Finish merging by updating generated docs.

2 files changed, 254 insertions, 185 deletions

diff --git a/doc/gawk.info b/doc/gawk.info
index 67b52f5e..696c8c3e 100644
--- a/doc/gawk.info
+++ b/doc/gawk.info
@@ -23628,7 +23628,8 @@ use them.
 '    AWK_ARRAY,'
 '    AWK_SCALAR,         /* opaque access to a variable */'
 '    AWK_VALUE_COOKIE,   /* for updating a previously created value */'
-'    AWK_REGEX'
+'    AWK_REGEX,'
+'    AWK_STRNUM'
 '} awk_valtype_t;'
      This 'enum' indicates the type of a value.  It is used in the
      following 'struct'.
@@ -23648,6 +23649,7 @@ use them.
      type.
 
 '#define str_value      u.s'
+'#define strnum_value    str_value'
 '#define regex_value    str_value'
 '#define num_value      u.d'
 '#define array_cookie   u.a'
@@ -23667,15 +23669,21 @@ use them.
      This is also discussed in a general fashion in the text following
      this list, and in more detail in *note Cached values::.
 
-   Scalar values in 'awk' are numbers, strings, or typed regexps.  The
-'awk_value_t' struct represents values.  The 'val_type' member indicates
-what is in the 'union'.
+   Scalar values in 'awk' are numbers, strings, strnums, or typed
+regexps.  The 'awk_value_t' struct represents values.  The 'val_type'
+member indicates what is in the 'union'.
 
    Representing numbers is easy--the API uses a C 'double'.  Strings
 require more work.  Because 'gawk' allows embedded NUL bytes in string
 values, a string must be represented as a pair containing a data pointer
 and length.  This is the 'awk_string_t' type.
 
+   A strnum (numeric string) value is represented as a string and
+consists of user input data that appears to be numeric.  When an
+extension attempts to create a strnum value, a string flagged as user
+input is created.  Subsequent parsing will determine whether it looks
+like a number and should be treated as a strnum or a regular string.
+
    Typed regexp values (*note Strong Regexp Constants::) are not of much
 use to extension functions.  Extension functions can tell that they've
 received them, and create them for scalar values.  Otherwise, they can
@@ -23842,9 +23850,29 @@ code would use them:
      variable pointed to by 'result'.
 
 'static inline awk_value_t *'
-'make_regex(const char *string, size_t length, awk_value_t *result);'
+'make_const_user_input(const char *string, size_t length, awk_value_t *result);'
+     This function is identical to 'make_const_string', but the string
+     is flagged as user input that should be treated as a strnum value
+     if the contents of the string are numeric.
+
+'static inline awk_value_t *'
+'make_malloced_user_input(const char *string, size_t length, awk_value_t *result);'
+     This function is identical to 'make_malloced_string', but the
+     string is flagged as user input that should be treated as a strnum
+     value if the contents of the string are numeric.
+
+'static inline awk_value_t *'
+'make_const_regex(const char *string, size_t length, awk_value_t *result);'
+     This function creates a strongly typed regexp value by allocating a
+     copy of the string.  'string' is the regular expression of length
+     'len'.
+
+'static inline awk_value_t *'
+'make_malloced_regex(const char *string, size_t length, awk_value_t *result);'
      This function creates a strongly typed regexp value.  'string' is
-     the regular expression of length 'len'.
+     the regular expression of length 'len'.  It expects 'string' to be
+     a 'char *' value pointing to data previously obtained from
+     'gawk_malloc()', 'gawk_calloc()', or 'gawk_realloc()'.
 
 
 File: gawk.info,  Node: Registration Functions,  Next: Printing Messages,  Prev: Constructor Functions,  Up: Extension API Description
@@ -24593,9 +24621,9 @@ was discussed earlier, in *note General Data Types::.
 
