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Date:	Mon, 12 Sep 2005 19:54:56 PDT7
From:	"Gregory W. Smith" <gsmith@well.com >
Reply-To:	scoug-programming@scoug.com
To:	scoug-programming@scoug.com
Subject:	SCOUG-Programming: Undegined References

Content Type: text/plain

Lynn H. Maxson wrote:
> Harry,
>
> Welcome to the wonderful world of C and UNIX along with a
> commitment to having to learn far more than is necessary.

Which is absolute bunkum. Especially since UNIX absolutely
*N*O*T*H*I*N*G to do with what Harry is encounterring. He is
trying to access WPS objects in OS/2. (You might have not
noticed, but OS/2 is not Unix.) It is easy to get confused
and think that that it is a problem with C since the API
bindings are given in C. But if you don't understand the
API and the bindings in REXX, then switching to C is not
going to automagically make you and expert in the API.

> You address a situation which early on we set a goal to
> minimize. I don't know if you are in a position to demonstrate
> your problem to the SIG this Saturday or if Steven might give
> us a hands on toward its solution.

Learning a new API is a pain. If my API reference doesn't have
lots of diagrams with boxes and arrows, then I have a hard time
trying to wade through the swamp guided only by sample function
calls. As an example, at one time I felt really ambitious about
trying Palm development and bought a copy of Quartus FORTH. My
ambition faded rather quickly after I started to wade through
the 1800 pages of the PalmOS API reference. The API reference
had the bindings in C, but the FORTH words for the system calls
were IDENTICAL with the same parameters passed on the stack.
Anyway, one of these days RSN, I might go back to the 1800 page
PalmOS API reference and take a stab a programming my Sony Clie.

> If I remember correctly, Greg demonstrated both Watcom and
> GCC as part of his presentations. If he is using the OS/2 toolkit
> and has it on his machine along with the Watcom IDE, perhaps
> he would be willing to replicate your problem on his system.

Yep, I installed the toolkit. And I have hardly a clue about
the WPS and PM API's that the toolkit exposes to the programmer.

> I've used the toolkit extensively in the past using PL/I. Maybe
> it was not involving PM or WPS that saved me from the same
> frustration about what occurs under the covers and the
> options you have to control it.

Well, if you have the PL/I bindings down pat and truly undestand
both PM and the WPS, then maybe you should explain to Harry how
to do what he wants in PL/I. He gave a brief explaination of what
he wants to do and the limitations of REXX that led him to Watcom.

> Nevertheless I think it worth
> pursuing simply as another of those things our group can do to
> make life easier for others as well as ourselves.

P.S. For the TLA deficient: API==Application Programmer Interface.
--
Gregory W. Smith (WD9GAY) gsmith@well.com

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