Optimize the unconditional_checked_cast_addr in this pattern:
%box = alloc_existential_box $Error, $ConcreteError
%a = project_existential_box $ConcreteError in %b : $Error
store %value to %a : $*ConcreteError
%err = alloc_stack $Error
store %box to %err : $*Error
%dest = alloc_stack $ConcreteError
unconditional_checked_cast_addr Error in %err : $*Error to ConcreteError in %dest : $*ConcreteError
to:
...
retain_value %value : $ConcreteError
destroy_addr %err : $*Error
store %value to %dest $*ConcreteError
This lets the alloc_existential_box become dead and it can be removed in following optimizations.
The same optimization is also done for conditional_checked_cast_addr.
There is also an implication for debugging:
Each "throw" in the code calls the runtime function swift_willThrow. The function is used by the debugger to set a breakpoint and also add hooks.
This optimization can completely eliminate a "throw", including the runtime call.
So, with optimized code, the user might not see the program to break at a throw, whereas in the source code it is actually throwing.
On the other hand, eliminating the existential box is a significant performance win and we don't guarantee any debugging behavior for optimized code anyway. So I think this is a reasonable trade-off.
I added an option "-Xllvm -keep-will-throw-call" to keep the runtime call which can be used if someone want's to reliably break on "throw" in optimized builds.
rdar://problem/66055678
