Re: Converting Java To Ada?

[Nick Roberts <nick.roberts@acm.org>]

Brian May wrote:

>     conradwt> Hi, are there any tools for converting Java source to
>     conradwt> Ada source (i.e.  adb and ads)?
> 
> Yes.
> 
> It is called a "programmer". These tools walk around on two legs and
> eat pizza. Make sure you get the correct model, you want a model that
> supports Ada and Java. Also make sure you have plenty of pizza.
> 
> Sorry, couldn't resist ;-).

In fact, I would concur with this answer.

If you only need to convert from Java to Ada because a Java executive is 
not available for the environment in which you wish to run the program, 
then an automated conversion tool might make sense. But this seems like an 
unlikely scenario, somehow.

If, on the other hand, you need to convert a Java program into Ada, and 
then subsequently maintain the program (in Ada), then I suggest you use the 
aforementioned bipedal pizzivorous tool.

There are good reasons for this. Ada provides many language constructs that 
have no direct analogy in Java (and there are a few Java constructs whose 
Ada analogues are ugly as hell). Probably, only a human -- and a very 
skilled one, at that -- can make the sophisticated transformations required 
to convert the Java idioms into appropriate Ada ones.

Oh, and I've heard that these humans drink copious quantities of coke, as 
well as eating pizza at all times of the day and night (plus the occasional 
Alka-Selza).

-- 
Nick Roberts