TEAM-ADA Archives

Team Ada: Ada Programming Language Advocacy

TEAM-ADA@LISTSERV.ACM.ORG

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Reply To:
Chip Richards <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 4 Apr 1998 05:02:22 -0700
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (30 lines)
On Fri, Apr 03, 1998 at 12:30:22PM -0500, W. Wesley Groleau x4923 wrote:

   Which Motorola chip?  If 680x0, it shouldn't be hard to make a cross-compiler
   for PalmOS from some other GNAT 680x0 cross.

It's their so-called "Dragonball" CPU.  I think it's designation is something
like MC68342 or the like.

I asked this very question on gnat-chat a couple of months ago.  After some
discussion, the following points emerged:

 - Yes, such a port was feasible.  All it would take is time, patience, and a
   modicum of experience making GNAT or at least GCC cross-compilers.  Since
   GCC already targets a very similar variant of the CPU (the 68320,
   perhaps?) little if any changes to the code generator would be required.

 - Ada tasking wouldn't be supported, but that was deemed not to be a problem,
   since PalmOS provides all the application switching and background
   execution support one would need.

 - In order for the port to be useful, one would need to develop a binding for
   the PalmOS API.  Not a trivial task, but not rocket science, either.

I keep hoping some enterprising soul will come along and just do it, so I
don't have to. <grin>  But if no one has by the time I get around to it (don't
hold your breath) then I'll tackle it myself.

--
Chip

ATOM RSS1 RSS2