comptime_int exported constants are silently dropped

[CrystalGamma]

Zig Version

0.8.1

Steps to Reproduce

Write a source file like this:

export const my_const = 42;

Build it, using e. g. zig build-obj. Inspect the resulting object file or assembly.

Expected Behavior

Either a compiler error, or the value to be emitted using a default representation (though which one would be unclear, with comptime_int type).

Actual Behavior

The constant is silently dropped.

[mrakh]

Makes sense for it not to show up, as comptime_int has no size or alignment information. Changing it to the following should fix the issue:

export const my_const : u32 = 42;

But it is weird that trying to export a comptime_int doesn't throw a compiler error.

[daurnimator]

Being a comptime int, it doesn't show up in exported object files; but it does should show up in emitted headers.

[CrystalGamma]

So an exported comptime_int not generating an error is a design decision? That doesn't seem to be well-documented. At least I can't find it in The Documentation searching for 'export'.

[Vexu]

Fixed by #12075