 'awk_bool_t sym_update_scalar(awk_scalar_t cookie, awk_value_t *value);'
      Update the value associated with a scalar cookie.  Return false if
-     the new value is not of type 'AWK_STRING', 'AWK_REGEX', or
-     'AWK_NUMBER'.  Here too, the predefined variables may not be
-     updated.
+     the new value is not of type 'AWK_STRING', 'AWK_STRNUM',
+     'AWK_REGEX', or 'AWK_NUMBER'.  Here too, the predefined variables
+     may not be updated.
 
    It is not obvious at first glance how to work with scalar cookies or
 what their raison d'e^tre really is.  In theory, the 'sym_lookup()' and
@@ -24710,9 +24738,9 @@ follows:
 'awk_bool_t create_value(awk_value_t *value, awk_value_cookie_t *result);'
      Create a cached string or numeric value from 'value' for efficient
      later assignment.  Only values of type 'AWK_NUMBER', 'AWK_REGEX',
-     and 'AWK_STRING' are allowed.  Any other type is rejected.
-     'AWK_UNDEFINED' could be allowed, but doing so would result in
-     inferior performance.
+     'AWK_STRNUM', and 'AWK_STRING' are allowed.  Any other type is
+     rejected.  'AWK_UNDEFINED' could be allowed, but doing so would
+     result in inferior performance.
 
 'awk_bool_t release_value(awk_value_cookie_t vc);'
      Release the memory associated with a value cookie obtained from
@@ -24939,12 +24967,20 @@ The following functions relate to individual array elements:
      array, but after calling this function, it has no elements.  This
      is equivalent to using the 'delete' statement (*note Delete::).
 
+'awk_bool_t flatten_array_typed(awk_array_t a_cookie, awk_flat_array_t **data, awk_valtype_t index_type, awk_valtype_t value_type);'
+     For the array represented by 'a_cookie', create an
+     'awk_flat_array_t' structure and fill it in with indices and values
+     of the requested types.  Set the pointer whose address is passed as
+     'data' to point to this structure.  Return true upon success, or
+     false otherwise.  *Note Flattening Arrays::, for a discussion of
+     how to flatten an array and work with it.
+
 'awk_bool_t flatten_array(awk_array_t a_cookie, awk_flat_array_t **data);'
      For the array represented by 'a_cookie', create an
-     'awk_flat_array_t' structure and fill it in.  Set the pointer whose
-     address is passed as 'data' to point to this structure.  Return
-     true upon success, or false otherwise.  *Note Flattening Arrays::,
-     for a discussion of how to flatten an array and work with it.
+     'awk_flat_array_t' structure and fill it in with 'AWK_STRING'
+     indices and 'AWK_UNDEFINED' values.  This is superseded by
+     'flatten_array_typed' and retained only for legacy binary
+     compatibility.
 
 'awk_bool_t release_flattened_array(awk_array_t a_cookie,'
 '                                   awk_flat_array_t *data);'
@@ -25046,7 +25082,7 @@ count of elements in the array and print it:
 double-check that the count in the 'awk_flat_array_t' is the same as the
 count just retrieved:
 
