November 2011 - Pharo-dev - lists.pharo.org

Re: [Pharo-project] [ VM ]Smalltalk getSystemAttribute:

by Eliot Miranda

My initial implementation was in error. I've now changed it back to 0 => executable name -1 .. -n => VM arguments *including* image (if explicitly supplied). Apologies. On Wed, Nov 30, 2011 at 12:03 AM, StÃ©phane Ducasse < stephane.ducasse(a)inria.fr> wrote: > > we will have to check if this impacts some of our parameter handling. > > Stef > > Begin forwarded message: > > VM.r2518/ <http://www.mirandabanda.org/files/Cog/VM/VM.r2518/>. > > CogVM binaries as per VMMaker.oscog-eem.139/r2518. > > Add access to VM arguments to Mac. Make Windows, Mac and Unix consistent: > Smalltalk getSystemAttribute: > -1 => executable name > -2 .. -n => VM arguments *including* image (if explicitly > supplied). > Replace win32 command line parsing with unixesque code using > CommandLineToArgvW. > > linux launch script: > Cope with old linuxes use of /lib/tls hack for an optional > thread-local-storage > version of libc/libpthread. The launch scripts add /lib/tls:/usr/lib/tls: > to > LD_LIBRARY_PATH instead of /lib:/usr/lib: if the VM is linked to > /lib/tls/libc. > -- > best, > Eliot > > > > > > -- best, Eliot

Nov. 30, 2011

Re: [Pharo-project] VM page in pharo book is outdated

by Schwab,Wilhelm K

Stef, Sig, Thanks for the preview! One thing that jumped out at me so far is the passing of strings by copy. Interestingly, I can't find an example (in my code where I would have sworn I had a few) of having an external library fill a string, but I know I have encountered it and wonder if/how Spock would handle it. This reminds me of Dolphin's default "pass by reference" (albeit in reverse) for external byte objects. In short, the Dolphin vm automatically passes the address of certain objects, and it often does what one wants. It also makes some things difficult to do. For example, one time I had to pass a COM interface pointer from one component to another, and to do it in Dolphin, I had to construct an intermediate byte object to hold the pointer, just so the vm would have a gratuitous level of indirection to remove in making the call. In fairness, I encountered very few such examples, but OA did ultimately express some regret over the decision. FWIW. A comment in the document asks about the available types, citing float, double and boolean. All good examples. We also need a full range of integer sizes (8, 16, 32, 64 bytes), signed and unsigned, and in array form. We need Float and double arrays too. Floats are sometimes used to save space (especially in multi-dimensional settings), and some researchers might care to use floats and doubles separately to look at roundoff error in computations. The real reason to have floats and doubles is that there are libraries that use both types. Another type that crops up is long double. So far, I can't say they have been critical to my work, but I have had to hack around appearances of them. The chapter shows the use of <primitive:module:> and states that it avoids the need to create instances. Very true, but I pose the question of whether we should encourage formal library (handle body) instances? The idea is that it provides some hope of being able to unload a library while the image is running. Whether that has any teeth is open for debate (I recall having trouble getting libraries to actually unload on a certain OS that will remain nameless<g>). In fairness to that OS, I do not recall the circumstances, but it sure seemed like yet another weirdness. Another advantage of placing the library name in one method is that it can be edited in one place. GSL has *thousands* of functions and hence thousands of wrapper methods. Tweaking every one would be ugly. Worse, ODBC goes by different names on Windows and Linux, and I doubt it is alone. There is a real role for #moduleName to test the OS and answer the appropriate string - something that can't be done with <primitive:module:>. Dolphin uses a class per library and a singleton instance of each; it "felt right," and Pharo's FFI will work that way. I subclass ExternalLibrary and do not specify a module name for each function call. Bottom line, if you get callbacks working, I'll play along regardless of small details :) Bill ________________________________________ From: pharo-project-bounces(a)lists.gforge.inria.fr [pharo-project-bounces(a)lists.gforge.inria.fr] on behalf of StÃ©phane Ducasse [stephane.ducasse(a)inria.fr] Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 2:00 PM To: Pharo-project(a)lists.gforge.inria.fr Subject: Re: [Pharo-project] VM page in pharo book is outdated everything is public no secret https://gforge.inria.fr/scm/viewvc.php/?root=pharobooks just a lot of work â¦. and pain with english Stef On Nov 30, 2011, at 7:19 PM, Igor Stasenko wrote: > On 30 November 2011 18:56, Schwab,Wilhelm K <bschwab(a)anest.ufl.edu> wrote: >> Stef, >> >> Apologies if I am exploiting something you meant to send privately, but "draft of a chapter" on FFI?????!!!!!! :) :) :) >> >> I'm no expert, but I certainly like to see what is being written. It is difficult to imagine how I could fail to learn something from it. >> > hmm, i seen a draft in my mailbox, but i cannot remember if i received > privately or from public mailing list. > > And of course, there is no reason to keep it private: i think the more > reviewers/readers it has, the better it will be. > >> Bill >> > > -- > Best regards, > Igor Stasenko. >

