Re: [DotGNU]Is there a Developer FAQ

[Gopal V]

If memory serves me right, Charles Shuller wrote:
> but I can't seem to find a FAQ or a HOW-TO.  Is their one out there???

Hmm... Each Sub project maintains its own Developer FAQ . The main
website (http://dotgnu.org) carries only the main Meta-project details.

I'm speaking from the context of Portable.Net ..(pnet)

> never read any technical specification, published or otherwise on 
....
> Hope that cover all the bases?

It's the "otherwise" part we are concerned about ... We don't want
MS sueing us just because somebody fired from MS did a lot of work
on DotGNU ....

> What is CSCC, and what is it's relationship to MSVC?

CSCC is the main compiler collection for DotGNU Portable.Net , which
our compiler/runtime/standard libs collection...

CSCC is C'ish Source Compiler Collection .. But it does not matter
much as it is pronounced "Gargle Blaster Foo Muncher" ..

But humor aside, cscc forms the basic compiler which can compile 2
languages right now ..

1) C# -- ECMA Specification (development)
2) C  -- ANSI Specification (development)

The C language is compiled to a managed Intermediate Language .
The C# plugin also supports compiling to IL or JVM code .. The JVM
output is currently in a state of flux ... Wait until your cup of
Java cools ...

> Do I need MS-Windows to develope for dotgnu at this point in time?

Nope, only if you want to compile mscorlib.dll or our runtime library.
Other components of pnetlib like System.dll and System.Xml.dll do
compile with cscc with a few of minor hacks...

So you can develop Pnet without installing any M$ stuff ...

> What is the development cycle in terms of multi-platform development, 
> for example, develop on *nix, port to win32?

Yup, Portable.Net follows the path of least resistance ... develop on
*nix, port to cygwin ..

> What packages do I need to install to claim to have a working dotgnu 
> install (If this is possible at this point)?

For portable.net , you need to install pnet and pnetlib to claim that ..
In case you need build instructions, please ask .

> Where are the specifications?
>    For coding style (or is it gnu, or variable by package), and other 
> such matters.

Each project maintains a HACKING file for this information .. Available
from CVS .

> What are the procedures for patch/code submission (I very much suspect 
> that they should be mailed to a project developer, but I haven't found 
> anything stating this)?

DotGNU uses savannah.gnu.org as a main project host and it is preferred
that you use the patch submission and bug submission facilities there.

> What windowing toolkits are supported (I think the SEE might care about 
> such things, but I suspect nothing else does, so this might just be a 
> SEE thing)

Hmmm... SEE ? .. I think SEE might be the most platform agnostic 
entity we might need to build ... :-)

> What tools do I need to develop on linux for dotgnu?

The usual stuff ... gcc,make,autotools,... and the package you are
working on (In my case , a daily updated CVS HEAD of pnet).

> Is there a central download site to quickly grab everything (or will 
> there be) so installers don't need to go to 8 different FTP servers, and 
> curse excessivly? (thinking of the current GNOME FTP directory structure 
> which recently incorperated release directories with all the packages 
> comprising a release in said directory.  Makes wget a great option)

Nope . But Portable.Net uses a single CVS repository for that ...
In case you need .debs for pnet/treecc/pnetlib , Ajmitch packages
them . Hopefully it is available at http://ajmitch.dhis.org/debs/


Please do ask, as I find it tiresome to "invent" questions for an FAQ :-)

Gopal
-- 
The difference between insanity and genius is measured by success