetSizeUnsignedToKind)
  of tyUInt8:    result = handleRange(c.c, f, a, tyUInt8, tyUInt8)
  of tyUInt16:   result = handleRange(c.c, f, a, tyUInt8, tyUInt16)
  of tyUInt32:   result = handleRange(c.c, f, a, tyUInt8, tyUInt32)
  of tyUInt64:   result = handleRange(c.c, f, a, tyUInt, tyUInt64)
  of tyFloat:    result = handleFloatRange(f, a)
  of tyFloat32:  result = handleFloatRange(f, a)
  of tyFloat64:  result = handleFloatRange(f, a)
  of tyFloat128: result = handleFloatRange(f, a)
  of tyVar:
    let flags = if isOutParam(f): flags + {trIsOutParam} else: flags
    if aOrig.kind == f.kind and (isOutParam(aOrig) == isOutParam(f)):
      result = typeRel(c, f.base, aOrig.base, flags)
    else:
      result = typeRel(c, f.base, aOrig, flags + {trNoCovariance})
    subtypeCheck()
  of tyLent:
    if aOrig.kind == f.kind:
      result = typeRel(c, f.base, aOrig.base, flags)
    else:
      result = typeRel(c, f.base, aOrig, flags + {trNoCovariance})
    subtypeCheck()
  of tyArray:
    a = reduceToBase(a)
    if a.kind == tyArray:
      var fRange = f.indexType
      var aRange = a.indexType
      if fRange.kind in {tyGenericParam, tyAnything}:
        var prev = lookup(c.bindings, fRange)
        if prev == nil:
          if typeRel(c, fRange, aRange) == isNone:
            return isNone
          put(c, fRange, a.indexType)
          fRange = a
        else:
          fRange = prev
      let ff = f[1].skipTypes({tyTypeDesc})
      # This typeDesc rule is wrong, see bug #7331
      let aa = a[1] #.skipTypes({tyTypeDesc})

      if f.indexType.kind != tyGenericParam and aa.kind == tyEmpty:
        result = isGeneric
      else:
        result = typeRel(c, ff, aa, flags)
      if result < isGeneric:
        if nimEnableCovariance and
           trNoCovariance notin flags and
           ff.kind == aa.kind and
           isCovariantPtr(c, ff, aa):
          result = isSubtype
        else:
          return isNone

      if fRange.rangeHasUnresolvedStatic:
        if aRange.kind in {tyGenericParam} and aRange.reduceToBase() == aRange:
          return
        return inferStaticsInRange(c, fRange, a)
      elif c.c.matchedConcept != nil and aRange.rangeHasUnresolvedStatic:
        return inferStaticsInRange(c, aRange, f)
      elif result == isGeneric and concreteType(c, aa, ff) == nil:
        return isNone
      else:
        if lengthOrd(c.c.config, fRange) != lengthOrd(c.c.config, aRange):
          result = isNone
  of tyOpenArray, tyVarargs:
    # varargs[untyped] is special too but handled earlier. So we only need to
    # handle varargs[typed]:
    if f.kind == tyVarargs:
      if tfVarargs in a.flags:
        return typeRel(c, f.base, a.elementType, flags)
      if f[0].kind == tyTyped: return

    template matchArrayOrSeq(aBase: PType) =
      let ff = f.base
      let aa = aBase
      let baseRel = typeRel(c, ff, aa, flags)
      if baseRel >= isGeneric:
        result = isConvertible
      elif nimEnableCovariance and
           trNoCovariance notin flags and
           ff.kind == aa.kind and
           isCovariantPtr(c, ff, aa):
        result = isConvertible

    case a.kind
    of tyOpenArray, tyVarargs:
      result = typeRel(c, base(f), base(a), flags)
      if result < isGeneric: result = isNone
    of tyArray:
      if (f[0].kind != tyGenericParam) and (a.elementType.kind == tyEmpty):
        return isSubtype
      matchArrayOrSeq(a.elementType)
    of tySequence:
      if (f[0].kind != tyGenericParam) and (a.elementType.kind == tyEmpty):
        return isConvertible
      matchArrayOrSeq(a.elementType)
    of tyString:
      if f.kind == tyOpenArray:
        if f[0].kind == tyChar:
          result = isConvertible
        elif f[0].kind == tyGenericParam and a.len > 0 and
            typeRel(c, base(f), base(a), flags) >= isGeneric:
          result = isConvertible
    else: discard
  of tySequence, tyUncheckedArray:
    if a.kind == f.kind:
      if (f[0].kind != tyGenericParam) and (a.elementType.kind == tyEmpty):
        result = isSubtype
      else:
        let ff = f[0]
        let aa = a.elementType
        result = typeRel(c, ff, aa, flags)
        if result < isGeneric:
          if nimEnableCovariance and
             trNoCovariance notin flags and
             ff.kind == aa.kind and
             isCovariantPtr(c, ff, aa):
            result = isSubtype
          else:
            result = isNone
    elif a.kind == tyNil:
      result = isNone
  of tyOrdinal:
    if isOrdinalType(a):
      var x = if a.kind == tyOrdinal: a.elementType else: a
      if f[0].kind == tyNone:
        result = isGeneric
      else:
        result = typeRel(c, f[0], x, flags)
        if result < isGeneric: result = isNone
    elif a.kind == tyGenericParam:
      result = isGeneric
  of tyForward:
    #internalError("forward type in typeRel()")
    result = isNone
  of tyNil:
    skipOwned(a)
    if a.kind == f.kind: result = isEqual
  of tyTuple:
    if a.kind == tyTuple: result = recordRel(c, f, a, flags)
  of tyObject:
    let effectiveArgType = if useTypeLoweringRuleInTypeClass:
        a
      else:
        reduceToBase(a)
    if effectiveArgType.kind == tyObject:
      if sameObjectTypes(f, effectiveArgType):
        c.inheritancePenalty = if tfFinal in f.flags: -1 else: 0
        result = isEqual
        # elif tfHasMeta in f.flags: result = recordRel(c, f, a)
      elif trIsOutParam notin flags:
        c.inheritancePenalty = isObjectSubtype(c, effectiveArgType, f, nil)
        if c.inheritancePenalty > 0:
          result = isSubtype
  of tyDistinct:
    a = a.skipTypes({tyOwned, tyGenericInst, tyRange})
    if a.kind == tyDistinct:
      if sameDistinctTypes(f, a): result = isEqual
      #elif f.base.kind == tyAnything: result = isGeneric  # issue 4435
      elif c.coerceDistincts: result = typeRel(c, f.base, a, flags)
    elif c.coerceDistincts: result = typeRel(c, f.base, a, flags)
  of tySet:
    if a.kind == tySet:
      if f[0].kind != tyGenericParam and a[0].kind == tyEmpty:
        result = isSubtype
      else:
        result = typeRel(c, f[0], a[0], flags)
        if result < isGeneric:
          if tfIsConstructor notin a.flags:
            # set['a'..'z'] and set[char] have different representations
            result = isNone
          else:
            # but we can convert individual elements of the constructor
            result = isConvertible
  of tyPtr, tyRef:
    a = reduceToBase(a)
    if a.kind == f.kind:
      # ptr[R, T] can be passed to ptr[T], but not the other way round:
      if a.len < f.len: return isNone
      for i in 0..<f.len-1:
        if typeRel(c, f[i], a[i], flags) == isNone: return isNone
      result = typeRel(c, f.elementType, a.elementType, flags + {trNoCovariance})
      subtypeCheck()
      if result <= isIntConv: result = isNone
      elif tfNotNil in f.flags and tfNotNil notin a.flags:
        result = isNilConversion
    elif a.kind == tyNil: result = f.allowsNil
    else: discard
  of tyProc:
    skipOwned(a)
    result = procTypeRel(c, f, a)
    if result != isNone and tfNotNil in f.flags and tfNotNil notin a.flags:
      result = isNilConversion
  of tyOwned:
    case a.kind
    of tyOwned:
      result = typeRel(c, skipModifier(f), skipModifier(a), flags)
    of tyNil: result = f.allowsNil
    else: discard
  of tyPointer:
    skipOwned(a)
    case a.kind
    of tyPointer:
      if tfNotNil in f.flags and tfNotNil notin a.flags:
        result = isNilConversion
      else:
        result = isEqual
    of tyNil: result = f.allowsNil
    of tyProc:
      if isDefined(c.c.config, "nimPreviewProcConversion"):
        result = isNone
      else:
        if a.callConv != ccClosure: result = isConvertible
    of tyPtr:
      # 'pointer' is NOT compatible to regionized pointers
      # so 'dealloc(regionPtr)' fails:
      if a.len == 1: result = isConvertible
    of tyCstring: result = isConvertible
    else: discard
  of tyString:
    case a.kind
    of tyString: result = isEqual
    of tyNil: result = isNone
    else: discard
  of tyCstring:
    # conversion from string to cstring is automatic:
    case a.kind
    of tyCstring:
      if tfNotNil in f.flags and tfNotNil notin a.flags:
        result = isNilConversion
      else:
        result = isEqual
    of tyNil: result = f.allowsNil
    of tyString: result = isConvertible
    of tyPtr:
      if isDefined(c.c.config, "nimPreviewCstringConversion"):
        result = isNone
      else:
        if a.len == 1:
          let pointsTo = a[0].skipTypes(abstractInst)
          if pointsTo.kind == tyChar: result = isConvertible
          elif pointsTo.kind == tyUncheckedArray and pointsTo[0].kind == tyChar:
            result = isConvertible
          elif pointsTo.kind == tyArray and firstOrd(nil, pointsTo[0]) == 0 and
              skipTypes(pointsTo[0], {tyRange}).kind in {tyInt..tyInt64} and
              pointsTo[1].kind == tyChar:
            result = isConvertible
    else: discard
  of tyEmpty, tyVoid:
    if a.kind == f.kind: result = isEqual
  of tyAlias, tySink:
    result = typeRel(c, skipModifier(f), a, flags)
  of tyIterable:
    if a.kind == tyIterable:
      if f.len == 1:
        result = typeRel(c, skipModifier(f), skipModifier(a), flags)
      else:
        # f.len = 3, for some reason
        result = isGeneric
    else:
      result = isNone
  of tyGenericInst:
    var prev = lookup(c.bindings, f)
    let origF = f
    var f = if prev == nil: f else: prev