-         if (! flatten_array(value2.array_cookie, & flat_array)) {
+         if (! flatten_array_typed(value2.array_cookie, & flat_array, AWK_STRING, AWK_UNDEFINED)) {
              printf("dump_array_and_delete: could not flatten array\n");
              goto out;
          }
@@ -35820,142 +35856,142 @@ Ref: figure-call-new-function948497
 Node: Extension API Description950559
 Node: Extension API Functions Introduction952201
 Node: General Data Types957512
-Ref: General Data Types-Footnote-1963823
-Node: Memory Allocation Functions964122
-Ref: Memory Allocation Functions-Footnote-1966967
-Node: Constructor Functions967066
-Node: Registration Functions969028
-Node: Extension Functions969713
-Node: Exit Callback Functions974911
-Node: Extension Version String976161
-Node: Input Parsers976824
-Node: Output Wrappers986706
-Node: Two-way processors991218
-Node: Printing Messages993483
-Ref: Printing Messages-Footnote-1994654
-Node: Updating ERRNO994807
-Node: Requesting Values995546
-Ref: table-value-types-returned996283
-Node: Accessing Parameters997166
-Node: Symbol Table Access998401
-Node: Symbol table by name998913
-Node: Symbol table by cookie1000702
-Ref: Symbol table by cookie-Footnote-11004873
-Node: Cached values1004937
-Ref: Cached values-Footnote-11008458
-Node: Array Manipulation1008549
-Ref: Array Manipulation-Footnote-11009640
-Node: Array Data Types1009677
-Ref: Array Data Types-Footnote-11012335
-Node: Array Functions1012427
-Node: Flattening Arrays1016285
-Node: Creating Arrays1023193
-Node: Redirection API1027962
-Node: Extension API Variables1030793
-Node: Extension Versioning1031426
-Ref: gawk-api-version1031863
-Node: Extension API Informational Variables1033591
-Node: Extension API Boilerplate1034655
-Node: Changes from API V11038517
-Node: Finding Extensions1039177
-Node: Extension Example1039736
-Node: Internal File Description1040534
-Node: Internal File Ops1044614
-Ref: Internal File Ops-Footnote-11056014
-Node: Using Internal File Ops1056154
-Ref: Using Internal File Ops-Footnote-11058537
-Node: Extension Samples1058811
-Node: Extension Sample File Functions1060340
-Node: Extension Sample Fnmatch1067989
-Node: Extension Sample Fork1069476
-Node: Extension Sample Inplace1070694
-Node: Extension Sample Ord1073904
-Node: Extension Sample Readdir1074740
-Ref: table-readdir-file-types1075629
-Node: Extension Sample Revout1076434
-Node: Extension Sample Rev2way1077023
-Node: Extension Sample Read write array1077763
-Node: Extension Sample Readfile1079705
-Node: Extension Sample Time1080800
-Node: Extension Sample API Tests1082148
-Node: gawkextlib1082640
-Node: Extension summary1085087
-Node: Extension Exercises1088789
-Node: Language History1090287
-Node: V7/SVR3.11091943
-Node: SVR41094095
-Node: POSIX1095529
-Node: BTL1096908
-Node: POSIX/GNU1097637
-Node: Feature History1103499
-Node: Common Extensions1117869
-Node: Ranges and Locales1119152
-Ref: Ranges and Locales-Footnote-11123768
-Ref: Ranges and Locales-Footnote-21123795
-Ref: Ranges and Locales-Footnote-31124030
-Node: Contributors1124251
-Node: History summary1129811
-Node: Installation1131191
-Node: Gawk Distribution1132135
-Node: Getting1132619
-Node: Extracting1133580
-Node: Distribution contents1135218
-Node: Unix Installation1141303
-Node: Quick Installation1141985
-Node: Shell Startup Files1144399
-Node: Additional Configuration Options1145477
-Node: Configuration Philosophy1147282
-Node: Non-Unix Installation1149651
-Node: PC Installation1150111
-Node: PC Binary Installation1150949
-Node: PC Compiling1151384
-Node: PC Using1152501
-Node: Cygwin1155546
-Node: MSYS1156316
-Node: VMS Installation1156817
-Node: VMS Compilation1157608
-Ref: VMS Compilation-Footnote-11158837
-Node: VMS Dynamic Extensions1158895
-Node: VMS Installation Details1160580
-Node: VMS Running1162833
-Node: VMS GNV1167112
-Node: VMS Old Gawk1167847
-Node: Bugs1168318
-Node: Bug address1168981
-Node: Usenet1171378
-Node: Maintainers1172153
-Node: Other Versions1173529
-Node: Installation summary1180113
-Node: Notes1181148
-Node: Compatibility Mode1182013
-Node: Additions1182795
-Node: Accessing The Source1183720
-Node: Adding Code1185155
-Node: New Ports1191374
-Node: Derived Files1195862
-Ref: Derived Files-Footnote-11201347
-Ref: Derived Files-Footnote-21201382
-Ref: Derived Files-Footnote-31201980
-Node: Future Extensions1202094
-Node: Implementation Limitations1202752
-Node: Extension Design1203935
-Node: Old Extension Problems1205089
-Ref: Old Extension Problems-Footnote-11206607
-Node: Extension New Mechanism Goals1206664
-Ref: Extension New Mechanism Goals-Footnote-11210028
-Node: Extension Other Design Decisions1210217
-Node: Extension Future Growth1212330
-Node: Old Extension Mechanism1213166
-Node: Notes summary1214929
-Node: Basic Concepts1216111
-Node: Basic High Level1216792
-Ref: figure-general-flow1217074
