kumard@sunybcs.UUCP (11/22/86)
I have been using the DECWRL compiler for quite some time now. Recently we also started using the Logitech Compiler on the VAX/VMS. There are some shortcomings of this compiler that I have come across. First of all, it doesn't let you define function procedures that return user-defined structured types (static). DECWRL does. It lets you define function-procedures that will return a pointer type; but you can't use that function call in a boolean expression, e.g. TYPE List = POINTER TO Node; Node = RECORD info : INTEGER; next : List; END; VAR x, y : List; PROCEDURE returnptr (x: List) : List; BEGIN RETURN x; END returnptr; BEGIN (* main...*) ..... IF returnptr(y) # NIL THEN.... This gives a syntax error (type incompatibility in expression) in the Logitech version. DECWRL has no complaints about it and runs fine. Similar code is present in the Data Structures in Modula-2 text by Weiner and Sincovec. They claim that they have tested their programs using the Logitech compiler. IF we were to believe that the code they wrote in the text is actually tested, THEN there is inconsistency in the Logitech distributions ELSE Sincovec & Weiner are making false claims END; ASSERTION : Would anyone like to make any assertions here? :-) Deepak. -- CSNET : kumard@buffalo | ARPA : kumard%buffalo@csnet-relay | BITNET : kumard@sunybcs |