Re: newbie, Spark 2014 or Ada 2012

["Björn Lundin" <b.f.lundin@gmail.com>]

On 2015-07-06 18:19, Paul Rubin wrote:
> Björn Lundin <b.f.lundin@gmail.com> writes:
>>>> Python doesn't have Ada's high-reliability features or its
>>>> performance, but it's easier to learn and more productive for
>>>> slapping small, non-critical projects together.
>> That is a matter of taste. I still struggle with python.
> 
> Hmm, if you're having specific problems with Python, comp.lang.python
> and the Freenode #python channel are pretty helpful.

Thanks, I have sorted out my issues.
The python documentation is good.
But - I often fall into the IndentationException trap
when I have rewritten some code -
or find that I did not declare a variable
where I should, so after a change,
it is uninitialised when I read it -
which is same as reading an undeclared variable
and I get an exception.
Or not str(var) when I print it.

I know how to resolve the errors,
but it does not come as natural as Ada compile errors do.

I find it more fragile. Or I am to bad at testing.


>> And for Arduino, I've used winavr-ada based on avr-ada
>> http://sourceforge.net/p/avr-ada/wiki/Home/
> 
> How has that been going for you?  I had heard that avr-ada was very
> limited.  People usually program AVR's in C.  But I haven't looked into
> it much.

I guess it depends on your standard.
For me, it was my first try into
embedded, so I got blinky going,
and bought some ds1820 one-wire temp sensors,
and got 7 to work, reporting the temp over serial line
to a mac, over bluetooth. (with a serial to bluetoth adapter on the Nano. )

I then printed the temps on an LCD.

But I never got interrupts to work.
(for a hc-sr04 distance sensor)
Most likely my inexperience.
But the maillist is very friendly and helpful.

So it works for basic stuff for a beginner like me.
Without too much hassle.
But more complicated - I cannot say, but I see no reason why not.

>> There is a new book out, that discusses ada on arduino.
>> http://www.inspirel.com/articles/Ada_On_Cortex.html
> 
> There are some ARM-based Arduinos but usually Arduino refers to boards
> with 8-bit AVR processors.

yes, but I did not imply that Arduinos are not AVR.
In the book, there is a tip that compiling
 on a native ARM is ok, if you specify the cpu.

I guess it's like you can compile for i386 on a newer
intelbox, with correct switches.

example from the book is
 gcc -c -mcpu=cortex-m3 -mthumb program.adb

of course, other tools are applied later to the object file.
see chapter 2 and 3 of the book.

No - I did not try myself yet.


--
Björn