Newsbits

Edited by Neil Ticktin and Ken Gladstone

Moving Pascal to C

Sierra Software has released p2c II - the Pascal/Object Pascal to C/C++ Translator. p2c II handles everything the Think & MPW compilers do: Nested procedures - Nested variant records - Automatic header conversion: Mapping between differences (QuickDraw, point, rect, parameter blocks, etc.) - Automatically eliminates unused units, variables - Pointers to arrays, strings; Generates reference parameters - Generates C code only, from straight Pascal - Works with Think Pascal
as well as MPW Pascal - Conversion options for MacApp 2 and 3 - Redefines some types - Changes output of code to match MacApp header format - Optimized code generation. ++, +=, -=, etc. - handles C case sensitivity - Exit, Leave and Goto: from with any scope - Nested With statements - 0 Based array index conversion - Comment formatting is preserved - Conditional compilation directives - Failure handlers, Compiler Options - Support for Lucid PowerPC compiler - Optimizations of built
in pascal functions: band, bor, etc. - Conversion of set operators (+, *, -, <, >, =) - String assignments - Conversion
of delimiters from Pascal to C strings '"' becomes "\p\"" and '''' becomes
"\p'", etc.

Over 30,000 lines of C++ code in p2c itself. 3 person-years of work with millions of lines of code translated already.

For more information, contact Sierra Software Innovations, 923 Tahoe Blvd. Suite 102, Incline Village,
NV 89451, Voice: 800/621-0631,
Fax: 702/832-7753.

4D’s new versions

ACI is now shipping 4th Dimension 3.1 and 4D Server 1.1, an upgrade of the relational database system for the Macintosh.

4th Dimension 3.1 databases can now simultaneously manage up to 256 files, an increase from the previous version’s 100 files. The maximum size of a 4th Dimension 3.1 data file has been increased from 1 GB to 128 GB. In order for users to take full advantage of this increased capacity, the data file is divided into two gigabyte segments which can be placed on different volumes.

4th Dimension 3.1 offers QuickTime picture compression from within a database. Objects stored in 4D’s picture files can automatically be compressed and decompressed using any of the various QuickTime Compression routines. 4th Dimension 3.1 returns the key code of the function keys available on user keyboards. The names of invisible file and fields are now displayed in italics in the database Structure window, allowing developers to more easily tell which files and fields are invisible.

For users running multi-user 4D Server applications, the newest version also provides improvements to the partition of work between 4D Server and 4D Client. 4D Client now transparently copies all the objects, including layouts, procedures, and structure definitions, to the local workstation as they are used and saves them in a special file. This capability greatly increases the speed at which layouts are displayed and procedures executed. 4D Client will also automatically update objects if they are modified by a designer so all users have the most current version of the object at all times. 4D Server 1.1 now contains support for the TCP/IP network protocol in addition to support for ADSP. The 4D Server 1.1 package now also includes an AppleScript gateway.

For more information, contact ACI US, Inc., 20883 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA, Voice: 408/252-4444, Fax: 408/252-0831, AppleLink: D4444.

Foxpro for Mac

Microsoft Corporation is now shipping Microsoft FoxPro database management system version 2.5 for Macintosh. FoxPro provides speed, full cross-platform capabilities and extensive support for Macintosh System 7 technologies.

Patent-pending Rushmore query optimization technology makes FoxPro the “fastest database for Macintosh.” In a suite of performance benchmarks conducted by Micro Endeavors, Inc., a third-party database consulting firm, benchmarks showed FoxPro to be 36 times faster on average than 4th Dimension and FileMaker in single-table, single-user tests. In multiuser, multi-table benchmarks, FoxPro performed an average of seven times faster than 4th Dimension.

The release of FoxPro for Macintosh makes FoxPro unique in offering a full-featured, relational database for the three leading operating systems in the world: Macintosh, Windows and MS-DOS. In addition, FoxPro for SCO UNIX and XENIX is scheduled for availability in mid-1994.

Microsoft also announced FoxPro 2.5 for Macintosh, Professional Edition. A superset of FoxPro 2.5, the Professional Edition will allow developers to distribute standalone applications royalty-free and write libraries in C or C++ that are callable from FoxPro.

