Hey Dane!

 > Hey everybody.  I'm in the market (for christmas) to get myself 
 > an OS/2 compiler.  I've heard that Borland's version has many 
 > problems, but I've been using Borland over on the DOS side for 
 > about ten years. I've heard of IBM CSet++ and VisualAge++, and 
 > don't know one bit of difference, much less what either or both 
 > have for features.  

I cannot give you differences between the various compiler solutions for
OS/2 as I've only used the IBM compilers.
I've been using the IBM C Set++ 2.0 for about a year, and purchased the IBM
Visual Age C++ compiler last week :-) Since then all I've done is reading!
And I've still got a lot to catch up, so this message won't take long :-)

This package is the most complete development tool I've ever seen. All
information is included on the CD with search facilities, from the current
page to the whole library of information, though paper manuals can be
obtained for approximately $50-$100 more.

I don't know if what you develop is meant to be portable, but if it's not,
IBM has introduced an extension to the normal object oriented language -
"parts". Parts are, as normal OOP, consisting of attritutes and
actions (comparable to attributes and operations in normal OOP), and last
but not leasts events. You can include a notifier in your code that
notifies a list of observers, when a given attribute is changed or an
action is called. The operating system alone maintains and calls the lists
of observers connected to a given notifier. This is implemented in the C++
language in a very convenient way. You simply derive an observer class for
your observer objects and a notifier class for your notifiers. Other
information is stored as notes, starting with "//VB" (VB means
Visual Builder).

Visual Builder is another tool which gives you the ability to create your
application in a visual way (not just "painting" the GUI), also
including the ability to create bindings between nonvisual and visual
parts!

The Projects application included is an object oriented way to maintain
your source code and other files. In this program all other tools are
interfaced (including the manuals). This includes the compiler, make,
makemake, building, rebuilding, execution trace analyzer, debugger,
browser, editor (with syntax highlighting, tonnes of user settings, etc etc
etc).

 > C++ compiler 
It's there. :-)

 > Built-in/Seperate assembler
This one is not included as far as I know, but you can use almost any
assembler and link it together...

 > Support for DLL generation/usage
Yep, also support for subsystem and ring 0.

 > Support for 32bit code generation
Yep, and also 16 bit.

 > Support for SOM objects
Of course :-)

 > Support for OLE (I doubt that they would do that since it's
Um, I don't know...

 > microsoft...but, if it's avaiable, it'd be nice) Support for 
 > multimedia (including sound, CDROM, and graphics/video) Most 
 > importantly: An intergrated development environment
Yes, there should be an extensive library of MMPM support.

 > Can whoever knows of what compilers out there will suit be well 
 > please let me know?  I would be *MOST* appreciative!
I cannot tell you if it suits your needs, but it suits mine above al expectation :-)


 > Thanks in advance,
You're welcome...

Hope the above information is what you need. The full package fills 193MB -
here both quality and quantity rulez :-)


Yours,

Morten T. Jensen

* OS/2Net: 81:445/12.77 * FidoNet: 2:236/100.77 * InterNet: psy{at}danadata.dk *
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