Xref: utzoo comp.sys.amiga:28263 comp.sys.amiga.tech:3383
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcvax!ukc!cs.tcd.ie!vax1!rwallace
From: rwallace@vax1.tcd.ie
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga,comp.sys.amiga.tech
Subject: Re: C Compilers
Message-ID: <30997@vax1.tcd.ie>
Date: 20 Jan 89 18:58:58 GMT
References: <496@geocub.UUCP>
Organization: Computer Laboratory, Trinity College Dublin
Lines: 32


In article <496@geocub.UUCP>, olva@geocub.UUCP (Olivier Vayssettes ) writes:
> Comparative inquiry between MANX & LATTICE C compilers.
> 
> 	I am going to write a large C and assembly program for Amiga.
> I have been told about possibilities of LATTICE 5.0 and MANX 3.6 (I think
> 3.6 is the most recent one). If you have already used these compilers 
> (even only one of them), could you tell me your opinion about their 
> advantages and drawbacks, so that I could choose between them? 	

I have used both compilers and I personally find Manx C vastly superior.
The compiler itself is much faster. It's also much more compact which means
it'll fit in RAM disk on my 1-meg Amiga whereas Lattice C has to be loaded in
from floppy if I'm working on a big project which slows things down a lot more.
The precompiled header files are much better than Lattice C's "compact"
versions of the files which have to be recompiled every time. The developer
and commercial versions come with a number of incredibly useful utilities
like GREP and MAKE. The only advantage of Lattice C is its support for
function prototypes, which is only one small advantage set against the many
major disadvantages. Manx 3.6 also has the source-level debugger.

With regard to code produced, even using 16-bit integers, stack-checking
disabled, every option chosen to make the code as efficient as possible,
Manx C always produces programs that are much more compact, and usually
faster as well. The link overhead for Manx is lower and examination of
assembly listings shows that Manx produces better code in most ways.

I think that about covers everything.

"To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem"
Russell Wallace, Trinity College, Dublin
rwallace@vax1.tcd.ie