Re: Target native layer

[Dr. Torsten Rupp]

Dear Michael,

> Wouldnt it be better to call it "posix" (note: no captial letter) as 
it currently supports Linux, *BSD, AIX ... We can and should add Solaris 
too. With autoconf its really simple. Then AICAS can remove their own 
Solaris port totally and we have a clean non-redundant codebase for 
posix-like OSes.


It is also not redundant code now, because the special implementation 
also have to be used in a single-directory code-basis (currently there 
are separated files which are a "design"-feature; the existence of the 
files could be called some redundancy).

>> I have the following suggestion:
>>
>> Because the multiline-macros are to difficult to handle, we can
>> replace that macros e. g. by direct function-calls. Thus a macro
>> would become some "alias" only. We also can change (shorten) the
>> names. For this we have to change the generic implementation. The

...

> I like this idea. In fact I had the same in mind.


I'm very happy to hear this.

>>> - shorten macro names,

...

> Perhaps a "CP" prefix (for ClassPath).


I would prefer some prefix which indicates the "class" of the feature 
instead, e. g. "NC" (native code) or "TN" (target native), not some 
relation to the project name (everthing in Classpath is "Classpath", 
thus should probably have the prefix "CP"). But if "CP" would make you 
and other members happy, it is ok for me, too.

> There are several ways to deal with the files. Either do it the AICAS 
way and group one OS in one dir or do it the libgcj way and put all into 
one dir, havean OS suffix/prefix in the filename and choose the files 
are configure time.


I would like to keep the files in separated directories to keep it more 
clear what files belong to which OS. Usually files are stored in a 
hierarchical order by using sub-directories. For the "hierachical" 
include-tree in the target-layer this was also a good idea to avoid 
confusion in names of files with the same function-group (e. g. 
"network"), but for different systems (different implementations).

> I'm really glad that we now on the way to tackle the issues with the 
TARGE_NATIVE layer.


I'm sorry for this hard discussion. But I'm happy we are one a way to 
keep going on together. If everybody becomes satisfied with the 
following new idea for a target layer, I will prepare the changes.

New target native layer:

- transform code inside macros into functions (this will make debugging 
possible)
- the current macros become an "alias" to the functions (this is 
important to be able to replace a function by something special if needed)
- combine posix-like systems - Linux, BSD, AIX, Solaris - into a single 
set of files in one directory (usage of autoconf for posix-like systems)
- add some more layers from aicas

Sincerely,

Torsten