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To:	MRGATE::"ARISIA::EVERHART"
Subj:	Re: what and where are the COFF patches for GNU C++

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Date: 14 Sep 89 20:58:00 GMT
From: polyslo!sdsu!ucsdhub!hp-sdd!apollo!vasta@uakari.primate.wisc.edu  (John Vasta)
Organization: Apollo Computer, Chelmsford, MA
Subject: Re: what and where are the COFF patches for GNU C++
Message-Id: <45a3ab7b.1ad5a@apollo.HP.COM>
References: <8909121940.AA16299@csusac.csus.edu>, <ABAIR.89Sep13000432@turbinia.oakhill.uucp>
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In article <ABAIR.89Sep13000432@turbinia.oakhill.uucp> abair@turbinia.oakhill.uucp (Alan Bair) writes:
>I am unfamiliar with many of the ld items discussed in the README you posted,
>so I am going to ask if your code will help me.  I would like to try getting
>g++ to work on our Apollos running SR10.1, which now supports COFF.  I have
>seen no references to the Apollo in the gcc or g++ installation guides, so
>I thought I would give your code a try.
>
>Any chance it will help?
>
>Alan Bair
>SPS CAD  Austin, Texas
>Motorola, Inc.
>UUCP cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!turbinia!abair

It may help some, but it won't be enough. The problems in getting gcc/g++
running *usefully* on the Apollo are:

  1) No Apollo assembler, and the GNU assembler emits a.out files

  2) Until recently, incompatible function calling conventions, meaning
     you couldn't use Apollo libraries

  3) Syntax extensions in the C header files

The "COFF encapsulation" technique won't really work, either, because it's
not possible to convert the Apollo shared C libraries to a.out format libraries.

I got GCC running on the Apollo by

   1) Hacking GAS to emit COFF modules

   2) Adding configuration info to handle Apollo calling conventions
      (with RMS' help); this is now incorporated into the GCC release

   3) Modifying the GCC grammar to accept Apollo syntax extensions

I have not had time to get G++ running yet.

If you'd like my GCC changes for 1.35, let me know.
Also, dclemans.falcon@mntgfx.mentor.com (Dave Clemans) has gotten
both GCC and G++ running using a different technique; you may want
to check with him.
-- 
John Vasta                Apollo Computer (division of Hewlett Packard)
vasta@apollo.hp.com       M.S. CHA-01-LT
(508) 256-6600 x6362      330 Billerica Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824
UUCP: {decwrl!decvax, mit-eddie, attunix}!apollo!vasta