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From: "Steve" <nospam_steved94@comcast.net>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada
References: <dqnkoj$pb4$1@sunnews.cern.ch>
Subject: Re: Using Ada (or SPARK) in Ada-unaware environment
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 07:00:02 -0800
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Date: 2006-01-19T07:00:02-08:00
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"Maciej Sobczak" <no.spam@no.spam.com> wrote in message 
news:dqnkoj$pb4$1@sunnews.cern.ch...
> Hi,
>
> Imagine a control system (to be developed) which needs to interact with 
> some devices. Those devices are supplied with C drivers and libraries.
>
> What is the recommended practice for developing this control system in Ada 
> (or SPARK)? I basically see two options for this:
>
> 1. Enjoy Ada's ability to interface with C libraries (pragma Import) and 
> write everything in Ada.
>
> 2. Write separate programs in C (or C++) that will be responsible only for 
> talking to the devices via their C access libraries. Write the main 
> controller in Ada, as another separate program, and use some form of 
> interprocess communication to have all those components talk.
>
> The advantage of the second option is that the controller part can be 
> easily tested in isolation or in a fake environment.

Please explain why it is easier to test the the control part in isolation or 
in a
fake environment in C than in Ada.
This is not obvious to me.
In my experience, I have found just the opposite to be true.  I have found 
that
it is easier (in the long run) to do as much code as possible in Ada.

BTW: Tools are available to assist in creating Ada interfaces to C 
libraries.

Steve
(The Duck)

> Are there some other options for this? What is the industry recommented 
> practice?
>
> Regards,
>
> -- 
> Maciej Sobczak : http://www.msobczak.com/
> Programming    : http://www.msobczak.com/prog/