ecl2v@Virginia.EDU (Edmond C. Loyot) (11/03/90)
We are trying to decide which C++ compiler to purchase. Our hardware platform is a Sun3/60 running SunOS 4.1 with X windows. The things we are most concerned with are: 1) Does the product include a debugger (that doesn't use mangled names)? 2) Is there adequate technical support? 3) Does the product fit in well with SunOS/X windows environment? 4) How portable is the product? We are currently considering Sun C++, OASYS(Greenhills?) C++, ParcPlace C++ and Oregon C++. If anyone has used any of these products we would appreciate any comments or recommendations. Please reply via e-mail to: Ed Loyot University of Virginia Dept. of Computer Science ecl2v@Virginia.EDU Thanks!
sdm@cs.brown.edu (Scott Meyers) (11/06/90)
In article <1990Nov2.164530.1862@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> ecl2v@Virginia.EDU (Edmond C. Loyot) writes: >We are trying to decide which C++ compiler to purchase. Our hardware > > 1) Does the product include a debugger (that doesn't use mangled > names)? Demangling names is just the tip of the iceberg. When you look at a C++ debugger, ask your vender these questions: - Can the debugger print the dynamic types of pointers and references? - Can it set breakpoints and/or step through: - inline functions? - virtual functions, including pure virtual functions? - member initialization lists? - Can it display all the members of an object, including those that are inherited? - Can it display members of an object when those members are inherited from a virtual base class? For what it's worth, the only debugger that I know of that can do all these things is the HP C++ debugger, and I'm not even sure that the version that does all this stuff is available to customers yet. Information on the HP C++ debugger can be found in the paper, "C++ Symbolic Debugging," presented in September at C++ at Work-'90, pp. 109--120. This isn't an ad for HP, I don't work for them, I don't even have their software. If there are other debuggers that do everything listed above, please post that information to the net -- I'm sure many people would be interested. Scott
vaughan@mcc.com (Paul Vaughan) (11/06/90)
From: sdm@cs.brown.edu (Scott Meyers) Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++ Date: 5 Nov 90 19:02:45 GMT References: <1990Nov2.164530.1862@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> Reply-To: sdm@cs.brown.edu (Scott Meyers) Organization: Brown University Department of Computer Science Lines: 31 In article <1990Nov2.164530.1862@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> ecl2v@Virginia.EDU (Edmond C. Loyot) writes: >We are trying to decide which C++ compiler to purchase. Our hardware > > 1) Does the product include a debugger (that doesn't use mangled > names)? Demangling names is just the tip of the iceberg. When you look at a C++ debugger, ask your vender these questions: - Can the debugger print the dynamic types of pointers and references? - Can it set breakpoints and/or step through: - inline functions? - virtual functions, including pure virtual functions? - member initialization lists? - Can it display all the members of an object, including those that are inherited? - Can it display members of an object when those members are inherited from a virtual base class? No kidding. I'd add a lot of things that should be part of a complete interpreter for interactive expressions. The standard C subset interpreter approach just doesn't cut it these days with C++. - call virtual functions on demand (inherited from virtual base classes?) - call inline functions on demand - deal with classes compiled without -g, including - call functions with arguments that are pointers to such classes - display objects inherited from them - set breakpoints on constructors and destructors - deal well with const member functions - call overloaded functions correctly - handle temporary objects when evaluating expressions interactively - handle type conversions in interactive expressions including using user defined type conversions I've been working with g++ and gdb on a system that has the ability to dynamically compile and load stuff and I find I sometimes have to resort to using that capability instead of gdb just to evaluate a simple expression. gdb does handle demangling names just fine, though. And don't forget, the compiler/debugger combination has got to do all this fast without bloating your code with debugging information by more than 5 times. Paul Vaughan, MCC CAD Program | ARPA: vaughan@mcc.com | Phone: [512] 338-3639 Box 200195, Austin, TX 78720 | UUCP: ...!cs.utexas.edu!milano!cadillac!vaughan
shankar@hpclscu.HP.COM (Shankar Unni) (11/15/90)
> Demangling names is just the tip of the iceberg. When you look at a C++ > debugger, ask your vender these questions: > > - Can the debugger print the dynamic types of pointers and references? > - Can it set breakpoints and/or step through: > - inline functions? > - virtual functions, including pure virtual functions? > - member initialization lists? > - Can it display all the members of an object, including those that are > inherited? > - Can it display members of an object when those members are inherited > from a virtual base class? > > For what it's worth, the only debugger that I know of that can do all these > things is the HP C++ debugger, and I'm not even sure that the version that > does all this stuff is available to customers yet. Information on the HP > C++ debugger can be found in the paper, "C++ Symbolic Debugging," presented > in September at C++ at Work-'90, pp. 109--120. The version of HP C++ released earlier this year (Summer) does all this. The version coming out with the upcoming release of our 2.1-based HPC++ will also have some support for nested types. One caveat, though: support for inline functions that are actually inlined is somewhat poor - to get the fullest benefit, the compilation units where you want to do such debugging should be compiled with "+d". Future versions may have "real" support for truly-inlined functions. ----- Shankar Unni E-Mail: Hewlett-Packard California Language Lab. Internet: shankar@hpda.hp.com Phone : (408) 447-5797 UUCP: ...!hplabs!hpda!shankar Standard Disclaimer: This response does not represent the official position of, or statement by, the Hewlett-Packard Company. The above data is provided for informational purposes only. It is supplied without warranty of any kind.