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- !Help file for Risc OS guavac, version 1.0, release 1.2
- January 14th 1998
-
- This is guavac, the GNU Java source file compiler, ported to Risc OS
- by Peter Naulls (pnaulls@usa.net).
-
- guavac is an alternative to javac, the JDK Java compiler. Since guavac
- is written in C++, rather than Java like javac, it is much faster.
-
-
- Changes since release 1.1a
-
- * Fixed "Numeric overflow" for long values.
-
- * The source filename would appear wrongly in some throwback situations,
- this has been fixed.
-
- * A Frontend is now included. Thanks to Jon Wright for this.
-
-
- Changes since release 1.1
-
- * Added some example Java programs to the archive.
-
- * Fix for Risc OS 3.5 and 3.6 users who do not have the CallASWI module
- loaded.
-
-
- Changes since release 1.0
-
- * guavac will now load the library classes (!Guavac.class/zip) regardless
- of whether it is an image file or not, so you are free to have it as
- an archive (filetype &DDC) and open it if you wish. Note that you
- shouldn't have library files used by Acorn's Java as an image file,
- as this will confuse !Java.
-
- * guavac correctly finds classes in the CSD. It will also load classes
- if they do not have the "/class" extension.
-
- * The word ordering of double-precision floating point numbers under Risc OS
- is slighty different to most other operating systems. Previously, double
- words were compiled into classes so that the high and low words were
- reversed. This has been corrected.
-
- * When guavac looks for classes other than those in the library (e.g. those
- in the CSD) it will load them whether or not they have the "/class"
- extension. Remember that by default, guavac will not add the extension
- when outputting files.
-
-
- Installation:
-
- Copy the contents of the archive to your HD. Double-click the
- !Guavac icon to enable it to be run. If !Guavac reports
- "File 'System:Modules.CallASWI' not found" then you will need to obtain
- the CallASWI module from:
-
- http://micros.hensa.ac.uk/micros/arch/riscos/e/e160/callaswi.zip
-
- and place it inside !Boot.Resources.!System.Modules.
-
-
- Usage:
-
- You might like to first copy "hw/java" "loop/java" and "Compile"
- to somewhere and then double-click on the Compile Obey file.
-
- To use it, read the documentation in !Guavac.doc; but in general, the
- usage is:
-
- guavac <source filename>
-
- Where the source file is a java source file, with the file name of
- the format: program.java, program/java or java/program. For other Risc
- OS specific questions, see the guavac FAQ, in !Guavac.doc.RO-FAQ
- Have a look at the Compile Obey file for an example of running guavac
- in a taskwindow.
-
- This distribution also contains guavad, a bytecode dissasembler.
- Usage is:
-
- guavad <class filename>
-
-
- The following additions to command line options for guavac have been made
- for Risc OS:
-
- Command line flags:
-
- -ext By default, guavac will not add the "/class" extension to generated
- classfiles, due to the likelihood of it being truncated to 10 characters
- under the Risc OS filecore. Using this flag means the extension will be
- added. Note that not adding the extension is not a problem, since the class
- is filetyped to 'Java' (filetype &AE4).
-
- -th Use throwback. To use this, the DDEUtils module must be loaded.
- When using this switch, an editor such as StrongED or Zap which supports
- the throwback protocol will generate a list of files and linenumbers on
- which errors occured.
-
-
- Library class files:
-
- By default, guavac will use the !Guavac.class/zip file as a library to
- compile against. However, if the system variable Java$ClassDir is
- set (as it will be by RISCafe and Chockcino) then the library file to
- which this points will be used instead. The -classfile flag may be
- used to overide either of these. There is no need to set this variable.
-
-
- Source filenames:
-
- Source files may either be called program/java (assuming the filing system
- you are using can handle this many characters in the filename) or
- be of the format java.program, using the convention of C source files
- under Risc OS.
-
-
- Memory Usage:
-
- Since guavac is linked with Unixlib, guavac cannot manually increase its
- Wimpslot, so the wimpslot size must be set first, like GCC. guavac sets
- the guavac_heap system variable, so under Risc OS 3.5 or later, it will
- use dynamic areas for its heap. In this case, a Wimpslot of around 2.8Mb
- should be fine. It will also work with Virtualise if necessary. On older
- machines, the Wimpslot will need to be higher - experiment as necessary.
- The value of guavac_heap is irrelevant; it only needs to exist, and
- is set in the !Boot file. Please note that later releases of guavac may use
- less memory.
-
-
-
- To do:
-
- * Improve handling of unusual Risc OS filenames.
- * Reduce executable size (not everything is fully optimised yet).
-
-
- Where can I learn more about Java?
-
- URLs
- Javasoft: http://www.javasoft.com/
- Chockcino homepage: http://chocky.home.ml.org/java/
-
- Magazines
- My article in December 1997 Acorn User (that's the one with the Cover CD)
- My series on Java programming in RISC User.
-
- Make sure you look that the FAQ which is included in the docs directory
- also.
-
-
- Acknowlegdements:
-
- Tony Houghton - for help with the C++ templates.
- Peter Burwood - again for help with C++ templates, the alternative
- sprite, and for many comments and much miscelleneous help.
- Jon Wright - for the Frontend.
- The UnixLib team
- The #acorn channel
-
-
- Any comments, critisims, etc, to Peter Naulls - pnaulls@usa.net.
-
-
-