Re: mingw vs cygwin

[Stephen Leake <stephen_leake@acm.org>]

midgleyben@hotmail.com writes:

> I have a question about the differences between cygwin adn mingw, with
> reference to the ada compiler.
>
> I need to port ada code to XP from linux, link c code (maybe c++) to
> the project and create an exe which supports sockets (networking). So
> which way mingw or cygwin ? I have read so many reports of problems
> with c under mingw and just problems with gcc-ada but non particularly
> up to date, any advice welcome.

As Jeffrey said, it depends on your C code.

I use GNAT (comercially supported) with C code in my project, and it's
just fine. That's a mingw run-time. I use the cygwin tools to build
everything, because bash is _so_ much nicer than the DOS shell.

> Also if I get the whole cygwin installation I get mingw too, to my
> understanding if I use mingw I statically link support for the windows
> API 

Only if you are using the Windows API.

> and if I use the gcc-ada compiler I need to provide cygwin1.dll for
> distribution, is this accurate and can anyone add detail to this
> explanation ?

You can tell the cygwin gcc-ada compiler to generate code using the
mingw runtime; I believe the switch is -mingw, but I haven't tried it.

You should seriously consider getting AdaCore support; it is very good
- by far the best support from any vendor I've ever had.

-- 
-- Stephe