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From: jam652@csc.anu.edu.au
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps,aus.mac
Subject: Re: Mac Pascal for teaching laboratory
Message-ID: <1991Mar14.201508.1@csc.anu.edu.au>
Date: 14 Mar 91 09:15:08 GMT
References: <1991Mar13.143800.3108@waikato.ac.nz>
Sender: news@newshost.anu.edu.au
Organization: Computer Services, Australian National University
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In article <1991Mar13.143800.3108@waikato.ac.nz>, phil@waikato.ac.nz writes:
> The Department of Maths & Stats here wants to get a simple Pascal compiler for
> use in a lab of 24 Mac Pluses/SEs with an AppleShare file server.  Mac Pascal
> from Symantec seems to be the most likely contender.  I am interested to hear
> from any users about its suitability for our intended use, or of anything else
> that might be out there that is cheaper and/or better for similar cost.
>
> It will be used mainly be students doing introductory numerical analysis, so
> double precision arithmetic isn't essential.  No programming with the Mac
> interface is expected, so students will need to be able to get hard copy of
> their source and TEXT output.  Is this easy in Mac Pascal?
> --
> Phil Etheridge (phil@waikato.ac.nz)              Phax:  +64 +71 381 155
> Computer Services/Mathematics & Statistics       Phone: +64 +71 568 299 x 8339
> University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ.                I'd rather be MTBing


Is is easy to get both printed copies of the pascal source code and the output
from the program when using Macpascal, but not on the one print job though.
There is an option (preference setting) in MacPascal which allows all
screen output to be directed to a textfile on disk, or to the printer as
well as the screen. Directing to printer is not a good choice as it ties up
the printer for the duration of the execution of the program. The text file
option is better as file can then be later reviewed and/or printed with any
simple text editor or file printing utility.


Note that Macpascal is an interpreted implementation of pascal.
Contrary to some other postings ,  MacPascal (my version is 2.1, but there
may be a later one) is no longer an Apple product, but is distributed by
the Think distributors (Techflow in Australia).

Think Pascal, also from Think Technologies (version 3 is current) is a full
blown object oriented pascal compiler.

Just Enough Pascal  (also from Think technologies) is  *NOT* a pascal
language implementation (i.e. compiler or interpreter) but is a collection
of learning aids and code  to aid one in the self learning of the Pascal
language and pascal programming on the macintosh. It assumes that you
have the Think Pascal compiler available on your system. (JEP contains
pascal code [units] that support grawing of graphics etc, so the learner can
concentrate on the meat of the program and not have to worry about the
tricky parts of graphics programming). Altogether there are 24 structured
lessons/exercises/explanations in the Just Enough Pascal system.

From my experiences with teaching undergraduate students (non computer
science), Macpascal works ok and can be launched from a file server,
but it is fairly slow, and has limited interactive debugging facilities
compared to Think Pascal.
Think Pascal supports a full debugger down to the level of components
of records, tracing of program and uses Toolbox calls as documented
in Inside MAc.
Sure there is a bit more to learn to using it (about 20%) for ELEMENTARY
pascal programming, but the benefits will pay for the effort in the
longer term with increased performance & simpler debugging.


Joe Miles
Forestry Dept Aust National University
Canberra ACT