pwh@bradley.bradley.edu (Pete Hartman) (01/06/91)
I picked up a copy of C-Forth, a public domain Forth Interpreter available via anonymous ftp from uxc.cso.uiuc.edu a while back. I didn't know much forth and didn't have any impetus at the time to learn more than I knew, so it sat there. I'm now trying to write a system that I hope to be able to use on the 8051 Forth (if I ever get to that point) to implement a planetary clock project that has been floating around in my "in" box for ages. When I asked the Moderator of this group for a copy of BASIS14 so that I had some idea what the dictionary words were supposed to do, he said that there would be quite a bit of interest in a Forth interpreter than runs on Unix, which is what this is. It claims to be a "complete figFORTH implementation" with the exception of VOCABULARY and DEFINITION, and has some extensions from DrDobbs. I'm not entirely sure it's a wonderfully working version--either I know so little that I just don't know how, or else the mechanism for reading block files (automatically) doesn't work. The Author includes a block file with the UNTHREAD utility and a forth screen editor. When you start the interpreter, it's *supposed* (I think) to automatically load the block file. It even says "There are 28 screens in the block file". But when you try to display or load any of those screens, they appear to be blank. So there you go, that's about all I understand enough of to comment on. If you're looking for a Forth to run on Unix, this one appears to work other than what I just mentioned. I just don't know enough Forth to tell for certain. -- ----- Pete Hartman pwh@bradley.bradley.edu Haazavaa?
cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) (01/07/91)
pwh@bradley.bradley.edu (Pete Hartman) writes: }I picked up a copy of C-Forth, a public domain Forth Interpreter }available via anonymous ftp from uxc.cso.uiuc.edu a while back. ... }When I asked the Moderator of this group for a copy of BASIS14 }so that I had some idea what the dictionary words were supposed }to do, he said that there would be quite a bit of interest }in a Forth interpreter than runs on Unix, which is what this is. }It claims to be a "complete figFORTH implementation" with the exception }of VOCABULARY and DEFINITION, and has some extensions from DrDobbs. }I'm not entirely sure it's a wonderfully working version--either I }know so little that I just don't know how, or else the mechanism }for reading block files (automatically) doesn't work.... }So there you go, that's about all I understand enough of to comment on. }If you're looking for a Forth to run on Unix, this one appears to work }other than what I just mentioned. If you're looking for a FORTH for Unix, you can also check out TILE forth. I haven't had a chance to try it yet --- but I compiled it up last week on my SUN 3 and it compiled fine. Its README file looks like: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= THREADED INTERPRETIVE LANGUAGE ENVIRONMENT (TILE) FORTH RELEASE 2.1 August 20, 1990 Mikael R.K. Patel Computer Aided Design Laboratory (CADLAB) Department of Computer and Information Science Linkoping University S-581 83 LINKOPING SWEDEN Email: mip@ida.liu.se 1. INTRODUCTION TILE Forth is a 32-bit implementation of the Forth-83 Standard written in C. Thus allowing it to be easily moved between different computers compared to traditional Forth implementations in assembly. Most Forth implementations are done in assembly to be able to utilize the underlying architecture as optimal as possible. TILE Forth goes another direction. The main idea behind TILE Forth is to achieve a portable forth implementation for workstations and medium size computer systems so that new groups of programmers may be exposed to the flavor of an extensible language such as Forth. The implementation of TILE Forth is selected so that, in principle, any C-level procedure may become available on the interactive and incremental forth level. Other models of implementation of a threaded interpreter in C are possible but these are not as flexible. ... The kernel supports the Standard Forth-83 word set except for the blocks file word set which are not used. The kernel is extended with many of the concepts from modern programming languages. Here is a list of some of the extensions; argument binding and local variables, queue management, low level compiler words, string functions, floating point numbers, exceptions and multi-tasking. The TILE Forth environment also contains a set of reusable source files for high level multi-tasking, data description and structuring modules, and a number of programming tools. To allow interactive and incremental program development TILE Forth includes a programming environment as a mode in GNU Emacs. This environ- ment helps with program structuring, documentation search, and program development. Each vocabulary in the kernel and the source library file is described by a manual, documentation and test file. This style of programming is emphasized throughout the environment to increase understanding and reusability of the library modules.... ... 6. CONFIGURATION TILE forth is targeted for 32-bit machines and no special aid is available to allow it to be compiled for other bit-widths. The configuration is maintained by "make" files. These configuration files allows a number of different modes to support typical program development phases (on C level) such as debugging, profiling, optimization and packaging. Please see the information in these files. 7. COPYING This software is offered as shareware. You may use it freely, but if you do use it and find it useful, you are encouraged to send the author a contribution (>= $50) to the following address: TILE Technology HB Stragatan 19 S-582 67 Linkoping SWEDEN If you send me a contribution, I will send you the manual pages and documentation files (and paper copies if you don't have access to a good laserprinter), and will answer questions by mail. Your name will also be put on a distribution list for future releases. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
jax@well.sf.ca.us (Jack J. Woehr) (01/07/91)
pwh@bradley.bradley.edu (Pete Hartman) writes: >I picked up a copy of C-Forth, a public domain Forth Interpreter >available via anonymous ftp from uxc.cso.uiuc.edu a while back. >I didn't know much forth and didn't have any impetus at the time to >learn more than I knew, so it sat there. The C-Forth which you have is Allan Pratt's trailblazing C-coded Forth interpreter from WayBackWhen. You have to take especial note of the instructions for compilation and of the instructions for screen file loading to make it work. The more modern CForth-83 from Mitch Bradley (wmb@sun.com) (shareware, $40) is eminently more satisfactory for actual usage. If you want an 8051 Forth for free, download the appropriate eForth file from any ForthNet BBS, including the RCFB, number below. -- <jax@well.{UUCP,sf.ca.us} >< Member, > /// ///\\\ \\\ /// <well!jax@lll-winken.arpa >< X3J14 TC > /// /// \\\ \\\/// <JAX on GEnie >< for ANS > \\\ /// ///====\\\ ///\\\ <SYSOP RCFB (303) 278-0364>< Forth > \\\/// /// \\\ /// \\\
hansjoerg@hpbblb.bbn.hp.com (#Hansjoerg Maier) (01/09/91)
> If you want an 8051 Forth for free, download the appropriate > eForth file from any ForthNet BBS, including the RCFB, number below. Is there any ForthNet BBS accessible via anonymous ftp, where I can download the 8051 Forth and the other in these notes group mentioned 8051/8031 related software. Please poste the IP-address! Thanks, Hansjoerg Maier Hewlett Packard GmbH Boeblingen Germany