alexei polkhanov

name=value
It was not hard for me to implement using TEXT_FILE_READ in SmartEiffel,
then I tried to compile it in ISE Eiffel and I found that I have to use
PLAIN_TEXT_FILE as functionally closest alternative, but now I cannot go
back to SmartEiffel.
Sounds like a trivial thing - reading from text file and I have a case
for preprocessor, and the preprocessor I know is one supplied with Gobo
lib. Whet is the alternatives to preprocessor ? Maybe having second copy
of same class with compiler specific code and *.se extension and track
the differences in makefile ?

Now I hope that this message will catch attention of someone who have
experience with medium to large size eiffel projects. When I am starting
project construction phase using C++ I have to answer questions like
"Are we going to support UNICODE uniformly" or "Are we going to use
namespaces". Answers to this questions usually have great impact on
later stages of the construction phase.

Are there similar questions and decisions I have to made in the
beginning of Eiffel project ? What are they ? What would you think of
first if you starting even small Eiffel project ?

Thank you.
Cheers,
---
Alexei Polkhanov
Sr. Consultant/Software Systems Analyst
Tel: (604) 719-2515
E-mail: usenet@monteaureus.com
http://www.monteaureus.com/

berend de boer

Alexei> format name=value It was not hard for me to implement
Alexei> using TEXT_FILE_READ in SmartEiffel, then I tried to
Alexei> compile it in ISE Eiffel and I found that I have to use
Alexei> PLAIN_TEXT_FILE as functionally closest alternative, but
Alexei> now I cannot go back to SmartEiffel. Sounds like a
Alexei> trivial thing - reading from text file and I have a case
Alexei> for preprocessor, and the preprocessor I know is one
Alexei> supplied with Gobo lib. Whet is the alternatives to
Alexei> preprocessor ? Maybe having second copy of same class with
Alexei> compiler specific code and *.se extension and track the
Alexei> differences in makefile ?

Gobo wraps these, so use pure Gobo for it (KL_TEXT_INPUT_FILE), you
should never have to use gepp yourself.
Alexei> Are there similar questions and decisions I have to made
Alexei> in the beginning of Eiffel project ? What are they ? What
Alexei> would you think of first if you starting even small Eiffel
Alexei> project ?

Built on top of Gobo. Makes switching back and forth between compilers
a breeze.

--
Regards,

Berend.

** you're welcome to the #eiffel irc channel on irc.freenode.net

peter horan

Gobo genenrates the various versions of the files from a single file
using the preprocessor gepp.

Another way is to do the following:
CLIENT_CLASS ====> TEXT_FILE_INTERFACE
^
+------+------+ | |
PLAIN_TEXT_FILE <== ISE_TEXT_FILE SE_TEXT_FILE ==> TEXT_FILE_READ

The vertical arrows are inheritance, the horizontal, client-supplier.

As I have not played aorund with gepp and friends, I do not know the
advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches.
--
Peter Horan School of Information Technology
peter@deakin.edu.au Deakin University
+61-3-5227 1234 (Voice) Geelong, Victoria 3217, AUSTRALIA
+61-3-5227 2028 (FAX) http://www.cm.deakin.edu.au/~peter

-- The Eiffel guarantee: From specification to implementation
-- (http://www.cetus-links.org/oo_eiffel.html)