Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 01:51:59 -0800 (PST)
From: Phil Galbiati <galbiati AT cse DOT ogi DOT edu>
Reply-To: Phil Galbiati <galbiati AT cse DOT ogi DOT edu>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz AT is DOT elta DOT co DOT il>
cc: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: DJGPP sample programs?
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SUN.3.91.970323145733.29590T-100000@is>
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.95.970324004342.10515A-100000@blue.cse.ogi.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII


On Sun, 23 Mar 1997, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> 
> On Fri, 21 Mar 1997, Phil Galbiati wrote:
> 
> > I wonder if adding a few sample programs & makefiles (ala "hello world"),
> > along with a pointer in readme.1st or someplace, might cut down on the
> > number of people asking how to run the compiler. 
> 
> README.1ST already have examples of commands that should be used to
> run the compiler.  What additions did you have in mind, and how would
> you suggest to ensure more people read that file?

<GASOLINE>
   Even Borland comes with examples!!! 8P'''
</GASOLINE>

I think that *simple* examples of:
   1) single-file c program
   2) multi-file c program
   3) single-file c++ program
   4) multi-file c++ program

A more involved example may be good as well (especially if it highlights
DJGPP features which make it more powerful and easier to use than the 
borland & M$ products -- perhaps a simple exercise of the virtual memory 
system, and/or filename globbing).

Each example should come with BOTH a makefile and a batch file for
building it, and probably a *short* readme telling what each file is.

I would suggest that these programs go in \djgpp\examples, which currently
contains nothing but Shawn Hargreave's numerous Allegro examples.  I would
also suggest that the example directory get chopped into subdirectories
(examples\c, examples\c++, examples\allegro, etc).  More subdirectories
could be added as people come up with simple examples of other packages
(such as the flex & bison examples that somebody requested last week). 

How do you get people to read the examples?  Well, since they don't always
read the FAQ and the README's, they probably won't all read the examples
either; however, just by having simple examples in an examples directory,
you will get *some* people to read them (thereby reducing your workload,
even if only by an infinitessimal amount). 

Putting together the set of examples I have described should not take more
than a few hours for pretty much any moderately experienced person to do,
and if it reduces the number of RTFM questions by one per week, it would
pay for itself in a few months. 

I would be more than willing to put together the c examples, but I don't
know c++ well enough to know what a good quick example might be.

--Phil Galbiati