#Suggested article
5 messages in this thread
Both Richie Bielak and I have worked pretty closely with Leon Frenkel, making
suggestions as to how to improve the Benchmark compiler. Richie has already
submitted a review of the compiler to AC, and I certainly WILL cover it in
future articles. I face somewhat of a dilemma at this point: there are
already 3 M2 compilers for the Amiga, so which ones do I use for my articles?
I guess the only fair answer is to alternate between them. Unfortunately, they
are different just enough to drive me crazy. Oh well; I guess this is my
problem, right?
On another topic, up until very recently I had a 1.5 Meg configuration
(1 meg FAST and 0.5 meg CHIP ram), and I was able to qload all the libs into
ram (actually VD0:) without a problem. Sometimes, though I couldn't compile
things if I had too many buffers around. Now that I have a 2.5 meg
configuration, things couldn't be better!!
– Steve –
Steve–
I guess alternating is one possibility. I think that if it is not too too
much trouble, you could also add a box explaining what to change for the other
two compilers.
I am beginning to get the hang of using this system. I have three very good
books on the language itself, but NONE of the actually explain what a compiler
or linker is or the various stages of the code.
I am looking forward to your articles. PS. I notice that the docs I have
promise a tutorial on the compiler and the linker in a future release. (And
the section on the editor could be clearer as well.) I sure hope there IS an
update!
// Jim
Let me get this straight: you are talking about the Benchmark package, right?
I can't really tell you if there's enough docs about the editor, as I'm
a seasoned Emacs user, and don't bother to look at the docs much. If you really
want to, try to get a hold of the MicroGnuEmacs (now called mg) distribution
disk (I believe it's available thru Fred Fish). If I remember correctly, it has
some docs on it.
The books don't talk about the compiler or linker, because that stuff
is highly implementation-dependent.
– Steve –
Steve–
Yes, I am talking about Benchmark. (Just heard of a THIRD modula-2-this one
from Switzerland.) There is a whole chapter on EMACS in the docs, and a long
list of commands. Nonetheless, it is a very complicated editor. Also, there
are small things like the fact that the docs refer to a file called .mg (a sort
of startup) and Leon has since changed the name. In short, there may well be
all the information you need, but you have to dig and do some trial and error.
As for the linker and compiler, someone who has never used a compiled
language is going to be feeling rather lost. Actually, I discoverd a section
in Rob Peck's book that is helpful–it is about the C linker but I could make
translations. Still and all, a clearly written overview of exactly what the
steps are from source to final program would be useful, I think. The docs
promise tutorials about the compiler and linker in a later release. As you say,
these are not talked about in general books, which is precisely why I am eager
for specifics about the implementation I am using.. // Jim
I agree; Emacs is complicated, but once you get used to it you simply cannot do
without it. Very powerful, and the keystrokes just flow off my fingertips….
– Steve –