    let deptha = a.genericAliasDepth()
    let depthf = f.genericAliasDepth()
    let skipBoth = deptha == depthf and (a.len > 0 and f.len > 0 and a.base != f.base)

    let roota = if skipBoth or deptha > depthf: a.skipGenericAlias else: a
    let rootf = if skipBoth or depthf > deptha: f.skipGenericAlias else: f

    if a.kind == tyGenericInst:
      if roota.base == rootf.base:
        let nextFlags = flags + {trNoCovariance}
        var hasCovariance = false
        # YYYY
        result = isEqual

        for i in 1..<rootf.len-1:
          let ff = rootf[i]
          let aa = roota[i]
          let res = typeRel(c, ff, aa, nextFlags)
          if res != isNone and res != isEqual: result = isGeneric
          if res notin {isEqual, isGeneric}:
            if trNoCovariance notin flags and ff.kind == aa.kind:
              let paramFlags = rootf.base[i-1].flags
              hasCovariance =
                if tfCovariant in paramFlags:
                  if tfWeakCovariant in paramFlags:
                    isCovariantPtr(c, ff, aa)
                  else:
                    ff.kind notin {tyRef, tyPtr} and res == isSubtype
                else:
                  tfContravariant in paramFlags and
                    typeRel(c, aa, ff, flags) == isSubtype
              if hasCovariance:
                continue

            return isNone
        if prev == nil: put(c, f, a)
      else:
        let fKind = rootf.last.kind
        if fKind in {tyAnd, tyOr}:
          result = typeRel(c, last(f), a, flags)
          if result != isNone: put(c, f, a)
          return

        var aAsObject = roota.last

        if fKind in {tyRef, tyPtr}:
          if aAsObject.kind == tyObject:
            # bug #7600, tyObject cannot be passed
            # as argument to tyRef/tyPtr
            return isNone
          elif aAsObject.kind == fKind:
            aAsObject = aAsObject.base

        if aAsObject.kind == tyObject and trIsOutParam notin flags:
          let baseType = aAsObject.base
          if baseType != nil:
            inc c.inheritancePenalty, 1 + int(c.inheritancePenalty < 0)
            let ret = typeRel(c, f, baseType, flags)
            return if ret in {isEqual,isGeneric}: isSubtype else: ret

        result = isNone
    else:
      assert last(origF) != nil
      result = typeRel(c, last(origF), a, flags)
      if result != isNone and a.kind != tyNil:
        put(c, f, a)
  of tyGenericBody:
    considerPreviousT:
      if a == f or a.kind == tyGenericInst and a.skipGenericAlias[0] == f:
        bindingRet isGeneric
      let ff = last(f)
      if ff != nil:
        result = typeRel(c, ff, a, flags)
  of tyGenericInvocation:
    var x = a.skipGenericAlias
    if x.kind == tyGenericParam and x.len > 0:
      x = x.last
    let concpt = f[0].skipTypes({tyGenericBody})
    var preventHack = concpt.kind == tyConcept
    if x.kind == tyOwned and f[0].kind != tyOwned:
      preventHack = true
      x = x.last
    # XXX: This is very hacky. It should be moved back into liftTypeParam
    if x.kind in {tyGenericInst, tyArray} and
      c.calleeSym != nil and
      c.calleeSym.kind in {skProc, skFunc} and c.call != nil and not preventHack:
      let inst = prepareMetatypeForSigmatch(c.c, c.bindings, c.call.info, f)
      return typeRel(c, inst, a, flags)

    if x.kind == tyGenericInvocation:
      if f[0] == x[0]:
        for i in 1..<f.len:
          # Handle when checking against a generic that isn't fully instantiated
          if i >= x.len: return
          let tr = typeRel(c, f[i], x[i], flags)
          if tr <= isSubtype: return
        result = isGeneric
    elif x.kind == tyGenericInst and f[0] == x[0] and
          x.len - 1 == f.len:
      for i in 1..<f.len:
        if x[i].kind == tyGenericParam:
          internalError(c.c.graph.config, "wrong instantiated type!")
        elif typeRel(c, f[i], x[i], flags) <= isSubtype:
          # Workaround for regression #4589
          if f[i].kind != tyTypeDesc: return
      result = isGeneric
    elif x.kind == tyGenericInst and concpt.kind == tyConcept:
      result = if concepts.conceptMatch(c.c, concpt, x, c.bindings, f): isGeneric
               else: isNone
    else:
      let genericBody = f[0]
      var askip = skippedNone
      var fskip = skippedNone
      let aobj = x.skipToObject(askip)
      let fobj = genericBody.last.skipToObject(fskip)
      result = typeRel(c, genericBody, x, flags)
      if result != isNone:
        # see tests/generics/tgeneric3.nim for an example that triggers this
        # piece of code:
        #
        # proc internalFind[T,D](n: PNode[T,D], key: T): ref TItem[T,D]
        # proc internalPut[T,D](ANode: ref TNode[T,D], Akey: T, Avalue: D,
        #                       Oldvalue: var D): ref TNode[T,D]
        # var root = internalPut[int, int](nil, 312, 312, oldvalue)
        # var it1 = internalFind(root, 312) # cannot instantiate: 'D'
        #
        # we steal the generic parameters from the tyGenericBody:
        for i in 1..<f.len:
          let x = lookup(c.bindings, genericBody[i-1])
          if x == nil:
            discard "maybe fine (for e.g. a==tyNil)"
          elif x.kind in {tyGenericInvocation, tyGenericParam}:
            internalError(c.c.graph.config, "wrong instantiated type!")
          else:
            let key = f[i]
            let old = lookup(c.bindings, key)
            if old == nil:
              put(c, key, x)
            elif typeRel(c, old, x, flags + {trDontBind}) == isNone:
              return isNone
      var depth = -1
      if fobj != nil and aobj != nil and askip == fskip:
        depth = isObjectSubtype(c, aobj, fobj, f)

      if result == isNone:
        # Here object inheriting from generic/specialized generic object
        # crossing path with metatypes/aliases, so we need to separate them
        # by checking sym.id
        let genericSubtype = isGenericSubtype(c, x, f, depth, f)
        if not (genericSubtype and aobj.sym.id != fobj.sym.id) and aOrig.kind != tyGenericBody:
          depth = -1

      if depth >= 0:
        inc c.inheritancePenalty, depth + int(c.inheritancePenalty < 0)
        # bug #4863: We still need to bind generic alias crap, so
        # we cannot return immediately:
        result = if depth == 0: isGeneric else: isSubtype
  of tyAnd:
    considerPreviousT:
      result = isEqual
      for branch in f.kids:
        let x = typeRel(c, branch, aOrig, flags)
        if x < isSubtype: return isNone
        # 'and' implies minimum matching result:
        if x < result: result = x
      if result > isGeneric: result = isGeneric
      bindingRet result
  of tyOr:
    considerPreviousT:
      result = isNone
      let oldInheritancePenalty = c.inheritancePenalty
      var minInheritance = maxInheritancePenalty
      for branch in f.kids:
        c.inheritancePenalty = -1
        let x = typeRel(c, branch, aOrig, flags)
        if x >= result:
          if  c.inheritancePenalty > -1:
            minInheritance = min(minInheritance, c.inheritancePenalty)
          result = x
      if result >= isIntConv:
        if minInheritance < maxInheritancePenalty:
          c.inheritancePenalty = oldInheritancePenalty + minInheritance
        if result > isGeneric: result = isGeneric
        bindingRet result
      else:
        result = isNone
  of tyNot:
    considerPreviousT:
      if typeRel(c, f.elementType, aOrig, flags) != isNone:
        return isNone

