History of changes Lastest version first. For a note on version numbering, see the [1]SmallEiffel FAQ. Work in progress. * Full compatibility with the new ELKS'2000 ARRAY class. Most modifications are simple renamings which are automatically pointed out by obsolete warnings. For obvious uniformity reasons, some other classes of the library have also been modified. As an example, empty is always replaced with is_empty in all classes. The name all_cleared is always replaced with all_default. The most difficult problem is due to the fact that is_equal in ARRAY no longer uses the elements is_equal to compare them, but the basic '=' infix operator. For uniformity reasons, this has also been done for all COLLECTIONs as well as class DICTIONARY. * Added feature is_equal_map for all COLLECTIONs (ARRAY, FIXED_ARRAY, LINKED_LIST, TWO_WAY_LINKED_LIST) and for class DICTIONARY. This is the replacement for the old implementation of is_equal (ie. is_equal_map use is_equal to compare elements). * Added feature reindex in class ARRAY. * For feature dispose of class MEMORY (as well as redefinitions), the class invariant is no longer triggered. * Various bug fixes and improvements. New! Release - 0.77 - Saturday February 12th, 2000 * Added in directory SmallEiffel the new [2]install command (class install.e with a precompiled install.exe for Windows). This install.e class is the code for the installer of the SmallEiffel distribution it comes with, and is designed to be as portable as possible. This automatic installation program has already been tested for Windows/lcc-win32, Windows/bcc32, Linux/gcc, Solaris/gcc, DEC-Alpha/gcc and FreeBSD/gcc, ... To install SmallEiffel under some UNIX like system, just type make in the SmallEiffel directory. To install SmallEiffel under Windows, just run install.exe. On other systems, C compile and run the install.c file. * Added C++ externals support (creation of C++ objects, deletion of C++ objects, member function calls, static function calls etc.). See lib_show/external/C++ for examples. * Added NUMBER library, for infinite precision and infinitely large numbers. See lib_show/number for examples. * Added ITERATOR library, for external iterators on data structures. See lib_show/iterator for examples. * Added class BASIC_DIRECTORY and class DIRECTORY to handle in a portable way directories as well as system path notations. See lib_show/basic_directory for examples. This class is also implemented for Java bytecode (command [3]compile_to_jvm). * Added class BASIC_TIME, TIME_IN_FRENCH TIME_IN_ENGLISH and TIME_IN_ITALIAN to handle date and time. See lib_show/basic_time for examples. Low level routines for Java byte-code are not yet implemented If you have some time to do this, you just have to add the missing Java code in sys/runtime/SmallEiffelRuntime.java (please contribute your work on the SmallEiffel mailing list). * Added class BIT_STRING for very large bit sequences, with reference semantics. * Features deep_clone and deep_equal of class GENERAL are now implemented for the C compilation mode (does not work yet with compile_to_jvm). * Added feature skip_remainder_of_line and feature reach_and_skip in class INPUT_STREAM. Warning: in order to be consistent with other features, the behavior of features skip_separators and skip_separators_using has changed. * Added feature to_hexadecimal and feature to_hexadecimal_in in class INTEGER. * Improved incremental recompilation of the generated C code (also fixed a very old bug in incrementality). * Exceptions handling: the default_rescue feature is now supported. * Various bug fixes and improvements (type inference score increased, ...). Release - 0.78 - Saturday June 05th, 1999. * New -html2 flag for command short generates a colorized HTML short form for classes. * The garbage collector now takes into account feature dispose of class MEMORY for reference objects. * Obsolete classes (obsolete keyword) now supported. * Assertion tags are now displayed when an assertion fails. * Added environment variable in loadpath files. Syntax: ${SOME_VAR} * Added the -no_style_warning flag to suppress warnings when the recommended styles guidelines for Eiffel are not strictly followed. * Added the -version flag to show SmallEiffel's version. * Enhanced ease of use with and adaptability to various C compilers (SYSTEM_TOOLS). Files compiler.system, linker.system and o_suffix.system are now obsolete and replaced by a unique file compiler.se common to all systems. See the [4]System configuration page for more information. * Class LINKED_LIST now replaces