Re: GCC conflict on Ubuntu for mixed Ada/C++ project

[zeta_no <olivier_henley@hotmail.com>]

Ok, now running on OpenSuse 11.2.  Installed GNAT2009 from Adacore
Libre.  I exported /usr/gnat/bin to my $PATH var.

When I start gps from the command line, I get:

Execution terminated by unhandled exception
Exception name: STORAGE_ERROR
Message: stack overflow (or erroneous memory access)
Call stack traceback locations:
0x8fa174b

When I start gps_exe from command line, it starts fine.  When I try to
build a project or compile a file, there is absolutely no ouput
messages.  Also, gps_exe freezes to death.

On the command line side.  I go to /usr/gnat/share/examples/gprbuild/
first_steps to test some projects.  First time I try:

gprbuild -d -Pada_main.gpr

I get:

/usr/gnat/libexec/gcc/i686-pc-linux-gnu/4.3.4/ld: crt1.o: No such
file: No such file or directory

Checked on the web, then learned I needed to install glib-dev package.

Try again, now it works.
Try except.gpr from ada_cpp folder, works too.
Try animals.gpr from ada_cpp folder, does not work.  Output from
compiler:

animals.ads:15:24: component of imported CPP type cannot have default
expression

Correct animals.ads on line 15 and then it compiles. Pffffuiiiffff!

Conclusion:

On windows, except the line 15 from animals.ads (I tried it)
everything works. (Sample animals.gpr is broken).
On linux, just go with Debian unstable to use GPRBuild as there is
good maintainers for the packages. Else, gnat-gps will bring more
trouble than the command line.

Note: I don't want to be unpleasant, but I have to criticized the Ada
community for not being well organized.  I see a desire from the main
actors to popularize Ada among developpers.  You just have to look at
the videos, conferences and news from AdaCore that convey the idea
that Ada is strong and far from dead.  I think there is really place
for improvement, mostly on first contact with new developers to come.
Compared to the C/C++ community, Ada really needs fresh blood and it
is not with the kind of experience I went though on Linux that new
people will get interested by Ada.  I tell you, lot of my schoolmates
would not even have passed the Ubuntu problems and get back directly
to C++ with absolutely no desire to maybe, one day, check back at Ada.
Nevertheless, I have to say that I find the integration on MS Windows
very good.

- First, one thing we can't argue.  Check on Distrowatch, Ubuntu is
THE most popular distribution, by far.  I know a lot of serious
programmer won't run on Ubuntu, but nevertheless, right after MS
windows, the fresh blood is on Ubuntu, nowhere else.

- Second, these days, in every engineering schools we learn C++ and or
Java.  So samples and methods involving mixing Ada with C++ and Java
code should work flawlessly.

- Third, there is few, and a lot of bad tutorials around the web.
Again, my schoolmates and I ALWAYS go by tutorials first.  It is
easier, it gets the job done faster, gives an overview of the tool and
helps figure out what can be done with it. (Check what the Python
community achieved)

- Finaly, I understand the community is small and maybe already makes
its best to keep Ada alive but I think it is important to give you the
feedback of a newbie, because, I am sure, most of the time, people
like me just vanish without telling you why they have been put off by
Ada.  It is not Ada the problem, it's the presentation of the
technology which fails.

I hope all of this was constructive and I'll try to help others in
time, when my knowledge of Ada will be sufficient.

Thanks,

Olivier