split init and conditionals that return or throw

[mppf]

Should a program using split-init such as the below be allowed?

proc test() {
  var a;
  if option then
    a = new R(1);
  else
    return;
  
  moreStatements(a);
}

PR #14814 implements this, but previous to that PR, this program would not compile, because the else branch of the conditional does not initialize a.

However it is not a problem for this program to compile as-is, because moreStatements(a) will always access an initialized a, and a will simply not be initialized (or deinitialized) if the else branch is taken.

This feature is motivated by an example using try inspired by Arkouda: #14748 (comment) but if we allow this rule for catch clauses it would make sense to also allow for conditionals. (Issue #14748 discusses whether split-init should be allowed within try statements at all, but try/catch is notionally related to if/else and so we would probably make the same choice for return/throw).

[vasslitvinov]

I agree that such programs should be allowed.

[mppf]

There seems to be agreement that such programs should be allowed. PR #14814 implements it and updates the spec. So I am closing this issue.