Re: ada-mode and GNAT project files (was: GVD)

["Ludovic Brenta" <ludovic@ludovic-brenta.org>]

Tapio Kelloniemi a écrit :
> What actually this upstream is for ada-mode (Emacs/FSF or
> ada-mode/AdaCore)? If I have understood correctly, the mode has been
> completely integrated into Emacs and they are responsible for
> maintaining and developing it. Now what does the (there is already
> this functionality) mean? I have thought that ada-mode has support
> for cross-referencing in emacs 21.3 (don't know the ada-mode
> version), but I don't know what is wrong with it or what is better
> in the Ludovic version (I have never used cross-refs).

I emailed my early patches to Emmanuel Briot at AdaCore.  One can get
an older ada-mode as part of emacs (21.4 is current), and a more
recent version from AdaCore's libre site and in Debian package
ada-mode (3.6-2 is current).

ada-mode works with ada-mode project files (*.adp) and has a UI to
edit them from within emacs.

I have a patch that:

* enhances the Ada major mode to edit GNAT Project files (understands
  the "project" keyword, indents, etc.)

* replaces the machinery that reads .adp files with a new one that
  reads .gpr files instead

* finds the .ali files in the object directory specified by the .gpr
  file, which makes cross-references work.

Emmanuel rejected the patch on the grounds that GNAT can generate an
.adp file from a .gpr file, but I'd rather ditch .adp files
altogether.  (my memory is fuzzy on the details on how one is supposed
to generate .adp files from .gpr files).

With my patch, the UI to edit and save .adp files is still there but
useless and it should be removed.  Also, my patch does not support
"includes" or "extends" in GNAT project files (i.e. will not pick up
the source or object directories from them).

> >Therefore we will fork ada-mode.  Any suggestion for another name?
>
> We seemingly will be forking the whole ada toolchain from GNAT to
> ada-mode, what about forking Ada itself.

No, this is not needed at present.  I am only contemplating a fork
of ada-mode.

> However, Ludovics ada-mode supports GNAT projects so what about
> gnat-mode or gnuada-mode. If the fork ever supports Ada2005, it
> could be ada05-mode or something similar. If it will not support
> Ada2005, it could be better to just supply patches for Emacs (I
> suppose that no huge changes have been made).

Emacs is downstream from Emmanuel, so unfortunately a fork is
inevitable if I am to distribute my patched ada-mode.

gnat-mode and gnuada-mode seem fine, but I'd rather not use such an
official name as GNAT or GNU, as I'm a member of neither project.

If the format of .ali file changes with the new GNAT for Debian,
someone will have to update all ada-modes to cope with them for
cross-references to work.  I haven't looked into this yet.  If
Emmanuel does that, it should not be too difficult to merge into
whatever-it-is-called-mode.

-- 
Ludovic Brenta.