md32+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael Joseph Darweesh) (11/19/88)
Has anyone out there seen a Modula 2 compiler/interpreter/anything for the Mac??? I am really interested in finding one, but have not seen any as of yet in my life. Mike Darweesh md32@andrew.cmu.edu
jspear@afit-ab.arpa (Jon L. Spear) (11/19/88)
In article <oXV6kYy00Ws1M3F1Bz@andrew.cmu.edu> md32+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael Joseph Darweesh) writes: >Has anyone out there seen a Modula 2 compiler/interpreter/anything for the Mac??? >I am really interested in finding one, but have not seen any as of yet in my >life. There hasn't been much discussion on Modula for the Mac. I wonder why... There are at least two Modula-2 compilers for the Mac: MacMETH and TML. MacMETH is written by Wirth and friends in Zurich. I've got version 2.0 (2.4 is current but documentation is unchanged), but I've only played with it a little. Documentation is sparse (68 pages photocopied) but tells you enough to get it going. Includes a 1-pass compiler, linker, and a "debugger". The compiler is invoked from a mini-shell program that lets you move between Edit, Compile, Execute, and Debug. The editor is a very basic teachtext-like editor that does auto-indenting. When you compile, it stops on the first error. You can then go back to the editor and it will point to the offending line and lookup an error message. The resulting program can be run directly (no link step). If there is a run-time error, you can enter the "debugger". The "debugger" is really just a symbolic stack analyzer - it can move up the stack, display the variables in a stack frame, their values, and even the source code of the lines that were executing, but you can't edit the source, change the value of variables, or continue execution. This might sound similar to one of the LightSpeed compilers, but MacMETH is decidedly much more clumsy, much less Mac-like (it was patterned after Wirth's Lilith), is very modal, and requires many keyboard commands. There is an external linker that can be used to create stand-alone applications. Some toolbox support is included, but my ancient version has some problems that I presume have been fixed and extended in later versions. One thing that is very clumsy is that there is no "make"-like facility or automated way to determine compilation order. You must manually compile module specifications in the proper order, and if you make a mistake or modify a specification, you may need to recompile nearly everything. I've heard the next version will have an improved user interface. No comments on code speed, size, or quality but it seems adequate. MacMETH is distributed in the US by Modula Corporation, 950 N. University Ave., Provo Utah 84604, (801)224-8999. I don't know anything about TML's Modula-2 except that it is an MPW tool. I presume it is still available from TML Systems, 8837-B Goodbys Executive Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32217, (904)636-8592. -- ---- random rumors from Jon Spear, comp eng student | With computers we can make a jspear@blackbird.afit.af.mil or @afit-ab.arpa | billion mistakes every second.
MacUserLabs@cup.portal.com (Stephan - Somogyi) (11/20/88)
Have a look at MetCom Modula-2. Metropolis, the developers, are at (514) 866-4776. Stephan <---------------------------------------------------------------> Stephan Somogyi Software Engineer MacUser Labs 950 Tower Lane, 18th Floor Foster City, CA 94404 ...sun!cup.portal.com!MacUserLabs or MacUserLabs@cup.portal.com BIX: mulabs CIS: 72511,16 MacNET: MULABS FAX: (415) 378-5675 The opinions expressed may or may not represent those of my employer
drc@claris.com (Dennis Cohen) (11/21/88)
There are a number of Modula-2 compilers/systems for the Mac. SemperSoft Modula-2 (Semper Software, Glen Ellyn IL) -- runs under MPW and the one that I use most. Completely up-to-date. Includes a makefile generator, pretty printer, and has an import list generator. TML Modula-2 (TML Systems, Jacksonville FL -- written by Bob Campbell) -- also runs under MPW. Pretty much on a par with SemperSoft -- the choice to go with one rather than the other is pretty much based upon personal idiosyncracies. I am told that volume V support is available, but I haven't received my update to verify that. MacMeth (Modula Corp., Provo UT) -- fast, standalone, not really well supported. I haven't yet heard of an upgrade for volume V compatibility. TDI Modula-2 (TDI, Dallas TX) -- a buggy port of their Amiga/Atari compiler to the Mac. The editor is terrible and the compiler crashes a lot. Also, still not completely HFS-compatible. Barely supports volume IV of IM. MetCom Modula-2 (Metropolitan Comp. Sys., Montreal PQ) -- new, integrated with a source debugger. Looks good so far, especially for educational environments. Currently can only make applications -- DAs, FKEYs, XCMDs, etc supposed to be available with next (1.1) release. Completely up-to-date. MacLogimoPlus (Shareware, Tim Myers, somewhere in UT) -- based upon the ETHZ compiler. The interface isn't much, but for $18.50 it's a good deal. I don't know whether the libraries and interfaces have been brought up to date with volume V of IM. -------- As you can see, there are a number of choices. If you want a compiler that does a good job and is relatively bug-free (nothing is ever completely bug- free), I would recommend Semper, TML, or Metcom. TML's support for the M2 compiler has been pretty weak as I believe that they are going to return the rights to the author. Since they are MPW compilers, both TML and Semper will require at least a Plus with a hard disk. Metcom will run reasonably well on a Plus with two 800K drives. Dennis Cohen Claris Corp. ------------ Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed above are _MINE_!
jordan@Apple.COM (Jordan Mattson) (11/22/88)
Jordan Mattson UUCP: jordan@apple.apple.com Apple Computer, Inc. CSNET: jordan@apple.CSNET Tools & Languages Product Management 20525 Mariani Avenue, MS 27S Cupertino, CA 95014 408-973-4601 "Joy is the serious business of heaven." C.S. Lewis
knapp@cs.utexas.edu (Edgar Knapp) (11/22/88)
There are two Modula-2 development systems I came across: MacMETH by Wirth, Gutknecht and others, write to ETH Zurich Clausiusstr. 55 CH-8092 Zurich Switzerland TML-Modula/2, which needs the MPW shell to run. I didn't find an address for this one. (Edgar Knapp)
gollman@tuvie (Georg Gollman) (11/22/88)
I'm using MacMETH and am quite satisfied with it. It can be obtained directly from the ETH Zurich. The nice thing about MacMETH is that it runs quite reasonably even on a 512K Mac. My question about the MPW based Modula systems: does the linker handle version checking ??? Georg Gollmann e-mail: gollman@tuvie.uucp TU Wien, EDVZ tel: (222) 58801/3611
macman@ethz.UUCP (Danny Schwendener) (11/27/88)
I think you should have a look at P1-Modula2. It runs under MPW, is object-oriented (MacApp? yes, of course) and has a very nice set of libraries. The manual is not extremely extensive (120 pages), but I found everything I needed to know. User Support is very good, too. A colleague of mine found a minor bug in the compiler and called up P1. Three days later, we received the update. A nice feature is conditional compilation, especially for debugging. THe package comes with 4 tools: a post-mortem debugger (very much like the MacMETH pmd, with an additional 680x0 disassembly window), a global crossreferencer, a Makefile generator and a symbol file dumper. I love it. -- Danny +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Mail : Danny Schwendener, ETH Macintosh Support | | Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-8092 Zuerich | | Bitnet : macman@czheth5a UUCP : {cernvax,mcvax}ethz!macman | | Internet: macman@ifi.ethz.ch Voice : yodel three times | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ DISCLAIMER: I don't know anyone at P1. But here's their address anyway: P1 Gesellschaft fuer Informatik mbH Gotthardstr. 99 D-8000 Muenchen 21 089/580-60-99