[MACTCL] ANNOUNCE: "Compiler" 3.3 beta 1

[<AO...@t-...>]

Hello everybody,

  "Compiler" 3.3 beta 1 test is out

  What's new:

   http://www.compiler-factory.com/LinComp-CHANGES.html

  Download:

   http://www.compiler-factory.com

   and follow the "Download" link



  Development News:

   this is the MacOs 9.1 ppc port of compiler based on
   tcl8.3.4 and tk8.3.4 .
   If you know MacOs and if you know "Compiler" you will
   understand that this is the worst possible case that
   could happen. Some missing key features of MacOs does
   really hurt "Compiler" development.
   Just a small list:

    1) no environment variables
    2) no command-line
    3) no terminal
    4) no "exec" in tcl
    5) no gnu compiler for MacOs
    6) no interface to work with the CodeWarrior
       C compiler from external applications
   The usually way for everybody, who has the same restric-
   tions, was to hire a full team of developers and rewrite
   main parts of the software or do a fully rewrite and
   create a MacOs only application. Everything was not pos-
   sible for me but in fact not necessary. I already have
   shown that cross-platform software development is possible
   and "Compiler" use this feature already (my customers love
   it). The goal was to use a well equipment OS like Linux as
   HOST and do all the nasty development on this HOST until
   you are ready to ship your software to the MacOs TARGET.
   The reason why I need the target is the missing gnu compi-
   ler for MacOs and no Linux->MacOs cross compiler from Me-
   trowerks. The MacOs CodeWarrior Ide and C compiler has an
   xml interface to import previously exported projects. This
   was the gap I used to link Linux with MacOs. My duty was
   to use the already available (but until now not really
   necessary) "export" feature of "Compiler" to create valid
   MacOs CodeWarrior projects including all the special MacOs
   files like resources, precompiled headers and project tem-
   plates.

   This sound easy but it was in fact a very hard way to get
   even the basic stuff working. Just a collection of my mis-
   sing knowledge:

    1) I never used MacOs
    2) I never used CodeWarrior
    3) I mostly use command-line based tools and applications
    4) I never used the different MacOs development interfaces

   The first step was to get even a working environment on
   MacOs. I start with the TclTk MacOs full development dis-
   tribution. The first application I installed was tkcon to
   get even a command line (thanks to JH to provide this very
   useful software to the community). After I had a command-
   line I start to find a way to link my central development
   file-system to MacOs. I only use a central file-server be-
   cause if you write software for a couple of different OSs
   and if you don't have the money to feed an army of develop-
   pers you need a very very efficient environment to get your
   job done. Linx has already software included to serve files
   for many different OSs. I use nfs for the UNIX boxes, samba
   for different flavors of Windows and now netatalk for MacOs.
   The MacOs support is a little bit difficult because MacOs
   uses resource to store non binary data in a special file
   which is not the same file you are working with. In fact
   every MacOs file is a representation for 2 single files. If
   you are on unix and delete a file shared with MacOs the con-
   nection of the 2 pairs get broken and this mean MacOs cra-
   shes. I think I reboot MacOs ~100 times. The hardware is -
   really good :). If I would write down all the nasty small
   ?features? of MacOs my fingers would crash, that is the
   reason why I stop now.

   Well one week after I start porting "Compiler" to MacOs
   POWER-Tcl was ported. An other week the porting was finished.
   It was a really hard time but if you finish successful you
   are always happy.


   I wrote a HOWTO to explain the more technical questions

   http://www.compiler-factory.com/DOC_HOWTO_mac91ppc.html


mfg

  aotto :)