TinyC, port to HP

From: Nico de Jong <nico_at_farumdata.dk>
Date: Fri Oct 17 00:25:26 2003

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Battle" <frustum_at_pacbell.net>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
> > In any case, I never understood the stigma of using self
> > modifying code. It does require careful documentation if
> > it is expected to be maintained. There is no reason why
> > it can't be as robust as any other code if done properly.
> > I suspect it was used as a sales talk when someone was
> > trying to pitch their version of code to be better than
> > someone else's. Such things as overlays would qualify as
> > more risky uses of self modifying code but that is done
> > without mention.

I remember a case where I had to port a Cobol program for invoicing from a mini (Singer ?) to Siemens 2002. There was not much fuzz logically, as the compilers were quite compatible, seen from the outside.
What took me some days to find out, was that the program sometimes executed routines it wasnt supposed to, e.g. housekeeping whilst in the middle of an invoicing routine. The reason was, that some ALTER TO PROCEED TO were used, well documented etc., so that was not the problem. The problem was, that when the system had to reload pages, it wouldnt reload the swapped page, but the original, so my GOTO was ruined....
Needless to say, that the ALTERS were eliminated.

Nico
Received on Fri Oct 17 2003 - 00:25:26 BST