Re: [Dia2code-general] Dia2Code in C?

[Javier O'H. <j....@ti...>]

On Friday 21 February 2003 21:18, Robert Konigsberg wrote:
> I have a question: Why is dia2code written in C?
>
> I assume that C compilers being more compatible across environments that
> C++ is the reason.
>
> Okay, maybe that wasn't my actual question. My actual question should be:
> Why would a project that has object orientation at its core, that would
> attract people who specifically have OO experience, not written in an
> object oriented language?


1.  Speed.  Being Dia2Code a tool to make other tools, and considering I 
didn't have a fast computer at the time, I didn't want to wait several 
minutes for it to compile (e.g. after a bugfix) while programming in 
C++/Java.

2. Compatibility.  Not having the resources to compile every software I 
liked I usually downloaded the binary (rpm).  Most of the time, programs 
written in C++ required a libc++ I did not have installed.  Sometimes I 
could find the right binary, sometimes I couldn't.  So I thought to free up 
the users from this dependency hell.  This point is not longer valid, I 
guess, now that Linux distributions standardize on gcc 3.2.

3. Portability.  As long as you stick with ANSI C, you can compile it on 
Linux, Win32, *BSD, you name it.  One could be (mostly) sure not to find 
uncompatible environments (as opposed to C++).  

4. Integration with Dia.  It was natural to think it could become a Dia 
plugin, so I used the same language Dia was written in.

5. Because I can :-P.  [ Side note: some people may argue - after reviewing 
my code - that I cannot code C properly.  Let's just say that at least I 
can do a C program that mostly works. ;-) ]

Today, of course, most of this points may no longer be valid.


> It seems as though the code could do well with some C++ifying ...
>
> The whole project is only 5000 lines long as it is so it ain't size.

The code surely needs some refactoring, be that in C or C++.


Regards,

  Xav