obsolete class LINK_LIST (simple renaming). Class TWO_WAY_LINKED_LIST now replaces obsolete class LINK2_LIST (simple renaming). * Fixed "implicit renaming" bug. * Cleaned all source code of tabulations at beginning of line (made code look ugly when using an editor whose tabs were not 8). * Some new ELKS'95 features implemented. * Validity rule VEEN fixed. * Added class COLLECTION_SORTER and REVERSE_COLLECTION_SORTER to the library. * Fixed file renaming portability bug (".d files bug"). * Validity rule VCFG.1 is now enforced. * Validity rule VAPE is now enforced. * Classes mentioned in a cecil.se file are now automatically made live. Makes it easier to link with external libraries. * Various other bug fixes. [Line] Release - 0.79 - Tuesday December 22nd, 1998. * The new Eiffel construct Precursor as described OOSC2 is now implemented. * The Eiffel expression strip is now implemented. * Nested loadpath files now allowed. * Extended anchored definition to accept infix and prefix feature names. For example, this kind of declaration is now accepted : foo: like infix "+". * Classes COLLECTION2, ARRAY2 and FIXED_ARRAY2 of lib_std completely revisited. * Fixed a bug related to calls of the form f.g.h; on expanded objects. * Fixed a bug related to inheritance of generic classes. * Fixed bugs related to assertions checking in case of exceptions (rescue clause, retry). Improved cycle detection in assertions. * Fixed bug in GC related to recycling of "monsters" (very large resizable objets). * Fixed an incredible bug in the implementation of the like Current type mark. ;-). * Fixed many others bugs ($ operator, GC for alpha DEC, ...). * System customization file for the BeOS system added in the "sys" sub-directory (more on [5]system customization). * Contents of the environment variable SmallEiffel must be now set with the absolute path of the file "system.se" which is in the sub-directory "sys" of the installation directory. Under a UNIX-like system, the value of the SmallEiffel environment variable may be for example: /usr/lib/SmallEiffel/sys/system.se Commands are also more robust when this environment variable contains non-alphanumeric characters. * No more ensure assertion in GENERAL.get_environment_variable. * Commands [6]compile_to_jvm and [7]print_jvm_class completely revisited. Java byte-code can be now used with the -verify Java option). * Validity rule VDRD.6 is now enforced. * Balancing rule (automatic promotion) for INTEGER, DOUBLE and REAL is now implemented. * Recursive once routines now work correctly. * Unmodified generated C files are not touched anymore. * Assertions correctly checked for all external C routines. * Exception handling now works when an exception occurs in external C code. * Cleaned the compiler and decreased its memory footprint. [Line] Release - 0.80 - Thursday July 9th, 1998. * Exception handling implemented. Class EXCEPTIONS added in lib_std. * Execution trace stack implementation completely revisited: more comprehensive information is now available, and the overhead incurred by this stack is greatly reduced (executables are about 3 times faster when running in -all_check mode). * Added option -no_main in command [8]compile_to_c to avoid generation of the C main function. This is useful when one wants to start execution from outside before calling some Eiffel routines via the [9]cecil interface. * Behavior of compilation flag [10]-trace of command compile_to_c changed to allow step-by-step execution (embryo of Eiffel source code debugger). * Feature ARRAY.resize completely revisited (added two features in class NATIVE_ARRAY: clear and move). * Garbage Collector optimized (the GC should be more agressive and some benchmarks are included in directory SmallEiffel/misc/benchmarks/gc/*/bench.e). * Associativity of infix operator "^" is now correctly handled. * Fixed bugs in PLATFORM for Minimum_double, Minimum_real and Minimum_character_code. * Fixed some others bugs about export rules, about expanded objects with expanded attributes. * Fixed bugs in pretty. [Line] Release - 0.81 - Thursday April 9th, 1998 * First finalized version of the garbage collector. Currently supported architectures are SPARC Solaris, HP-UX, Linux, MacOS, Windows 95 and NT (see file SmallEiffel/sys/gc for details). Added flag -no_gc to suppress the GC (see [11]man/compile_to_c). * Changed the default for the generation of C code. Now, the C code and object files are kept by default. (This previously required using option -c_code, which becomes obsolete.) Added flag -clean which removes all the