Gentoo Archives: gentoo-dev

From: George Shapovalov <george@g.o>
To: gentoo-announce@l.g.o
Cc: gentoo-dev@l.g.o
Subject: [gentoo-dev] Light changes in Ada handling in Gentoo
Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:05:34
Message-Id: 200801212305.30475.george@gentoo.org
1 Dear Ada users.
2
3 I have finally implemented the multiple gnat handling in full, resolving bug
4 #151343. The operational procedures on user side remain largerly the same
5 (as for the last year), however there is one modification everybody using Ada
6 compilers in Gentoo should be aware of.
7
8 Now (as was discussed in #151343) gnatbuild.eclass gnat.eclass and
9 eselect-gnat support the notion of "primary" compilers. The idea here is
10 that most users will want one or, possibly, two variants of Ada compilers
11 used for everyday work at most, while, occasionally, wishing to test some
12 other variant(s).
13
14 These "everyday" compilers (designated "primary" further on) have to be listed
15 in /etc/ada/primary-compilers. The file simply contains a listing of gnat
16 profiles user desires to designate primary, one per line. Mine, for example,
17 contains:
18
19 gerr@dornoir ~ $ cat /etc/ada/primary_compilers
20 x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gnat-gcc-4.2
21 x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gnat-gpl-4.1
22
23 All Ada libs will be built only for these compilers and not for any other
24 installed. However "eselect gnat set" will allow user to set
25 any installed gnat, as before. Thus we avoid ABI issues when updating
26 packages that have some Ada lib as a dependency (there are already a few) via
27 enforcing a consistent set of ABIs, cut compilation time (libs are now not
28 getting built for an "occasional" compiler) while still providing an ability
29 to test any gnat in portage.
30
31 As a safeguard gnatbuild.eclass has also been modified to
32 populate /etc/ada/primary-compilers, if this file does not exist yet, with
33 the corresponding profile upon emerging gnat for the first time. Please,
34 however, take your destiny in your own hands and update that file accordingly
35 to your desires.
36
37
38 On a related note.
39 I have been composing a description of inner workings of the whole Ada setup.
40 A preliminary text is available here:
41 http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/prog_lang/ada/dev_reference.xml
42
43 However doc writing takes even more time than development itself. Therefore I
44 would appreciate any contribution towards the "user guide" part of the
45 description, (already referenced and planned to be available here:
46 http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/prog_lang/ada/ada_ug.xml
47 but still empty), even partial. Just think about it, you will be listed as an
48 author of that page (given significant contribution)!
49 I will also be interested in receiving any critique or
50 suggestions on improving the 1st referenced text, at least for the parts that
51 are already complete.
52
53 George
54 --
55 gentoo-dev@l.g.o mailing list