VADSself for NT/386/486/Pentium

Integrated environment
Optimized compilation
Nonintrusive debugging
Open library management
Automated builds
High reliability
High performance

Integrated programming environment

VADSself for NT/386/486/Pentium systems provides an integrated Ada compilation system that increases productivity and maximizes performance for the most demanding applications.

VADSself includes a validated compiler, a performance optimizer, a nonintrusive debugger, library-management tools, and a compilation manager. A graphical user interface provides point-and-click access to all of the VADS tools. The VADSanalysis tools for profiling and test-coverage analysis are also available with VADSself for NT. VADSself also allows you to take advantage of familiar NT tools, scripts, and utilities.

VADSself for NT allows you to create programs for a 32-bit Windows NT environment and includes a complete Ada interface to the Windows NT API (application program interface). VADS NT supports use of the 32-bit flat model, eliminating 64-Kb limits on code size, stack size, data size, and number of Ada tasks. In the near future, you will be able to take advantage of Windows NT multithreading features to obtain multiprocessing transparently within a single Ada program. The multiprocessing Ada system, VADSmp for NT, allows the mapping of Ada tasks directly onto NT threads.

Validated compiler

Is validated under ACVC 1.11
Is ANSI/MIL-STD-1815A compliant
Has ten-level optimization
Provides helpful error messages
Supports hardware floating point
Minimizes code size with shared generics
Processes machine-code insertions
Interfaces to C and other languages
Supports bit-level representation clauses, length clauses, and address clauses
Includes full support for Chapter 13 of the Reference Manual for the Ada Programming Language

Debugger

Provides full-screen, symbolic debugging
Operates nonintrusively
Requires no special recompilation
Debugs mixed Ada, C, and assembly
Debugs large applications
Provides full support of Ada debugging
- Tasking
- Exception handling
- Generics
- In-line expressions
Provides precise breakpoint control
- Stop at source statement
- Stop at instruction
- Stop at beginning of subprogram
- Stop at next exception
Supports conditional breakpoints
Provides flexible execution control
- Single step in Ada, C, or assembly
- Step over instructions and calls
- Display call stack
- Move up or down call stack
- Move to top or bottom of call stack
Reads and modifies data structures
- Memory
- Registers
- Complex data structures
Lists tasks and their status
Lists programs
Invokes editor from debugger
Provides command logging and scripting
Will have graphical user interface available soon

Performance optimizer

Is integrated with compiler
Provides ten-level optimization
Performs 386/486 instruction scheduling
Optimizes addressing for 386/486
Passes parameters in registers
Performs peephole optimization and code straightening
Performs constant folding, copy propagation, and strength reduction
Eliminates redundant branches and range checks
Eliminates common subexpressions
Hoists loop-invariant code and range checks
Performs strength reductions on induction expressions
Eliminates unnecessary constraint checking and dead variable assignments
Subsumes moves
Hoists common if-then-else subexpressions
Allocates local scalar, access, and loop variables to registers

Library management

A complete set of library-management tools helps you set up and manage code libraries in a networked programming environment.

Compilation manager (a.make)

Determines compilation order
Recompiles out-of-date units
Allows compilation errors to be corrected incrementally
Links and builds an executable program

Additional tools

Ada preprocessor
Disassembler
Cross-reference tool
Source-code formatter
Online help

Standard libraries

Standard
Examples
Publiclib
Verdixlib
Complex math
Math features such as constants, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, polar conversion, and Bessel functions
Sorting routines

Documentation

Documentation Roadmap
User's Guide
Programmer's Guide
WIN API Documentation Guide
Reference Guide
Runtime System Guide
Quick Reference Guide
Release Notes

Windows API

VADSself for NT provides a complete Ada binding to Win32, including all Windows controls and access to native NT data structures. It also includes support for Win32s, which provides a mechanism to move applications developed on 32-bit Windows NT to 16-bit Windows 3.1.

Required software

You must also have a copy of the C runtime libraries and linker, which can be obtained in Microsoft C/C++.

Configuration requirements

IBM 386, 486, or higher; 40 Mb for installation, 40Mb of swap space, and 16 Mb or more of RAM.

Support

Rational Software Corporation offers a full range of services to ensure your success, including training, telephone support, and on-site consulting.