C and object files of the system. (This corresponds to the old default behavior.) * Fixed a bug related to buffered input under Windows/MS VC. * Fixed a bug in misc/INSTALL.SH script. * Added require is_connected for all features put_* of class OUTPUT_STREAM. * Fixed a bug in command [12]short (require/ensure assertion of deferred routines are now printed). * Added one useful hook for mode -html1 in command [13]short (see hook Mcn). * Added directory SmallEiffel/sys/runtime which contains the C runtime. * Fixed a bug about instanciation of class ANY itself (not so common !). * Fixed a bug about inlining of operator $. * Fixed a bug about cyclic anchored definitions. [Line] Release - 0.82 - Friday January 16th, 1998 * Became the official GNU Eiffel compiler. * Added first HTML mode to command [14]short. Flag -html1. Thanks to Matthias Klause. * Fixed bugs in command [15]pretty. * It is now possible to rename/redefine external "SmallEiffel" features. * Files *.hlp of directory SmallEiffel/man no longer exists. All the documentation is now in *.html files plus corresponding automatically generated *.txt files. * Manifest arrays creation has been optimized. * Validity rule VHRC.2 is now enforced. * Fixed bugs about export clause. * Feature GENERAL.hash_code no longer exists. Added ELKS class HASHABLE in order to be compatible with others compilers/libraries. * Fixed a bug in pre-computed once functions. * Fixed a bug in REAL/DOUBLE keybord input. * Reintroduced left hand side cast in C code for better performances (allowed by the C ANSI standard). * Obsolete features (obsolete keyword) now generate a Warning. [Line] Release - 0.83 - Friday September 19th, 1997 * Added command short to the distribution. * Added directory contrib in the distribution. This directory contains some scripts to use gdb as source level debugger for SmallEiffel. * Added flag -no_warning to commands: compile_to_c, pretty, and compile_to_jvm. * Added flag -case_insensitive to command compile_to_c. * Fixed a bug for inherit/select. * Fixed a bug for some pre-computed once function. [Line] Release - 0.84 - Monday August 18th, 1997 * Class BIT is now implemented in Java bytecode (command compile_to_jvm). * Added external specification to call Java code (when using compile_to_jvm). * To fit on a single 3.5 inches disk, unsplitted C code for large commands (compile_to_c and compile_to_jvm) is no longer in the distribution as well as the old lib_test directory. * Changed the algorithm to load classes in order to allow upper case letters in files names (priority is always given to lower case file names). * Added STRING.substring_index (from ELKS written by Fridtjof SIEBERT). * Added one more file in SmallEiffel/sys/ directory in order to customize object files suffix (thus, using Borland C compiler on Windows is now possible). * Changed the behavior of end_of_input of INPUT_STREAM (this flag is true _after_ last character has been read). * Fixed a bug in manifest arrays (mixed objects including Void). * Fixed a bug dealing with some statically computed expressions. * Fixed a bug in repeated inheritance. [Line] Release - 0.85 - Thursday July 3rd, 1997 * First beta-release of commands compile_to_jvm and print_jvm_class! * The new name for class C_ARRAY is now NATIVE_ARRAY (because it works both with Java and C). The old C_ARRAY name is temporarily accepted with a warning from the compiler. * For readability and to avoid confusion with Java names, external tags have changed (see for new names in [16]man/external file). Old names are temporarily accepted with a warning giving the new name to use. * Added feature to_hexadecimal and feature to_hexadecimal_in in class CHARACTER. * Feature io, std_input, std_output and std_error of class GENERAL are no longer frozen. * Some changes in STD_FILE_READ for features read_integer, read_double and read_real (added comments, precondition and solved the problem with the trailing separator). * Feature die_with_code of GENERAL now accepts any INTEGER code (not just predefined exit_success_code and exit_failure_code). * Fixed a bug in STRING. The following expression is now true: ("a%/0/b").count = 3 Just try this on your favorite Eiffel compiler ;-) * Many changes in basic input/output in order to be compatible with Java: No more class STD_FILE (the name is now free for an ELKS implementation). Two new classes: INPUT_STREAM and OUTPUT_STREAM. * Feature unread_character of class INPUT_STREAM is now implemented in Eiffel. * Added OUTPUT_STREAM.put_pointer to view a POINTER. [Line] Release - 0.86 - Sunday