-Ref: figure-process-flow1217759
-Ref: Basic High Level-Footnote-11221060
-Node: Basic Data Typing1221245
-Node: Glossary1224573
-Node: Copying1256520
-Node: GNU Free Documentation License1294059
-Node: Index1319177
+Ref: General Data Types-Footnote-1964227
+Node: Memory Allocation Functions964526
+Ref: Memory Allocation Functions-Footnote-1967371
+Node: Constructor Functions967470
+Node: Registration Functions970465
+Node: Extension Functions971150
+Node: Exit Callback Functions976348
+Node: Extension Version String977598
+Node: Input Parsers978261
+Node: Output Wrappers988143
+Node: Two-way processors992655
+Node: Printing Messages994920
+Ref: Printing Messages-Footnote-1996091
+Node: Updating ERRNO996244
+Node: Requesting Values996983
+Ref: table-value-types-returned997720
+Node: Accessing Parameters998603
+Node: Symbol Table Access999838
+Node: Symbol table by name1000350
+Node: Symbol table by cookie1002139
+Ref: Symbol table by cookie-Footnote-11006324
+Node: Cached values1006388
+Ref: Cached values-Footnote-11009924
+Node: Array Manipulation1010015
+Ref: Array Manipulation-Footnote-11011106
+Node: Array Data Types1011143
+Ref: Array Data Types-Footnote-11013801
+Node: Array Functions1013893
+Node: Flattening Arrays1018207
+Node: Creating Arrays1025148
+Node: Redirection API1029917
+Node: Extension API Variables1032748
+Node: Extension Versioning1033381
+Ref: gawk-api-version1033818
+Node: Extension API Informational Variables1035546
+Node: Extension API Boilerplate1036610
+Node: Changes from API V11040472
+Node: Finding Extensions1041132
+Node: Extension Example1041691
+Node: Internal File Description1042489
+Node: Internal File Ops1046569
+Ref: Internal File Ops-Footnote-11057969
+Node: Using Internal File Ops1058109
+Ref: Using Internal File Ops-Footnote-11060492
+Node: Extension Samples1060766
+Node: Extension Sample File Functions1062295
+Node: Extension Sample Fnmatch1069944
+Node: Extension Sample Fork1071431
+Node: Extension Sample Inplace1072649
+Node: Extension Sample Ord1075859
+Node: Extension Sample Readdir1076695
+Ref: table-readdir-file-types1077584
+Node: Extension Sample Revout1078389
+Node: Extension Sample Rev2way1078978
+Node: Extension Sample Read write array1079718
+Node: Extension Sample Readfile1081660
+Node: Extension Sample Time1082755
+Node: Extension Sample API Tests1084103
+Node: gawkextlib1084595
+Node: Extension summary1087042
+Node: Extension Exercises1090744
+Node: Language History1092242
+Node: V7/SVR3.11093898
+Node: SVR41096050
+Node: POSIX1097484
+Node: BTL1098863
+Node: POSIX/GNU1099592
+Node: Feature History1105454
+Node: Common Extensions1119824
+Node: Ranges and Locales1121107
+Ref: Ranges and Locales-Footnote-11125723
+Ref: Ranges and Locales-Footnote-21125750
+Ref: Ranges and Locales-Footnote-31125985
+Node: Contributors1126206
+Node: History summary1131766
+Node: Installation1133146
+Node: Gawk Distribution1134090
+Node: Getting1134574
+Node: Extracting1135535
+Node: Distribution contents1137173
+Node: Unix Installation1143258
+Node: Quick Installation1143940
+Node: Shell Startup Files1146354
+Node: Additional Configuration Options1147432
+Node: Configuration Philosophy1149237
+Node: Non-Unix Installation1151606
+Node: PC Installation1152066
+Node: PC Binary Installation1152904
+Node: PC Compiling1153339
+Node: PC Using1154456
+Node: Cygwin1157501
+Node: MSYS1158271
+Node: VMS Installation1158772
+Node: VMS Compilation1159563
+Ref: VMS Compilation-Footnote-11160792
+Node: VMS Dynamic Extensions1160850
+Node: VMS Installation Details1162535
+Node: VMS Running1164788
+Node: VMS GNV1169067
+Node: VMS Old Gawk1169802
+Node: Bugs1170273
+Node: Bug address1170936
+Node: Usenet1173333
+Node: Maintainers1174108
+Node: Other Versions1175484
+Node: Installation summary1182068
+Node: Notes1183103
+Node: Compatibility Mode1183968
+Node: Additions1184750
+Node: Accessing The Source1185675
+Node: Adding Code1187110
+Node: New Ports1193329
+Node: Derived Files1197817
+Ref: Derived Files-Footnote-11203302
+Ref: Derived Files-Footnote-21203337
+Ref: Derived Files-Footnote-31203935
+Node: Future Extensions1204049
+Node: Implementation Limitations1204707
+Node: Extension Design1205890
+Node: Old Extension Problems1207044
+Ref: Old Extension Problems-Footnote-11208562
+Node: Extension New Mechanism Goals1208619
+Ref: Extension New Mechanism Goals-Footnote-11211983
+Node: Extension Other Design Decisions1212172
+Node: Extension Future Growth1214285
+Node: Old Extension Mechanism1215121
+Node: Notes summary1216884
+Node: Basic Concepts1218066
+Node: Basic High Level1218747
+Ref: figure-general-flow1219029
+Ref: figure-process-flow1219714
+Ref: Basic High Level-Footnote-11223015
+Node: Basic Data Typing1223200
+Node: Glossary1226528
+Node: Copying1258475
+Node: GNU Free Documentation License1296014
+Node: Index1321132
 
