2. INTRODUCTION
This system features a Modula-2 compiler with an integrated editor and "make" facility, a program linker, a makefile generator and an execution profiler.
The compiler generates code for the Intel 8086 "huge" or "large" memory model: In the "huge" memory model, each module has its own data and code segment, each of which can be up to 64k in size; In the "large" memory model, all the modules' static data is combined into a single data segment. In either model, pointers are 4 bytes long and, after program loading, all the leftover memory is available for the "heap". More restrictive memory models are not supported.
2.1 HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
This system will run on IBM PC, PC/AT, or compatible systems with at least 512K of RAM, two double sided floppy disk drives and a monochrome display adapter, color graphics adapter or equivalent.
A hard disk and 640K of RAM are, however, recommended.
2.2 SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
This system requires DOS version 2.0 or later.
No other software is required to use this system, but you will need an assembler if you intend to modify one of the following runtime support modules: M2Reals (floating point support), M2Longs (LONG arithmetic) or M2Procs (coroutine handling).
2.3 FOR USERS UPGRADING TO RELEASE 3.5/4.0
Release 3 added language extensions designed to support object oriented programming. Release 3.5/4.0 adds several enhancements to this set of language extensions. Please refer to the chapter on OO Extensions for more information.
It is now legal to return arbitrary structures from function procedures.
Interfacing Modula-2 and C may be a little easier now when you use the new compiler's
`C runtime environment'
option. You also now have the ability to implement
`FOREIGN C'
modules.
The compiler and utilities now read the M2.CFG file on startup.