April 13th, 1997 * All reported bugs at this time have been fixed. * Added flag -verbose to commands: compile, compile_to_c and clean. When this new flag is not present, commands now work silently unless some error (or warning) occurs. * Features BOOLEAN.infix "or" and BOOLEAN.infix "and" are now written in pure Eiffel. As a consequence, it is very important for the SmallEiffel programmer to make the distinction between BOOLEAN.infix "and then" and BOOLEAN.infix "and" (respectively for BOOLEAN.infix "or else" and BOOLEAN.infix "or"). When left-hand-side argument produces no side effect, the semi-strict operator (BOOLEAN.infix"and then"/"or else") may run faster. * Fixed REAL.sin (the old one was calling sqrt :-). * Fixed a bug in INTEGER.append_in (you can now print Minimum_integer). * Added feature in_range in class COMPARABLE. * Result type of REAL.infix "^" is now DOUBLE for ELKS compatibility. * Feature remove is now implemented in all subclasses of COLLECTION (i.e. ARRAY, FIXED_ARRAY, LINK_LIST and LINK2_LIST). * Added feature add for all subclasses of COLLECTION. * Conversion DOUBLE/STRING : ANSI C sscanf and sprintf is now used to avoid loss of precision. * Added some more class invariant code generation when compiling in -invariant_check mode. Class invariant is now also checked before exit of a routine. * Added feature file_tools in class GENERAL to ease access to class FILE_TOOLS. * Changed printing format for basic *_REF classes. For example, instruction print(1); now prints 1. * Feature truncated_to_integer of DOUBLE is now ELKS compatible (added feature rounded in class DOUBLE to replace the old truncated_to_integer). Same changes in class REAL. [Line] Release - 0.87 - Tuesday January 7th, 1997 * Added a new flag -trace to ease debug (see [17]man/compile_to_c file). * More inlining at Eiffel level (-boost mode only). * Class BIT_N completely revisited. It may be as fast as C. * Added class C_ARRAY[E] to deal directly with C arrays at Eiffel level. Thus there are no more external "CSE" or c_inline_c in classes STRING/ARRAY/FIXED_ARRAY (only full Eiffel). Eiffel code is nice and STRING/ARRAY/FIXED_ARRAY may run faster. * Fixed a bug in STD_FILE_READ.read_double. * Ordering of C output to increase gcc inlining. * According to [18]man/compile_to_c) , flag -debug_check now works (debug instructions are no longer generated in mode -all_check). * Unused local variables removed at Eiffel level (warning added for -debug_check mode only). * Default class ANY now inherits PLATFORM (as in ETL). * Fixed a bug in floating-point constants. * Added directory sys to customize default C compiler, default C linker and default loading path. * Fixed some bugs with outside expanded types. * Fixed a bug with rename/select. * Redefinition of once routine is now allowed. * Feature GENERAL.conforms_to is now implemented. * Rule VFFD.7 is now enforced. * Feature force implemented for all COLLECTION. * Added conversions features CHARACTER.to_bit, INTEGER.to_bit, BIT_N.to_character and BIT_N.to_integer. [Line] Release - 0.88 - Wednesday October 30th, 1996 * Fixed bugs dealing with inherit/rename/select. * Added warning for missing colon in actual arguments list. * Warning : INSTALL procedure has changed and you have to set manually the default loading path (see misc/INSTALL for details). * Added some VMS customization. * Fixed bugs when printing run-time stack. * Warning added for missing colon in actual parameter list. * Added flush in class STD_FILE_WRITE. * No more left hand side cast in C code (because some C compilers don't like them). [Line] Release - 0.89 - Sunday September 15th, 1996 * Calling Eiffel from C is now implemented (see [19]man/cecil) file). * Object creation uses C calloc instead malloc+memset. * Object creation is inlined. * ARRAY/FIXED_ARRAY put and item are now inlined (-boost only). * Added feature capacity and resize in FIXED_ARRAY. * Added some classes in std_lib: LINK2_LIST (two way linked list), COLLECTION2 (deferred), ARRAYED_COLLECTION (deferred), LINKED_COLLECTION (deferred) and FIXED_ARRAY2 in std_lib. * More user's routines are inlined (-boost only). [Line] Release - 0.90 - Friday August 23rd, 1996 * Added random number generator library (SmallEiffel/lib_rand). * Added checking of assertions for external "CSE" features. * Anchoring on expanded types are now allowed. * Multiple level of anchoring definition allowed. * Fixed a bug in STRING.from_external. * Fixed a bug with mixed rename/redefine. * Inheritance loop detection. * Anchoring loop detection. * Fixed a bug with renaming