Re: Embedded

[Martin Dowie <martin.dowie@btopenworld.com>]

Lanarcam wrote:
> Suppose you have requirements for a basic embedded system such
> as a few digital I/O, analog I/O, RSxxx communication links,
> alphanumeric LCD, etc.
> 
> The usual way is to select a microcontroller with the required
> I/O and based on the complexity some amount of RAM and ROM.
> 
> You often choose a microcontroller from a family you are
> familiar with. You then select an OS or no OS, depending
> on the requirements.

yup

> If you decide to write the code in Ada, how do you know
> there will be a compiler that will target the microcontroller?
> 
> Do you have to ask every vendor or is there a list of
> supported CPU for each compiler?

Well, other that 'C' (which always has a compiler for any target
[not necessarily ISO C]), that's what you have to do for any
language!


> How will the choice of Ada affect the amount of RAM and ROM
> needed? 

Shouldn't affect it too much at all these days - might have in
the passed (Ada83). But the footprints I've seen with various
Ada95 compilers within the last 10 years have all been acceptable.

Make sure the binder/linker can remove unused subroutines - that
advice is good for all languages not just Ada! Otherwise you
may run into problems if the predefined language library is used
and is large.

Cheers

-- Martin