__attribute__((alias())) for variables?

[Ian Lance Taylor]

Rabih Chrabieh <chrabieh@yahoo.com> writes:

> The alias attribute in  __attribute__((alias()))  is defined as a
> function attribute
> (http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Function-Attributes.html).
>
> It is not defined as a variable attribute
> (http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Variable-Attributes.html).
>
> However, I tried using it for variables (under cygwin on pentium, gcc
> version 3.4.4) and it seems to work!
> For example,
>
>    int AAA;
>    extern int BBB  __attribute__((alias("AAA")));
>
> seems to work properly. And it also creates the proper stabs for
> debugging info.
>
> Then my question is: why does the online help (links above) define the
> alias attribute for functions only?
> - Is there a catch and it doesn't really work?
> - Is the help not up to date?
> - Or is the grammar general enough such that what works for functions
> often automatically works for variables, but you didn't report it?

This is a bug in the documentation.  The alias attribute for variables
works as it does for functions, and it should be documented as such.

Ian