microsoft / microsoft/DirectXShaderCompiler

"External declaration [decl name] is unused" after resource assignment

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bug correctness dxil
Dominant language
C++
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Forks
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Avg merge
2d 11h
Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

Description
Given a global extern resource with an auto-assigned or user assigned resource register, reassigning the variable to a different resource (e.g. from ResourceDescriptorHeap) results in the "external declaration is unused" validation error, even if the resource is used prior to assignment.

Steps to Reproduce

CE link

RWByteAddressBuffer buffer : register(u0);

[numthreads(8, 8, 1)]
void CSMain(uint3 id : SV_DispatchThreadID)
{
        buffer.Store(id.x, 0);
        buffer = ResourceDescriptorHeap[0];
        buffer.Store(id.x, 0);
}

Actual Behavior

error: validation errors
<source>:1: error: External declaration '\01?buffer@@3URWByteAddressBuffer@@A' is unused.
Validation failed.

Note that this may be intended behavior (understandably), however, I think in this case the error message is misleading and should directly indicate that this sort of reassignment is forbidden if so.

Environment

  • DXC version 1.7.2207
  • Host Operating System Windows

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the HLSL reproducer in the CE link and inspect the compiler validation path for a global extern resource that is used before reassignment. Determine whether the reassignment should be accepted; done means either correcting the misleading unused-declaration diagnostic or reporting clearly that this reassignment is forbidden, with coverage for the reproducer.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
compilers
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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