 End Tag Table
diff --git a/doc/gawk.texi b/doc/gawk.texi
index 35db3479..414fa14d 100644
--- a/doc/gawk.texi
+++ b/doc/gawk.texi
@@ -32560,7 +32560,8 @@ multibyte encoding.
 @itemx @ @ @ @ AWK_ARRAY,
 @itemx @ @ @ @ AWK_SCALAR,@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ /* opaque access to a variable */
 @itemx @ @ @ @ AWK_VALUE_COOKIE,@ @ @ /* for updating a previously created value */
-@itemx @ @ @ @ AWK_REGEX
+@itemx @ @ @ @ AWK_REGEX,
+@itemx @ @ @ @ AWK_STRNUM
 @itemx @} awk_valtype_t;
 This @code{enum} indicates the type of a value.
 It is used in the following @code{struct}.
@@ -32580,6 +32581,7 @@ The @code{val_type} member indicates what kind of value the
 @code{union} holds, and each member is of the appropriate type.
 
 @item #define str_value@ @ @ @ @ @ u.s
+@itemx #define strnum_value@ @ @ @ str_value
 @itemx #define regex_value@ @ @ @ str_value
 @itemx #define num_value@ @ @ @ @ @ u.d
 @itemx #define array_cookie@ @ @ u.a
@@ -32601,7 +32603,7 @@ and in more detail in @ref{Cached values}.
 
 @end table
 
-Scalar values in @command{awk} are numbers, strings, or typed regexps. The
+Scalar values in @command{awk} are numbers, strings, strnums, or typed regexps. The
 @code{awk_value_t} struct represents values.  The @code{val_type} member
 indicates what is in the @code{union}.
 