To promote the introduction of this new product, Microsoft will offer a special introductory price of $99 for all users in the United States through June 30, 1994. The U.S. suggested retail price of FoxPro is $495. Professional Edition has a $695 suggested retail price. For more information, contact Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, Voice: 206/882-8080, Fax: 206/92MSFAX.

Language Systems on PowerPc

Language Systems announced today that its line of popular FORTRAN compilers will be available for the Macintosh and MachTen operating systems on PowerPC-based computers.

The first scheduled release is LS FORTRAN/PPC, which runs in Macintosh Programmer’s Workshop (MPW) and compiles FORTRAN programs to run at full native speed on the PowerPC. LS FORTRAN/PPC is 100% source code compatible with the company’s current compiler, LS FORTRAN 3.3.

The initial release of LS FORTRAN/PPC will coincide with Apple’s introduction of the Macintosh with PowerPC. Additional products that take advantage of the native PowerPC execution speed will be released by Language Systems throughout the year.

Language Systems are also developing a version of LS FORTRAN that runs with Professional MachTen on the PowerPC. MachTen is a full implementation of 4.3BSD Unix that runs as an application within the Macintosh operating system.

LS FORTRAN 3.3 for the 68K retails for $595. Pricing on LS FORTRAN for the PowerPC has not been set. All Language Systems products come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

For more information, contact Language Systems Corp., 441 Carlisle Drive, Herndon, VA 22070, Voice: 703/478-0181, AppleLink: LANGSYS, America Online: LANGSYS.

MachTen is a product of Tenon Intersystems, 1123 Chapala St., Santa Barbara, CA., (805) 963-6983.

Macfortran II3.3

Absoft Corporation today announced a new release of its best-selling FORTRAN compiler for the Macintosh, MacFortran II version 3.3. New features include: a full screen source level symbolic debugger, improved 68040 CPU support, SoftwareFPU, a software emulator which allows use of the compiler on machines without a math co-processor, and special routines that provide compatibility with XVT Software Inc.’s cross platform GUI development system.

The new MIG (MRWE Integrated Graphics) library has been added to MacFortran II’s MRWE interface-building feature. In addition to MacFortran II’s ability to automatically create a full Macintosh interface for each compiled application, users can now easily create charts and graphs of their program’s data output in a standard Macintosh window with full control over color and size, a “zoom” feature, and built-in printing capabilities.

A part of Absoft’s Cross Platform Solution series of development tools, MacFortran II release v3.3 is fully compatible with the PowerPC-based Macintosh under emulation and is 100% source compatible with Absoft's F77 for DOS, Windows NT, most Unix systems, and the upcoming native Absoft FORTRAN 77 Development Tool Kit for Macintosh PowerPC.

Retail price of MacFortran II v3.3 is $595.00 in the United States and Canada. From now until April 30, 1994, registered U.S and Canadian owners of previous versions of MacFortran II can upgrade to the new release for $149.00 directly through Absoft.

For more information, contact Absoft Corporation, 2781 Bond Street, Rochester HIlls, MI 48309, Voice: 810/853-0050, Fax: 810/853-0108, AppleLink: absoft.

A new database engine

dtF is a relational database engine which supports a large subset of SQL and is optimized for personal-computers, featuring client-server architecture, level-3-error-recovery, unlimited number of records per table, built-in virtual memory system, and automatic concurrency control. dtF is also available for MS-DOS, OS/2 and WINDOWS. dtF is delivered as a C-library for MPW C/C++ and Think C/C++, available as single- or multi-user-version. Main memory requirements of dtF can be adjusted to application needs. Sample programs and English programmers reference-manual are included. A full-featured trial version with complete manuals is available.

There are no royalties for applications built with the single-user version of dtF. For multi-user applications, the developer can choose between a per-project or a per-delivered-application-license, depending on the quantity of applications shipped.

For more information, contact Theta Group, Viktoriastr. 17, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany, Voice: (+49) 721 29992, Fax: (+49) 721 9122992, AppleLink: GER.XSE0217, CompuServe: 100115,57.