library overview (2)

[Sander van der Wal <svdwal@xs4all.nl>]

This is the second posting of the summary of the modules provided 
with ooc.
I have classified the modules according to the kind of functions
they provide, ie all modules working on REAL's and LONGREAL's
are in one group. 
The modules themselves currently have the following 
descriptions.

  - the module name or names if the procedures in the modules 
    only differ in paramater- and/or return types (like Math and
    MathL).
  - a short description about the purpose of the module.
  - whether the implementation of the module is system-dependent 
    or not. 
  - who is writing an system-independent implementation.
  or
  - who is writing the interface definition of a system-dependent
    module.
  - the state of the implementation (not-yet, alpha, beta, finished)

Comments, complaints about blatant errors, omissions and everything 
else you think is important are gratefully received ;-)

I think that discussions about modules should have the module name(s) 
in their 'Subject:' header, as in the 'Name'-part in this list. This
will make it easier to keep track of things.
Discussions about the list itself, additions etc are best posted as
a Reply to the list in question. I will start a new thread for every
list posted.

Here it comes.

Category: Exceptions

- Name: none, part of the SYSTEM module
- Description:
    Exceptions are raised by calling HALT with negative argument and
    pass control to an exception handler installed in SYSTEM.
- System-independent: probably not
- Implementor:
- State:


Category: Files and filenames

- Name: Files
- Description:
    SvdW posted a comprehensive outline of a possible Files module.  Its
    basic data types are File, Reader, and Writer.  Most functions
    manipulating files are implemented as type-bound procedures.  
- System-independent: No.
- Implementor: Sander van der Wal
- State:

- Name: Filenames
- Description:
    Modeled as objects (as variables of type `Locator'), allowing to
    abstract from the underlying OS.  Can be turned in/converted from
    strings.  Should be flexible enough to support extended locators
    like URL. 
- System-independent: No
- Implementor: Sander van der Wal
- State:


Category: Properties of integers, (LONG)REAL's, mathematical functions, 
          conversions etc

- Name: ConvTypes
- Description: 
    Types used for conversions
- System-independent: yes
- Implementor: Michael Griebling
- State: beta

- Name: IntStr
- Description:
    String to integer conversions and vice versa
- System-independent: yes
- Implementor: Michael Griebling
- State: beta

- Name: IntConv
- Description:
    Low-level string conversion procedures for integers.
- System-independent: yes
- Implementor: Michael Griebling
- State: beta

- Name: Math, MathL
- Description:
    Superceeded by OakMath/OakMathL (see below). These modules are no longer
    necessary
- System-independent: yes
- Implementor: Michael Griebling
- State: obsolete

- Name: RealMath/LongMath
- Description:
    This will be implemented as calls to the appropriate Math(L)-routines
- System-independent: yes
- Implementor: Michael Griebling
- State: Real

- Name: LowReal, LowLong
- Description:
    Give access to the underlying properties of the types REAL and
    LONGREAL.  Defines constants like radix, expoMin, expoMax, large,
    small, etc.  Provides functions to access various parts of a real
    number, to synthesize a real, get the next higher/lower real number,
    etc. 
- System-independent: yes? (IEEE-compliant)
- Implementor: Michael Griebling
- State: LowReal-beta, LowLong-inwork

RealStr, LongStr
- Name: 
- Description:
    String to real number conversion and vice versa.
- System-independent: yes
- Implementor: Michael Griebling
- State: RealStr-beta, LongStr-inwork

- Name: RealConv, LongConv
- Description:
    Low-level string conversion procedures for the floating point types.  
- System-independent: Yes
- Implementor: Michael Griebling
- State: RealConv-beta, LongConv-inwork

ComplexMath, LongComplexMath:
- Name: (Long)ComplexMath
- Description:
    COMPLEX functions. 
- System-independent: yes
- Implementor: Michael Griebling
- State: inwork

- Name: OakMath, OakMathL
- Description:
    Oakwood compatible (LONG)REAL math functions. Implemented as calls to RealMath/LongMath. 
- System-independent: yes.
- Implementor: Michael Griebling
- State: OakMath-beta, OakMathL-inwork


Category: Strings and characters

- Name: Strings
- Description:
    A superset of Oakwood Strings except that Cap turnes into Capitalize
    and Pos into FindNext/FindPrev.  Addtionally provides a number of
    predicates to test wheter the procedures like Delete, Insert, etc
    have valid input and do not truncate the output.
- System-independent: yes
- Implementor: Michael van Acken
- State:

- Name: CharClass
- Description:
    Some predicates on characters (IsNumeric, IsLetter, IsUpper, etc).
- System-independent: yes 
- Implementor: Michael van Acken
- State: 


Category: Miscellaneous OS services

- Name: (Program Arguments)
- Description:
    Have to support argv-style arguments and (possibly) GUI based
    arguments.  Argument syntax should follow the rules of the
    underlying OS.
- System-independent:
- Implementor:
- State:

- Name: SysClock
- Description:
    Getting and setting the system clock, predicates to test whether one
    of the former is possible.  Defines `DateTime' record.
- System-independent: no
- Implementor:
- State:

- Name: Modules
- Description:
    Dynamic loading should be supported if possible, a module `Modules' 
    acting as its interface.  
- System-independent: 
- Implementor:
- State:

- Name:
- Description:
    Execute a command a la Unix.system().
- System-independent: 
- Implementor:
- State:


Category: Localisation/Internationalisation:
- Name:
- Description:
    Localisation/internationalisation support. Examples are format of
    date/time strings, format of money.
- System-independent: no
- Implementor: Frank Copeland.
- State:

Category: Oakwood compatible modules, not yet covered

- Name: 
- Description:
    Oakwood conforming modules are added for `educational' purposes,
    although their name may differ from the guidelines (eg, Files
    mutates to OakFiles).
- System-independent: yes.
- Implementor:
- State:

-- 
Sander        

We get to pick tools and equipment that suit the job.  We spend nearly all our 
time programming ART's computer's. (~P.J.Plauger: Programming on Purpose III)