Re: Ada and Internationalization

["Randy Brukardt" <randy@rrsoftware.com>]

"Stephen Leake" <stephen_leake@acm.org> wrote in message
news:ur725hx6s.fsf@acm.org...
> "Randy Brukardt" <randy@rrsoftware.com> writes:
>
> > "Dmitry A. Kazakov" <mailbox@dmitry-kazakov.de> wrote in message
> > news:1b6kk4c3suwjg.84fral2281gm$.dlg@40tude.net...
> > ...
> >> In a recent project I had a similar problem. In place of localization
> > there
> >> were different rendering devices: Text, HTML, GTK etc. It ended up with
a
> >> primitive operation defined on objects, that had a class-wide argument
> >> controlling the output parameters. Needless to say, that I am not
> > satisfied
> >> with this design.
> >
> > I had a similar problem with the formatting tool that produces the Ada
> > Reference Manual and other good stuff. (In fact, it is essentially the
same
> > problem.) I ended up defining an "output object" abstract type, with
> > instances of the type for text, HTML, and RTF. The needed operations for
> > formatting and the like are defined for the abstract type. The
formatting
> > engine takes an output object and writes to it as needed.
> >
> > The design was fairly successful; Stephen Leake created a new type and
> > object to support TextInfo output.
>
> That's "TexInfo" :)
>
> > He was able to do that fairly successfully with the interface
> > already provided.
>
> Yes, it is a good design.
>
> Can't wait to do it again for Ada 2005 (2006?). Any update on the
> schedule for that? I gather we are waiting for the ISO process to
> grind thru.

Yes, I'm waiting for Ada Europe to give the go-ahead to make the final
version. Until then, it's kinda in limbo. I should really coordinate with
you so you can start your work on this now (there shouldn't be many changes
to the interface at this point). Ping me about this when I get back from the
meetings (which are next week).

                         Randy.