80-Bus News |
November–December 1984 · Volume 3 · Issue 6 |
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| x&=value | logically | ANDs | x | with | value | and | stores | back | to | x |
| x|=value | " | ORs | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " |
| x*=value | " | XORs | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " |
| x=~x | stores the ones complement of x to x | |||||||||
It is probably this sort of thing that causes so much confusion to the non initiated as experienced ‘C’ programmers prefer to use the shorthand as it is easier to type in, but doesn’t do much for the clarity of the source code.
As you can see it can be used at many levels depending on the application in hand. If it is tight assembler like code that you require, you can develop a whole program using bit fields and logical operators, never once calling on one of the library functions. If however you wish it to be a higher level language all the facilities are there for you to use.
You may find that some of the supplied functions are not to your liking. For example the inclusion of the standard printf function from a library tends to add 4k onto the program even if it was only a simple message. If this does not suit you then all you have to do is write your own with less formatting capability and so less memory required.
This ability to create libraries of functions that can easily be linked in the final version adds to your programming capability. As you develop you will aquire libraries that suit your applications and programming style and perhaps discard the standard libraries altogether. As mentioned I have created a library of Pluto functions and with these I have in effect a high level Pluto programming language. If you were to look at a Pluto program you would barely recognise it as ‘C’ at all, as it consists of calls to my custom written routines. This must be the biggest advantage in that you mould the language to suit yourself.
Anyway, there it is, I was hoping to include a section on compilers, what is available and how they work, but I think that I will save that for the next issue (If I ever get invited to write again), besides I must get back to my novelette or I’ll never get that house in Palm Beach California.
Right… Where was I… ‘She sighed deeply. The entangled mesh of arms and legs that was their Lovemaking....................’
I laughed until I stopped – Rauf Denktash
I wish I could have lived to see it – R.K. Maudling
We smirked a lot – Queen Elizabeth II
All my idea – Richard Nixon Not his idea – J. Magruder
You cannot close an article on economic grounds – Arthur Scargill
If you think that you are getting paid for this, you’re wrong! – Ed.
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