Mail Archives: djgpp/1995/02/08/03:50:19
On Tue, 7 Feb 1995, T. Scott Ankrum wrote:
> the README file so others do not get mislead.) If I cannot get a C++
> compiler for OS/2, a DOS compiler will do. The DJGPP 32 bit compiler
> is more complexity than I need.
Well, complexity is as complexity does (would Grandma have said that?).
It is a complete 32 bit development environment, including an ANSI C
compiler and a true C++ compiler (I'm just learning C++ so I can't
comment on it), as opposed to a preprocessor. Of course, it needs a DOS
extender and its own utilities (linker, librarian, etc.). It feels
complex when you first see it, especially if you haven't done much (any)
programming under UNIX, and the initial learning curve is steep, but once
you get a few fundamental concepts down it isn't that bad. Again, the C
part is ANSI compliant so most programs will compile and run. The trick
is understanding how to compile and run them!
> GCC compiler, I was hoping to get a C++ compiler for OS/2 or DOS
> based on GCC. It is difficult to figure out which of the ZIP files at
> oak.oakland.edu that I need.
I apologize to every one on the list who is tired of seeing this, but
here goes:
Check the FAQ and readmes, it's not that hard to figure out what you
need. NOTE there is no longer a gasXXYY.zip. When you start to "get
it" it actually makes sense (of course, if you don't get it, it's hard to
know where to start to get it...). You need something to execute the
programs you create and the 32 bit tools, so you need djeoeXXX.zip (but
not djeoesrc.zip, you probably don't want the source code for this
stuff); that means DJ's execute only environment. You also need the
binary utilities, most of which you will never use but some of which are
vital (bnuXXYY.zip, but again not src stuff, just bnuXXbn.zip (the actual
binaries) and bnuXXdc.zip (the docs)). Now how about a development
environment? OK, djdevXXX.zip. The actual C compiler? gccXXXYY.zip,
where YY means bn and dc. C++ compiler? gppXXX.zip. Now you need libs
and headers (this is one a lot of people miss): lgpXXXbn.zip, and get the
docs, lgpXXXdc.zip. Any make will do, but I recommend the djgpp one; get
makXXXbn.zip and makXXXdc.zip. If you need anything else you will know
it. Now one trick: get dj112m1.zip and .doc, same for dj112m2, dj112m3,
dj112m4. These are bug fixes and must be unzipped in order; each usually
contains a .bat file, and that must be run before the next maint release
is unzipped and applied. Oh, and get txiXXXbn.zip and txiXXXdc.zip to
get the info program to read all those docs (I believe you indicated you
already got those). Bob's your uncle, you've got everything you need to
compile C/C++ programs!
> The first thing I did before asking any questions on this list was
> to try to RTFM. That prompted my second question about the format of
> the documentation. The most complete answers I got told me to execute
> INFO against a file ending in .DIR. After unzipping all of the Doc
> packages, there are no files ending in .DIR, and when I tried INFO
> with a .INF file it always returned an error saying it can't open the
> file. I would LOVE to RTFM, but I can't!
OK, it was me that said RTFM (I hope I put a smiley there!). Lord knows,
I had my own problems with info (due, I believe, to hardware problems)
but I could always get it started. There is no trick to it. When you
have unzipped all your files and set up the appropriate environment
variables (as outlined in a readme file), including modifying your path,
just type "info", no arguments. It will find the file 'dir', which should
be in djgpp(or whatever you call your djgpp home directory)/docs/djgpp. It
will put you at a "root" menu of your available info files and you
can browse for hours.
There are also some doc files which are in plain ascii and some in nroff
format, but they are duplicated in the .inf files.
The .inf files should look stupid when you point a file viewer at them or
'type' them; if you use utod or some such on them info won't understand
them (if you don't know what that means, ignore it for now).
I apologize if I seemed flippant with my 'RTFM'; one thing I have
discovered is that the people on this list are _great_ at answering even
trivial (to them) questions. I only got the package about a month ago,
had one problem and so subscribed, but I stay subscribed for two reasons:
1) it's so damned interesting!
2) I would like to be able to give a little something back to those who
took so much time and trouble to help me when I started!
If you are under pressure to finish a paper, I understand if you want to
ditch djgpp and work with something else, but I strongly suggest that you
stick with djgpp for a while, and at least read the headers!
Bill Davidson
bdavidson AT ra DOT isisnet DOT com
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