Hi

On www.opend.org it is said that port of D frontend to GCC's backends has started, but I can't find any other information. I would like to know, if anybody is doing it right now / any more? Also, if someone is doing it, what is the goal of this project? Just to port D frontend or perhaps to include it in the GCC distribution? Is there any information available about when this project might be in finished. I mean that is there any point to wait for GCC port or should I just search for some other language?

Thanks alot!

-- 
Tapio

Tapio Kelloniemi wrote:
> Hi
> 
> On www.opend.org it is said that port of D frontend to GCC's backends has started, but I can't find any other information. I would like to know, if anybody is doing it right now / any more? Also, if someone is doing it, what is the goal of this project? Just to port D frontend or perhaps to include it in the GCC distribution? Is there any information available about when this project might be in finished. I mean that is there any point to wait for GCC port or should I just search for some other language?
> 
> Thanks alot!
> 

I don't think that someone is really working on it (correct me...).
The goal of the project should be to have it in the GCC distribution. But do the GCC people want to have it?

Walter is porting his backend to linux.

CU Stephan

Stephan Wienczny wrote:
> Tapio Kelloniemi wrote:
> 
>> Hi
>>
>> On www.opend.org it is said that port of D frontend to GCC's backends has started, but I can't find any other information. I would like to know, if anybody is doing it right now / any more? Also, if someone is doing it, what is the goal of this project? Just to port D frontend or perhaps to include it in the GCC distribution? Is there any information available about when this project might be in finished. I mean that is there any point to wait for GCC port or should I just search for some other language?

Search for another language? NO WAY! :)
... unless you know any that *actually* suits you better.

>>
>> Thanks alot!
>>
> 
> I don't think that someone is really working on it (correct me...).

Jan Knepper has been working on it - but doesn't seem to have gotten far  due to lack of time.

> The goal of the project should be to have it in the GCC distribution. But do the GCC people want to have it?

Who cares? Either they take it - IMO they probably will as long as it complies with specifications - all kinds of wierd compilers are already in the distro - and they have even been friendly to the developers...
And if they don't - noone needs their permission to distribute a GCC-based compiler.

> Walter is porting his backend to linux.

Though linux is a major target, it's not everything. Walter's backend cannot cover non-x86 architectures, we need GCC for that. And i guess, BSD shall also stay uncovered for a while - unless a GCC port is done.

-i.

Ilya Minkov wrote:
>> Tapio Kelloniemi wrote:
>>
> 
> 
> Though linux is a major target, it's not everything. Walter's backend cannot cover non-x86 architectures, we need GCC for that. And i guess, BSD shall also stay uncovered for a while - unless a GCC port is done.
> 
> -i.
> 

We should try to persuade a gcc developer to help us. gcc developer are the only ones who know how the language tree is created.

Cu Stephan

Stephan Wienczny wrote:
> We should try to persuade a gcc developer to help us. gcc developer are the only ones who know how the language tree is created.

They are definately not the only ones - Jan Knepper does as well. :)

Seriously, there has been some documentation. GnuPascal (IIRC) creators have hacked and documented tree creation. Just follow the links on the opend homepage. There have been a number of tutorials. I guess GnuPascal, GNAT, and other developers can also be of help.

BTW, GnuPascal source itself could be interesting - we're dealing with a similar language.

-i.

> Jan Knepper has been working on it - but doesn't seem to have gotten far
>   due to lack of time.

Correct...
Fortunately that might change once I have new income which hopefully will be
soon.
I had a followup interview today and I think it went well. When it comes
through I will be back on D-GCC, especially for those platforms that the real
D is not going to support.

> > The goal of the project should be to have it in the GCC distribution. But do the GCC people want to have it?
> Who cares? Either they take it - IMO they probably will as long as it complies with specifications - all kinds of wierd compilers are already in the distro - and they have even been friendly to the developers... And if they don't - noone needs their permission to distribute a GCC-based compiler.

Correct.

> > Walter is porting his backend to linux.
> Though linux is a major target, it's not everything. Walter's backend cannot cover non-x86 architectures, we need GCC for that. And i guess, BSD shall also stay uncovered for a while - unless a GCC port is done.

Well, Walter might be happy enough to compile a BSD version as well. Also, BSD has such good Linux emulation that it might work anyways.

--
ManiaC++
Jan Knepper

Ilya Minkov wrote:

> Stephan Wienczny wrote:
> > We should try to persuade a gcc developer to help us. gcc developer are the only ones who know how the language tree is created.
> They are definately not the only ones - Jan Knepper does as well. :)

I am getting there... I converted "toy" from C to C++ in a couple of hours... I have some of the GLUE layer between the D-frontend and the GCC-backend done, but hesitate to put it out in it's current form as it is not quite working yet.

> Seriously, there has been some documentation. GnuPascal (IIRC) creators have hacked and documented tree creation. Just follow the links on the opend homepage. There have been a number of tutorials. I guess GnuPascal, GNAT, and other developers can also be of help.

Correct, there is some docco out there, but since I have been under serious time and financial constrains the last couple of months I have slowed down on the project...

--
ManiaC++
Jan Knepper

Stephan Wienczny wrote:

> We should try to persuade a gcc developer to help us. gcc developer are the only ones who know how the language tree is created.
> 

I've done some poking around, and in the newer 3.x releases there is a new way to tie in frontends that isn't yet documented (GIMPLE).  It looks a lot cleaner than how you had to do it in 2.95, and if the IR can support C/C++/ObjC/Fortran/Ada that'd seem like a good sign that D should be doable.

There are a couple of other projects ("open cobol" iirc :)) trying to make it
in that way..so maybe someone interested could ask them for tips.

Garen Parham wrote:
> Stephan Wienczny wrote:
> 
> 
>>We should try to persuade a gcc developer to help us. gcc developer are the only ones who know how the language tree is created.
>>
> 
> 
> I've done some poking around, and in the newer 3.x releases there is a new
> way to tie in frontends that isn't yet documented (GIMPLE).  It looks a lot
> cleaner than how you had to do it in 2.95, and if the IR can support C/C++/ObjC/Fortran/Ada that'd seem like a good sign that D should be doable.
> 

You could look at:

http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2002-08/msg01397.html

Stephan Wienczny wrote:


> You could look at:
> 
> http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2002-08/msg01397.html

Yup, thats it.