pointer types should just be uwords in IR

docs/source/todo.rst

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 TODO
 ====
 
-don't write pointer types into P8IR files, just write uword as the type? (actually breaks the VARIABLESWITHINIT now that zp vars get initialized to 0 again;  all the pointer examples won't compile anymore)
 fix ^^Node nodes  /  cx16.r0L = nodes[2].weight    (TODO("IR datatype for struct instances")
 fix bool bb2 = bptr[2]^^   ... peekbool(bptr[2]) gives a arg 1 type error... just omit peekbool() here?
 fix countries[2]^^ = 0  compiler crash
@@ -122,6 +121,7 @@ Future Things and Ideas
 IR/VM
 -----
 - possible to use LOADFIELD/STOREFIELD instructions more?
+- pointer dt's are all reduced to just an uword (in the irTypeString method) - is this okay or could it be beneficial to reintroduce the actual pointer type information? See commit fcda2dd92d0ec64d24dad05018a3cd6aef2fed84
 - change the instruction format so an indirect register (a pointer) can be used more often, at least for the inplace assignment operators that operate on pointer
 - getting it in shape for code generation...: the IR file should be able to encode every detail about a prog8 program (the VM doesn't have to actually be able to run all of it though!)
 - fix call() return value handling (... what's wrong with it again?)

intermediate/src/prog8/intermediate/IRFileWriter.kt

@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ class IRFileWriter(private val irProgram: IRProgram, outfileOverride: Path?) {
                     is IRAsmSubroutine -> {
                         val clobbers = child.clobbers.joinToString(",")
                         val returns = child.returns.joinToString(",") { ret ->
-                            if (ret.reg.registerOrPair != null) "${ret.reg.registerOrPair}:${ret.dt.toString().lowercase()}"
+                            if (ret.reg.registerOrPair != null) "${ret.reg.registerOrPair}:${ret.dt.irTypeString(null)}"
-                            else "${ret.reg.statusflag}:${ret.dt.toString().lowercase()}"
+                            else "${ret.reg.statusflag}:${ret.dt.irTypeString(null)}"
                         }
                         xml.writeStartElement("ASMSUB")
                         xml.writeAttribute("NAME", child.label)

intermediate/src/prog8/intermediate/Utils.kt

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import prog8.right
 
 fun DataType.irTypeString(length: UInt?): String {
     val lengthStr = if(length==0u) "" else length.toString()
+    // note: pointer types are all reduced to just an uword (untyped pointer / address)
     return when (this.base) {
         BaseDataType.BOOL -> "bool"
         BaseDataType.UBYTE -> "ubyte"
@@ -17,24 +18,14 @@ fun DataType.irTypeString(length: UInt?): String {
         BaseDataType.LONG -> "long"
         BaseDataType.FLOAT -> "float"
         BaseDataType.STR -> "ubyte[$lengthStr]"             // here string doesn't exist as a seperate datatype anymore
-        BaseDataType.POINTER -> {
+        BaseDataType.POINTER -> "uword"
-            if(sub!=null)
+        BaseDataType.ARRAY_POINTER -> "uword"
-                "^${sub!!.name.lowercase()}"
-            else
-                "^${subType!!.scopedNameString}"
-        }
         BaseDataType.STRUCT_INSTANCE -> {
             if(sub!=null)
                 sub!!.name.lowercase()
             else
                 subType!!.scopedNameString
         }
-        BaseDataType.ARRAY_POINTER -> {
-            if(sub!=null)
-                "^${sub!!.name.lowercase()}[$lengthStr]"
-            else
-                "^${subType!!.scopedNameString}[$lengthStr]"
-        }
         BaseDataType.ARRAY -> {
             when(this.sub) {
                 BaseDataType.UBYTE -> "ubyte[$lengthStr]"