SAL is the Microsoft language for static analysis of C++ source code.
More details on SAL can be found at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/code-quality/using-sal-annotations-to-reduce-c-cpp-code-defects.
Questions tagged [sal]
52 questions
9
votes
1 answer
What is the purpose of SAL (Source Annotation Language) and what is the difference between SAL 1 and 2?
As asked in the title:
What is the purpose of SAL (Source Annotation Language) and what is the difference between SAL 1 and SAL 2?
I understand the basics of the usage, and that is serves to highlight the purpose of each of the variables passed to…
Thomas Russell
- 5,870
- 4
- 33
- 68
7
votes
1 answer
Quality of Visual Studio Community code analysis with SAL annotations
I hope this question is not out of scope for SO; if it is (sorry in that case), please tell me where it belongs and I'll try to move it there.
The concept of SAL annotations for static code analysis in C/C++ seems really useful to me. Take for…
SWdV
- 1,715
- 1
- 15
- 36
6
votes
1 answer
Warning C6385 in Visual Studio
I seem to get an erroneous warning message from Visual Studio 2019 (16.5 Preview but also in 16.4 and earlier) Code Analysis tool. Is this a bug, or am I really just missing something?
The warning generated (exactly) is:
warning C6385: Reading…
ChrisMM
- 8,448
- 13
- 29
- 48
6
votes
2 answers
why _Printf_format_string_ macro doesn't produce any warnings?
In the following snippet the wrong usage of format specifiers inside the MyFormat() call should produce a warning, according to SAL specifications, and if I uncomment the identical call of printf(), I really will receive all these warnings, but my…
George Hazan
- 170
- 1
- 9
4
votes
1 answer
SAL annotations and pointer parameters
I have been reading about SAL and I'm not clear on if annotations on pointer types apply to the reference or the value it points to. For example, if I have:
void f(_In_ type* t);
_In_ means "The parameter must be valid in pre-state and will not be…
Justin R.
- 23,435
- 23
- 108
- 157
4
votes
3 answers
Microsoft's Source Annotation Language (SAL) -- any way to take advantage of it?
Is there any way to take advantage of Microsoft's SAL, e.g. through a C parser that preserves this information? Or is it made by Microsoft, for Microsoft's internal use only?
It would be immensely useful for a lot of tasks, such as creating C…
user541686
- 205,094
- 128
- 528
- 886
3
votes
0 answers
why vc++ Code Analyze for may-be-null mark raise C6011 on const member function only?
Here's the minimum example, start code analyze in visual studio 2019
#include
class CTest
{
public:
virtual void A() = 0;
virtual void B() const = 0;
_Check_return_ _Ret_maybenull_ static CTest* GetInstance()
{
return…
wwc
- 101
- 6
3
votes
2 answers
Strange SAL annotation warning
I'm trying to use Micosoft's SAL annotation for my project, however I get the following warning, and I don't know why.
As an example, I created a new C++ console application, and have this code:
#include
class Whatever
{
public:
…
Kevin Doyon
- 3,464
- 2
- 33
- 38
3
votes
1 answer
Did Microsoft drop source-code annotation language (SAL) and calling convention from their function definition in MSDN
For example, the function definition of SetWindowPos used to be like so:
BOOL WINAPI SetWindowPos(
_In_ HWND hWnd,
_In_opt_ HWND hWndInsertAfter,
_In_ int X,
_In_ int Y,
_In_ int cx,
_In_ int cy,
_In_ …
user1720897
- 1,216
- 3
- 12
- 27
3
votes
1 answer
Using Microsoft's Source-Code Annotation Language (SAL) with Doxygen?
I am trying to use Doxygen to document some C++ code that uses Microsoft's Source-Code Annotation Language (SAL). However, Doxygen does not parse certain annotation macros, like _Success_, correctly. In the case of the example function annotation,…
Code Doggo
- 2,146
- 6
- 33
- 58
3
votes
1 answer
MSVC SAL vs. C++2a Contract
In MSVC, there is SAL feature, which can be used to describe the parameter, result and so on, and it works well, and portable is also good, C++2a Contract feature seems to do the same thing, can somebody give some diffs between them?
ravin.wang
- 1,122
- 1
- 9
- 26
3
votes
2 answers
sal annotation (prefast) to enforce number of variadic args
I have a variadic function:
print_n_integers(7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7);
int print_n_integers( unsigned int count, ... )
{
// use va_start etc.
}
I'd like to use Microsoft's SAL annotations from sal.h so that the Visual Studio compiler notices…
Alex
- 5,863
- 2
- 29
- 46
3
votes
1 answer
How does the _Pre_defensive_ annotation work?
So I am reasonably conversant with using Microsoft Source Annotation Language (the VS 2012-2013 flavor) to describe function contracts with pointers.
One thing I'm curious about, though, is that I expected to get a different result with _In_…
Jay Carlton
- 1,118
- 1
- 11
- 27
3
votes
1 answer
_Deref_ and _Outptr_ sal annotations
What is the difference between the Deref and Outptr SAL annotations?
Also when do you use the different types of Outptr annotation like _Outptr_result_buffer_all_ and _Outptr_result_buffer_?
Mithun
- 95
- 1
- 1
- 7
2
votes
1 answer
can an "_inout" parameter be "const" "?
My understanding is that if a pointer points to something that is read and written, that is, "inout" then, by definition it cannot be "const" (because of "out") yet, there are prototypes in the C headers that specify parameters as "inout const"…
ScienceAmateur
- 521
- 4
- 11