POPLOG Version 14.2

Appeared in Volume 8/3, August 1993

Within the constraints of explicit run-time typing and garbage collection, POPLOG V14 aims to maximise compatibility with conventional languages, primarily C, and particularly with respect to being able to use all X-Windows code written in that language. Compatibility is ensured at the POPLOG Virtual Machine level, and in the core language, POP-11. Pointers to POPLOG objects can be passed directly across the interface.

Data structure compatibility between C and the other languages implemented in the POPLOG environment, namely SML, Common Lisp and Prolog, depends on the degree to which the language offers control of data structure internal format to users - Common Lisp offers good control, Prolog and SML do not, although capabilities can be imported into these languages within the POPLOG inter-language interface.

Apart from exceptions imposed by the conventions of some manufacturers, C object code in general, and X-windows code in particular can be incrementally linked into POPLOG.

Specific enhancements include:
Support for OpenWindows 3.0; More logical treatment of widgets, etc.; The XVED editor; Improved debuggers for POP-11 and Prolog; Enhancements to setof/3, findall/3, bagof/3 in Prolog; A profiling capability in Common Lisp; Improved interface to the Unix ioctl call.

For more information contact:

Robin Popplestone
Univ. of Massachusetts
Amherst, USA
Email: pop@cs.umass.edu