psc@lzaz.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm) (05/22/87)
Yes, the C compiler I use has a stat() function; and now it's here!
The reason I haven't been saying anything about Turbo C these past few
weeks is that I've been busy beta testing it. Beta is over, and I've
got a lovely shrink wrapped present in my hands: Turbo C 1.0.
According to Brad Silverberg, Borland has shipped about 30,000 copies
so far. The demand is very gratifying.
Okay, let's tear the shrink wrap off and see what this sucker looks
like. (r-r-r-rrip!) We've got nearly four hundred pages of reference
guide, mostly on the library, and three hundred pages of user's guide,
split between the language and the development environment. The
language is ANSI C, with function prototypes and const modifiers, and
the appropriate new magic for the preprocessor. You can compile from a
Turbo Pascal-like integrated environment, or from an DOS command that
looks a lot like UNIX(R) cc.
The integrated environment is lots of fun. After an unsuccessful
compile, you have the source file in the main window, and the list of
error messages in a smaller window below. Move the cursor to a given
error message, and the offending code will be highlighted in the source
window. With appropriate used of function prototypes, and with no
warnings disabled, you usually get as much information from Turbo C as
you do from lint on UNIX. You can link from within the integrated
environment. You can even maintain a "project" (collection of C source
files). This isn't as powerful as the full fledged make utility
included. You can use Borland's Turbo Linker (included) or the LINK
command that came with your copy of DOS.
My alpha and beta test experiences with Turbo C showed it to be very
compatible with Microsoft C 4.0, but compiling faster, and generating
smaller, faster code.
The library includes lots of UNIX and MSC compatible functions, plus a
nice collection of functions for convenient access to DOS and the ROM
BIOS.
Turbo C comes with a card for the CompuServe IntroPak, with fifteen
dollars of free connect time. (Borland has an active SIG on
CompuServe.)
A very few shortcomings: No debugger. The source code for the run
time library is $295.00! (*DON'T* flame me, don't flame the net!
Borland is at 4585 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA, 95066,
408-438-8400; if you're PO'ed at them, flame them!) And they blew the
declaration of fstat() in the reference manual.
Tell you what: I work for AT&T, not Borland. But if you have any
questions, or any benchmark comparisons, email them to me, and I'll
post answers if I can. Email only; I don't promise to answer questions
posted to the net, or asked over the phone (for all you other AT&T'ers
who can look me up.)
-Paul S. R. Chisholm, UUCP {ihnp4,cbosgd,allegra,vax135,mtune}!lznv!psc
AT&T Mail !psrchisholm, Internet psc@lznv.att.com
I'm not speaking for my employer, I'm just speaking my mind.
Turbo Pascal and Turbo C are registered trademarks of Borland
International. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T.