Re(4): optimizing compilers
Re(4): optimizing compilers
- Subject: Re(4): optimizing compilers
- From: Jens Bauer <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2002 00:16:44 +0100
Hi Finlay,
On Fri, 1 Feb, 2002, Finlay Dobbie <email@hidden> wrote:
>
> There's no ObjC compiler yet (as far as I know), but I definately like
>
> MrCpp, and it's already running on a PowerPC, so the porting shouldn't
>
> take long. Furthermore, porting a command-line compiler isn't as hard as
>
> porting a UI application.
>
>
That's a little naive. Even once MrC(pp) was ported, which would
>
probably not be a walk in the park, large portions of the OS X code
>
would probably have to be re-worked so they don't rely on gcc
>
extensions, etc etc. And CLI apps can be just as difficult to port as a
>
UI application, if not more so, their user interface is not directly
>
proportional to their complexity.
I know some compiler programming, and I know MPW, I've tried porting a
large application,
and I've tried porting an assembler from Atari ST to Macintosh, *AS BINARY!*
MPW is already a command-line utility, it does not use any dialog-boxes, etc.
I still believe that it wouldn't be much trouble to port MrCpp. In fact,
I just feel like doing it myself now, just to get it on my Web-server. :)
(I know I don't have the time for doing such a port; I need to get myself
some money for my apartment, so this will not be my highest priority,
more likely, it'll be like a fun-project).
>
> I can see issues with the linker and the XCOUGH/PEF formats, but that
>
> should be possible to solve.
>
>
It's called XCOFF,
I know that. ;)
>
and I don't know why there would be any issues with
>
XCOFF at all considering OS X uses Mach-O binaries natively, and PEF
>
formats are supported via the LaunchCFMApplication wrapper.
>
>
> Furthermore, I'd suggest Motorola's C/C++ compiler. Unfortunately, I got
>
> the *very last* copy from Motorola; they're not distributing it.
>
>
MrC was actually faster in many cases.
Yes, the reason that I got Motorola's was because there was a bug in
MrCpp at the time, however it got fixed 2 weeks later, so I never used
Motorola's for real.
>
> And finally.. The CodeWarrior guys may want to consider creating a plug-
>
> in for Project Builder of their compiler ? -Just like the MPW folks made
>
> MrC/MrCpp plugins for CodeWarrior ? :)
>
>
Difference is that PB doesn't export a plugin API in quite the same
>
way... Although you might have some fun modifying the jamfiles in
>
/Developer/Makefiles :-) (CW Pro 7 does have a CLI tool frontend for its
>
compiler, I think).
It must be possible to replace GCC directly and pretend like you're GCC
(for a start).
Love,
Jens
--
Jens Bauer, Faster Software.