Nov. 30, 2011

Re: [Pharo-project] [squeak-dev] Re: New Cog VMs available at...

by Eliot Miranda

On Tue, Nov 29, 2011 at 11:54 PM, Alexander LazareviÄ <laza(a)blobworks.com>wrote: > 2011/11/29 Eliot Miranda <eliot.miranda(a)gmail.com> > >> -1 => executable name >> -2 .. -n => VM arguments *including* image (if explicitly >> supplied). >> > > Before we had (at least on Linux and I guess with the StackVM): > > 0 => executable name > -1 .. -n => VM arguments *including* image (if explicitly > supplied). > Right. And that makes sense. > > Why the need to change that? And what's 0 returning now? The same as 1 > (with path)? > I wanted all three platforms to be the same (the Mac was not answering any VM parameters at all, and Windows was returning the executable in -1). But I missed that 0 was answering the executable name. It makes no sense for Smalltalk getSystemAttribute: 0 and Smalltalk getSystemAttribute: -1 to answer the same thing. I will change it (back) to 0 => executable name -1 .. -n => VM arguments *including* image (if explicitly supplied). and do so on all platforms. Thanks for spotting this. Alex > -- best, Eliot

Nov. 30, 2011

Re: [Pharo-project] Athens work in progress: couple screenshots

by Igor Stasenko

On 30 November 2011 20:27, Fernando Olivero <fernando.olivero(a)usi.ch> wrote: > Yes, i hit cmd . a couple of times! > > Regarding the Rome related classes, they are part of what should be > cleaned out right? > The same with Â Tweak. > Right. I just didn't wanted to throw out code , made by Cyrille without even taking a look at it. Knowing about different frameworks, like Cairo , OpenVG and even Balloon, helped me to better understand how to implement layered architecture for Athens, which can use different backends. > I've been planning to add Pango support, should i create a new repo, > or put it alongside Athens? > I know very little about Pango. But if you plan to integrate it with Athens, it is the right place to put it in same repository. Btw, what is so essential about it? Please note, that Athens is planned as a basic vector graphics framework, with minimal text rendering support. Anything more complex should be done on top of it or be complimentary. > Fernando > pd:What about moving to squeaksource 3? > this can wait :) I am waiting for smalltalk hub. > > > On Wed, Nov 30, 2011 at 9:44 AM, Igor Stasenko <siguctua(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> Thanks, Fernando. >> There's one more thing: it takes like 20 seconds to load a library. >> When i first time run the example, i thought that it is going to >> crash, because of colorful wheel appeared >> instead of mouse pointer (usually a sign that VM going to crash ;). >> But it worked from first start. I don't know however why it takes so >> much time to initialize the library, >> when you first time loading it with VM. >> >> On 30 November 2011 09:32, Fernando Olivero <fernando.olivero(a)usi.ch> wrote: >>> I've implied using meta-programming,in order to have a uniform >>> protocol in the abstract Canvas. >>> AthensCanvas>>transformDescribedBy: aName >>> Â Â self perform: ( aName , 'Transform' ) asSymbol . >>> >>> But i see that your approach is simpler, there's no need for a uniform >>> protocol because when you are using a particular AthensCanvas you are >>> fully aware of that! >>> >>> Regarding the build, after a lonnnngg series of errors, i also managed >>> to build universal binaries of Cairo, using MacPorts (brew just >>> doesn't ease the task of creating 32 bit libraries). >>> sudo port cairo +universal, worked for me, taking at least 30 min to build. >>> >>> ATTENTION: Before entering the port cairo install command, I've had to >>> manually install appleGcc4.2, found @ [1] (file name >>> gcc-42-5666.3-darwin11.pkg. Given that i have Lion, XCode4.2, and if >>> you just allow macports to build appleGcc4.2, it will run a process >>> that consumes resources and finally stalls your computer! >>> >>> I've attached a screen shot that may help somebody else, for setting >>> up the examples. Using NativeBoost Cog VM for Mac, downloadable from >>> NativeBoost site or Jenkins. >>> >>> Great work Javier, and Igor! I'm looking forward to implement a Text >>> editor using Cairo+Pango + "my new morphic". >>> >>> Fernando >>> [1] http://r.research.att.com/tools/ >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Best regards, >> Igor Stasenko. > > -- Best regards, Igor Stasenko.

