Dec 96 Top 10
Volume Number: 12
Issue Number: 12
Column Tag: Symantec Top Ten
Symantec Top 10 [TOKEN:61442]W
by Kevin Quah, Symantec Technical Support
Q: I am using the Think Project Manager to build a C Mac application and I want to
be able to use SetGWorld with CGrafPtr or CWorldPtr as arguments. However, I
do not want to have to coerce them to a CGrafPtr before I can call SetGWorld.
A: You can turn off pointer type checking (at your own peril!) so that your program
will compile without the hassle of doing cumbersome coercions. Choose Options >
Think C... from the Edit menu. Uncheck the box next to Check pointer types. Then
find a safe place to hide this code so nobody notices the programming sin you just
committed.
Q: How do I make each formal parameter of a function or procedure appear on a line
by itself in THINK Pascal?
A: 1. Choose Source Options... from the Edit menu which should bring up a dialog
box.
2. Click on the Parameters icon.
3. Set the radio button next to List formal parameters vertically.
The formatter will put a carriage return immediately after each semi-colon in
the formal parameter list.
For instance:
procedure foo (first : integer;
second, third : real;
fourth : integer)
Q: I have lost my Cafe userid and password to the Cafe website to download my
Symantec Cafe updates. How do I get a new userid and password?
A: Call customer service at (800) 441-7234 and request a new userid and
password.
Q: Which version of Symantec C++ is suitable for my Macintosh?
A: If you have a Power Macintosh running system 7.5 or higher with at least 16MB
of RAM and a CD ROM drive, you will want to use Symantec C++ for Power
Macintosh (version 8 release 5, available in CD ROM format only).
The Symantec Project Manager (SPM) is the heart of this integrated development
environment (IDE). The SPM is a “fat” application, meaning that it incorporates
both PowerPC and 68K code in a single file allowing you to optimally run this
application on a PowerPC or 68K Macintosh. On a 68K Mac you will need a CD
ROM drive, at least 16MB RAM, 68030 CPU or higher, and system 7.5 or
higher. You can develop both PowerPC and 68K applications using the SPM, but
you will need a Power Macintosh to actually run any PowerPC application that
you create. You can also merge your PowerPC and 68K code to form a “fat”
application.
Symantec C++ for 68K Macintosh (version 7) will run on any 68K or Power
Macintosh with at least 8MB of RAM, System 7.0 or later. This development
system allows you to create 68K applications only.
Q: I get a No FPU Installed error when I run my program. How can I fix this?
A: There are many reasons for this error. If you are using the Think Project
Manager on a Macintosh that does not have an FPU (Floating Point Processor), be
sure to turn off the Generate 68881 instructions in the Think C and Symantec
C++ compiler options before you compile and run your program so that 68881
floating point processor instructions will not be generated.
A more likely reason for this error is that your program is executing data or
garbage rather than legal instructions. FPU instructions start with an F hex
value. The program could be executing in an area of memory that contains data or
random garbage and encountered a word starting with an F hex value.
Common programming mistakes that result in the No FPU Installed error include:
1. Disposing memory that was not allocated.
2. Exceeding allocated array bounds.
3. Using DisposeHandle() on a resource handle, use ReleaseResource() instead.
For a more complete discussion on how No FPU Installed errors come about,
please refer to the original AppleDevelopers’ Technote on
http://www.info.apple.com/dev/technotes/Main.html.
Q: In Visual Cafe, I create a button or other object. After it is created I am unable to
resize it or move it. Can you tell me why?
A: In Visual Cafe the Applet’s Layout Manager defaults to FlowLayout. In order to
change this, click in the contents of the Applet’s window. You will see the
Property List window change to Applet1. Next to the data member Layout Manager
you will see that it is set to FlowLayout. Click on the popup menu and choose None.
Then you will be able to resize and move your objects.
Q: I have created a series of radio buttons using Visual Cafe. How do I set them to
belong to different groups?
A: Let us say that you have created 5 radio buttons. The first three you name:
25-35, 35-45, 45-55. The last two you name: Male, Female. Select the radio
button: 25-35. In the Property List window you will see that the data member
GroupName defaults to Group1. In this case, select the name and type: AgeGroup.
Do the same for the other two buttons in this group. Now select the button: Male.
In the Property List window change the name to GenderGroup. Do the same for the
button: Female. Visual Cafe will generate the code in real time to put the radio
buttons in their respective groups.
Q: I am using the Symantec Project Manager and while compiling my project, I got
this error: Precompiled header does not match: RTTI settings different. How do I
fix this?
A: The RTTI (Runtime Type Identification) language settings of this project does not
match that of the precompiled header. If you want the RTTI settings of this
project to match the precompiled header, this is what you do:
1. Go to the Project menu and choose Options...
2. Click on the PowerPC C++ icon.
3. Choose Language Settings in the popup menu.
4. Set the checkbox next to Run-time Type Identification.
Q: My code compiles and runs fine by itself, but if I run it with the Symantec
Debugger and set a break point, it crashes when it hits it. Any ideas?
A: Try resetting the Debugging information for your project by holding down the
Option key as the Debugger is loading (right after selecting Run with Debugger).
You might also try trashing the Symantec Debugger preference file in the
Preferences folder in your System Folder.
Q: I just started using Visual Architect from Symantec C++ v8r5 to create a simple
Mac Application. The Application compiles OK, but when I go to run it, I get a link
error: Undefined Symbol: main (PPCRuntime.o). What am I doing wrong?
A: Until the actual code gets generated by VA there is no main block in your project.
The Project will still compile as you found, because the TCL sources are all
perfectly happy by themselves, but without the generated code containing
main(){} the linker will complain because your application has no entry point.
You need to go back into VA and select Generate All. Then recompile and run again.
All will be well.
Special Thanks to Mark Baldwin, Rick Hartmann, Steve Howard,
Noah Lieberman, and Scott Morison for their contributions to this article.