Path: chuka.playstation.co.uk!scea!greg_labrec@interactive.sony.com From: sumner@metrowerks.com (Joel Sumner) Newsgroups: scea.yaroze.programming.codewarrior Subject: Re: Some concerns and ideas re CW Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 11:26:52 -0500 Organization: Metrowerks Lines: 108 Message-ID: References: <01bc8513$4e939960$9fbf43ce@wkwerner> NNTP-Posting-Host: 198.214.227.194 X-Newsreader: Anawave Gravity v1.10 Hi Wayne, I'm glad that you are having a better experience with CodeWarrior now. As you have noted, there are still some things that we are trying to improve. I'll address them below. In article <01bc8513$4e939960$9fbf43ce@wkwerner>, wkwerner@con2.com says... > However, the lack of windows MDI is not good. MDIs create a much more > discrete way to access applications than multiple windows on the desktop. > It appears to me that this multiwindows on the desktop approach is to hide > the lack of true integration in the IDE (i.e. the debugger and yaroze > download utilities are separate programs from the project management and > target creation application which is currently called the IDE). As you've seen, we've tried both MDI and FDI. Some people prefer it one way, and some prefer it the other. It's hard to find a clear consensus on this one. FDI has the advantage of allowing much better drag & drop between applications and allows you to zoom just the window you want to see (rather than having to zoom the app, then the window). Howver, as you note, MDI does "tie things together" a bit better. I've found many varying opinions on this. The Metrowerks IDE is shared between all of our Windows-based products (x86 developement tools, mac cross-compilers, embedded, etc..) Thus, if we see a clear majority among our customers preferring one way or another, we'll certainly switch if necessary. However, for the time being, it will probably remain FDI. > I would like to see the integration of data files into the IDE. It would > be very nice to have the file conversion functions and data memory > placement intergrated into the mix of making a project. Why do I need to > write a script to load the data files? We will be adding a little better support for conversion utilities soon in a couple forms. We're getting some more graphics/sound convertors which will be plug-ins into the IDE. Thus, you can convert the images as part of the compile process. The download of data files is a little trickier. We currently support two different methods. 1) Use the Host IO functions to have the main application do an open/read/close (or bload) 2) Use a batch file to download the information. (which is compatible with the current gnu based tools) Adding the data files directly to the project is a third option we can look at. > When these tools are fully integrated and cooperative (the debugger and > PsComUtil should not have separate use of the serial port under > integration) an MDI would be a great way to help put some focus into the > IDE. (All the windows of other apps and desktop activities going on behind > and mixed with the IDE windows can be very distracting). I'll make a note of the PSComUtil/Debugger interaction. We can look into a "disconnect" menu item and have the debugger and PSComUtil send messages to each other to coordinate this. One way to get around it for now is to "disconnect" from PSComUtil by setting the communications settings differently. > (By the way, PsComUtil does not save the comport configuration). Yes. This didn't quite make it. It will be fixed pretty soon. > What is the story with C++? The literature for the product touted full > support of C/C++, bragging about the close following of the ANSI standards > for both languages, as well as inline assembly support. Now I hear that > the update disables C++ support! No way, I want my C++! > I have read statements from MW that C++ is not supported by Sony for the > NY. That is ridiculus. C++ directly supports C librarys and headers with > link specifications in the source code. It is not a matter of Sony > supporting C++ as much as C++ supporting Sony's (or anyone elses) C > interface library. There's a couple things going on in this arena. 1) The Sony libraries have a function called "delete". This, of course, is a reserved word in C++. This isn't something Metrowerks has any control over unfortunately. 2) There were a couple of bugs that we found at the last minute that were only related to C++. Since most of the Yaroze programmers right now are using straight C, we elected to temporarily remove C++ support from the tools (by removing the runtime library. If you wish to use C++, you can do so by writing your own new() and delete() functions that map to malloc() and free()) We will be adding the C++ runtime library back once we get those few issues straightened out. > I use a seventeen inch monitor in 1024X768 res, and the headers, button > text, tab text etc. are extremely painful to read, and yet I find no method > of changing the fonts for these critical IDE elements. I'll forward this on to our IDE group. I think this is a know bug. > I must say in closing, I have paid for beta products before, knowing full > well what I was getting into. More often, I have used beta products for > free while waiting for the production version. But I really feel that the > literature for this product was totally misleading, and that burns my ass. I apologize for this. We are very aware that the first version wasn't up to the standards that you expect. As you can see, we're working hard to make sure that everyone is happy with our product. If you have any questions, comments, bug reports, etc.. Feel free to let us know. -Joel PlayStation Debugger Dude