Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1998 21:40:24 -0700 (PDT)
Message-Id: <199804060440.VAA02998@adit.ap.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
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To: Vic <tudor AT cam DOT org>, djgpp AT delorie DOT com
From: Nate Eldredge <eldredge AT ap DOT net>
Subject: Re: Should I get GCC 280?
Precedence: bulk

At 12:07  4/4/1998 +0300, Vic wrote:
>Right now I have GCC 2721 with PGCC 101. I program mainly in C but now I
>have a project which will be done in C++. Is there any reason why I
>should get 2.8.0? What are the pros and what are the cons in this?

As I understand it, the advantages of GCC 2.8.0 are the following:

* Template support is better (exactly how I don't know).
* Exceptions work, but only if you use `-fsjlj-exceptions' (DJGPP-specific bug).
* GCC is smarter about instruction timings on various CPU models, giving
better optimization.
* Stabs debugging enabled (you can debug code in headers).
* No more problems debugging C++ files named other than *.cc.

  
The following bugs in the DJGPP port of 2.8.0 are known to me:

* Due to a documentation bug, if you remove the "LIBRARY_PATH" setting under
the [gcc] heading in DJGPP.ENV like the README says you can, problems will
occur, including `DJGPP_MINOR' no longer being defined. Solution: Don't do that.
* Using exceptions without `-fsjlj-exceptions' causes your program to abort.
* Compiling multiple files at once (like `gcc -o foo.exe f1.c f2.c') fails
on non-LFN platforms. Don't do that.
* There are some difficulties if you want to recompile GCC. Look at the
archives of the last few weeks for details.
* Versions of Allegro other than the latest don't detect that it's installed
and give an error message. This is actually Allegro's bug.

Nate Eldredge
eldredge AT ap DOT net