ANNOUNCE: new win32 GPC binary available.

Wed, 2 Oct 96 16:18:40 CST

The latest cygwin32-compatible GNU Pascal binary is now available from:

        ftp://agnes.dida.physik.uni-essen.de/home/janjaap/cygwin32/

I keep this seperate from the main release directory because some things
have to be done before the next all-platform release. Still, the win32
GPC has improved enough that I think you should all try it out.

Files in this directory:

gpc-960930-2.7.2.i386-cygwin32-b16.zip
        Sep.30 snapshot binary of cygwin32 GPC. For a cygwin32-beta16
        toolchain.

devtools.i386-cygwin32-b16.zip
        For those who only want to do Pascal, it's a waist to download a
        complete toolchain from ftp.cygnus.com. This archive has all the
        tools (as, ld, libraries) needed to complete GPC.
        If you already have cygwin32-beta16 installed, you don't need
        this.


Changes
-------
Since the last release (gpc-1.2-2.7.2.i386-cygwin32-b14.zip), these things
have changed:

* Now beta16 compatible.

* Fixed internal fork() problems, now --automake works.

* Pipes (`gpc -pipe ...') supported.

* Binary/text file IO problem fixed.

* Some new test programs.

* Support for function attributes and multiple directives per function
  declaration. Effectively, this means this GPC can access the Win32 API
  and build both GUI and console applications!  Thanks, Peter.
  See the demos in the "test\windows" subdirectory.


Installation
------------

* create a subdirectory of your choice (`c:\gpcwin32') and unzip
  gpc-960930-2.7.2.i386-cygwin32-b16.zip and devtools.i386-cygwin32-b16.zip
  from there. Use a version of `unzip' that can handle long filenames,
  i.e. not PKunzip.

* Add the directory where `gpc.exe' lives (`c:\gpcwin32\bin') to your
  path.

* Set GCC_EXEC_PREFIX=C:\gpcwin32\lib\gcc-lib\
  Beware of the trailing slash!

* Set LIBRARY_PATH=c:\gpcwin32\lib;c:\gpcwin32\i386-cygwin32\lib


Not yet done
------------
GPC has incomplete support for the `stabs' debugging format. This affects
the win32 platform (and all ELF unices). Although you can step your
program in GDB, it may lose track of where you really are, be unable to
display variables etc. I'm working on this.

The function attributes and asmname directives seem to get lost in the GPI
mechanism, so you will have to #include `units' for now, if they define
WinAPI type functions.


Other problems
--------------
These things often give problems:

* Do NOT mix binaries from different beta's -- they are incompatible.

* Be sure to have only one `cygwin.dll' in your path and it must be
  beta16.

The symptoms of these are crashes, stack/register dumps and Windows
telling you it cannot load a dll.

Read the cygwin32 FAQ (http://www.cygnus.com/ or this directory)
Most of the information also applies for GNU Pascal.

And please, do not bother the people of the cygwin32 mailinglist if you
have problems with GPC, send them to the gpc@hut.fi list instead.

Have fun,

JanJaap 

---
"Nothing shocks me, I'm a scientist", Indiana Jones

J.J. van der Heijden (j.j.vanderheijden@student.utwente.nl)