🚀 go-pugleaf

I dug up the current issue of Micro C for the following review about the FTL
Modula-2 compiler. I'm posting review of FTL here. Please note, the article
does some benchmark comparisons: "integer math, floating point math, file
I/O, and text processing. For all but the integer math, Logitech's code has
been consistently faster." My comments in the article are delimited by [].

               Micro Cornucopia
               Box 223
               Bend, OR 97709-0223

               (502)382-5060

          $16.00 a year for a subscription. Back issues $3.00 each.
---------------

From Micro Cornucopia, #34, February-March 1987; "The Tale of Two Modulas"
by John P. Jones. Copied without permission.


     FTL Modula-2 is largely the work of Dave Moore of Cerenkof Computing,
Brisbane, Australia, and is available in this country from Workman &
Associates. It is available for both CP/M-80 and MS-DOS. the FTL base system
includes a source code editor, compiler, linker, assembler, and library and
utility modules. The systen conforms to the language definition in the third
edition of Wirth's book, so is more current than Logitech's system. FTL
Modula-2  uses a small memory model: you are limited to 64K code and 64K
data. (There is a library module, LongHeap, which allows use of the
remainder of RAM for indirect data storage.)

     The editor (which uses WordStar commands) supports windows, but is not
syntax assisted.  Compiles and links can be done either from within the
editor, or from the command line.

     One unique feature - when compiling from the editor, the compiler and
imported symbols are kept in memory and do nothave to be reloadedfrom disk
for subsequent compiles.

     The one-pass compiler is fast the first time, darned fast on subsequent
times.  Keyboard macros can be defined on the fly, while editing.  Plus, you
can examine the disk directory from the editor: more than once I've had to
exit Logitech's editor becuase I'd forgotten a filename.

     Although you have the option of continuing a compile after an error,
I've found that it's usually best to fix the errors as encountered.  Because
it's a one-pass compiler, it can get very confused after an error.  My
500-line module (tested earlier with Modula-2/86) compiled in 8.6 seconds.
[Modula-2/86 took 1 min.  15 sec.]

     The linker links directly to a .COM file, no additional conversion is
needed.  The test file linked in 22 seconds.  The .COM files are
consistently about 1/3 the size of Modula-2/86's .EXE files

     The standard libraries with FTL Modula-2 were taken from the CP/M-80
version, which in turn were taken from Modula-2 for thr PDP-11.  In many
cases, they include both CP/M equivalent and improved MS-DOS modules.  The
CP/M style modules give you quick migration route between the two operating
systems.  I've found the library source modules very instructive.

     It's especially easy to incorporate assembly langauge modules.  The
definition module is written in Modula-2, the implementation module in
assembler.  The linker takes care of the rest.

            FTL Utilities

     Precedence generates a list of interdependencies.  This list is used by
Buildsub to create a batch file for recompiling modules affected by a
definition module change.

     Also included: a simple run-time debugger, a sort module, text and
binary file comparison modules, and a source file lister.

[The source for the editor is available for an additional $30.]