[fpc-devel] libc translations

[Mark J. Wood]

Hi,
   this thread has been really interesting. It has filled in my 
understanding of the tactics behind fpc a bit more.

Cheers,
    Mark.


Michael Van Canneyt wrote:
> On Sun, 10 Aug 2008, Boian Mitov wrote:
>
>   
>>    Hi Daniel,
>>
>> Thank you!
>> As I mentioned I am very new, and still don't know the exact rules of the
>> purpose of specific units. I am not sure if the timers are available on other
>> systems than Linux yet. I am sure there is some form of equivalent. I actually
>> don't have any Kylix code. I am porting Windows code, actually making it cross
>> platform as we support Delphi 5-2007, and plan to support Lazarus for Windows
>> and Linux for now, and hopefully for other platforms in the future. Porting
>> huge code from Windows is slow and error prone process, so I am doing it in
>> stages. For now I have made everything to recompile under Lazarus in Linux,
>> and now I am filling the items I had to cut from the code during the
>> conversion. In Windows I use the Media Timers, and the only equivalent thing I
>> have found in Linux is the High Resolution timers. I have been studding the
>> FPC and Lazarus code, and I discovered the libc, and it seemed as the logical
>> place such timers to be implemented. If they belong to a different location,
>> this is fine. I can also keep them in my code, but I thought other people can
>> benefit from the translation.
>>     
>
> I think it is necessary to explain certain things a bit more:
>
> FPC tries to be independent of the C library as much as possible. 
>
> We do provide an interface to the Unix system which is very much 
> like the C library (that is, adheres roughly to certain Posix 
> standards), so you will find most LibC functionality in the 
> BaseUnix, Unix, UnixTypes units. These units are cross platform
> (for unix like systems), and, where possible, interface to the 
> unix kernel. For some platforms they simply fall back to the C 
> library of the system.
>
> On the other hand, Kylix based itself on GNU Libc entirely. 
> For compatibility reasons, we have created a similar unit as 
> Kylix had. This unit can be used, but only on i386 and on
> systems that use GNU libc (Linux, in casu), because the 
> record and type definitions it contains are i386 and GNU Libc specific.
>
> You have therefor 2 options:
> - Continue with using Libc, and provide patches that keep it  up to date.
>
> - Implement the functionality that you need in a Posix like way, and make
>   sure it works accros processor architectures and operating systems.
>
> Naturally, we prefer the latter - as explained by Daniel - but if you 
> want to do the former (which is most likely less work): no problems, 
> we accept patches.
>
> Michael.
> _______________________________________________
> fpc-devel maillist  -  fpc-devel at lists.freepascal.org
> http://lists.freepascal.org/mailman/listinfo/fpc-devel
>
>   

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