      bindingRet isGeneric
  of tyAnything:
    considerPreviousT:
      var concrete = concreteType(c, a)
      if concrete != nil and doBind:
        put(c, f, concrete)
      return isGeneric
  of tyBuiltInTypeClass:
    considerPreviousT:
      let target = f.genericHead
      let targetKind = target.kind
      var effectiveArgType = reduceToBase(a)
      # the skipped child of tyBuiltInTypeClass can be structured differently,
      # newConstraint constructs them with no children
      let typeClassArg = effectiveArgType.kind == tyBuiltInTypeClass
      effectiveArgType = effectiveArgType.skipTypes({tyBuiltInTypeClass})
      if targetKind == effectiveArgType.kind:
        if not typeClassArg and effectiveArgType.isEmptyContainer:
          return isNone
        if targetKind == tyProc:
          if target.flags * {tfIterator} != effectiveArgType.flags * {tfIterator}:
            return isNone
          if tfExplicitCallConv in target.flags and
              target.callConv != effectiveArgType.callConv:
            return isNone
        if doBind: put(c, f, a)
        return isGeneric
      else:
        return isNone
  of tyUserTypeClassInst, tyUserTypeClass:
    if f.isResolvedUserTypeClass:
      result = typeRel(c, f.last, a, flags)
    else:
      considerPreviousT:
        if aOrig == f: return isEqual
        var matched = matchUserTypeClass(c, f, aOrig)
        if matched != nil:
          bindConcreteTypeToUserTypeClass(matched, a)
          if doBind: put(c, f, matched)
          result = isGeneric
        elif a.len > 0 and a.last == f:
          # Needed for checking `Y` == `Addable` in the following
          #[
            type
              Addable = concept a, type A
                a + a is A
              MyType[T: Addable; Y: static T] = object
          ]#
          result = isGeneric
        else:
          result = isNone
  of tyConcept:
    if a.kind == tyConcept and sameType(f, a):
      result = isGeneric
    else:
      result = if concepts.conceptMatch(c.c, f, a, c.bindings, nil): isGeneric
               else: isNone
  of tyCompositeTypeClass:
    considerPreviousT:
      let roota = a.skipGenericAlias
      let rootf = f.last.skipGenericAlias
      if a.kind == tyGenericInst and roota.base == rootf.base:
        for i in 1..<rootf.len-1:
          let ff = rootf[i]
          let aa = roota[i]
          result = typeRel(c, ff, aa, flags)
          if result == isNone: return
          if ff.kind == tyRange and result != isEqual: return isNone
      else:
        result = typeRel(c, rootf.last, a, flags)
      if result != isNone:
        put(c, f, a)
        result = isGeneric
  of tyGenericParam:
    let doBindGP = doBind or trBindGenericParam in flags
    var x = lookup(c.bindings, f)
    if x == nil:
      if c.callee.kind == tyGenericBody and not c.typedescMatched:
        # XXX: The fact that generic types currently use tyGenericParam for
        # their parameters is really a misnomer. tyGenericParam means "match
        # any value" and what we need is "match any type", which can be encoded
        # by a tyTypeDesc params. Unfortunately, this requires more substantial
        # changes in semtypinst and elsewhere.
        if tfWildcard in a.flags:
          result = isGeneric
        elif a.kind == tyTypeDesc:
          if f.len == 0:
            result = isGeneric
          else:
            internalAssert c.c.graph.config, a.len > 0
            c.typedescMatched = true
            var aa = a
            while aa.kind in {tyTypeDesc, tyGenericParam} and aa.len > 0:
              aa = last(aa)
            if aa.kind in {tyGenericParam} + tyTypeClasses:
              # If the constraint is a genericParam or typeClass this isGeneric
              return isGeneric
            result = typeRel(c, f.base, aa, flags)
            if result > isGeneric: result = isGeneric
        elif c.isNoCall:
          if doBindGP:
            let concrete = concreteType(c, a, f)
            if concrete == nil: return isNone
            put(c, f, concrete)
          result = isGeneric
        else:
          result = isNone
      else:
        # check if 'T' has a constraint as in 'proc p[T: Constraint](x: T)'
        if f.len > 0 and f[0].kind != tyNone:
          result = typeRel(c, f[0], a, flags + {trDontBind, trBindGenericParam})
          if doBindGP and result notin {isNone, isGeneric}:
            let concrete = concreteType(c, a, f)
            if concrete == nil: return isNone
            put(c, f, concrete)
          if result in {isEqual, isSubtype}:
            result = isGeneric
        elif a.kind == tyTypeDesc:
          # somewhat special typing rule, the following is illegal:
          # proc p[T](x: T)
          # p(int)
          result = isNone
        else:
          result = isGeneric

      if result == isGeneric:
        var concrete = a
        if tfWildcard in a.flags:
          a.sym.transitionGenericParamToType()
          a.flags.excl tfWildcard
        elif doBind:
          # careful: `trDontDont` (set by `checkGeneric`) is not always respected in this call graph.
          # typRel having two different modes (binding and non-binding) can make things harder to
          # reason about and maintain. Refactoring typeRel to not be responsible for setting, or
          # at least validating, bindings can have multiple benefits. This is debatable. I'm not 100% sure.
          # A design that allows a proper complexity analysis of types like `tyOr` would be ideal.
          concrete = concreteType(c, a, f)
          if concrete == nil:
            return isNone
        if doBindGP:
          put(c, f, concrete)
      elif result > isGeneric:
        result = isGeneric
    elif a.kind == tyEmpty:
      result = isGeneric
    elif x.kind == tyGenericParam:
      result = isGeneric
    else:
      # This is the bound type - can't benifit from these tallies
      let
        inheritancePenaltyOld = c.inheritancePenalty
      result = typeRel(c, x, a, flags) # check if it fits
      c.inheritancePenalty = inheritancePenaltyOld
      if result > isGeneric: result = isGeneric
  of tyStatic:
    let prev = lookup(c.bindings, f)
    if prev == nil:
      if aOrig.kind == tyStatic:
        if c.c.inGenericContext > 0 and aOrig.n == nil and not c.isNoCall:
          # don't match unresolved static value to static param to avoid
          # faulty instantiations in calls in generic bodies
          # but not for generic invocations as they only check constraints
          result = isNone
        elif f.base.kind notin {tyNone, tyGenericParam}:
          result = typeRel(c, f.base, a, flags)
          if result != isNone and f.n != nil:
            var r = tryResolvingStaticExpr(c, f.n)
            if r == nil: r = f.n
            if not exprStructuralEquivalent(r, aOrig.n) and
                not (aOrig.n != nil and aOrig.n.kind == nkIntLit and
                  inferStaticParam(c, r, aOrig.n.intVal)):
              result = isNone
        elif f.base.kind == tyGenericParam:
          # Handling things like `type A[T; Y: static T] = object`
          if f.base.len > 0: # There is a constraint, handle it
            result = typeRel(c, f.base.last, a, flags)
          else:
            # No constraint
            if tfGenericTypeParam in f.flags:
              result = isGeneric
            else:
              # for things like `proc fun[T](a: static[T])`
              result = typeRel(c, f.base, a, flags)
        else:
          result = isGeneric
        if result != isNone: put(c, f, aOrig)
      elif aOrig.n != nil and aOrig.n.typ != nil:
        result = if f.base.kind != tyNone:
                   typeRel(c, f.last, aOrig.n.typ, flags)
                 else: isGeneric
        if result != isNone:
          var boundType = newTypeS(tyStatic, c.c, aOrig.n.typ)
          boundType.n = aOrig.n
          put(c, f, boundType)
      else:
        result = isNone
    elif prev.kind == tyStatic:
      if aOrig.kind == tyStatic:
        result = typeRel(c, prev.last, a, flags)
        if result != isNone and prev.n != nil:
          if not exprStructuralEquivalent(prev.n, aOrig.n):
            result = isNone
      else: result = isNone
    else:
      # XXX endless recursion?
      #result = typeRel(c, prev, aOrig, flags)
      result = isNone
  of tyInferred:
    let prev = f.previouslyInferred
    if prev != nil:
      result = typeRel(c, prev, a, flags)
    else:
      result = typeRel(c, f.base, a, flags)
      if result != isNone:
        c.inferredTypes.add f
        f.add a
  of tyTypeDesc:
    var prev = lookup(c.bindings, f)
    if prev == nil:
      # proc foo(T: typedesc, x: T)
      # when `f` is an unresolved typedesc, `a` could be any
      # type, so we should not perform this check earlier
      if c.c.inGenericContext > 0 and a.containsUnresolvedType:
        # generic type bodies can sometimes compile call expressions
        # prevent unresolved generic parameters from being passed to procs as
        # typedesc parameters
        result = isNone
      elif a.kind != tyTypeDesc:
        if a.kind == tyGenericParam and tfWildcard in a.flags:
          # TODO: prevent `a` from matching as a wildcard again
          result = isGeneric
        else:
          result = isNone
      elif f.base.kind == tyNone:
        result = isGeneric
      else:
        result = typeRel(c, f.base, a.base, flags)

