[comp.lang.c++] Scientific programming in C++ ?

jon@hanauma (Jon Claerbout) (06/25/89)

ABSTRACT:
I converted some simple scientific Fortran/Ratfor programs into C++
to see if they would look suitable for a textbook
such as my last book "Imaging the Earth's Interior".
I conclude C++ is about as good as ratfor.
Unfortunately, mixing Fortran with C++
ranges from undocumented to impossible.

BOOK REPORT
I got the Lippman C++ book.
It looks like a replacement for the Stroustrup book
since it fully describes the new AT&T version 2.0.
Pedagogically it is a big improvement too.
Since both Stroustrup and Lippman describe both C and C++
I infer they mean eventually to replace C by C++
(else why the 100+ extra pages to explain C
which K&R already do beautifully)?
A section called "linkage to other languages" mentions C but not Fortran.

PROGRAMS
We couldn't link gnu C++ mains to fortran subroutines.
I converted some simple fortran scientific programs to a C++ style
designed to please fortran users
and I posted them to comp.lang.fortran

jima@hplsla.HP.COM (Jim Adcock) (07/06/89)

>Unfortunately, mixing Fortran with C++
>ranges from undocumented to impossible.

I haven't tried this but -- Iff one has a fortran compiler that uses compatible
linking protocols with one's "C" compiler, and one had a C++ compiler that
supports the 'extern "C" {declarations here};' construct, then one shouldn't
have much problems linking in fortran routines -- I would think.  The trick
would be just to pretend one's fortran routines are actually C routines.
If one's fortran isn't compatible with "C", then one would have to hope
one day one will have a compiler that actually supports 'extern "FORTRAN" 
{declarations here};'