How to setup the development bed on Linux?
ynuth
interesting. Following is my tool box:
debug platform: qemu+kvm/ bochs
assembler: nasm-2.07
linker: ???
16 bit C compiler: ???
32 bit C compiler: djgpp
I am not sure which linker and 16 bit C compiler i should select. Can
someone make a recommendation? Thanks a lot! It is more appreciated if
the detailed pros & cons can be provided.
I am wondering how the freedos is launch at first. Welcome some
FreeDOS experts give some advices. Thanks!
Rugxulo
On Sep 5, 5:02 am, ynuth <sxe...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I am a Linuxer and want to write a dos-like 16-bit system. Just for
> interesting. Following is my tool box:
>
> debug platform: qemu+kvm/ bochs
> assembler: nasm-2.07
> linker: ???
> 16 bit C compiler: ???
> 32 bit C compiler: djgpp
>
> I am not sure which linker and 16 bit C compiler i should select. Can
> someone make a recommendation? Thanks a lot! It is more appreciated if
> the detailed pros & cons can be provided.
Linker? Japheth (of HX and JWasm fame) prefers WLINK from OpenWatcom,
but VALX (from CC386) is considered good too. If you just want an old
16-bit linker, try Devore's WarpLink.
16-bit C compiler? In Linux, they always use Dev86 (bcc) for that, and
an older DOS port does exist. Not sure how useful it is, honestly.
FreeDOS prefers OpenWatcom (which supports 16-bit and 32-bit stuff),
but before that was opened up, they used old freeware Borland tools
(TC 2.01, TC++ 1.01). Heck, one Linux/ELKS dude used TC201 also. Minix
uses TACK and GCC.
I prefer DJGPP (as did FreeDOS-32, even), but OpenWatcom is good too
if you don't mind no LFNs (except Win32 via HX) and no POSIX.
Gah, it's just too complicated to explain, and I admit that my
experience isn't as much as I'd like. Just try a few things, ask
around, etc. That's the best way. :-)
> I am wondering how the freedos is launch at first. Welcome some
> FreeDOS experts give some advices. Thanks!
You could probably get more informed developer FreeDOS comments on one
of their mailing lists (better than I can give, I mean). DOS-C was
originally written in Borland C 3.1 or such by Pat Villani. That
eventually became the current FreeDOS, which can compile with several
16-bit compilers (though the free ones listed above are mostly
preferred).
P.S. NASM is good (esp. for OBJ), FASM is better in some ways
(fastest, DOS IDE), YASM is better in some ways (GAS syntax, TASM
syntax) although JWasm is becoming ridiculously good too.
ynuth
Thanks for so good suggestion! There are some many recommendation
about OpenWatcom! I have tried it on Debian while it mainly aims on
windows/dos platform, and not much support on Linux. So big stuff.
Though I prefer some lightweight linker, like alink, but it seems the
OpenWatcom tool chain is the ACE tool for dos development like GCC for
Linux:) I have to try to be accustomed to it.
> > I am wondering how the freedos is launch at first. Welcome some
> > FreeDOS experts give some advices. Thanks!
>
> You could probably get more informed developer FreeDOS comments on one
> of their mailing lists (better than I can give, I mean). DOS-C was
> originally written in Borland C 3.1 or such by Pat Villani. That
> eventually became the current FreeDOS, which can compile with several
> 16-bit compilers (though the free ones listed above are mostly
> preferred).
>
> P.S. NASM is good (esp. for OBJ), FASM is better in some ways
> (fastest, DOS IDE), YASM is better in some ways (GAS syntax, TASM
> syntax) although JWasm is becoming ridiculously good too.
Sometimes it is also painful for too more selection:) I never work at
IDE environment so IDE or not won't be minded. I am a lazy guy and not
like change the tool very much. Currently i think NASM is enough for
me:)
mike
It's a simple, ANSI C, 16bit DOS compiler similar to the older "Turbo
C" stuff, but ANSI compliant. In addition, it includes a nice IDE
that is pretty light weight, yet feature packed, and never seems to
get in the way; I personally prefer lightweight text editors when
using any other compilers. It includes a linker, of course.
OpenWatcom is great. Some people are put off by OpenWatcom because
the IDE looks a little dated, but the underlying options/power of the
tools is hard to match, even by some of the most popular "modern"
tools.
You may need the 16bit version of "nasm" to produce 16bit binaries (I
could be wrong though):
and the documentation for it: