Re: apple-apple-gnu

[David Ayers]

John Davidorff Pell wrote:

> I'm running OSX and X11 and I'd like to be able to use some GNUstep 
> applications on my computer.
> I'd be very interested in being able to use the gnustep-baseadd 
> library/framework AND the gnustep-gui libraries (framework?) on top of 
> apple's Foundation and AppKit. 

Be aware that you currently won't be able to use any application that 
use .gorm files on any configuration except *-gnu-gnu.  (I'm not sure if 
Protocol's ever get archived.  If they do, then you might even be 
confined to gnu-gnu-gnu, in case the NSCoding implmentations differ 
between runtimes.)  I think GNUMail and PC also have .nib files and 
GWorkspace build it's UI from code though.... oops it seems that's not 
the case anymore.

Maybe this would be a good time for those of you, who are keen on 
apple-apple-gnu applications to figure out and implement a naming scheme 
for .gorm wrappers
*.gorm/data.classes
*.gorm/gnu-gnu-gnu/objects.gorm
*.gorm/apple-apple-gnu/objects.gorm
*.gorm/apple-apple-apple/objects.gorm

This would also be good start for a -guiadd subproject. :-)
Brainstorming on... it might make sense to reactivete the .gmodel format 
and always include a:
*.gorm/objects.gmodel
to fall back on, if a .gorm for the active library combo isn't 
available.  And maybe an updateGorm tool that either transforms 
*.gorm/objects.gmodel -> *.gorm/current-library-combo/objects.gorm
depending on which file is newer (or explicitly using options).

> iThink that the base library needs to be more clearly divided between 
> the Foundation functions and the Additions, last time i tried to 
> compile it I had to compile the -base lib and then use an object file 
> from that to build the -baseadd lib because of a misplaced (IMHO) symbol. 

This should be fixed now.  If not it's a bug and we should fix it.

> Also, iThink that the gnustep-gui project should be split into similar 
> AppKit lib and an Additions lib (-gui and -guiadd?) so that I can use 
> apple-apple-apple with the -{base|gui}add libs and use GNUstep apps 
> (possible? ever?). 

Yes! :-) If you don't have an FSF assignment yet, please get one and 
join in.

> I would be happy to provide *some* access to my OSX box to the core 
> developers if they feel the need to build on an apple box. iThink that 
> i could also tar up the headers for Foundation and AppKit and 
> distribute them. (I'm going to check on the legality of this before I 
> do, I believe that its the *implementation* that's copyright, not the 
> headers... I hope) either way, I have a machine to test on. I'm not 
> too good with actual coding (I'm still learning) so I don't know how 
> much help I would be on that front.

IANAL, but I think posting the headers would be at least shady, I 
believe.  Theres is surely some NDA you agree to when installing the 
developer environment.  In any case, I believe there are enough people 
who have OS X right now that can help figure out the details.  Thanks 
though.

Cheers,
David