Hey, I want to help out with GDC. I don't know a ton about D, but I've got lots of time to learn, and I think that I would be able to help improve GDC.
Right now, I'm pretty sure that the GDC svn is at DMD 1.030, and works with GCC 4.1.x.
So, I'm trying to merge the DMD frontend source of DMD into GDC. Obviously, it's not as easy as copying and pasting the frontend source into the dmd folder of the GDC trunk. I tried that, and got multiple errors.
I'm aware of these two links:
http://prowiki.org/wiki4d/wiki.cgi?GdcHacking
and
http://prowiki.org/wiki4d/wiki.cgi?DMDSourceGuide
which don't seem to be that useful for merging in the DMD front end.
So, if anyone has any insight on how to do this, or what differs when compiling GDC, tell me. I want to help.
Also, I think that it would be easier to try and do it incrementally, and not jump from 1.030 to 1.047, and instead, doing 1.030->1.031, etc.

I found a pretty useful link about writing a GCC front-end here:
http://tldp.org/HOWTO/GCC-Frontend-HOWTO.html
It describes how to write a demo front-end language for GCC.
Since D's is already written, and all I have to work on is merging the DMD source, it shouldn't be too hard. Just wanted to see how everything would work together when it actually compiles.
Another guide is here; not as useful, but still decent:
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7884

Anyways, I got gdc working with gcc 4.3.1 using the 4.3.1 branch that is located in the "branches" section of the gdc svn.
https://dgcc.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/dgcc/branches/dev-gcc-4.3.1/
It was pretty much the exact same as a 4.1.x installation.

I figured out that, when building gdc, gcc is used, not g++, like when building dmd, which I would assume is why you can't just copy and paste the front end source. At least part of the reason.
Anyways, any help/links/etc are appreciated.

Yahoo!
I managed to get the front end to DMD 1.031 working with GDC.
What I did was creating patch files for the DMD 1.030 front end, and the front end that was used with GDC. Then, going through all of the files in the DMD 1.031 front end, I made the changes that were shown in the patch files.
Hopefully, using this I will be able to gradually merge other front end sources into GDC. :) (By comparing 1.031 source -> 1.032 for example, and apply changes to source.)
P.S. I have a point form list of things that I found while going through the patch files. I'll put it in to something useful for other people to see soon. :)

Michael you are doing a very good work :)

I don't have time to collaborate now but i could have it in the future. What i can suggest you to do is:

1) stay on irc.freenode.net #d.gdc to meet other people interested in
gdc.
2) publish your work in a RCS. i suggest you to use http://bitbucket.org/
it's free and you can host code easily.

I think that the problem in gdc now is the lack of organized development.
This will not change until gdc is a one-man effort.
This can be a start.

See you.

Vincenzo Ampolo Wrote:

> Michael you are doing a very good work :)
> 
> I don't have time to collaborate now but i could have it in the future. What i can suggest you to do is:
> 
> 1) stay on irc.freenode.net #d.gdc to meet other people interested in
> gdc.
> 2) publish your work in a RCS. i suggest you to use http://bitbucket.org/
> it's free and you can host code easily.
> 
> I think that the problem in gdc now is the lack of organized development.
> This will not change until gdc is a one-man effort.
> This can be a start.
> 
> See you.

Hey, thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.
I'll make sure to stay on the #d and #d.gdc irc channels.
Also, about bitbucket: looks good, but a question about licensing: the front end code is licensed under the GPL, I think. What do I have to do when uploading code onto bitbucket to avoid breaking terms of the GPL? It looked like all I have to do was ship gpl.txt, and credit the original author. But I want to make sure.

Michael P.  wrote:

> I managed to get the front end to DMD 1.031 working with GDC.

Great news, did you publish it somewhere?
If not tell me that i'll set up a repository on bitbuket.org

See you ;)

And thanks for your work!

Michael P.  wrote:

> I managed to get the front end to DMD 1.031 working with GDC.

Done! :D

Have a look here http://bitbucket.org/goshawk/gdc/overview/

And if you want publish a complete version of the sources. If you just found that applying patches it works i'll help soon :D

Vincenzo Ampolo Wrote:

> Michael P.  wrote:
> 
> > I managed to get the front end to DMD 1.031 working with GDC.
> 
> Done! :D
> 
> Have a look here http://bitbucket.org/goshawk/gdc/overview/
> 
> And if you want publish a complete version of the sources. If you just found that applying patches it works i'll help soon :D

Cool.
I'll get the sources up ASAP.

Michael P.  wrote:

> bitbucket to avoid breaking terms of the GPL? It looked like all I
have to
> do was ship gpl.txt, and credit the original author. But I want to
make
> sure.
> 

With gpl you ahve the freedom to copy, modify and distribute the
modified copy.
So you can put it on bitbucket for now and just add your Copyleft to
the files you modify without deleting the previous ones, so the people
that worked in that file are traced.

Then you can copy everywhere you want :D

Vincenzo Ampolo, el 10 de septiembre a las 01:42 me escribiste:
> Michael you are doing a very good work :)
> 
> I don't have time to collaborate now but i could have it in the future. What i can suggest you to do is:
> 
> 1) stay on irc.freenode.net #d.gdc to meet other people interested in
> gdc.
> 2) publish your work in a RCS. i suggest you to use http://bitbucket.org/
> it's free and you can host code easily.
> 
> I think that the problem in gdc now is the lack of organized development.
> This will not change until gdc is a one-man effort.
> This can be a start.

I'm very glad to see some work on GDC too, thanks for your work! =)

-- 
Leandro Lucarella (luca) | Blog colectivo: http://www.mazziblog.com.ar/blog/
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