      if result != isNone:
        put(c, f, a)
    else:
      if tfUnresolved in f.flags:
        result = typeRel(c, prev.base, a, flags)
      elif a.kind == tyTypeDesc:
        result = typeRel(c, prev.base, a.base, flags)
      else:
        result = isNone
  of tyTyped:
    if aOrig != nil:
      put(c, f, aOrig)
    result = isGeneric
  of tyError:
    result = isEqual
  of tyFromExpr:
    # fix the expression, so it contains the already instantiated types
    if f.n == nil or f.n.kind == nkEmpty: return isGeneric
    if c.c.inGenericContext > 0:
      # need to delay until instantiation
      # also prevent infinite recursion below
      return isNone
    inc c.c.inGenericContext # to generate tyFromExpr again if unresolved
    # use prepareNode for consistency with other tyFromExpr in semtypinst:
    let instantiated = prepareTypesInBody(c.c, c.bindings, f.n)
    let reevaluated = c.c.semExpr(c.c, instantiated).typ
    dec c.c.inGenericContext
    case reevaluated.kind
    of tyFromExpr:
      # not resolved
      result = isNone
    of tyTypeDesc:
      result = typeRel(c, reevaluated.base, a, flags)
    of tyStatic:
      result = typeRel(c, reevaluated.base, a, flags)
      if result != isNone and reevaluated.n != nil:
        if not exprStructuralEquivalent(aOrig.n, reevaluated.n):
          result = isNone
    else:
      # bug #14136: other types are just like 'tyStatic' here:
      result = typeRel(c, reevaluated, a, flags)
      if result != isNone and reevaluated.n != nil:
        if not exprStructuralEquivalent(aOrig.n, reevaluated.n):
          result = isNone
  of tyNone:
    if a.kind == tyNone: result = isEqual
  else:
    internalError c.c.graph.config, " unknown type kind " & $f.kind

when false:
  var nowDebug = false
  var dbgCount = 0

  proc typeRel(c: var TCandidate, f, aOrig: PType,
              flags: TTypeRelFlags = {}): TTypeRelation =
    if nowDebug:
      echo f, " <- ", aOrig
      inc dbgCount
      if dbgCount == 2:
        writeStackTrace()
    result = typeRelImpl(c, f, aOrig, flags)
    if nowDebug:
      echo f, " <- ", aOrig, " res ", result

proc cmpTypes*(c: PContext, f, a: PType): TTypeRelation =
  var m = newCandidate(c, f)
  result = typeRel(m, f, a)

proc getInstantiatedType(c: PContext, arg: PNode, m: TCandidate,
                         f: PType): PType =
  result = lookup(m.bindings, f)
  if result == nil:
    result = generateTypeInstance(c, m.bindings, arg, f)
  if result == nil:
    internalError(c.graph.config, arg.info, "getInstantiatedType")
    result = errorType(c)

proc implicitConv(kind: TNodeKind, f: PType, arg: PNode, m: TCandidate,
                  c: PContext): PNode =
  result = newNodeI(kind, arg.info)
  if containsGenericType(f):
    if not m.matchedErrorType:
      result.typ() = getInstantiatedType(c, arg, m, f).skipTypes({tySink})
    else:
      result.typ() = errorType(c)
  else:
    result.typ() = f.skipTypes({tySink})
  # keep varness
  if arg.typ != nil and arg.typ.kind == tyVar:
    result.typ() = toVar(result.typ, tyVar, c.idgen)
  else:
    result.typ() = result.typ.skipTypes({tyVar})

  if result.typ == nil: internalError(c.graph.config, arg.info, "implicitConv")
  result.add c.graph.emptyNode
  if arg.typ != nil and arg.typ.kind == tyLent:
    let a = newNodeIT(nkHiddenDeref, arg.info, arg.typ.elementType)
    a.add arg
    result.add a
  else:
    result.add arg

proc convertLiteral(kind: TNodeKind, c: PContext, m: TCandidate; n: PNode, newType: PType): PNode =
  # based off changeType but generates implicit conversions instead
  template addConsiderNil(s, node) =
    let val = node
    if val.isNil: return nil
    s.add(val)
  case n.kind
  of nkCurly:
    result = copyNode(n)
    for i in 0..<n.len:
      if n[i].kind == nkRange:
        var x = copyNode(n[i])
        x.addConsiderNil convertLiteral(kind, c, m, n[i][0], elemType(newType))
        x.addConsiderNil convertLiteral(kind, c, m, n[i][1], elemType(newType))
        result.add x
      else:
        result.addConsiderNil convertLiteral(kind, c, m, n[i], elemType(newType))
    result.typ() = newType
    return
  of nkBracket:
    result = copyNode(n)
    for i in 0..<n.len:
      result.addConsiderNil convertLiteral(kind, c, m, n[i], elemType(newType))
    result.typ() = newType
    return
  of nkPar, nkTupleConstr:
    let tup = newType.skipTypes({tyGenericInst, tyAlias, tySink, tyDistinct})
    if tup.kind == tyTuple:
      result = copyNode(n)
      if n.len > 0 and n[0].kind == nkExprColonExpr:
        # named tuple?
        for i in 0..<n.len:
          var name = n[i][0]
          if name.kind != nkSym:
            #globalError(c.config, name.info, "invalid tuple constructor")
            return nil
          if tup.n != nil:
            var f = getSymFromList(tup.n, name.sym.name)
            if f == nil:
              #globalError(c.config, name.info, "unknown identifier: " & name.sym.name.s)
              return nil
            result.addConsiderNil convertLiteral(kind, c, m, n[i][1], f.typ)
          else:
            result.addConsiderNil convertLiteral(kind, c, m, n[i][1], tup[i])
      else:
        for i in 0..<n.len:
          result.addConsiderNil convertLiteral(kind, c, m, n[i], tup[i])
      result.typ() = newType
      return
  of nkCharLit..nkUInt64Lit:
    if n.kind != nkUInt64Lit and not sameTypeOrNil(n.typ, newType) and isOrdinalType(newType):
      let value = n.intVal
      if value < firstOrd(c.config, newType) or value > lastOrd(c.config, newType):
        return nil
      result = copyNode(n)
      result.typ() = newType
      return
  of nkFloatLit..nkFloat64Lit:
    if newType.skipTypes(abstractVarRange-{tyTypeDesc}).kind == tyFloat:
      if not floatRangeCheck(n.floatVal, newType):
        return nil
      result = copyNode(n)
      result.typ() = newType
      return
  of nkSym:
    if n.sym.kind == skEnumField and not sameTypeOrNil(n.sym.typ, newType) and isOrdinalType(newType):
      let value = n.sym.position
      if value < firstOrd(c.config, newType) or value > lastOrd(c.config, newType):
        return nil
      result = copyNode(n)
      result.typ() = newType
      return
  else: discard
  return implicitConv(kind, newType, n, m, c)

proc isLValue(c: PContext; n: PNode, isOutParam = false): bool {.inline.} =
  let aa = isAssignable(nil, n)
  case aa
  of arLValue, arLocalLValue, arStrange:
    result = true
  of arDiscriminant:
    result = c.inUncheckedAssignSection > 0
  of arAddressableConst:
    let sym = getRoot(n)
    result = noStrictDefs notin c.config.legacyFeatures and sym != nil and sym.kind == skLet and isOutParam
  else:
    result = false

proc userConvMatch(c: PContext, m: var TCandidate, f, a: PType,
                   arg: PNode): PNode =
  result = nil
  for i in 0..<c.converters.len:
    var src = c.converters[i].typ.firstParamType
    var dest = c.converters[i].typ.returnType
    # for generic type converters we need to check 'src <- a' before
    # 'f <- dest' in order to not break the unification:
    # see tests/tgenericconverter:
    let srca = typeRel(m, src, a)
    if srca notin {isEqual, isGeneric, isSubtype}: continue

    # What's done below matches the logic in ``matchesAux``
    let constraint = c.converters[i].typ.n[1].sym.constraint
    if not constraint.isNil and not matchNodeKinds(constraint, arg):
      continue
    if src.kind in {tyVar, tyLent} and not isLValue(c, arg):
      continue

    let destIsGeneric = containsGenericType(dest)
    if destIsGeneric:
      dest = generateTypeInstance(c, m.bindings, arg, dest)
    let fdest = typeRel(m, f, dest)
    if fdest in {isEqual, isGeneric} and not (dest.kind == tyLent and f.kind in {tyVar}):
      # can't fully mark used yet, may not be used in final call
      incl(c.converters[i].flags, sfUsed)
      markOwnerModuleAsUsed(c, c.converters[i])
      var s = newSymNode(c.converters[i])
      s.typ() = c.converters[i].typ
      s.info = arg.info
      result = newNodeIT(nkHiddenCallConv, arg.info, dest)
      result.add s
      # We build the call expression by ourselves in order to avoid passing this
      # expression trough the semantic check phase once again so let's make sure
      # it is correct
      var param: PNode = nil
      if srca == isSubtype:
        param = implicitConv(nkHiddenSubConv, src, copyTree(arg), m, c)
      elif src.kind in {tyVar}:
        # Analyse the converter return type.
        param = newNodeIT(nkHiddenAddr, arg.info, s.typ.firstParamType)
        param.add copyTree(arg)
      else:
        param = copyTree(arg)
      result.add param

      if dest.kind in {tyVar, tyLent}:
        dest.flags.incl tfVarIsPtr
        result = newDeref(result)

      inc(m.convMatches)
      if not m.genericConverter:
        m.genericConverter = srca == isGeneric or destIsGeneric
      return result

proc localConvMatch(c: PContext, m: var TCandidate, f, a: PType,
                    arg: PNode): PNode =
  # arg.typ can be nil in 'suggest':
  if isNil(arg.typ): return nil

