rld@drutx.UUCP (DucharmeRL) (04/21/87)
For those of you interested, there are several versions of c++ available for PCs. I have looked at both the one from Guidelines and the one from Lifeboat (Glockenspiel). Both take 512K to run in but more words are needed on that statement. The only one I can recommend is the one from Guidelines. When testing these, I had to unload all memory resident programs to have enough space to do anything. The programs that could be compiled with this additional space are quite different in size. Guidelines handled up to 1800+ lines and Lifeboat handled only up to 480 lines of the same file (the Lifeboat document recommended using the batch file for larger programs -- this was done, otherwise, I was only able to compile programs approximately 60 lines long). Also different is the way that the work is done. Guidelines: runs only as a preprocessor using batch files. Static constructors and destructors do work. Lifeboat: runs as both a preprocessor and as a post processor (takes more space than Guidelines. It uses the output of MAPSYM to handle the static constructors / destructors. This also slows down the processing speed. In running the examples in the book, it also appears that Guidelines header files are much closer to the UNIX version 1.1 than Lifeboat (OASIS/GLOCKENSPIEL). Some problems were observed with Guidelines when you specify the error processing for the new operation. If you ask for too much memory, the error routine is called BUT the code following the new call is also executed. In the error routine I specified and exit(1) that should never have returned to the main program. Since I have not had any more time to investigate this, I am not certain if that was a problem with the c++ preprocessor or a program bug (20 line program). One additional item is the Guidelines c++ is 1/2 the cost of the Lifeboat c++ processor ($195 vs $450). Robert Ducharme drutx!rld (303) 538-4066