http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=46488
--- Comment #31 from Eric Botcazou <ebotcazou at gcc dot gnu.org> 2010-11-30 12:57:29 UTC --- > From a quick look I can see that with -fstrict-aliasing we will never consider > ptr->link.next to alias ptr->list.next (so if they are made to alias via > casting the testcase is invalid). Yes, that's it. The miscompilation happens very late (equiv memory location handling during register allocation) but ultimately indirect_refs_may_alias_p decides that: (gdb) p debug_generic_expr(ref1) D.2012_2->list.prev (gdb) p debug_generic_expr(ref2) D.2136_50->link.prev don't alias by virtue of TBAA: /* Do type-based disambiguation. */ if (base1_alias_set != base2_alias_set && !alias_sets_conflict_p (base1_alias_set, base2_alias_set)) return false; PTR1 points to apr_bucket_brigade and PTR2 points to apr_bucket. The aliasing violation is the dereference of APR_RING_SENTINEL which happens in APR_RING_SPLICE_HEAD and accesses an apr_bucket_brigade as an apr_bucket. The violation is "sophisticated": the memory location have the same alias set (gdb) p debug_rtx(mem) (mem/s/v/f:SI (plus:SI (reg/f:SI 84 [ D.2136 ]) (const_int 4 [0x4])) [2 D.2136_50->link.prev+0 S4 A32]) (gdb) p debug_rtx(x) (mem/s/f:SI (plus:SI (reg/f:SI 97) (const_int 4 [0x4])) [2 D.2012_2->list.prev+0 S4 A32]) This may explain why the compiler doesn't warn with -Wstrict-aliasing. It does warn with the more natural: #define APR_RING_SENTINEL(hp, elem, link) \ (struct elem *)((char *)(hp) - APR_OFFSETOF(struct elem, link)) pr46488.c: In function 'brigade_move': pr46488.c:107:2: warning: dereferencing type-punned pointer will break strict-aliasing rules pr46488.c:107:2: warning: dereferencing type-punned pointer will break strict-aliasing rules pr46488.c:107:2: warning: dereferencing type-punned pointer will break strict-aliasing rules pr46488.c: In function 'test': pr46488.c:158:5: warning: dereferencing type-punned pointer will break strict-aliasing rules pr46488.c:158:5: warning: dereferencing type-punned pointer will break strict-aliasing rules pr46488.c:158:5: warning: dereferencing type-punned pointer will break strict-aliasing rules pr46488.c:159:5: warning: dereferencing type-punned pointer will break strict-aliasing rules pr46488.c:159:5: warning: dereferencing type-punned pointer will break strict-aliasing rules pr46488.c:159:5: warning: dereferencing type-punned pointer will break strict-aliasing rules