Newsgroups: comp.lang.apl
Path: watmath!watserv1!torn.onet.on.ca!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!csi!sam
From: sam@csi.jpl.nasa.gov (Sam Sirlin)
Subject: Re: Looking for c-source for apl interpreter
Message-ID: <1992Jun13.001331.7108@csi.jpl.nasa.gov>
Originator: sam@kalessin
Sender: usenet@csi.jpl.nasa.gov (Network Noise Transfer Service)
Nntp-Posting-Host: kalessin
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
References: <1992Jun2.195308.5558@advtech.uswest.com> <1992Jun10.141411.9352@usho93.hou281.chevron.com> <1992Jun12.185314.4253@yrloc.ipsa.reuter.COM>
Date: Sat, 13 Jun 1992 00:13:31 GMT
Lines: 33


In article <1992Jun12.185314.4253@yrloc.ipsa.reuter.COM>, rbe@yrloc.ipsa.reuter.COM (Robert Bernecky) writes:
...
|> The only other choice is Tim Budd's APL to C compiler. Sam Sirlin, 
|> I believe, has messed with a recent copy of it. The one I used some
|> time ago was, well, not usable: It had that look of having been walked 
|> on by too many grad students. 

Hmm, I guess I should say something here. Tim Budd actually wrote 2
compilers (or translators from apl to c, which then are trivially
compilers too). He graciously has put them in the public domain. On
the other hand, they aren't "complete" or "usable" as is. They were
developed (correct me if I'm wrong) as accademic experiments. 

I was looking for a public domain APL, and ran accross the first one
he wrote. Being foolishly ambitious, I figured I'd try to make it
"usable," meaning dumping bugs and adding lots of missing parts I
want. I've stomped all over the code indeed, learning lots of c in the
process. My current working version (3.6 not quite available yet) is
much more complete - matrix inverse from LAPACK, encode, laminate,
format, file io, gamma, fuzz, sub assignment, etc. Lots of small
programs compile and run. On the other hand, there are still bugs and
omisions that I know of, so it's still what I'd call "experimental." 
I'm trying it on larger problems and fixing the (many) bugs that come
up. I can see some future time when the code will be what I'd consider
usable - I want to get there since I want to use it - J's still pretty
slow for any real problem. But I can't guarantee when... If anyone
wants it let me know.

-- 
Sam Sirlin
Jet Propulsion Laboratory         sam@kalessin.jpl.nasa.gov

