Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!psuvax1!rutgers!rochester!pt.cs.cmu.edu!dsl.pitt.edu!pitt!willett!ForthNet
From: ForthNet@willett.pgh.pa.us (ForthNet articles from GEnie)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.forth
Subject: Metacompilation
Message-ID: <1889.UUL1.3#5129@willett.pgh.pa.us>
Date: 21 Oct 90 01:58:44 GMT
Organization: String, Scotch tape, and Paperclips.  (in Pgh, PA)
Lines: 67


   To: RAY DUNCAN                    Refer#: NONE
 From: SHANNON VANCE                   Read: 10-18-90 (23:50)
 Subj: METACOMPILER                  Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
 Ray;
    I have been working on a generalized software development system
 for the programmers here at SAGE. We have adopted the Pansophic line
 of version control and make utilities. In trying to integrate the LMI
 metacompiler into this system I have run across many problems. There are
 often workarounds for these problems, but often these are so odious
 that even considering them gives me a stomach ache. What it comes down
 to
 is: I need some help from LMI. I consider the things that I wish for to
 be features that would naturally be included in any serious compiler.
 How soon can we expect a new release of the meta-compiler? Will the
 things
 I have asked for be included? Here is the list of things that
 I sent before, with some new items added.
 1) The bug - In ROMZ80 land.
    FORGET doesn't work with vocabularies.
    If a vocabulary is declared at compile time,
    FORGET will crash the system.
    If a vocabulary is declared at run time,
    FORGET will forget all words in the vocabulary,
    and the vocabulary itself.
 2) I would like to see a command that does
    whatever is done when the metacompiler 
    finishes a compile. That way I can do a CHECKSUM
    at the end of a compile and it would accurately
    reflect the compiled image. Without this feature the
    CHECKSUM command is fairly useless. (unless another compile
    is done based on the image that was just written)
 3) I would like a MACRO-VARIABLE that would essentially
    act like an EQU that can be re-valued during a compile.
    In other words a variable that doesn't appear in the
    target image.
 4) I would like a STRING-MACRO-VARIABLE. This would be handy
    for vectoring pathnames in an include file. (among other things) 
    example: 
    MACRO-$VAR $COMPILE_PATH
    " C:\SOURCE" $COMPILE_PATH $!
        .
        .
        .
    INCLUDE $COMPILE_PATH\APPLIC.TXT
 5) I would like to be able to set the return code for
    testing in batch files and the like.
 6) I need to be able to set the path for where the compiler
    will put it's output files. This will make it possible to compile
    different "flavors" of a product without copying files to and
    from a "save" directory.
 7) I need to be able to use environment variables in compiles. This is 
    somewhat like item #4. Instead of a literal string, $COMPILE_PATH
    would be an environment variable. 
    eg. "INCLUDE %COMPILE_PATH%\APPLIC.TXT"
 8) Being able to spawn a DOS command would be extremely helpful. It
    would  also be necessary to test the return code from the DOS command.
 9) I would like to be able to test the values of environment variables
    and STRING-MACRO-VARIABLES for .IF .THEN statements.
 10) I need to be able to break out of a compile without crashing my
    workstation.
 Thanks for an exellent product....Shannon Vance                         

 NET/Mail : LMI Forth Board, Los Angeles, CA (213) 306-3530             
-----
This message came from GEnie via willett through a semi-automated process.
Report problems to: dwp@willett.pgh.pa.us or uunet!willett!dwp