Cross-platform: Coloured text, Networking, Multithreading

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Tom=E1s_=D3_h=C9ilidhe?=]

I'm currently writing a program and I've got in mind to keep it as
portable as possible. In particular I want it to run on Linux and
Windows, but I'm also keeping an open mind to any machine that has a
screen and is capable of Ethernet networking. The program requires
three things that aren't available in the C Standard:
1) Coloured text (for a console application)
2) Raw socket networking
3) Multithreading

For number 1, I've already written my own tiny little cross-platform
library (it uses ANSI escape sequences for Linux, and Win32 API
functions for Windows).

For number 2, I've again written my own tiny little cross-platform
library (it uses Berkeley Sockets for Linux, and winpcap for Windows
-- I would have used Winsock for Windows but Winsock no longer
supports raw sockets).

For number 3, well I'm just about to delve into it now. I see that
somebody has already ported the "pthreads" library to Win32, so that
looks like a very attractive option. Just before I go down that road
though, I'd like to ask if anyone has a better idea than to use
pthreads?

[Eric Sosman]

Tomás Ó hÉilidhe wrote:

I'm currently writing a program and I've got in mind to keep it as
portable as possible. In particular I want it to run on Linux and
Windows, but I'm also keeping an open mind to any machine that has a
screen and is capable of Ethernet networking. The program requires
three things that aren't available in the C Standard:
1) Coloured text (for a console application)
2) Raw socket networking
3) Multithreading

For number 1, I've already written my own tiny little cross-platform
library (it uses ANSI escape sequences for Linux, and Win32 API
functions for Windows).

For number 2, I've again written my own tiny little cross-platform
library (it uses Berkeley Sockets for Linux, and winpcap for Windows
-- I would have used Winsock for Windows but Winsock no longer
supports raw sockets).

For number 3, well I'm just about to delve into it now. I see that
somebody has already ported the "pthreads" library to Win32, so that
looks like a very attractive option. Just before I go down that road
though, I'd like to ask if anyone has a better idea than to use
pthreads?

Perhaps you could ask in comp.programmin g.threads, where the
threading experts hang out?

No, never mind, that's too obvious, where's the adventure in
getting useful answers from experts when you could instead get a
boatload of nonsense from non-experts? Much more entertaining to
do it your way, I suppose.

--
Er*********@sun .com

[vippstar]

On Nov 12, 6:00 pm, Tomás Ó hÉilidhe <t...@lavabit.c omwrote:

I'm currently writing a program and I've got in mind to keep it as
portable as possible. In particular I want it to run on Linux and
Windows, but I'm also keeping an open mind to any machine that has a
screen and is capable of Ethernet networking. The program requires
three things that aren't available in the C Standard:
1) Coloured text (for a console application)
2) Raw socket networking
3) Multithreading

For number 1, I've already written my own tiny little cross-platform
library (it uses ANSI escape sequences for Linux, and Win32 API
functions for Windows).

How cute. Why do we need to know all this?

For number 2, I've again written my own tiny little cross-platform
library (it uses Berkeley Sockets for Linux, and winpcap for Windows
-- I would have used Winsock for Windows but Winsock no longer
supports raw sockets).

How cute. Why do we need to know all this?

For number 3, well I'm just about to delve into it now. I see that
somebody has already ported the "pthreads" library to Win32, so that
looks like a very attractive option. Just before I go down that road
though, I'd like to ask if anyone has a better idea than to use
pthreads?

So you're asking about threading, concurrency, and thread libraries in
comp.lang.c. You're going to have to try harder if you expect to troll
someone. (hint: try an unrelated rant about gypsies in your post)

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Tom=E1s_=D3_h=C9ilidhe?=]

On Nov 12, 11:27*pm, Eric Sosman <Eric.Sos...@su n.comwrote:

Perhaps you could ask in comp.programmin g.threads, where the
threading experts hang out?

Your sarcasm is a little addictive but I'll try to resist. I asked the
question on comp.lang.c because I'm writing a program in C.

I could imagine, if I asked the question over on c.p.t, that they'd
direct me here.

[Kenny McCormack]

In article <1226507251.342 302@news1nwk>,
Eric Sosman <Er*********@su n.comwrote:
....

No, never mind, that's too obvious, where's the adventure in
getting useful answers from experts when you could instead get a
boatload of nonsense from non-experts? Much more entertaining to
do it your way, I suppose.