Nov. 30, 2011

Re: [Pharo-project] [COTDC] 86 - TextURL

by StÃ©phane Ducasse

I'm a text attribute used to encode an URL. On Nov 30, 2011, at 9:10 PM, Sean P. DeNigris wrote: > Poor little TextURL, no one cares about you :( > > -- > View this message in context: http://forum.world.st/COTDC-86-TextURL-tp4119838p4124600.html > Sent from the Pharo Smalltalk mailing list archive at Nabble.com. >

Nov. 30, 2011

Re: [Pharo-project] [COTDC] 86 - TextURL

by Sean P. DeNigris

Poor little TextURL, no one cares about you :( -- View this message in context: http://forum.world.st/COTDC-86-TextURL-tp4119838p4124600.html Sent from the Pharo Smalltalk mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

Nov. 30, 2011

Re: [Pharo-project] Athens work in progress: couple screenshots

by Fernando Olivero

Yes, i hit cmd . a couple of times! Regarding the Rome related classes, they are part of what should be cleaned out right? The same with Tweak. I've been planning to add Pango support, should i create a new repo, or put it alongside Athens? Fernando pd:What about moving to squeaksource 3? On Wed, Nov 30, 2011 at 9:44 AM, Igor Stasenko <siguctua(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Thanks, Fernando. > There's one more thing: it takes like 20 seconds to load a library. > When i first time run the example, i thought that it is going to > crash, because of colorful wheel appeared > instead of mouse pointer (usually a sign that VM going to crash ;). > But it worked from first start. I don't know however why it takes so > much time to initialize the library, > when you first time loading it with VM. > > On 30 November 2011 09:32, Fernando Olivero <fernando.olivero(a)usi.ch> wrote: >> I've implied using meta-programming,in order to have a uniform >> protocol in the abstract Canvas. >> AthensCanvas>>transformDescribedBy: aName >> Â Â self perform: ( aName , 'Transform' ) asSymbol . >> >> But i see that your approach is simpler, there's no need for a uniform >> protocol because when you are using a particular AthensCanvas you are >> fully aware of that! >> >> Regarding the build, after a lonnnngg series of errors, i also managed >> to build universal binaries of Cairo, using MacPorts (brew just >> doesn't ease the task of creating 32 bit libraries). >> sudo port cairo +universal, worked for me, taking at least 30 min to build. >> >> ATTENTION: Before entering the port cairo install command, I've had to >> manually install appleGcc4.2, found @ [1] (file name >> gcc-42-5666.3-darwin11.pkg. Given that i have Lion, XCode4.2, and if >> you just allow macports to build appleGcc4.2, it will run a process >> that consumes resources and finally stalls your computer! >> >> I've attached a screen shot that may help somebody else, for setting >> up the examples. Using NativeBoost Cog VM for Mac, downloadable from >> NativeBoost site or Jenkins. >> >> Great work Javier, and Igor! I'm looking forward to implement a Text >> editor using Cairo+Pango + "my new morphic". >> >> Fernando >> [1] http://r.research.att.com/tools/ >> >> > > > -- > Best regards, > Igor Stasenko.