  # sem'checking for 'echo' needs to be re-entrant:
  # XXX we will revisit this issue after 0.10.2 is released
  if f == arg.typ and arg.kind == nkHiddenStdConv: return arg

  var call = newNodeI(nkCall, arg.info)
  call.add(f.n.copyTree)
  call.add(arg.copyTree)
  # XXX: This would be much nicer if we don't use `semTryExpr` and
  # instead we directly search for overloads with `resolveOverloads`:
  result = c.semTryExpr(c, call, {efNoSem2Check})

  if result != nil:
    if result.typ == nil: return nil
    # bug #13378, ensure we produce a real generic instantiation:
    result = c.semExpr(c, call, {efNoSem2Check})
    # resulting type must be consistent with the other arguments:
    var r = typeRel(m, f[0], result.typ)
    if r < isGeneric: return nil
    if result.kind == nkCall: result.transitionSonsKind(nkHiddenCallConv)
    inc(m.convMatches)
    if r == isGeneric:
      result.typ() = getInstantiatedType(c, arg, m, base(f))
    m.baseTypeMatch = true

proc incMatches(m: var TCandidate; r: TTypeRelation; convMatch = 1) =
  case r
  of isConvertible, isIntConv: inc(m.convMatches, convMatch)
  of isSubtype, isSubrange: inc(m.subtypeMatches)
  of isGeneric, isInferred, isBothMetaConvertible: inc(m.genericMatches)
  of isFromIntLit: inc(m.intConvMatches, 256)
  of isInferredConvertible:
    inc(m.convMatches)
  of isEqual: inc(m.exactMatches)
  of isNone: discard

template matchesVoidProc(t: PType): bool =
  (t.kind == tyProc and t.len == 1 and t.returnType == nil) or
    (t.kind == tyBuiltInTypeClass and t.elementType.kind == tyProc)

proc paramTypesMatchAux(m: var TCandidate, f, a: PType,
                        argSemantized, argOrig: PNode): PNode =
  result = nil
  var
    fMaybeStatic = f.skipTypes({tyDistinct})
    arg = argSemantized
    a = a
    c = m.c
  if tfHasStatic in fMaybeStatic.flags:
    # XXX: When implicit statics are the default
    # this will be done earlier - we just have to
    # make sure that static types enter here

    # Zahary: weaken tyGenericParam and call it tyGenericPlaceholder
    # and finally start using tyTypedesc for generic types properly.
    # Araq: This would only shift the problems around, in 'proc p[T](x: T)'
    # the T is NOT a typedesc.
    if a.kind == tyGenericParam and tfWildcard in a.flags:
      a.assignType(f)
      # put(m.bindings, f, a)
      return argSemantized

    if a.kind == tyStatic:
      if m.callee.kind == tyGenericBody and
         a.n == nil and
         tfGenericTypeParam notin a.flags:
        return newNodeIT(nkType, argOrig.info, makeTypeFromExpr(c, arg))
    elif a.kind == tyFromExpr and c.inGenericContext > 0:
      # don't try to evaluate
      discard
    elif arg.kind != nkEmpty:
      var evaluated = c.semTryConstExpr(c, arg)
      if evaluated != nil:
        # Don't build the type in-place because `evaluated` and `arg` may point
        # to the same object and we'd end up creating recursive types (#9255)
        let typ = newTypeS(tyStatic, c, son = evaluated.typ)
        typ.n = evaluated
        arg = copyTree(arg) # fix #12864
        arg.typ() = typ
        a = typ
      else:
        if m.callee.kind == tyGenericBody:
          if f.kind == tyStatic and typeRel(m, f.base, a) != isNone:
            result = makeStaticExpr(m.c, arg)
            result.typ.flags.incl tfUnresolved
            result.typ.n = arg
            return

  let oldInheritancePenalty = m.inheritancePenalty
  var r = typeRel(m, f, a)

  # This special typing rule for macros and templates is not documented
  # anywhere and breaks symmetry. It's hard to get rid of though, my
  # custom seqs example fails to compile without this:
  if r != isNone and m.calleeSym != nil and
    m.calleeSym.kind in {skMacro, skTemplate}:
    # XXX: duplicating this is ugly, but we cannot (!) move this
    # directly into typeRel using return-like templates
    incMatches(m, r)
    if f.kind == tyTyped:
      return arg
    elif f.kind == tyTypeDesc:
      return arg
    elif f.kind == tyStatic and arg.typ.n != nil:
      return arg.typ.n
    else:
      return argSemantized # argOrig

  block instantiateGenericRoutine:
    # In the case where the matched value is a generic proc, we need to
    # fully instantiate it and then rerun typeRel to make sure it matches.
    # instantiationCounter is for safety to avoid any infinite loop,
    #  I don't have any example when it is needed.
    # lastBindingCount is used to check whether m.bindings remains the same,
    #  because in that case there is no point in continuing.
    var instantiationCounter = 0
    var lastBindingCount = -1
    while r in {isBothMetaConvertible, isInferred, isInferredConvertible} and
        lastBindingCount != m.bindings.currentLen and
        instantiationCounter < 100:
      lastBindingCount = m.bindings.currentLen
      inc(instantiationCounter)
      if arg.kind in {nkProcDef, nkFuncDef, nkIteratorDef} + nkLambdaKinds:
        result = c.semInferredLambda(c, m.bindings, arg)
      elif arg.kind != nkSym:
        return nil
      elif arg.sym.kind in {skMacro, skTemplate}:
        return nil
      else:
        if arg.sym.ast == nil:
          return nil
        let inferred = c.semGenerateInstance(c, arg.sym, m.bindings, arg.info)
        result = newSymNode(inferred, arg.info)
      arg = result
      r = typeRel(m, f, arg.typ)

  case r
  of isConvertible:
    if f.skipTypes({tyRange}).kind in {tyInt, tyUInt}:
      inc(m.convMatches)
    inc(m.convMatches)
    if skipTypes(f, abstractVar-{tyTypeDesc}).kind == tySet:
      if tfIsConstructor in a.flags and arg.kind == nkCurly:
        # we marked the set as convertible only because the arg is a literal
        # in which case we individually convert each element
        let t =
          if containsGenericType(f):
            getInstantiatedType(c, arg, m, f).skipTypes({tySink})
          else:
            f.skipTypes({tySink})
        result = convertLiteral(nkHiddenStdConv, c, m, arg, t)
      else:
        result = nil
    else:
      result = implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, f, arg, m, c)
  of isIntConv:
    # I'm too lazy to introduce another ``*matches`` field, so we conflate
    # ``isIntConv`` and ``isIntLit`` here:
    if f.skipTypes({tyRange}).kind notin {tyInt, tyUInt}:
      inc(m.intConvMatches)
    inc(m.intConvMatches)
    result = implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, f, arg, m, c)
  of isSubtype:
    inc(m.subtypeMatches)
    if f.kind == tyTypeDesc:
      result = arg
    else:
      result = implicitConv(nkHiddenSubConv, f, arg, m, c)
  of isSubrange:
    inc(m.subtypeMatches)
    if f.kind in {tyVar}:
      result = arg
    else:
      result = implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, f, arg, m, c)
  of isInferred:
    # result should be set in above while loop:
    assert result != nil
    inc(m.genericMatches)
  of isInferredConvertible:
    # result should be set in above while loop:
    assert result != nil
    inc(m.convMatches)
    result = implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, f, result, m, c)
  of isGeneric:
    inc(m.genericMatches)
    if arg.typ == nil:
      result = arg
    elif skipTypes(arg.typ, abstractVar-{tyTypeDesc}).kind == tyTuple or cmpInheritancePenalty(oldInheritancePenalty, m.inheritancePenalty) > 0:
      result = implicitConv(nkHiddenSubConv, f, arg, m, c)
    elif arg.typ.isEmptyContainer or
        # XXX `and not m.isNoCall` is a workaround
        # passing an int to generic types converts it to the type `int`
        # but this isn't done for int literal types, so we preserve the type
        # i.e. works: `type Foo[T] = array[T, int]; var x: Foo[3]` (see t12938, t14193)
        # doesn't work: `proc foo[T](): array[T, int] = ...; foo[3]()` (see #23204)
        (arg.typ.isIntLit and not m.isNoCall):
      result = arg.copyTree
      result.typ() = getInstantiatedType(c, arg, m, f).skipTypes({tySink})
    else:
      result = arg
  of isBothMetaConvertible:
    # result should be set in above while loop:
    assert result != nil
    inc(m.convMatches)
    result = arg
  of isFromIntLit:
    # too lazy to introduce another ``*matches`` field, so we conflate
    # ``isIntConv`` and ``isIntLit`` here:
    inc(m.intConvMatches, 256)
    result = implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, f, arg, m, c)
  of isEqual:
    inc(m.exactMatches)
    result = arg
    let ff = skipTypes(f, abstractVar-{tyTypeDesc})
    if ff.kind == tyTuple or
      (arg.typ != nil and skipTypes(arg.typ, abstractVar-{tyTypeDesc}).kind == tyTuple):
      result = implicitConv(nkHiddenSubConv, f, arg, m, c)
  of isNone:
    # do not do this in ``typeRel`` as it then can't infer T in ``ref T``:
    if a.kind == tyFromExpr: return nil
    elif a.kind == tyError:
      inc(m.genericMatches)
      m.matchedErrorType = true
      return arg
    elif a.kind == tyVoid and f.matchesVoidProc and argOrig.kind == nkStmtList:
      # lift do blocks without params to lambdas
      # now deprecated
      message(c.config, argOrig.info, warnStmtListLambda)
      let p = c.graph
      let lifted = c.semExpr(c, newProcNode(nkDo, argOrig.info, body = argOrig,
          params = nkFormalParams.newTree(p.emptyNode), name = p.emptyNode, pattern = p.emptyNode,
          genericParams = p.emptyNode, pragmas = p.emptyNode, exceptions = p.emptyNode), {})
      if f.kind == tyBuiltInTypeClass:
        inc m.genericMatches
        put(m, f, lifted.typ)
      inc m.convMatches
      return implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, f, lifted, m, c)
    result = userConvMatch(c, m, f, a, arg)
    # check for a base type match, which supports varargs[T] without []
    # constructor in a call:
    if result == nil and f.kind == tyVarargs:
      if f.n != nil:
        # Forward to the varargs converter
        result = localConvMatch(c, m, f, a, arg)
      elif f[0].kind == tyTyped:
        inc m.genericMatches
        result = arg
      else:
        r = typeRel(m, base(f), a)
        case r
        of isGeneric:
          inc(m.convMatches)
          result = copyTree(arg)
          result.typ() = getInstantiatedType(c, arg, m, base(f))
          m.baseTypeMatch = true
        of isFromIntLit:
          inc(m.intConvMatches, 256)
          result = implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, f[0], arg, m, c)
          m.baseTypeMatch = true
        of isEqual:
          inc(m.convMatches)
          result = copyTree(arg)
          m.baseTypeMatch = true
        of isSubtype: # bug #4799, varargs accepting subtype relation object
          inc(m.subtypeMatches)
          if base(f).kind == tyTypeDesc:
            result = arg
          else:
            result = implicitConv(nkHiddenSubConv, base(f), arg, m, c)
          m.baseTypeMatch = true
        else:
          result = userConvMatch(c, m, base(f), a, arg)
          if result != nil: m.baseTypeMatch = true

