Re: DOS GNAT questions

[mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu (Michael Feldman)]

In article <4ot621$6os@news1.delphi.com>,  <tmoran@bix.com> wrote:
>  How can I access the routines in pc.h?  (I don't run ANSI.SYS and
>want to fix screen.adb so the dining philosophers output is visible.)
>I've looked at all 11 README.* and most of the 15 *.DOC or *.TXT
>files added "pragma Import(C, ScreenClear);"  etc. to screen.adb
>But the link says "screen.adb (.text+0x3f8) : undefined reference to
>ScreenClear" (or something close to that).

As usual with a Unix-ish link operation, just add -lpc to your
link command.

I know what you mean about all the various READMEs and docs.
The DJGPP "culture" is Unix-like in this regard, as in other regards.:-)

>  Also, where is int86 (etc.) documented?  I'd like to call the BIOS,
>but don't know how to select which of the Union of REGS is being used
>or whether I need to ask DPMI to call the BIOS, or if that is
>implicit in int86.

I assume you are using NAT 3.04, which comes with djgpp200.zip.
This is purely a DJGPP thing. I think you'll need to consult the
djgppfaq.txt, which unpacked with your distribution. If it's not
there, try a post to comp.os.msdos.djgpp. Once you figure it out
at djgpp level, you should be able to access it from GNAT.

>  Finally, what will make gnatbl run faster.  I've got 3MB of smartdrv
>but it still sounds like it's thrashing the disk.

If you are using 3.04, ACT is trying to encourage folks to use gnatbind
and gnatlink separately; I think they'd like to eventually withdraw gnatbl.
as documented in (where else?) the new gnatinfo.txt. Generally
running gnatbind -x will make the bind step pretty fast. The link step
is another story; it's on the slow side. Again, this is a DJGPP thing -
GNAT is just calling the DJGPP linker. There's a fair amount to search,
so a slow-ish link is not unusual.

I know you use tasking; this cranks a lot of runtime stuff into the
linked executable. That may account for some of the link time.

Mike Feldman