Source

Overview

Represents source locations and ranges for AST nodes. Enables source-accurate diagnostics, code generation with line directives, and location-based filtering.

Why Use This?

Generated code can reference original source locations for debuggability. Error messages can pinpoint exact file:line:column positions.

Types

Type	Description
source_location	Single point in source (file, line, column, offset)
source_range	Span between two source locations

Functions

source_location

source_location()

Default constructor. Creates an invalid location.

source_location(file, line, column, offset)

Construct from components.

Signature: source_location(const std::string& file, std::uint32_t line, std::uint32_t column = 1, std::uint32_t offset = 0)

Parameters:

• file — file path or virtual name
• line — 1-indexed line number
• column — 1-indexed column number (default: 1)
• offset — byte offset from file start (default: 0)

is_valid

Check if the location points to a real position.

Signature: bool is_valid() const

Returns: true if file is non-empty and line > 0

same_file

Check if two locations are in the same file.

Signature: bool same_file(const source_location& other) const

Returns: true if file paths match

to_string

Format as "file:line:column".

Signature: std::string to_string() const

to_string_short

Format as "file:line" (without column).

Signature: std::string to_string_short() const

source_range

from (static)

Create a range from two locations or a single location.

Signatures:

• static source_range from(const source_location& start, const source_location& end)
• static source_range from(const source_location& loc) — single-point range

merge (static)

Merge two ranges into one that spans both.

Signature: static source_range merge(const source_range& a, const source_range& b)

is_valid

Check if the range has valid start and end.

Signature: bool is_valid() const

is_empty

Check if start equals end.

Signature: bool is_empty() const

contains

Check if a location or range is within this range.

Signatures:

• bool contains(const source_location& loc) const
• bool contains(const source_range& other) const

overlaps

Check if this range overlaps with another.

Signature: bool overlaps(const source_range& other) const

length

Get the byte span using offsets.

Signature: std::uint32_t length() const

Example:

auto loc = node->get_location();
std::cerr << loc.to_string() << ": error: missing annotation\n";

auto range = node->get_extent();
gen.out("#line " + std::to_string(range.start.line) + " \"" + range.start.file + "\"");