';'-separated statements fail at an imported module's top level

# scmod.py
a = 1; b = 2          # pascal26:1: error: expected expression
# scmain.npy
import scmod
print(scmod.a + scmod.b)   # CPython: 3

Cause and fix

pyparser.inc has three statement loops:

• the program loop;
• PyParseBlock, for every indented suite;
• the imported module's top-level loop.

The first two consume ; and parse the next simple statement on the same line. The module loop parsed one statement and then returned to its line loop, where the ; began a statement and failed. The module loop's ordinary-statement arm now repeats while a ; follows, and stops at a trailing ;, as the other two loops do.

Measured (2026-09-29, fixedpoint 14a778a7c574)

• test/test_nilpy_semicolons_at_an_imported_modules_top_level.npy, with its module test/semimod.py, covers:

  • assignments and augmented assignments;
  • calls;
  • a trailing ;;
  • a one-line if suite and a one-line for suite;
  • a string after the ;.

  It equals CPython on x86-64, i386, riscv32, arm32 and wasm32. With the previous compiler, it does not build on any of them. The rows are x86-64, i386 and wasm32.

• test_nilpy_chained_assign_nested_attr, test_nilpy_chained_assign_powassign and test_nilpy_suites, compiled as an imported module under a one-line import main, now equal CPython on x86-64. With the previous compiler, all three failed to build.

Not covered: a separate defect

class P: with k = 1; j = 2 in its body fails with class method not found: j in a main program as well, so it is not this loop. Its cause was not investigated here, and it was reported to the coordinator.