Compiling and Running: IDE's and Command Line

Using IDE's

Using IDE's

• If installing at home, make sure that you install gnat first


• Several IDE's are available:
• AdaGide: Simple and powerful
• GPS: More complex and more powerful
• JGrasp: Simple
• GnatBench on Eclipse

hello.adb

• Here is a sample Ada program to compile and run, Hello World:

    with ada.text_io;   -- Tell compiler to use i/o library
    use  ada.text_io;   -- Use library routines w/o fully qualified names
    procedure hello is
    begin
        put("Hi 320");
    end hello; 

• Filename: hello.adb

Using AdaGIDE

• AdaGIDE is a simple IDE, but it only works in Windows


• It provides autocompletion and access to the gdb debugger


• AdaGIDE is Windows only


• Available on campus at: Start/Programs/RUCourseSW/CST/Ada IDE/adagide
• May not be available on machines with smaller hard drives


• Steps to create, compile, and run
• Create w/ File/New


• Enter program


• Save to file hello.adb with File/Save


• Compile with Compile/Build (F3)


• Run with Run/Execute (F4)


• Fixing AdaGIDE: The 2018 version of AdaGIDE does not compile correctly with the lastest gnat compiler. Compiling fails with an error message that says that "gnat05" is not a valid option. To fix adagide, use an editor that handles hex correctly (such as vim) and follow these steps (for vim):
• Locate the adagide executable (ie adagide.exe), probably in Program Filex (x86)/adagide
• Make a backup of adagide.exe in case something goes wrong
• Open adagide.exe with vim
• Change gnat05 to gnat12 throughout the file: :%s/gnat05/gnat12/
• Save the file: :wq

Using GPS (Simple Instructions)

• To use GPS, in addition to your main procedure, you need a project file that gives the name of the main procedure


• For example, to create main procedure hello in file hello.adb do the following:
1. Use an editor to create a project file called hello.gpr containing these lines:

    
       project hello is
          for main use ("hello");
       end hello;
       

2. Save this file (ie hello.gpr), exit the editor, and then click on hello.gpr


3. When GPS starts, create hello.adb, as follows:
1. Create a new file using the New icon or File/New
2. Save this file, using the name hello.adb (make sure to include the .adb)


4. After entering your code you can Build and Run your program


• Once your source file (eg hello.adb) exists, clicking on hello.gps will run gps and automatically load hello.adb

Using GPS (More complex instructions)

• GPS is a more complex and more powerful IDE


• It provides a powerful interface to the debugger and has identifier completion


• GPS has versions for Windows and Linux


• GPS is based on projects. A project is defined by a project file (eg yourProj.gpr) which contains information such as
  • The files that are used by the project
  • The directories where those files are stored
  • Which file is the Main file (ie where execution begins)
  • What compiler options are to be used during compilation


• Steps to create a project and to create, compile, and run a program file
1. Run GPS from the Start menu


2. On the startup screen, select "Start with default project in directory:", set the directory where you want to store the project, and press OK


3. Create your program by selecting File/New and then entering the program.
• To get syntax highlighting and indenting when you first type your program, you should save the (empty) file so that GPS knows that this an Ada file. To save, use File/Save and save it as yourName.adb.


4. Set your program as the main file by doing Project/Edit Project Properties and select the tab for "Main files", and then select Add to add your file as the main program


5. Compile your program with Build/Make/yourFile.adb


6. Run your program with Build/Run
• If you want to rename your project, you can change the name under the General tab of Project/Edit Project Properties, and then save the new project file. The old project file will still exist.

Creating a new GPS project using a wizard

• As an alternative to the Simple or Complex Instructions above, you can use a wizard


• Select "Creating a new project with wizard"
• Select Project/New Project
• Steps with the wizard (press "Forward" after each step, and watch your progress in the left panel):
• Select "Single Project"
• Choose a name for your project (eg project1) and the directory where the project will be created (eg on your desktop)
• The project will consist of a project file (eg project1..gpr, your program (eg hello.adb), and the files that result from compilation (eg hello.o, hello.ali, hello.exe)
• Accept the choice of the language Ada
• Accept the VCS screen
• Accept the default source directory (eg your deskop)
• Enter the build directory (eg Desktop) - this is where .o, .ali, and .exe files will appear. (You may press apply at this point or continue with the remaining screens)
• Accept the blank "Main files" screen
• Accept the default "Naming scheme"
• Accept the default switches

JGrasp

Using the Command Line

Command Line

• To use the command line, you must first use an editor to create hello.adb:
• Possible editors include vim, gvim, jedit, pico, pfe, ...


• To compile hello.adb use this command:

      gnatmake hello 

• You can also say gnatmake hello.adb


• To run your program use this command:

    hello
    

• You may need to use ./hello
• On windows, the command hello.exe also works

How to get a Command Line Window

Installing GNAT and in IDE

Installing GNAT (and an IDE)