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From: jdt@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP (Dave Tenny)
Newsgroups: net.micro.amiga
Subject: Aztec C, good, bad, HELP!
Message-ID: <276@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 13-May-86 08:33:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: bucsb.276
Posted: Tue May 13 08:33:11 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 14-May-86 22:31:42 EDT
Organization: Boston Univ Comp. Sci.
Lines: 92


In response to article 2564 "Question about Alink"
>is it possible to link a "hello, world" to a less-than-10K executable ...

I'd like to know that too.  I don't believe it's possible until Lattice
V 99.6 gets out.  Don't get me wrong, I like the Lattice Amiga compiler,
it's the size of the code that gets me down. 
(I've been using my Lattice compiler for ~7 months)
So...

I took the (expensive) plunge and bought Aztec C V 3.20a this past weekend.
Portability problems aside, I could *almost* be pleased with it.
If you get your programs to compile & link, the code size is wonderful.

The good points:
  Aztec C is a fast compiler, no bones about it.
  LN (the linker) is fast *if* the 85k library is in ram.
  The code produced is very small.

The mediocre points:
  The C compiler has it's share of bugs, nothing major,
  although I still have a problem compiling the latest version of
  MicroEMACS 3.6, because the compiler generates an "internal" error
  which the book says I shouldn't be receiving.  (Bind.C, any help out there?,
  it fails in EPATH.H)

  There is no tentative ansi draft support.. just vanilla C
  with a vanilla runtime library.
 
The BAD points:
  Aztec uses non-standard object format.  Hence, the object library
  manager I wrote for code as described in the technical reference
  is USELESS with aztec.

  Because of the non standard object format, you are forced to use
  the tools (LB - Aztec object librarian) supplied by Aztec to manipulate
  the software.

  As it happens, the object librarian is THE PITS!!!
  You'll never see a worse tool for a floppy disk system
  (my ears still hurt from listening to the drives grind)

  The object librarian has MANY bugs.
    1.) Hangs when you forget the '.lib' extension of the library name.
    2.) Complains about (and won't accept) code produced by the Aztec
        compiler in certain instances. (The compiler and assembler
        didn't indicate problems, and you can link the object loose,
        only the librarian complains)
    3.) I don't know if this is a librarian bug, or an AmigaDos COPY bug:
        when you copy one of the LB libs to RAM:, then do a LB libname -T
        (to list contents), LB complains about invalid headers.  This is
        even true about the C.LIB they provide. 
    4.) Other obscure behaviour I won't mention.

Unfortunately, the librarian is a very necessary tool for the type
of development I do, because I split my source in the ONE-ROUTINE-PER-FILE
fashion, and depend on the library manager to aid in the link.
LN (the linker) only makes one pass through libraries, and you must
have all the code in the library organized in the correct order of 
external references if you want to link with one scan on the library.
Now, it's true that Aztec provides a tool for this, IF you buy the
commercial, $500 compiler.  I feel that I've been penalized for buying
the cheap (ahem, $300) developer version, because it does not have 
the object ordering tool.  (Again, I am forced to use their tools because
of the non-standard object format)

Another inconsistency,
They provide the ADUMP command for dumping AMIGA format object,
but not the utility for dumping their object (symbols, etc).
ADUMP is useless if you are using the Aztec products.  And the other
utility is sold only with the commercial compiler.  Does this make sense
to you?


Summary,
  You may gather that I am less that thrilled with my new Aztec compiler.
  Well, you're right.  I believe it has a lot of potential, but
  I haven't managed to port any of my C tools yet, because of the above
  problems.  In desparation I called my support number, (many more
  if my nickels to the bit bucket) and didn't come out of the conversation
  with any more than I went in with.  (They were friendly, but
  didn't have any ANSWERS).  

  If anybody has comments, suggestions, SOLUTIONS, corrections,
  please reply.  I would really like to get my TERMINAL program
  to take advantage of the new compiler, and be half the size.

  Aztec, I'm sorry.  But, I feel you owe me more for my $300,
  and that I shouldn't be penalized for not buying the commercial version.

  No affiliations with anybody mentioned above,
                     Jeffrey D. Tenny