Thank you for confirming everything I (and other truth tellers, er, I
mean, trolls) have been saying about CLC for years.

(That this newsgroup is populated by a bunch of nattering fools.)

[Eric Sosman]

Tomás Ó hÉilidhe wrote:

On Nov 12, 11:27 pm, Eric Sosman <Eric.Sos...@su n.comwrote:

>Perhaps you could ask in comp.programmin g.threads, where the
threading experts hang out?

Your sarcasm is a little addictive but I'll try to resist. I asked the
question on comp.lang.c because I'm writing a program in C.

When you write your automobile crash simulator in C, be sure
to come here with your questions about the deformation energies
of carbon-fiber composite structural members.

When you use C to write the control program for a microwave
oven, be sure to come here with your questions about safe cooking
times and temperatures for various foodstuffs.

When you're using C to solve differential equations, be sure
to come here with your questions about the relative merits of
Runge-Kutta methods vs. Adams-Bashforth/Adams-Moulton methods.

When you're using C to render synthetic images, be sure to
come here with your questions about the relative efficacy of
different depth cues on texture-mapped non-flat surfaces.

If you want to know anything at all about any subject
whatsoever, Tomás, all you need to do is write a C program --
or even just contemplate writing a C program -- that somehow
touches on that subject, however remotely, and then bring
all your questions here. Here in comp.lang.c you will find
self-styled experts in every conceivable branch of knowledge,
happy to answer any question you might pose. "I'm planning
to write a C program to simulate the actions of God Almighty.
Can somebody please tell me why He rested on the seventh day?
Exactly how tired was He, and what does His tiredness imply
about His omnipotence?"

--
Er*********@sun .com

[Lorenzo Villari]

"Kenny McCormack" <ga*****@shell. xmission.comha scritto nel messaggio
news:gf******** *@news.xmission .com...

>
You will soon learn that this newsgroup is about everything except C.

So split it. comp.lang.c and comp.lang.iso-c :)

[Kenny McCormack]

In article <49************ ***********@rea der5.news.tin.i t>,
Lorenzo Villari <vl****@alice.i twrote:

>
"Kenny McCormack" <ga*****@shell. xmission.comha scritto nel messaggio
news:gf******* **@news.xmissio n.com...

>>
You will soon learn that this newsgroup is about everything except C.

So split it. comp.lang.c and comp.lang.iso-c :)

Exactly.

As I've pointed out many times in the past, the (real, core) problem is
simply that this group is misnamed. If it were named something like
comp.lang.obscu rely_academic.i so-only.andNothing Else, then the
discussions occurring here would be entirely correct and justified.

Or, to put it another way, the people who should have gone out and
created (new-grouped) c.l.o.i.a decided instead to invade and take over
this group. And things haven't been the same since.

[Antoninus Twink]

On 12 Nov 2008 at 16:27, Eric Sosman wrote:

Tomás Ó hÉilidhe wrote:

>I see that somebody has already ported the "pthreads" library to
Win32, so that looks like a very attractive option. Just before I go
down that road though, I'd like to ask if anyone has a better idea
than to use pthreads?

Perhaps you could ask in comp.programmin g.threads, where the
threading experts hang out?

Oh come on, Eric - it hardly takes a world expert on threading to be
able to say that pthreads is an excellent choice, and if it's available
on all the target platforms then go for it.

[Martin Ambuhl]

Tomás Ó hÉilidhe wrote:

On Nov 12, 11:27 pm, Eric Sosman <Eric.Sos...@su n.comwrote:

>Perhaps you could ask in comp.programmin g.threads, where the
threading experts hang out?

Your sarcasm is a little addictive but I'll try to resist. I asked the
question on comp.lang.c because I'm writing a program in C.

There is _no_ sarcasm in the suggestion that when using features that
are not standard C but which have supporting newsgroups that you not ask
in a newsgroup for C (where those features are not topical) but in a
newsgroup specifically for those features (where those features are
obviously topical).

When you write programs using threads, something not supported by C but
by specific implementations on specific platforms, you are outside the
realm of writing programs in C.

I could imagine, if I asked the question over on c.p.t, that they'd
direct me here.

Then they have no idea of what either C or threads are. I can't believe
that the folks in cpt are that clueless. But if your post is any
indication, ...