Re: GNAT and Atmel AVR Microcontrollers

[Stephen Leake <stephen.a.leake.1@gsfc.nasa.gov>]

karlran1234@yahoo.com (Karl Ran) writes:

> Stephen Leake <stephen.a.leake.1@gsfc.nasa.gov> wrote in message news:<u3d2jujwy.fsf@gsfc.nasa.gov>...
> > > Most likely no, if there's no Ada run-time library for the Atmel AVR
> > > and its OS (haven't checked this, though).
>
> > However, if you are willing to use the C runtime (no tasking, no
> > dynamic allocation, possibly no exceptions), it is not hard to get a
> > subset of Ada working.
> 
> That sounds intresting!
> How much time would it take for a C&Ada programmer to get this mini AVR-Ada
> working?

Well, unfortunately, the honest answer is "it depends how good you are
at compiling and fixing gcc and similar programs".

It also depends on how weird your processor is. If it supports 8 bit
memory reads, has a flat Von Neumann memory architecture, and
hardware floating point, you're in good shape. Ada cares more about
this stuff than C does. If you don't have 8 bit reads, you won't have
the standard Character type without a lot of work. In C, you just say
"char is 16 bits" and move on.

I have not actually finished doing this for a processor, but I've
started a couple times. I'd guess six person-months for a good first
effort.

-- 
-- Stephe