@@ -32610,6 +32612,12 @@ require more work. Because @command{gawk} allows embedded @sc{nul} bytes
 in string values, a string must be represented as a pair containing a
 data pointer and length. This is the @code{awk_string_t} type.
 
+A strnum (numeric string) value is represented as a string and consists
+of user input data that appears to be numeric.
+When an extension attempts to create a strnum value, a string flagged
+as user input is created. Subsequent parsing will determine whether it
+looks like a number and should be treated as a strnum or a regular string.
+
 Typed regexp values (@pxref{Strong Regexp Constants}) are not of
 much use to extension functions.  Extension functions can tell that
 they've received them, and create them for scalar values. Otherwise,
@@ -32784,9 +32792,29 @@ This function simply creates a numeric value in the @code{awk_value_t} variable
 pointed to by @code{result}.
 
 @item static inline awk_value_t *
-@itemx make_regex(const char *string, size_t length, awk_value_t *result);
+@itemx make_const_user_input(const char *string, size_t length, awk_value_t *result);
+This function is identical to @code{make_const_string}, but the string is
+flagged as user input that should be treated as a strnum value if the contents
+of the string are numeric.
+
+@item static inline awk_value_t *
+@itemx make_malloced_user_input(const char *string, size_t length, awk_value_t *result);
+This function is identical to @code{make_malloced_string}, but the string is
+flagged as user input that should be treated as a strnum value if the contents
+of the string are numeric.
+
+@item static inline awk_value_t *
+@itemx make_const_regex(const char *string, size_t length, awk_value_t *result);
+This function creates a strongly typed regexp value by allocating a copy of the string.
+@code{string} is the regular expression of length @code{len}.
+
+@item static inline awk_value_t *
+@itemx make_malloced_regex(const char *string, size_t length, awk_value_t *result);
 This function creates a strongly typed regexp value.
 @code{string} is the regular expression of length @code{len}.
+It expects @code{string} to be a @samp{char *}
+value pointing to data previously obtained from @code{gawk_malloc()}, @code{gawk_calloc()}, or @code{gawk_realloc()}.
+
 @end table
 
 @node Registration Functions
@@ -33570,29 +33598,28 @@ value type, as appropriate.  This behavior is summarized in
 @end ifnotplaintext
 @ifplaintext
 @example
-                        +-------------------------------------------------------------+
-                        |                    Type of Actual Value:                    |
-                        +------------+------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
-                        |   String   |   Number   | Regex     | Array     | Undefined |
-+-----------+-----------+------------+------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
-|           | String    |   String   |   String   | String    | false     | false     |
-|           +-----------+------------+------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
-|           | Number    | Number if  |   Number   | false     | false     | false     |
-|           |           | can be     |            |           |           |           |
-|           |           | converted, |            |           |           |           |
-|           |           | else false |            |           |           |           |
-|           +-----------+------------+------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
-|           | Regex     |   false    |   false    |  Regex    | false     | false     |
-|           +-----------+------------+------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
-|   Type    | Array     |   false    |   false    |  false    | Array     | false     |
-| Requested +-----------+------------+------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
-|           | Scalar    |   Scalar   |   Scalar   |  Scalar   | false     | false     |
-|           +-----------+------------+------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
-|           | Undefined |  String    |   Number   |  Regex    | Array     | Undefined |
-|           +-----------+------------+------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
-|           | Value     |   false    |   false    |  false    | false     | false     |
-|           | Cookie    |            |            |           |           |           |
-+-----------+-----------+------------+------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
+                        +-------------------------------------------------------+
+                        |                   Type of Actual Value:               |
+                        +--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-----------+
+                        | String | Strnum | Number | Regex  | Array | Undefined |
++-----------+-----------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-----------+
+|           | String    | String | String | String | String | false | false     |
+|           +-----------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-----------+
+|           | Strnum    | false  | Strnum | Strnum | false  | false | false     |
+|           +-----------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-----------+
+|           | Number    | Number | Number | Number | false  | false | false     |
+|           +-----------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-----------+
+|           | Regex     | false  | false  | false  | Regex  | false | false     |
+|           +-----------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-----------+
+|   Type    | Array     | false  | false  | false  | false  | Array | false     |
+| Requested +-----------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-----------+
+|           | Scalar    | Scalar | Scalar | Scalar | Scalar | false | false     |
+|           +-----------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-----------+
+|           | Undefined | String | Strnum | Number | Regex  | Array | Undefined |
+|           +-----------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-----------+
+|           | Value     | false  | false  | false  | false  | false | false     |
+|           | Cookie    |        |        |        |        |       |           |
++-----------+-----------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-----------+
 @end example
 @end ifplaintext
 @end float
@@ -33692,7 +33719,7 @@ Return false if the value cannot be retrieved.
 
