embedded hardware for Ada

embedded hardware for Ada

[Gerd]

Does anyone know an hardware that is suitable as (embedded, outdoor
requirements) vehicle control and is programmable with Ada.

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[Ludovic Brenta]

Gerd writes:
> Does anyone know an hardware that is suitable as (embedded, outdoor
> requirements) vehicle control and is programmable with Ada.

What kind of hardware do you have in mind?  A processor?  A SoC?  A
full board?

-- 
Ludovic Brenta.

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[guillaume.portail]

Gerd wrote:

> Does anyone know an hardware that is suitable as (embedded, outdoor
> requirements) vehicle control and is programmable with Ada.


May be some based on AVR controllers. Have a look at 
<http://avr-ada.sourceforge.net/>

--
Thierry Bernier

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[Gerd]

Ludovic Brenta schrieb:

> Gerd writes:
> > Does anyone know an hardware that is suitable as (embedded, outdoor
> > requirements) vehicle control and is programmable with Ada.
>
> What kind of hardware do you have in mind?  A processor?  A SoC?  A
> full board?
>
> --
> Ludovic Brenta.

A complete box: processor with digital and analoguos I/O, in a box.
Ready for controlling hydraulic valves and reading encoders (maybe with
CAN interface). Shockproof and waterproof.

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[Jeffrey Creem]

Gerd wrote:
> Does anyone know an hardware that is suitable as (embedded, outdoor
> requirements) vehicle control and is programmable with Ada.
> 

Even with the clarifications in some of the other posts this question is 
still a little to wide open.

Can you give us some examples of hardware that is suitable for what you 
want that you think is not programmable with Ada. I am not trying to 
create a flame war or anything but there are all sorts of levels of 
ruggedness, embedded, outdoor, power, etc requirements that are 
underspecified by the current request.

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[Dmitry A. Kazakov]

On Thu, 06 Jul 2006 08:00:40 -0400, Jeffrey Creem wrote:

> Gerd wrote:
>> Does anyone know an hardware that is suitable as (embedded, outdoor
>> requirements) vehicle control and is programmable with Ada. 
> 
> Even with the clarifications in some of the other posts this question is 
> still a little to wide open.
> 
> Can you give us some examples of hardware that is suitable for what you 
> want that you think is not programmable with Ada. I am not trying to 
> create a flame war or anything but there are all sorts of levels of 
> ruggedness, embedded, outdoor, power, etc requirements that are 
> underspecified by the current request.

It looks much like a car motor controller of the vendor we are working
with. There is no Ada for it, AFAIK.

And no, it is not too wide open, because this is the question you'll face
in any preliminary talk with customers like those.

-- 
Regards,
Dmitry A. Kazakov
http://www.dmitry-kazakov.de

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[Peter Amey]

Gerd wrote:
> Does anyone know an hardware that is suitable as (embedded, outdoor
> requirements) vehicle control and is programmable with Ada.
> 

One useful thing to bear in mind is here is cross-compilation from Ada 
to C.  We have had considerable success with this when using SPARK to 
target small and unusual processors.  See, for example,

http://www.praxis-his.com/sparkada/pdfs/ada_uml_and_c.pdf

Using these techniques pretty much makes /any/ hardware programmable in Ada.

regards


Peter

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[Gerd]

> What's the planned use of it?

As stated above, it should be the control device within vehicles
(agriculture and forestry engines).


Björn Lundin schrieb:

> 5 jul 2006 kl. 17.24 skrev Gerd:
>
> > Does anyone know an hardware that is suitable as (embedded, outdoor
> > requirements) vehicle control and is programmable with Ada.
>
>
> The mini-mac?
> <http://www.apple.com/macmini/>
>
> use as embedded described at
> <http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/power/library/pa-macmini1/>
>
> and in use at
> <http://www.123macmini.com/news/story/331.html>
>
> But it would not make a great mobile phone...
> What's the planned use of it?
> 
> /Björn
> 
> Björn Lundin
> bnl at spray dot se
>

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[Gerd]

Jeffrey Creem schrieb:

> want that you think is not programmable with Ada. I am not trying to
> create a flame war or anything but there are all sorts of levels of
> ruggedness, embedded, outdoor, power, etc requirements that are
> underspecified by the current request.