proc staticAwareTypeRel(m: var TCandidate, f: PType, arg: var PNode): TTypeRelation =
  if f.kind == tyStatic and f.base.kind == tyProc:
    # The ast of the type does not point to the symbol.
    # Without this we will never resolve a `static proc` with overloads
    let copiedNode = copyNode(arg)
    copiedNode.typ() = exactReplica(copiedNode.typ)
    copiedNode.typ.n = arg
    arg = copiedNode
  typeRel(m, f, arg.typ)


proc paramTypesMatch*(m: var TCandidate, f, a: PType,
                      arg, argOrig: PNode): PNode =
  if arg == nil or arg.kind notin nkSymChoices:
    result = paramTypesMatchAux(m, f, a, arg, argOrig)
  else:
    # symbol kinds that don't participate in symchoice type disambiguation:
    let matchSet = {low(TSymKind)..high(TSymKind)} - {skModule, skPackage}

    var best = -1
    result = arg

    var actingF = f
    if f.kind == tyVarargs:
      if m.calleeSym.kind in {skTemplate, skMacro}:
        actingF = f[0]
    if actingF.kind in {tyTyped, tyUntyped}:
      var
        bestScope = -1
        counts = 0
      for i in 0..<arg.len:
        if arg[i].sym.kind in matchSet:
          let thisScope = cmpScopes(m.c, arg[i].sym)
          if thisScope > bestScope:
            best = i
            bestScope = thisScope
            counts = 0
          elif thisScope == bestScope:
            inc counts
      if best == -1:
        result = nil
      elif counts > 0:
        m.genericMatches = 1
        best = -1
    else:
      # CAUTION: The order depends on the used hashing scheme. Thus it is
      # incorrect to simply use the first fitting match. However, to implement
      # this correctly is inefficient. We have to copy `m` here to be able to
      # roll back the side effects of the unification algorithm.
      let c = m.c
      var
        x = newCandidate(c, m.callee)  # potential "best"
        y = newCandidate(c, m.callee)  # potential competitor with x
        z = newCandidate(c, m.callee)  # buffer for copies of m
      x.calleeSym = m.calleeSym
      y.calleeSym = m.calleeSym
      z.calleeSym = m.calleeSym

      for i in 0..<arg.len:
        if arg[i].sym.kind in matchSet:
          # we can shallow copy the bindings since they won't be used
          shallowCopyCandidate(z, m)
          z.callee = arg[i].typ
          if arg[i].sym.kind == skType and z.callee.kind != tyTypeDesc:
            # creating the symchoice with the type sym having typedesc type
            # breaks a lot of stuff, so we make the typedesc type here
            # mirrored from `newSymNodeTypeDesc`
            z.callee = newType(tyTypeDesc, c.idgen, arg[i].sym.owner)
            z.callee.addSonSkipIntLit(arg[i].sym.typ, c.idgen)
          if tfUnresolved in z.callee.flags: continue
          z.calleeSym = arg[i].sym
          z.calleeScope = cmpScopes(m.c, arg[i].sym)
          # XXX this is still all wrong: (T, T) should be 2 generic matches
          # and  (int, int) 2 exact matches, etc. Essentially you cannot call
          # typeRel here and expect things to work!
          let r = staticAwareTypeRel(z, f, arg[i])
          incMatches(z, r, 2)
          if r != isNone:
            z.state = csMatch
            case x.state
            of csEmpty, csNoMatch:
              x = z
              best = i
            of csMatch:
              let cmp = cmpCandidates(x, z, isFormal=false)
              if cmp < 0:
                best = i
                x = z
              elif cmp == 0:
                y = z           # z is as good as x

      if x.state == csEmpty:
        result = nil
      elif y.state == csMatch and cmpCandidates(x, y, isFormal=false) == 0:
        if x.state != csMatch:
          internalError(m.c.graph.config, arg.info, "x.state is not csMatch")
        result = nil
    if best > -1 and result != nil:
      # only one valid interpretation found:
      markUsed(m.c, arg.info, arg[best].sym)
      onUse(arg.info, arg[best].sym)
      result = paramTypesMatchAux(m, f, arg[best].typ, arg[best], argOrig)
  when false:
    if m.calleeSym != nil and m.calleeSym.name.s == "[]":
      echo m.c.config $ arg.info, " for ", m.calleeSym.name.s, " ", m.c.config $ m.calleeSym.info
      writeMatches(m)

proc setSon(father: PNode, at: int, son: PNode) =
  let oldLen = father.len
  if oldLen <= at:
    setLen(father.sons, at + 1)
  father[at] = son
  # insert potential 'void' parameters:
  #for i in oldLen..<at:
  #  father[i] = newNodeIT(nkEmpty, son.info, getSysType(tyVoid))

# we are allowed to modify the calling node in the 'prepare*' procs:
proc prepareOperand(c: PContext; formal: PType; a: PNode, newlyTyped: var bool): PNode =
  if formal.kind == tyUntyped and formal.len != 1:
    # {tyTypeDesc, tyUntyped, tyTyped, tyError}:
    # a.typ == nil is valid
    result = a
  elif a.typ.isNil:
    if formal.kind == tyIterable:
      let flags = {efDetermineType, efAllowStmt, efWantIterator, efWantIterable}
      result = c.semOperand(c, a, flags)
    else:
      # XXX This is unsound! 'formal' can differ from overloaded routine to
      # overloaded routine!
      let flags = {efDetermineType, efAllowStmt}
                  #if formal.kind == tyIterable: {efDetermineType, efWantIterator}
                  #else: {efDetermineType, efAllowStmt}
                  #elif formal.kind == tyTyped: {efDetermineType, efWantStmt}
                  #else: {efDetermineType}
      result = c.semOperand(c, a, flags)
    newlyTyped = true
  else:
    result = a
    considerGenSyms(c, result)
    if result.kind != nkHiddenDeref and result.typ.kind in {tyVar, tyLent} and c.matchedConcept == nil:
      result = newDeref(result)

proc prepareOperand(c: PContext; a: PNode, newlyTyped: var bool): PNode =
  if a.typ.isNil:
    result = c.semOperand(c, a, {efDetermineType})
    newlyTyped = true
  else:
    result = a
    considerGenSyms(c, result)

proc prepareNamedParam(a: PNode; c: PContext) =
  if a[0].kind != nkIdent:
    var info = a[0].info
    a[0] = newIdentNode(considerQuotedIdent(c, a[0]), info)

proc arrayConstr(c: PContext, n: PNode): PType =
  result = newTypeS(tyArray, c)
  rawAddSon(result, makeRangeType(c, 0, 0, n.info))
  addSonSkipIntLit(result, skipTypes(n.typ,
      {tyVar, tyLent, tyOrdinal}), c.idgen)

proc arrayConstr(c: PContext, info: TLineInfo): PType =
  result = newTypeS(tyArray, c)
  rawAddSon(result, makeRangeType(c, 0, -1, info))
  rawAddSon(result, newTypeS(tyEmpty, c)) # needs an empty basetype!