 @item awk_bool_t sym_update_scalar(awk_scalar_t cookie, awk_value_t *value);
 Update the value associated with a scalar cookie.  Return false if
-the new value is not of type @code{AWK_STRING}, @code{AWK_REGEX}, or @code{AWK_NUMBER}.
+the new value is not of type @code{AWK_STRING}, @code{AWK_STRNUM}, @code{AWK_REGEX}, or @code{AWK_NUMBER}.
 Here too, the predefined variables may not be updated.
 @end table
 
@@ -33813,7 +33840,7 @@ is what the routines in this @value{SECTION} let you do.  The functions are as f
 @table @code
 @item awk_bool_t create_value(awk_value_t *value, awk_value_cookie_t *result);
 Create a cached string or numeric value from @code{value} for
-efficient later assignment.  Only values of type @code{AWK_NUMBER}, @code{AWK_REGEX},
+efficient later assignment.  Only values of type @code{AWK_NUMBER}, @code{AWK_REGEX}, @code{AWK_STRNUM},
 and @code{AWK_STRING} are allowed.  Any other type is rejected.
 @code{AWK_UNDEFINED} could be allowed, but doing so would result in
 inferior performance.
@@ -34039,9 +34066,9 @@ The array remains an array, but after calling this function, it
 has no elements. This is equivalent to using the @code{delete}
 statement (@pxref{Delete}).
 
-@item awk_bool_t flatten_array(awk_array_t a_cookie, awk_flat_array_t **data);
+@item awk_bool_t flatten_array_typed(awk_array_t a_cookie, awk_flat_array_t **data, awk_valtype_t index_type, awk_valtype_t value_type);
 For the array represented by @code{a_cookie}, create an @code{awk_flat_array_t}
-structure and fill it in. Set the pointer whose address is passed as @code{data}
+structure and fill it in with indices and values of the requested types. Set the pointer whose address is passed as @code{data}
 to point to this structure.
 Return true upon success, or false otherwise.
 @ifset FOR_PRINT
@@ -34053,6 +34080,12 @@ See the next @value{SECTION}
 for a discussion of how to
 flatten an array and work with it.
 
+@item awk_bool_t flatten_array(awk_array_t a_cookie, awk_flat_array_t **data);
+For the array represented by @code{a_cookie}, create an @code{awk_flat_array_t}
+structure and fill it in with @code{AWK_STRING} indices and
+@code{AWK_UNDEFINED} values.  This is superseded by @code{flatten_array_typed}
+and retained only for legacy binary compatibility.
+
 @item awk_bool_t release_flattened_array(awk_array_t a_cookie,
 @itemx @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awk_flat_array_t *data);
 When done with a flattened array, release the storage using this function.
@@ -34165,7 +34198,7 @@ to double-check that the count in the @code{awk_flat_array_t}
 is the same as the count just retrieved:
 
 @example
-    if (! flatten_array(value2.array_cookie, & flat_array)) @{
+    if (! flatten_array_typed(value2.array_cookie, & flat_array, AWK_STRING, AWK_UNDEFINED)) @{
         printf("dump_array_and_delete: could not flatten array\n");
         goto out;
     @}