Re: Trying to get an Ada compiler on a MacBook Pro

[Jerry <lanceboyle@qwest.net>]

On Apr 24, 9:04 am, brian.b.mcguinn...@lmco.com wrote:
> Sorry to post this here, but when I try to post to
> GNAT-...@hermes.gwu.edu I get a LISTSERV error
> telling me that I am not allowed to post from my account.

I don't know what the problem is with the LISTSERVE error, but you
_really_ need to be on that list. There are a few common questions
that arise whenever someone tries GNAT on Mac but they are not for the
most part addressed on the macada web site. There is an asymmetry in
that the compilers are kept up to date but the web site languishes.
The list experts can answer all of your questions.
>
> There doesn't seem to be much introductory information
> available for people who are new to installing Ada compilers
> on Apple computers.  For example, I know from searching
> around a bit that the Mac uses Mach-O format files, and that
> the GCC compilers usually generate ELF files, but it is not
> clear whether I need to use a command line switch to specify
> Mach-O format whenever I compile on the Mac, or whether the
> GCC autoconfiguration process sets that up automatically.
>
> I installed a previous GCC 4.2 release from the macada site on
> my MacBook Pro, and although the controls came up in Xcode
> ok (except that Xcode can't seem to find some of the Ada
> library files), when I attempted to use gnatmake from the
> command line it couldn't find the compiler, though I could run
> gcc by hand to compile a simple Ada test program to a .o file.
> Now I have to figure out which linker to use, the original Apple
> linker or one from the new GCC package.

Partial answers: The compiler is at /usr/local/ada-4.3, so you may
have to adjust the PATH environment variable, e.g., setenv PATH /usr/
local/ada-4.3/bin:$PATH

When using gnatmake from the command line you might get a bunch of
missing symbols involving __UNWIND; you need to add the arguments -
largs -lgcc_s.1. For example,

gnatmake helloworld.adb -largs -lgcc_s.1

If you have used the official installer (e.g. for 4.2, not sure if 4.3
is up yet) and thus the full Xcode Ada plug-in, this is done for you
(when using Xcode).

Xcode is kind of stupid sometimes. You might have to edit the Active
Target by adding the source path to the header path list--just because
you drug the source files into Xcode doesn't mean that it actually
knows were to look for them when it needs them. Stupid, stupid,
stupid.

You might also have to add search paths for libraries and frameworks.


>
> Now I have downloaded the GCC 4.3 Intel version from this new
> site and plan to try installing that to see if it will work any
> better.
> But I am not sure whether the 4.2 patch should be applied to
> that, or whether the fix is already incorporated into the
> 4.3 build.
>
> I want a GCC compiler set with the core C/C++ compilers, Ada,
> and Fortran (needed for some scientific libraries), that will
> compile and link programs on my Intel-based MacBook Pro.  I
> don't care too much whether it supports Xcode or not, I can
> just as well compile from the command line.  I just want to
> be able to compile and run programs.
>
> Also, I got a "not found" error today trying to reachhttp://www.macada.org/macada/macada/Welcome.html.  Is the
> site listed below a replacement for that?  What is the
> preferred site to download the compilers from?

I don't know what is wrong with the site. Again, you really need to
contact the list.

>
> Thanks.
>
> --- Brian
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: GNAT for Mac OS X User List [mailto:GNAT-...@HERMES.GWU.EDU] On
>
> Behalf Of Stephen Bespalko
> Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 11:20 AM
> To: GNAT-...@HERMES.GWU.EDU
> Subject: Re: [GNAT-OSX] New Compilers
>
> I strongly recommend paying attention to the warnings in the release
> notes. If you have a spare machine that doesn't have any critical
> data, or that you wouldn't depend on for critical activities, then go
> for it, otherwise there is no way I'd put it on my day-to-day machine.
>
> On Apr 24, 2007, at 9:08 AM, Nicolas Setton wrote:
>
> >> I have posted new compilers to my web site.
>
> >>http://homepage.mac.com/awreynolds
>
> >> Ada folder.
>
> >> For those looking for the PowerPC compiler with most of the
> >> languages, that has been posted.
>
> >> For those looking for compilers for Leopard, they have been posted as
> >> well.
>
> > Great job, congratulations!
>
> > How stable is Leopard? (Hidden question: should I install it on my
> > machine?)
>
> > Nico