Re: Ada to 'C' parameter passing problem

[mheaney@on2.com (Matthew Heaney)]

rod.chapman@praxis-cs.co.uk (Rod Chapman) wrote in message news:<cf2c6063.0302181150.55991a7e@posting.google.com>...
> Pat.Donahue@msfc.nasa.gov (Patrick) wrote in message news:<ea3b54bb.0302180739.3cb6c159@posting.google.com>...
> > I am using GNAT Ada on Linux.  I am trying to port from a Sun
> > (Solaris) implementation.  I didn't write the Ada or 'C' myself, but
> > am trying to make it work on Linux.
> <snip>
> 
> This code looks mildly horrible.  All that messing about with
> 'Address and Unchecked_Conversion is in very poor style.
> 
> My advice:
> 
> 4) A C function that has multiple side-effects via
> by-reference parameters shouldn't
> be a function in Ada at all - it's a procedure!

No, Rod, it's a subprogram that returns a value.  There is no
difference between a function and a procedure, except for syntax.

That Ada doesn't allow you to specify inout mode for function
parameters is a deficiency of Ada, especially since it advertises
itself as a language that is supposed to facilitate inter-language
programming.