Re: [Sdcc-user] TCP/IP support for PIC18 - alledged SDCC shortcomings re PIC18

[Kustaa N. <Kus...@pl...>]

>>> tri...@gm... 28.1.2009 0:51 >>>
>>  I didn't mean to insult SDCC or spread FUD. I'm simply repeating
>>what's pointed on the SDCC webpage (work-in-progress), documentation
>>(lack of extended instructions, not all tests pass), and various
>>discussions on this mailing list (inline breakage, and your own
>>message about __critical missing). 
Good, I like concrete examples of shortcomings, forewarned is
forearmed. 

For example:

(from SDCC webpage) work-in-progress: not very usefull info.
This may indicate that the developers thought the compiler is
still not upto standard or that they are simply lacking confidence,
or they wanted to wash their hands. 

Lack of extended instructions: nice to know but if the compiler
works just fine without them, then this boils down to sub-optimal
code generation or performance of the generated code issue and
in embedded projects this is often clear cut. Either the code
is fast enough or not. 

inlike breakage: again very usefull to know as most of the time
the code write can just circumvent this.

not all tests passed: not very usefull, would have been nice
to know which tests and what are the inferred implications
of not passing all tests.


>> SDCC is a fine compiler and I've
>>used it quite successfully on the 8051 side of things, but it's
fairly
>>clear that the PIC port is not solid yet. Trying to port C code to a
>>new platform without known-working code, guides, or detailed
>>documentation with issues like these makes development less than
>>straight forward.

Agreed but and you maybe right that PIC port is not solid yet, on the
other hand I just worked a year using Blackfin processor and VisualDSP
IDE and the silicon and the VisualDSP (version 5.0!) did not left with
a warm and fuzzy feeling of being solid yet. (And yeah, I've got
80 item long list of concrete issues with the IDE and Analogs silicon
anomaly list speaks for itself.)

>>  FYI, I've using the PIC18 side of SDCC about a 12-18 months ago.
It
>>took quite an effort to get some non-trivial code to work with SDCC;
>>way more effort than what is acceptable in a professional
environment.
I can say the same about the afore mentioned VisualDSP project!

>>This is why I consider users of the PIC port as pioneers.

You maybe right there. Seems like I've picked the right tool. If there
is
an easy way and a hardway, why pick the easy way...

cheers Kusti




On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 4:10 AM, Kustaa Nyholm
<Kus...@pl...> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> being, at least lately, partially responsible for creating the noice
on
> this list
> in regards to PIC18/SDCC I felt I need to comment on this:
>
>>>> tri...@gm... 27.1.2009 4:51 >>>
>>>but from what I've read on this mailing list, SDCC has a number of
> PIC18
>>>> shortcomings. You're going to be a bit of a trailblazer here.
>
> Wiile I'm sure there are shortcomings in SDCC as well as in all
other
> compilers weather it is Keil or Gnu gcc or what have you, I'm not
> confortable
> with an off hand remark like this putting down the PIC18 port of
SDCC.
>
> I'been  a long time lurker on this list and it is easy to get the
wrong
> impression
> by casual looking at the mailing since by the very nature of this
sort
> of
> activity we only hear about problems. And very often the problems
turn
> out to be problems somewhere else than in the SDCC and not everyone
> takes the trouble report solved problems, and even fewer report that
> "I've been using SDCC for years without any problems thank you very
> much".
>
> I've used both HC08 and PIC18 ports and while I've had my share of
> problems, none of them have turned out to be even indirectly related
> to SDCC, let alone turned out to be bugs in the compiler.
>
> If there are specific pin pointable problems with any of the ports,
> let us by all means discuss them, but please lets keep from
refraining
> general derogatory comments that contribute nothing but
> spread FUD.
>
>
>
> So there.
>
> br Kusti
>
>
>
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-- 

- Tristan

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