Re: Building Matreshka on Windows

["Jeffrey R. Carter" <spam.jrcarter.not@spam.not.acm.org>]

On 11/04/2016 06:28 AM, Simon Wright wrote:
>
> I just don't understand what makes you say this. If you are happy with
> gnatmake without GPRs, carry on and use it, with all the mess of -A*
> swithces that you will certainly need a makefile or other script to
> remember for you. gprbuild will work just as well, except of course that
> you do have to have a project file. Why on earth would you need to look
> at $prefix/share/gprconfig?

Every Ada compiler includes a tool for building a system based on the dependency 
information in the code. This information is one of Ada's major strengths. One 
has to learn the parameters to this tool, of course, but then building becomes 
one line, easily stored somewhere, such as a script.

So what does a program such as gprbuild buy you? You have to tell gnatmake where 
to find other things used in the system (-A*), but you do the same with 
gprbuild, in the form of paths in the withed projects. You have to supply the 
compiler switches, but you do the same with gprbuild, in the Switches 
declarations. You don't have to write the one-line script, but instead write a 
many-line project file.

Personally, I don't see that gprbuild adds any value; in fact, it seems to 
subtract value: You supply the same information and have to have the same 
knowledge, but you have to know the syntax of a project file as well, so the 
effort is increased. For this reason, I never voluntarily use gprbuild for my 
projects (which are always all Ada), and don't understand why anyone would think 
it an advantage to do so.

(Similar arguments apply against make.)

-- 
Jeff Carter
"If I could find a sheriff who so offends the citizens of Rock
Ridge that his very appearance would drive them out of town ...
but where would I find such a man? Why am I asking you?"
Blazing Saddles
37