Re: How do I acquire information about non-standard library Ada packages

["Bob Spooner" <rls19@psu.edu>]

"Martin Krischik" <krischik@users.sourceforge.net> wrote in message 
news:1287855.BXoo5v8As0@linux1.krischik.com...
> Stuart wrote:
>
>> "Chris L" <clusardi2k@aol.com> wrote in message
>> news:1154018482.334890.316930@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>>>
>>> Steve wrote:
>>>> Can you be more specific about what non-standard library packages?
>>>
>>> In general terms, I was wondering if there is a way to determine after
>>> I log onto a brand new VAX system what non-standard libraries are
>>> available?
>>
>> If you mean pre-defined libraries pre-built into the Ada library I would
>> try:
>>    $ ACS DIRECTORY *
>>
>> Outside the ACS I would also have a poke around SYS$LIBRARY:
>>
>>   $ DIRECTORY SYS$LIBRARY:*.ADA, SYS$LIBRARY:*ADA*
>>
>> You may find an Ada directory (ADALIB)!
>>
>> Quite often for the VAX you may be looking for a suitable STARLET 
>> library!
>>
>> Looking in the SYS$HELP and SYS$EXAMPLES directories may also turn up
>> useful information.
>>   $ DIRECTORY SYS$HELP:*ADA*
>>   $ DIRECTORY SYS$EXAMPLES:*ADA*
>>
>> You could also poke around in the logical name tables
>>
>>   $ SHOW LOGICAL ADA$*
>>
>> (or SHOW LOGICAL *ADA* if you are feeling inquisitive).
>
> Provided the OP really uses a legacy VAX and Dec Ada. For more modern
> OpenVMS systems GNAT is also available.
>
> Martin
> -- 
> mailto://krischik@users.sourceforge.net
> Ada programming at: http://ada.krischik.com

A side note:

For those who are using DEC ^h^h^hCompaq^h^h^h^h^h^hHP Ada, I wouldn't count 
on it being ported to the Itanium processor once Alphas aren't available any 
longer. The debugger which worked correctly  on VAXs  has _never_ worked 
correctly for Alphas in the case of unconstrained array types and variant 
records. So if you say:

type Index is range (0..10);

type Block is array (Index range <>) of integer;

type My_Data (Count : Index := 0) is record
   Data : Block (1..Count);
end record;

the debugger will only know how to find the first value, and data stored 
after an instance of My_Data will not be accessed correctly either.

Given how long the Alpha has been around without this having been fixed, in 
my opinion the writing is on the wall. If you have to use Ada 83 rather than 
a newer version, it's time to plan accordingly.

Bob