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From: hjh@aeg.dsto.oz.au (H.J.Harvey-AEG)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2
Subject: FTL Modula2
Summary: FTL Modula2 has problems allocating static vars
Keywords: FTL, problems, static vars
Message-ID: <1228@fang.dsto.oz>
Date: 24 Sep 90 17:46:36 GMT
Sender: news@fang.dsto.oz
Distribution: comp.lang.modula2
Lines: 34

I am managing a team of programmers working with FTL Modula-2.  It is an
MS-DOS to 68000 Cross Compiler, written here in OZ by Cerenkof Computing.
I suspect we are having a problem with the compiler variable allocations.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no further support for the package and we
are having a problem.

It appears that variables declared in the outer level of a module, which under
these conditions should be static, are in fact being dynamically allocated.
This shows up as over-writes of other variables (especially strings) which are
also supposed to be static as they have been declared in the outer of other 
modules at the same level.  Two solutions work, neither of which I am happy
about.

The first, and worst, is to declare all such variables at absolute addresses.
That leaves a real management problem.

The second, a little better but not entirely satisfactory, is to declare the 
variables in another Definition Module and IMPORT them.

Has anyone had this problem?  Has anyone even USED FTL Modula-2?

Finally - are there any recommendations for an alternative source of a good
Modula-2 Cross Compiler (MS-DOS host, 68000 target) up to $1000.

Howie

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Howard J. Harvey                              | c = 1802617499785.254116 f/f 
Head, Avionics Integration Section            |     (furlongs/fortnight)
Aeronautical Research Laboratory              |-----------------------------
Defence Science and Technology Organisation   | Phone: +61 8 259 6322
Salisbury, South Australia                    | FAX:   +61 8 259 5507
                                              | Email: hjh@aeg.dsto.oz.au
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