jpl@esl.ESL.COM (Jim Leege) (04/02/91)
Can anyone tell me if there exists an Ada interface to Windows 3.0? How can I get a copy? -- Jim Leege, jpl@esl.COM
yow@riddler.Berkeley.EDU (Billy Yow 283-4051) (04/02/91)
>Can anyone tell me if there exists an Ada interface to Windows 3.0? How >can I get a copy? Before you can have a binding to Windows 3.0 you need an Ada compiler that supports Windows' code developement. So far I know of no Ada compiler that supports Windows. (But there are C, C++, Pascal, Modula-2 and other languages that support Windows. I guess Ada vendors are not interested in the Windows market. :-( ) Support for Windows requires the following: 1 Uses the small memory model, which is the preferred memory model for Windows. 2 Supports the DMPI standard for memory managment. 3 Will generate C interface calls using the Pascal style of parameter passing. This is so you can have ... CALL BACKS ... 4 Generates the correct prolog and epilogue code for windows. 5 A debugger that works with Codeview or inside of windows. 6 A Resource Compiler 7 Tools to development Icons, Bitmaps, Fonts and the other stuff used by Windows. When an Ada compiler supports 2, 3 and 4 then an interface to Windows 3.0 can be written. You can use the large memory model in Windows but there are problems with using the large memory model. I guess not having a debugger would be okay but I would not want to build a very large program. :-( A resource compiler converts a normal EXE file into a Windows EXE file and adds the Icons, Bitmaps and other Windows' stuff to the EXE file. Six and Seven are both in the SDK, but the Borland C++ and Pascal compilers don't require the SDK or any other tools from Microsoft. Also the C++ compiler is $325 and the Pascal compiler is $200. Good luck ever seeing an Ada compiler that supports Windows and provides all of the tools required for that price. Bill Yow yow@sweetpea.jsc.nasa.gov