The problem is not only to have an Ada-compiler, but the complete tool
chain. The problem is, that even the HWT (hardware tracer) and the ICE
(in circuit emulator) and the other test and debug tools must be Ada
aware.

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[michael bode]

"Gerd" <GerdM.O@t-online.de> writes:

> The problem is not only to have an Ada-compiler, but the complete tool
> chain. The problem is, that even the HWT (hardware tracer) and the ICE
> (in circuit emulator) and the other test and debug tools must be Ada
> aware.

Maybe this goes into the right direction:

http://www.bachmann.at/uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=166&Itemid=261

I don't think they sell Ada for their system, but AFAIK the system
runs VxWorks and there is a GNAT Pro for VxWorks. Some years ago they
were busy porting all their stuff to gcc.

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[Gerd]

Peter Amey schrieb:

> One useful thing to bear in mind is here is cross-compilation from Ada
> to C.  We have had considerable success with this when using SPARK to
> target small and unusual processors.  See, for example,
>
> http://www.praxis-his.com/sparkada/pdfs/ada_uml_and_c.pdf
>
> Using these techniques pretty much makes /any/ hardware programmable in Ada.
>

I'm not sure whether this would be an solution.

- We have to use certified compilers. An Ada to C with some C compiler
would rarly fit.

- I expect an Ada-aware environment to be able to handle even
Ada-tasks. I'm not sure that Ada-to-C translated code would work fine
for this in an environment designed only for C-programming.

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[M E Leypold]

"Gerd" <GerdM.O@t-online.de> writes:

> Peter Amey schrieb:
> 
> > One useful thing to bear in mind is here is cross-compilation from Ada
> > to C.  We have had considerable success with this when using SPARK to
> > target small and unusual processors.  See, for example,
> >
> > http://www.praxis-his.com/sparkada/pdfs/ada_uml_and_c.pdf
> >
> > Using these techniques pretty much makes /any/ hardware programmable in Ada.
> >
> 
> I'm not sure whether this would be an solution.
> 
> - We have to use certified compilers. An Ada to C with some C compiler
> would rarly fit.
> 
> - I expect an Ada-aware environment to be able to handle even
> Ada-tasks. I'm not sure that Ada-to-C translated code would work fine
> for this in an environment designed only for C-programming.


How do you think about the feasability of starting from the other end:
Look for supported and certified compilers / development systems, ask
the compiler vendor for supported HW and evaluate wether the suggested
HW would fit your problem? I think the vendor should know which are
the usual and not so usual targets of their compiler and should be
willing to point you into the right direction. 


Regards -- Markus

Re: embedded hardware for Ada

[Georg Bauhaus]

M E Leypold wrote:
> "Gerd" <GerdM.O@t-online.de> writes:
> 
>> Peter Amey schrieb:


>>> http://www.praxis-his.com/sparkada/pdfs/ada_uml_and_c.pdf
>>>
>>> Using these techniques pretty much makes /any/ hardware programmable in Ada.
>>>
>> I'm not sure whether this would be an solution.
>>
>> - We have to use certified compilers. An Ada to C with some C compiler
>> would rarly fit.

I think Markus is right; in particular, I'm certain you will
get a very competent answer from the makers of the AdaMagic
front end as to whether the generated C is suitable for
proving software properties. Also about whether/how an Ada
tool chain can "see through" the C code (if via C's #line,
or more.)

>> - I expect an Ada-aware environment to be able to handle even
>> Ada-tasks. I'm not sure that Ada-to-C translated code would work fine
>> for this in an environment designed only for C-programming.

It's worth a inquiry.

> How do you think about the feasability of starting from the other end:
> Look for supported and certified compilers / development systems, ask
> the compiler vendor for supported HW and evaluate wether the suggested
> HW would fit your problem? I think the vendor should know which are
> the usual and not so usual targets of their compiler and should be
> willing to point you into the right direction. 
> 
> 
> Regards -- Markus