Re: Development Tools

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

martin lytz writes ...
> 
> Hello,
> I have been building my technical library on the IIgs since I purchased
> one a few weeks ago and am slowly but surely finding the publications
> out there on the net.
> 
> I visited ByteWorks and found they had two sets of tools available for
> sale at their website - the ORCA C compiler & Assembler, and the Apple
> MPW C compiler & Assembler.  I would like to use the IIgs as the machine
> 
> of choice to write code on but can I do that with the MPW tools?  Are
> the debuggers any good?  If I am stuck using a mac (God forbid) for
> development are there any in circuit emulators for use with the mac with
> the IIgs as the target?  I prefer not to use a mac if at all possible.
> 
> ByteWorks emailed me that the ORCA tools could run native on the IIgs
> with enough system resources.  Is this toolset stable?  What about
> debuggers?

     Regarding MPW, I've never tried tried their stuff. According to ByteWorks:

>>

All of the tools except GS-24 were created by Apple Computer (or created for
them under contract). in general, these languages are not
100% source compatible with the Apple IIGS native development tools.
<<

The above seems to make the MPW approach somewhat less attractive than the
for-real IIgs Orca languages.

     For general IIgs development (e.g. desktop, etc.), your best bet is a
higher/medium level language like Orca Pascal or Orca C plus Orca/M. (Well, you
do not actually need Orca/M, too; but, it's very nice to have a good assem
package.)

     If your background is chiefly in Applesoft BASIC and you want to get on the
fast track for producing stuff (like, maybe a game), you might consider the new
Orca GS-BASIC. Getting Orca/M as well is a good idea for doing higher-speed
assem modules.

 
> Other searches on the net revealed other tool vendors for the 65C816.
> Has anyone had any experience with any of the in circuit emulator
> manufacturers for this part?  I can use a pc to run these and plug the
> pod into the IIgs processor socket so the pc would be inevitable.
> 
> I come from an embedded computer hw/sw/fw development environment so I
> was a bit surprised to not see a c compiler, linker, and assembler
> rolled into one product like what is available in the microcontroller
> world.  But, the tools don't break the bank so I guess that's that.
 ....

     If what you want is a 65C816 development package, check the Western Design
Center stuff at http://www.wdesignc.com/develop.html .



Rubywand