infix/prefix. * Command clean also use the make suffix. * Added ELKS95 sign in INTEGER/REAL/DOUBLE. * Feature make is the default root feature name for compile. * Optimized ARRAY.add_last and STRING.extend. * Changed STRING.out (no more enclosing %" printed). * Remove warning gcc messages for 64 bits machine (alpha/DECK). * Added option -no_split for a better finalization (see [20]man/compile_to_c) file). [Line] Release - 0.91 - Wednesday July 24th, 1996 * Incremental C compiling mode implemented (see option -c_code in help file [21]man/compile) . * Added command clean in help file [22]man/clean. * Added class FILE_TOOLS. * No more empty C struct in generated C code (to avoid problems with Microsoft Windows C compiler). * Fixed one more bug with conformance rule VNCG. [Line] Release - 0.92 - Saturday July 20th, 1996 * Fixed some more bugs with conformance rule VNCG. * Added math functions in DOUBLE/REAL (sin, cos, tan, asin, acos, atan, ... ANSI C names). [Line] Release - 0.93 - Thursday July 18th, 1996 * Fixed some more bugs with conformance rule VNCG. * Type BIT is now implemented. * Added ELKS 95 STRING.left_adjust and STRING.right_adjust. [Line] Release - 0.94 - Friday July 5th, 1996 * Fixed some bugs with conformance rule VNCG. * Static expressions are used to detect pre-computable once routines. * Added features to_external and from_external both in classes ARRAY and FIXED_ARRAY. * Fixed a bug for inheritance of ARRAY or FIXED_ARRAY. * Contents of end of class comment checked. * Added documentation file for external calls (see help file [23]man/external ). [Line] Release - 0.95 - Thursday May 30th, 1996 * It is now possible to inherit ARRAY. * It is now possible to inherit STRING. * Flag -cc of compile_to_c has changed. * The PLATFORM class is now conform to ELKS95. * Added feature twin (like the one of TowerEiffel) in GENERAL. * Added features to_external and from_external in class STRING. * Fixed some bugs in once pre-computed routines. [Line] Release - 0.96 - Friday May 10th, 1996 * Internal renaming to suppress some warning messages and for a smooth integration with C++ software. * DOS and Macintosh better portability. [Line] Release - 0.97 - Thursday May 2nd, 1996 * Inside of compiler cleaned. * Pre-Computing of some once functions. * Added class COLLECTION, LINK_LIST and FIXED_ARRAY in lib_std. [Line] Release - 0.98 - Friday March 15th, 1996 * Command pretty added. * Implements Eiffel expanded clause. [Line] Release - 0.99 - Saturday February 17th, 1996 * The first version available on the net. Before being made available, the very first SmallEiffel had been tested since September 1995 by students of the University Henri Poincaré [Line] Release - 1.00 - July 1995 * The very first bootstrap. SmallEiffel is born. [Line] Copyright © Dominique COLNET and Suzanne COLLIN - [24] Last update: March 21th 2000, by DC. References 1. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/SmallEiffelFAQ.html#Q02 2. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/install.html 3. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/compile_to_jvm.html 4. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/system.html 5. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/system.html 6. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/compile_to_jvm.html 7. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/print_jvm_class.html 8. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/compile_to_c.html 9. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/cecil.html 10. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/compile_to_c.html#trace 11. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/compile_to_c.html 12. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/short.html 13. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/short.html 14. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/short.html 15. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/pretty.html 16. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/external.html 17. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/compile_to_c.html 18. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/compile_to_c.html 19. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/cecil.html 20. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/compile_to_c.html 21. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/compile.html 22. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/clean.html 23. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/misc/man/external.html 24. mailto:colnet@loria.fr