proc incrIndexType(t: PType) =
  assert t.kind == tyArray
  inc t.indexType.n[1].intVal

template isVarargsUntyped(x): untyped =
  x.kind == tyVarargs and x[0].kind == tyUntyped

template isVarargsTyped(x): untyped =
  x.kind == tyVarargs and x[0].kind == tyTyped

proc findFirstArgBlock(m: var TCandidate, n: PNode): int =
  # see https://github.com/nim-lang/RFCs/issues/405
  result = int.high
  for a2 in countdown(n.len-1, 0):
    # checking `nfBlockArg in n[a2].flags` wouldn't work inside templates
    if n[a2].kind != nkStmtList: break
    let formalLast = m.callee.n[m.callee.n.len - (n.len - a2)]
    # parameter has to occupy space (no default value, not void or varargs)
    if formalLast.kind == nkSym and formalLast.sym.ast == nil and
        formalLast.sym.typ.kind notin {tyVoid, tyVarargs}:
      result = a2
    else: break

proc matchesAux(c: PContext, n, nOrig: PNode, m: var TCandidate, marker: var IntSet) =

  template noMatch() =
    c.mergeShadowScope #merge so that we don't have to resem for later overloads
    m.state = csNoMatch
    m.firstMismatch.arg = a
    m.firstMismatch.formal = formal
    return

  template checkConstraint(n: untyped) {.dirty.} =
    if not formal.constraint.isNil and sfCodegenDecl notin formal.flags:
      if matchNodeKinds(formal.constraint, n):
        # better match over other routines with no such restriction:
        inc(m.genericMatches, 100)
      else:
        noMatch()

    if formal.typ.kind in {tyVar}:
      let argConverter = if arg.kind == nkHiddenDeref: arg[0] else: arg
      if argConverter.kind == nkHiddenCallConv:
        if argConverter.typ.kind notin {tyVar}:
          m.firstMismatch.kind = kVarNeeded
          noMatch()
      elif not (isLValue(c, n, isOutParam(formal.typ))):
        m.firstMismatch.kind = kVarNeeded
        noMatch()

  m.state = csMatch # until proven otherwise
  m.firstMismatch = MismatchInfo()
  m.call = newNodeIT(n.kind, n.info, m.callee.base)
  m.call.add n[0]

  var
    a = 1 # iterates over the actual given arguments
    f = if m.callee.kind != tyGenericBody: 1
        else: 0 # iterates over formal parameters
    arg: PNode = nil # current prepared argument
    formalLen = m.callee.n.len
    formal = if formalLen > 1: m.callee.n[1].sym else: nil # current routine parameter
    container: PNode = nil # constructed container
  let firstArgBlock = findFirstArgBlock(m, n)
  while a < n.len:
    c.openShadowScope

    if a >= formalLen-1 and f < formalLen and m.callee.n[f].typ.isVarargsUntyped:
      formal = m.callee.n[f].sym
      incl(marker, formal.position)

      if n[a].kind == nkHiddenStdConv:
        doAssert n[a][0].kind == nkEmpty and
                 n[a][1].kind in {nkBracket, nkArgList}
        # Steal the container and pass it along
        setSon(m.call, formal.position + 1, n[a][1])
      else:
        if container.isNil:
          container = newNodeIT(nkArgList, n[a].info, arrayConstr(c, n.info))
          setSon(m.call, formal.position + 1, container)
        else:
          incrIndexType(container.typ)
        container.add n[a]
    elif n[a].kind == nkExprEqExpr:
      # named param
      m.firstMismatch.kind = kUnknownNamedParam
      # check if m.callee has such a param:
      prepareNamedParam(n[a], c)
      if n[a][0].kind != nkIdent:
        localError(c.config, n[a].info, "named parameter has to be an identifier")
        noMatch()
      formal = getNamedParamFromList(m.callee.n, n[a][0].ident)
      if formal == nil:
        # no error message!
        noMatch()
      if containsOrIncl(marker, formal.position):
        m.firstMismatch.kind = kAlreadyGiven
        # already in namedParams, so no match
        # we used to produce 'errCannotBindXTwice' here but see
        # bug #3836 of why that is not sound (other overload with
        # different parameter names could match later on):
        when false: localError(n[a].info, errCannotBindXTwice, formal.name.s)
        noMatch()
      m.baseTypeMatch = false
      m.typedescMatched = false
      var newlyTyped = false
      n[a][1] = prepareOperand(c, formal.typ, n[a][1], newlyTyped)
      if newlyTyped: m.newlyTypedOperands.add(a)
      n[a].typ() = n[a][1].typ
      arg = paramTypesMatch(m, formal.typ, n[a].typ,
                                n[a][1], n[a][1])
      m.firstMismatch.kind = kTypeMismatch
      if arg == nil:
        noMatch()
      checkConstraint(n[a][1])
      if m.baseTypeMatch:
        #assert(container == nil)
        container = newNodeIT(nkBracket, n[a].info, arrayConstr(c, arg))
        container.add arg
        setSon(m.call, formal.position + 1, container)
        if f != formalLen - 1: container = nil
      else:
        setSon(m.call, formal.position + 1, arg)
      inc f
    else:
      # unnamed param
      if f >= formalLen:
        # too many arguments?
        if tfVarargs in m.callee.flags:
          # is ok... but don't increment any counters...
          # we have no formal here to snoop at:
          var newlyTyped = false
          n[a] = prepareOperand(c, n[a], newlyTyped)
          if newlyTyped: m.newlyTypedOperands.add(a)
          if skipTypes(n[a].typ, abstractVar-{tyTypeDesc}).kind==tyString:
            m.call.add implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv,
                  getSysType(c.graph, n[a].info, tyCstring),
                  copyTree(n[a]), m, c)
          else:
            m.call.add copyTree(n[a])
        elif formal != nil and formal.typ.kind == tyVarargs:
          m.firstMismatch.kind = kTypeMismatch
          # beware of the side-effects in 'prepareOperand'! So only do it for
          # varargs matching. See tests/metatype/tstatic_overloading.
          m.baseTypeMatch = false
          m.typedescMatched = false
          incl(marker, formal.position)
          var newlyTyped = false
          n[a] = prepareOperand(c, formal.typ, n[a], newlyTyped)
          if newlyTyped: m.newlyTypedOperands.add(a)
          arg = paramTypesMatch(m, formal.typ, n[a].typ,
                                    n[a], nOrig[a])
          if arg != nil and m.baseTypeMatch and container != nil:
            container.add arg
            incrIndexType(container.typ)
            checkConstraint(n[a])
          else:
            noMatch()
        else:
          m.firstMismatch.kind = kExtraArg
          noMatch()
      else:
        if m.callee.n[f].kind != nkSym:
          internalError(c.config, n[a].info, "matches")
          noMatch()
        if flexibleOptionalParams in c.features and a >= firstArgBlock:
          f = max(f, m.callee.n.len - (n.len - a))
        formal = m.callee.n[f].sym
        m.firstMismatch.kind = kTypeMismatch
        if containsOrIncl(marker, formal.position) and container.isNil:
          m.firstMismatch.kind = kPositionalAlreadyGiven
          # positional param already in namedParams: (see above remark)
          when false: localError(n[a].info, errCannotBindXTwice, formal.name.s)
          noMatch()

        if formal.typ.isVarargsUntyped:
          if container.isNil:
            container = newNodeIT(nkArgList, n[a].info, arrayConstr(c, n.info))
            setSon(m.call, formal.position + 1, container)
          else:
            incrIndexType(container.typ)
          container.add n[a]
        else:
          m.baseTypeMatch = false
          m.typedescMatched = false
          var newlyTyped = false
          n[a] = prepareOperand(c, formal.typ, n[a], newlyTyped)
          if newlyTyped: m.newlyTypedOperands.add(a)
          arg = paramTypesMatch(m, formal.typ, n[a].typ,
                                    n[a], nOrig[a])
          if arg == nil:
            noMatch()
          if formal.typ.isVarargsTyped and m.calleeSym.kind in {skTemplate, skMacro}:
            if container.isNil:
              container = newNodeIT(nkBracket, n[a].info, arrayConstr(c, n.info))
              setSon(m.call, formal.position + 1, implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, formal.typ, container, m, c))
            else:
              incrIndexType(container.typ)
            container.add n[a]
            f = max(f, formalLen - n.len + a + 1)
          elif m.baseTypeMatch:
            assert formal.typ.kind == tyVarargs
            #assert(container == nil)
            if container.isNil:
              container = newNodeIT(nkBracket, n[a].info, arrayConstr(c, arg))
              container.typ.flags.incl tfVarargs
            else:
              incrIndexType(container.typ)
            container.add arg
            setSon(m.call, formal.position + 1,
                   implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, formal.typ, container, m, c))
            #if f != formalLen - 1: container = nil

