From: rastroob@plg.uwaterloo.ca (Rick Stroobosscher)
Newsgroups: fj.mail-lists.parallel
Subject: uC++ now available
Date: 7 Sep 92 12:18:55 GMT
Distribution: fj

We are pleased to announce, to any interested parties, the availability of
Version 3.4.4 of uC++ (pronounced micro-C++).  uC++ extends the C++ programming
language in somewhat the same way that C++ extends the C programming language.
The extensions introduce new objects that augment the existing set of control
flow facilities and provide for light-weight concurrency on uniprocessor and
parallel execution on multiprocessor computers running the UNIX operating
system.  uC++ is not another thread package built on top of C++, but a
comprehensive set of language extensions that integrate the notions of
coroutine, mutual exclusion and concurrent execution into the language.


Here are some things to watch out for in Version 3.4.4:

1.  The uC++ translator may fail when given very bad syntax errors.  The error
recovery facilities of the translator will be updated in version 4.  Also, the
translator is vulnerable to programs that use the same names for types and
routines.  Beware of this vulnerability.  It may show up in very subtle errors.

2. The "inline" version of the runtime environment is not working in this
release, so that performance is significantly slower than it can be. When the
"inline" version is working, performance is comparable to any light- weight
tasking system.

3. The only multiprocessor computer supported in this release is the Sequent
Symmetry. Ports to more vendor/machines will appear shortly.


uC++ requires at least version 3.8 of dmake, which is available by anonymous ftp
from the following location (remember to set your ftp mode to binary):

	watmsg.uwaterloo.ca (129.97.141.9)   pub/dmake/dmake38.tar.Z

Execute the following command to unpack the source:

	% zcat dmake38.tar.Z | tar -xf -

To build dmake, edit the variables in file ./unix/startup.h.  The variable
MAKESTARTUP must specify the location of the startup.mk file, which contains all
the implicit recipes.  This file is placed at the top level of the source
directory after dmake is built.  If dmake is not being installed in a public
location, set the value of MAKESTARTUP to dmake-source-path/startup.mk.  After
setting the MAKESTARTUP variable, execute the command make in directory dmake to
determine what configurations are available.  A list of possible configurations
will be printed.  Once dmake is built, add the executable to your command path.

The current version of uC++ can be obtained by anonymous ftp from the following
location (remember to set your ftp mode to binary):

	watmsg.uwaterloo.ca (129.97.141.9)   pub/uSystem/u++-3.4.4.tar.Z

Execute the following command to unpack the source:

	% zcat u++-3.4.4.tar.Z | tar -xf -


To build uC++, edit the variables in file ./Makefile.  The variable ROOT must
specify the current location of the uC++ source (the path to the directory that
contains the source).  The variable BINDIR specifies the location where the u++
executable and other executables needed for compilation are placed.  The LIBDIR
variable specifies the location for the u++ runtime libraries.  Both BINDIR and
LIBDIR have default values.  After setting at least the ROOT variable, execute
the command dmake in this directory to determine what configurations are
available.  A list of possible configurations will be printed.

After installation is complete, there will be a number of executables created in
the BINDIR location.  Add this directory to your command path to access the
compilation command u++, or move the u++ executable itself to a directory in
your command path.  Do not move the other executables in BINDIR, as the u++
executable references these executables and the runtime library via hard coded
path names set at installation time.


A postscript version of the uC++ reference manual is available in the same ftp
directory as u++-3.4.4.tar.Z, called u++-3.4.4.ps.  It contains a copy of the
uC++ documentation that has been formatted for 8.5x11 paper.  This file has been
made available because some people have had problems LaTeXing the documentation
that comes with the uC++ distribution.  Normally, it is unnecessary to retrieve
this file as uC++ comes with the latex source for the reference manual.


uC++ runs on the following processors: M68K series, NS32K series, VAX, MIPS,
Intel 386, Sparc, and the following UNIX operating systems:

	- generic BSD 4.3
	- Sun OS 4.x
	- Tahoe BSD 4.3
	- Ultrix 3.x/4.x
	- DYNIX

uC++ requires at least GNU C++ 2.2.  uC++ will NOT compile using other
compilers. To run multiprocessor on a Sequent GNU C++ must use the Sequent
assembler and loader.


There is a Software-Practice and Experience paper about uC++ Version 2.0 in the
Feb 1992 issue. Note, there have been many changes from version 2 to 3, and
there will be more changes from version 3 to 4.

uC++ is being used daily to build highly concurrent access methods for
persistent file structures (databases) here at Waterloo.


What's coming in uC++ Version 4:

	- inline version of kernel
	- visualization of concurrent execution
	- multiprocessor ports to SGI, Encore
	- uWait and uSignal as members of uCondition
	- port to IBM 6000
	- task priorities
	- exception handling
	- improve translator, make more robust
	- time out on I/O calls

We hope to have some of this done by the end of the year.