Nov. 30, 2011

Re: [Pharo-project] object format of true, false, nil and others...

by Schwab,Wilhelm K

The synonym, "by graduate students," requires less typing :) ________________________________________ From: pharo-project-bounces(a)lists.gforge.inria.fr [pharo-project-bounces(a)lists.gforge.inria.fr] on behalf of Igor Stasenko [siguctua(a)gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 1:14 PM To: Pharo-project(a)lists.gforge.inria.fr Subject: Re: [Pharo-project] object format of true, false, nil and others... > what is mate? ;-) a secret military project, developed in our lab using forced-labor :)))))

Nov. 30, 2011

Re: [Pharo-project] VM page in pharo book is outdated

by StÃ©phane Ducasse

everything is public no secret https://gforge.inria.fr/scm/viewvc.php/?root=pharobooks just a lot of work â¦. and pain with english Stef On Nov 30, 2011, at 7:19 PM, Igor Stasenko wrote: > On 30 November 2011 18:56, Schwab,Wilhelm K <bschwab(a)anest.ufl.edu> wrote: >> Stef, >> >> Apologies if I am exploiting something you meant to send privately, but "draft of a chapter" on FFI?????!!!!!! :) :) :) >> >> I'm no expert, but I certainly like to see what is being written. It is difficult to imagine how I could fail to learn something from it. >> > hmm, i seen a draft in my mailbox, but i cannot remember if i received > privately or from public mailing list. > > And of course, there is no reason to keep it private: i think the more > reviewers/readers it has, the better it will be. > >> Bill >> > > -- > Best regards, > Igor Stasenko. >

Nov. 30, 2011

Re: [Pharo-project] object format of true, false, nil and others...

by StÃ©phane Ducasse

Mate is an experiment to see how to bootstrap VM representation and assembly generation. It is just the start. Now I was looking at how format is represented. Because systemTracer is doing that taking on object and either map it to another or transforming the object header. but with bitAnd: and other uglies.. With a first class object representing format and object header encoding the code would be nicer. Stef > right now I just need a placeholder after I imagine that the specialObjectArray and system tracer can let me specify what I want in the resulting image. > > yes > > And may be I could use mate explicit object format description to migrate (instead of systemTracer). > > what is mate? ;-) > Why would you like to replace SystemTracer? is there some cons using it? > > Luc > > > > > > > cheers, > > Toon > > > > On 11/23/2011 11:25 PM, Stefan Marr wrote: > >> Hi: > >> > >> On 23 Nov 2011, at 22:59, StÃ©phane Ducasse wrote: > >>> imagine that I want to bootstrap our nice kernel. > >>> I will need to somehow create a new nil, true, false, instances of new classes Undefined, True, False. > >>> Such instances will then be put on the SpecialObjectArray somehow. > >> Something kind of related: > >> > >> When debugging the VM, I am happy that I always encounter the same object as the first object in the heap. It is some strange string (think it encodes an error message or so). > >> > >> However, my thought was, also for other purposes, would it be possible to have these special objects sorted to the beginning? Especially, the nilObj would be very handy to have as the first object. > >> > >> That would need special VM support to arrange it that way, but knowing the nilObj from the very beginning would allow my to initialize some of my hacks more consistently, avoiding C-level NULLs and runtime checks. > >> > >> Just an idea, vaguely related to the question. > >> > >> Would be interesting to hear whether there are any historical insights with regard to ordering objects in the image. > >> Guess it is not done because nobody needed it. (and then there isn't really a primitive for it, and a moving GC might also be contra-productive, etc.) > >> > >> Best regards > >> Stefan > >> > >> > >> > >>> Stef > > > > > > >

Nov. 30, 2011