            # pick the formal from the end, so that 'x, y, varargs, z' works:
            f = max(f, formalLen - n.len + a + 1)
          elif formal.typ.kind != tyVarargs or container == nil:
            setSon(m.call, formal.position + 1, arg)
            inc f
            container = nil
          else:
            # we end up here if the argument can be converted into the varargs
            # formal (e.g. seq[T] -> varargs[T]) but we have already instantiated
            # a container
            #assert arg.kind == nkHiddenStdConv # for 'nim check'
            # this assertion can be off
            localError(c.config, n[a].info, "cannot convert $1 to $2" % [
              typeToString(n[a].typ), typeToString(formal.typ) ])
            noMatch()
        checkConstraint(n[a])

    if m.state == csMatch and not (m.calleeSym != nil and m.calleeSym.kind in {skTemplate, skMacro}):
      c.mergeShadowScope
    else:
      c.closeShadowScope

    inc a
  # for some edge cases (see tdont_return_unowned_from_owned test case)
  m.firstMismatch.arg = a
  m.firstMismatch.formal = formal

proc partialMatch*(c: PContext, n, nOrig: PNode, m: var TCandidate) =
  # for 'suggest' support:
  var marker = initIntSet()
  matchesAux(c, n, nOrig, m, marker)

proc matches*(c: PContext, n, nOrig: PNode, m: var TCandidate) =
  if m.magic in {mArrGet, mArrPut}:
    m.state = csMatch
    m.call = n
    # Note the following doesn't work as it would produce ambiguities.
    # Instead we patch system.nim, see bug #8049.
    when false:
      inc m.genericMatches
      inc m.exactMatches
    return
  # initCandidate may have given csNoMatch if generic params didn't match:
  if m.state == csNoMatch: return
  var marker = initIntSet()
  matchesAux(c, n, nOrig, m, marker)
  if m.state == csNoMatch: return
  # check that every formal parameter got a value:
  for f in 1..<m.callee.n.len:
    let formal = m.callee.n[f].sym
    if not containsOrIncl(marker, formal.position):
      if formal.ast == nil:
        if formal.typ.kind == tyVarargs:
          # For consistency with what happens in `matchesAux` select the
          # container node kind accordingly
          let cnKind = if formal.typ.isVarargsUntyped: nkArgList else: nkBracket
          var container = newNodeIT(cnKind, n.info, arrayConstr(c, n.info))
          setSon(m.call, formal.position + 1,
                 implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, formal.typ, container, m, c))
        else:
          # no default value
          m.state = csNoMatch
          m.firstMismatch.kind = kMissingParam
          m.firstMismatch.formal = formal
          break
      else:
        # mirrored with updateDefaultParams:
        if formal.ast.kind == nkEmpty:
          # The default param value is set to empty in `instantiateProcType`
          # when the type of the default expression doesn't match the type
          # of the instantiated proc param:
          pushInfoContext(c.config, m.call.info,
            if m.calleeSym != nil: m.calleeSym.detailedInfo else: "")
          typeMismatch(c.config, formal.ast.info, formal.typ, formal.ast.typ, formal.ast)
          popInfoContext(c.config)
          formal.ast.typ() = errorType(c)
        if nfDefaultRefsParam in formal.ast.flags:
          m.call.flags.incl nfDefaultRefsParam
        var defaultValue = copyTree(formal.ast)
        if defaultValue.kind == nkNilLit:
          defaultValue = implicitConv(nkHiddenStdConv, formal.typ, defaultValue, m, c)
        # proc foo(x: T = 0.0)
        # foo()
        if {tfImplicitTypeParam, tfGenericTypeParam} * formal.typ.flags != {}:
          let existing = lookup(m.bindings, formal.typ)
          if existing == nil or existing.kind == tyTypeDesc:
            # see bug #11600:
            put(m, formal.typ, defaultValue.typ)
        defaultValue.flags.incl nfDefaultParam
        setSon(m.call, formal.position + 1, defaultValue)
  # forget all inferred types if the overload matching failed
  if m.state == csNoMatch:
    for t in m.inferredTypes:
      if t.len > 1: t.newSons 1

proc argtypeMatches*(c: PContext, f, a: PType, fromHlo = false): bool =
  var m = newCandidate(c, f)
  let res = paramTypesMatch(m, f, a, c.graph.emptyNode, nil)
  #instantiateGenericConverters(c, res, m)
  # XXX this is used by patterns.nim too; I think it's better to not
  # instantiate generic converters for that
  if not fromHlo:
    res != nil
  else:
    # pattern templates do not allow for conversions except from int literal
    res != nil and m.convMatches == 0 and m.intConvMatches in [0, 256]


proc instTypeBoundOp*(c: PContext; dc: PSym; t: PType; info: TLineInfo;
                      op: TTypeAttachedOp; col: int): PSym =
  var m = newCandidate(c, dc.typ)
  if col >= dc.typ.len:
    localError(c.config, info, "cannot instantiate: '" & dc.name.s & "'")
    return nil
  var f = dc.typ[col]

  if op == attachedDeepCopy:
    if f.kind in {tyRef, tyPtr}: f = f.elementType
  else:
    if f.kind in {tyVar}: f = f.elementType
  if typeRel(m, f, t) == isNone:
    result = nil
    localError(c.config, info, "cannot instantiate: '" & dc.name.s & "'")
  else:
    result = c.semGenerateInstance(c, dc, m.bindings, info)
    if op == attachedDeepCopy:
      assert sfFromGeneric in result.flags

include suggest

when not declared(tests):
  template tests(s: untyped) = discard

tests:
  var dummyOwner = newSym(skModule, getIdent("test_module"), nil, unknownLineInfo)

  proc `|` (t1, t2: PType): PType =
    result = newType(tyOr, dummyOwner)
    result.rawAddSon(t1)
    result.rawAddSon(t2)

  proc `&` (t1, t2: PType): PType =
    result = newType(tyAnd, dummyOwner)
    result.rawAddSon(t1)
    result.rawAddSon(t2)

  proc `!` (t: PType): PType =
    result = newType(tyNot, dummyOwner)
    result.rawAddSon(t)

  proc seq(t: PType): PType =
    result = newType(tySequence, dummyOwner)
    result.rawAddSon(t)

  proc array(x: int, t: PType): PType =
    result = newType(tyArray, dummyOwner)

    var n = newNodeI(nkRange, unknownLineInfo)
    n.add newIntNode(nkIntLit, 0)
    n.add newIntNode(nkIntLit, x)
    let range = newType(tyRange, dummyOwner)

    result.rawAddSon(range)
    result.rawAddSon(t)

  suite "type classes":
    let
      int = newType(tyInt, dummyOwner)
      float = newType(tyFloat, dummyOwner)
      string = newType(tyString, dummyOwner)
      ordinal = newType(tyOrdinal, dummyOwner)
      any = newType(tyAnything, dummyOwner)
      number = int | float

    var TFoo = newType(tyObject, dummyOwner)
    TFoo.sym = newSym(skType, getIdent"TFoo", dummyOwner, unknownLineInfo)

    var T1 = newType(tyGenericParam, dummyOwner)
    T1.sym = newSym(skType, getIdent"T1", dummyOwner, unknownLineInfo)
    T1.sym.position = 0

    var T2 = newType(tyGenericParam, dummyOwner)
    T2.sym = newSym(skType, getIdent"T2", dummyOwner, unknownLineInfo)
    T2.sym.position = 1

    setup:
      var c = newCandidate(nil, nil)

    template yes(x, y) =
      test astToStr(x) & " is " & astToStr(y):
        check typeRel(c, y, x) == isGeneric

    template no(x, y) =
      test astToStr(x) & " is not " & astToStr(y):
        check typeRel(c, y, x) == isNone

    yes seq(any), array(10, int) | seq(any)
    # Sure, seq[any] is directly included

    yes seq(int), seq(any)
    yes seq(int), seq(number)
    # Sure, the int sequence is certainly
    # part of the number sequences (and all sequences)

    no seq(any), seq(float)
    # Nope, seq[any] includes types that are not seq[float] (e.g. seq[int])

    yes seq(int|string), seq(any)
    # Sure

    yes seq(int&string), seq(any)
    # Again

    yes seq(int&string), seq(int)
    # A bit more complicated
    # seq[int&string] is not a real type, but it's analogous to
    # seq[Sortable and Iterable], which is certainly a subset of seq[Sortable]

    no seq(int|string), seq(int|float)
    # Nope, seq[string] is not included in not included in
    # the seq[int|float] set

    no seq(!(int|string)), seq(string)
    # A sequence that is neither seq[int] or seq[string]
    # is obviously not seq[string]

    no seq(!int), seq(number)
    # Now your head should start to hurt a bit
    # A sequence that is not seq[int] is not necessarily a number sequence
    # it could well be seq[string] for example

    yes seq(!(int|string)), seq(!string)
    # all sequnece types besides seq[int] and seq[string]
    # are subset of all sequence types that are not seq[string]

    no seq(!(int|string)), seq(!(string|TFoo))
    # Nope, seq[TFoo] is included in the first set, but not in the second

    no seq(!string), seq(!number)
    # Nope, seq[int] in included in the first set, but not in the second

    yes seq(!number), seq(any)
    yes seq(!int), seq(any)
    no seq(any), seq(!any)
    no seq(!int), seq(!any)

    yes int, ordinal
    no  string, ordinal