Re: howto make system calls (newbie question)

["Samuel T. Harris" <u61783@gsde.hou.us.ray.com>]

"Beard, Frank" wrote:
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Samuel T. Harris [mailto:u61783@gsde.hou.us.ray.com]
> 
> > Of course, there are other "standards" which are not part
> > of the Ada standard. For instance, the POSIX Ada binding
> > has been invaluable to me in writing portable code which
> > requires facilities from the operating system.
> 
> Most of the ones I would like included are found in the
> POSIX Ada binding (file/record locking on files, move/rename
> files, directory lists, environment variable handling,
> process IDs, thread IDs).  I would also like file access
> control.
> 
> > Since this is standardized by IEEE, I feel any particular
> > need to include it as an Ada LRM annex.
> 
> I think you are saying you "don't" feel any particular

Yes. I corrected myself elsewhere.

> need to include it as an Ada LRM annex.  If that is what
> you are saying, then I disagree.  Even though I'm using
> the POSIX binding, it is still too C-ish.  And when I ported
> our application to MS Windows, I had to write my own
> POSIX Ada binding for the API's that I needed (this was
> before Pascal Obry's binding came out).  I took the POSIX
> Ada binding spec and wrote my own bodies for the ones I
> needed, and nulled the rest.  If that functionality,
> or any functionality, is part of the standard, there is
> no need to go out and find bindings, or write your own.
> It would already be available, assuming it was supported.
> 
> I don't know what the legalities are, but why not take the
> POSIX standard, use it as a model/guideline, and create a
> more "pure" Ada annex out of it.

There's the rub. A annex is optional. It will be provided
by a majority of vendors if there is enough customer
demand. This same demand can also cause vendors to support
the POSIX binding in its present form I don't see where
having an Annex serves any purpose in this regard.

Since POSIX is already a managed standard, I don't see
how "duplicating" it as an Ada standard servers any
purpose in this regard.

About the only thing I can think of is the validation
of compliance the POSIX standard could be enforced
as part of compiler certification. That would be good.
I suppose this work could be addressed by some
appropriate Ada Working Group.

As to the legalities, IEEE makes money when folks buy
their published standards. They may have a problem
with incorporating their POSIX Ada binding into a
ISO standard which is freely available.

-- 
Samuel T. Harris, Principal Engineer
Raytheon, Aerospace Engineering Services
"If you can make it, We can fake it!"