Mailing Lists: Apple Mailing Lists
Image of Mac OS face in stamp
 
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Xcode does seem hard on newbies(was Xcode release notes)

2 cents;
ken;

On Aug 5, 2004, at 6:45 AM, Theodore H. Smith wrote:


Also, the .h files should be automatically maintained from the .m files, that is, having to add stupid declarations is such a productivity and moral killer. Java doesn't need this. In fact, no language needs .h files. .h files are a product of linear thinking, a way of yesterday. Java is old enough as it is and it doesn't need .h files.

You are correct that no language needs .h files however if you are to ever work on large systems you will find that .h files can save considerable build times in the long run. .h files denote signatures of objects. as a compiler reads these files it can determine if a dynamic library needs to be rescanned and possibly recompiled among other things. this is a part of encapsulation and obfuscation development patterns and is an integral part of development outside of the java world. not using .h files is more like early C development which is even farther back than yesterday. i would not dismiss .h files as unnecessary until i understood their use completely.

To do without a .h file, the compiler must re-scan the document, but thats no problem. First it scans for classes/structs, and makes a list of them. Then it scans for functions/methods and properties, and makes a list of them. Then it scans the code, and compiles it, using the pre-made listing of classes, structs, functions methods and properties.

you are talking about having to rescan all included files. this means that you have no more distributed code at all. every lib, class, etc. will have to carry all its source code in order for the compiler to interpret it. not to mention the fact that if someone wants to RE poof there is the source! any other manner and you could very easily be re-inventing the wheel.
with .h files the compiler keeps track of the previous signatures and scans the .h file to determine a change that is one original scan and then possibly one rescan (if the .h signature changes).

That's 3 re-scan operations, but seriously it is incredibly fast to do string searching, I know because I've written many heavy duty string processing apps. gcc is slow because it isn't well designed, not because its got a hard task on it's plate.

how is gcc slow?

--
Theodore H. Smith - Software Developer.
http://www.elfdata.com
_______________________________________________
xcode-users mailing list | email@hidden
Help/Unsubscribe/Archives: http://www.lists.apple.com/mailman/listinfo/xcode-users
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. 
_______________________________________________
xcode-users mailing list | email@hidden
Help/Unsubscribe/Archives: http://www.lists.apple.com/mailman/listinfo/xcode-users
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.

References: 
 >Re: Xcode does seem hard on newbies(was Xcode release notes) (From: "Theodore H. Smith" <email@hidden>)



Visit the Apple Store online or at retail locations.
1-800-MY-APPLE

Contact Apple | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2007 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.