Re: Ada to byte-code compiler works as advertised

[vdelvecc@mesmer.camb.inmet.com (Vince Del Vecchio)]

Many thanks for the kind words.

>>>>> On Fri, 27 Sep 1996 15:43:17 +0000,
   Mike Stark <michael.e.stark@gsfc.nasa.gov> said:

> The only minor problem here (which I attribute entirely to the fact 
> that the product is a beta version) is that my private record
> components in Ada become public instance variables in the corres-
> ponding Java class. This does not have any impact on how the system
> runs, but to have consistent semantics between the languages the
> private record components should IMO become protected instance
> variables.

This is a tricky area, for a couple of reasons.  One is that if you
inline a subprogram, then your (generated) code can make references
to all sorts of components which are Ada-private.  Another is that
because we map a package spec to `<name>.class' and body to
`<name>_.class', we have to make everything in the spec Java-public
or the body won't be able to see into it.

I agree that it is frustrating that these two seemingly similar
concepts don't correspond a little more closely.  We might be able
to come up with a scheme to use private and protected components in
at least some instances, but this is not likely to change anytime
soon.  Sorry.

> 4.  (the part I haven't done)  Write a Java class that extends the Ada
> class.  I have no real doubts that this will work, but I won't get to it
> until next week. Similarly, I could write an Ada extension to the Java
> class being called from Ada.  Examining the generated code leaves me
> no doubt that both can be done -- I just have run out of time before the
> expiration of the AM1.5 beta license.

There should be a 1.6 out soon (hopefully today) to replace the
expiring 1.5.

-Vince Del Vecchio
vdelvecc@inmet.com