Today, the solution to the puzzle from last time. The code is correct, and compiles without issue. I was quite surprised when I first learned that; it certainly looks like it violates our rule about not using the same simple name to mean two different things in one block.

The key is to understanding why this is legal is that the query comprehensions and foreach loops are specified as syntactic sugars for another program, and it is that program which is actually analyzed for correctness. Our original program:

static void Main()
{
  int[] data = { 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1 };
    foreach (var m in from m in data orderby m select m)
      System.Console.Write(m);
}

is transformed into

static void Main()
{
  int[] data = { 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1 };
  {
    IEnumerator<int> e = 
      ((IEnumerable<int>)(data.OrderBy(m=>m)).GetEnumerator();
    try
    {
      int m; // Inside the "while" in C# 5 and above, outside in C# 1 through 4.
      while(e.MoveNext())
      {
        m = (int)(int)e.Current;
        Console.Write(m);
      }
    }
    finally
    {
      if (e != null) ((IDisposable)e).Dispose();
    }
  }
}

There are five usages of m in this transformed program; m is:

1. declared as the formal parameter of a lambda.
2. used in the body of the lambda; here it refers to the formal parameter.
3. declared as a local variable
4. written to in the loop; here it refers to the local variable
5. read from in the loop; here it refers to the local variable

Is there any usage of a local variable before its declaration? No.

Are there any two declarations that have the same name in the same declaration space? It would appear so. The body of Main defines a local variable declaration space, and clearly the body of Main contains, indirectly, two declarations for m, one as a formal parameter and one as a local. But I said last time: local variable declaration spaces have special rules for determining overlaps. It is illegal for a local variable declaration space to directly contain a declaration such that another nested local variable declaration space contains a declaration of the same name. But an outer declaration space which indirectly contains two such declarations is not  an error. So in this case, no, there are no local variable declarations spaces which directly contain a declaration for m, such that a nested local variable declaration space also directly contains a declaration for m. Our two local variable declarations spaces which directly contain a declaration for m do not overlap anywhere.

Is there any declaration space which contains two inconsistent usages of the simple name m? Yes, again, the outer block of Main contains two inconsistent usages of m. But again, this is not relevant. The question is whether any declaration spaces directly containing a usage of m have an inconsistent usage. Again, we have two declaration spaces but they do not overlap each other, so there’s no problem here either.

The thing which makes this legal, interestingly enough, is the generation of the loop variable declaration logically within the try block. Were it to be generated outside the try block then this would be a violation of the rule about inconsistent usage of a simple name throughout a declaration space.