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(stabs.info)Cross-References

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Cross-References to Other Types
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   A type can be used before it is defined; one common way to deal with
that situation is just to use a type reference to a type which has not
yet been defined.

   Another way is with the `x' type descriptor, which is followed by
`s' for a structure tag, `u' for a union tag, or `e' for a enumerator
tag, followed by the name of the tag, followed by `:'.  If the name
contains `::' between a `<' and `>' pair (for C++ templates), such a
`::' does not end the name--only a single `:' ends the name; see Note:
Nested Symbols.

   For example, the following C declarations:

     struct foo;
     struct foo *bar;

produce:

     .stabs "bar:G16=*17=xsfoo:",32,0,0,0

   Not all debuggers support the `x' type descriptor, so on some
machines GCC does not use it.  I believe that for the above example it
would just emit a reference to type 17 and never define it, but I
haven't verified that.

   Modula-2 imported types, at least on AIX, use the `i' type
descriptor, which is followed by the name of the module from which the
type is imported, followed by `:', followed by the name of the type.
There is then optionally a comma followed by type information for the
type.  This differs from merely naming the type (Note: Typedefs) in
that it identifies the module; I don't understand whether the name of
the type given here is always just the same as the name we are giving
it, or whether this type descriptor is used with a nameless stab (Note:
String Field), or what.  The symbol ends with `;'.