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From: Ernie.Bokkelkamp@p22.f1.n491.z5.fidonet.org (Ernie Bokkelkamp)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2
Subject: Re: JPI M2 2.00 - PROCEDURE FUNCTIONS & ERROR CHECKING
Message-ID: <811.26C81274@puddle.fidonet.org>
Date: 12 Aug 90 22:02:00 GMT
Sender: ufgate@puddle.fidonet.org (newsout1.26)
Organization: FidoNet node 5:491/1.22 - Golden City Opus, Johannesburg RSA
Lines: 74

On 08 Aug 1990 07:47, Peter M. Perchansky (1:273/101@Fidonet) wrote:

Hello Peter,

 PP>    One of the main reasons why most Modula-2 implementations 
 PP>shines over other language implementations is Modula-2's strong 
 PP>typing.

Which isn't much help to me at the momemt ;-) The MS-Windows support in TopSpeed allows you to call Windows routines written in Microsoft C from modula-2. There are many tricks required to fool the compiler and therefor it can't do much checking.

 PP>    Most errors are caught during compilation (which takes only 
 PP>seconds or minutes) as opposed to during run-time (which can 
 PP>takes months of testing before poping up).

Except when you have to interface to another language like C. Here is a small section of a windows program to show you what a mess it can be:

----------------------------------------
    IF hPrevInstance = Windows.HANDLE(0)
    THEN
      wndclass.style         := Windows.CS_HREDRAW + Windows.CS_VREDRAW;
      wndclass.lpfnWndProc   := FarADR(WndProc);
      wndclass.cbClsExtra    := 0;
      wndclass.cbWndExtra    := 0;
      wndclass.hInstance     := hInstance;
      wndclass.hIcon         := Windows.LoadIcon(Windows.HANDLE(0),
                                     Windows.IDI_APPLICATION);
      wndclass.hCursor       := Windows.LoadCursor(Windows.HANDLE(0),
                                     Windows.IDC_ARROW);
      wndclass.hbrBackground := Windows.HBRUSH(Windows.GetStockObject(
                                     Windows.WHITE_BRUSH));
      wndclass.lpszMenuName  := FarNIL;
      wndclass.lpszClassName := Windows.LPSTR(FarADR(szAppName));

      IF Windows.RegisterClass(Windows.LPWNDCLASS(FarADR(wndclass))) = 0
      THEN
        RETURN Windows.FALSE;
      END;
    END;

    hWnd := Windows.CreateWindow(
              FarADR(szAppName),            (* window class name  *)
              FarADR("Get System Metrics"), (* window text        *)
              Windows.WS_TILEDWINDOW        (* window style       *)
                + Windows.WS_HSCROLL + Windows.WS_VSCROLL,
              Windows.CW_USEDEFAULT,        (* initial x position *)
              0,                            (* initial y position *)
              Windows.CW_USEDEFAULT,        (* initial x size     *)
              0,                            (* initial y size     *)
              Windows.HANDLE(0),            (* parent window handle *)
              Windows.HANDLE(0),            (* window menu handle *)
              hInstance,                    (* program instance handle *)
              FarNIL);                      (* create parameters *)

    IF Windows.ShowWindow(hWnd,nCmdShow) # 0 THEN END;
-----------------------------------------------------

I want to use the windows user interface because it's is superior to any other user interface I have seen. Also, I do not want to program in C as it's the worst language to read. (No flames, personal opinion) But the extra effort to write windows programs in modula-2 is weakening the advantages of modula-2.

I have found a way to improve the readability a bit by using aliases for all windows calls. I have written a file which has to be incorporated in every definition module which uses the windows library. Unfortunately I can not tell the compiler to include the file during the compilation. 

 PP>    I recently received release 1.05b, and they still did not 
 PP>implement this feature - even though it is present in JPI M2 
 PP>1.17.

I should have my update within the next few weeks. Did you receive new manuals and new software ?

Cheers
Ernie



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