Re: Languages for embedded

moschops wrote:
but why avoid C++?

No particular reason for embedded systems, same as for any system. It's not a well designed language.

What affects the decision to use a given language for embedded coding?
Availability of compilers / development environments
Complexity of problem
Competence of available staff
Code reuse

I'd be grateful to hear about reasons for/against other languages besides C and C++.
Ada is an excellent language for embedded work. It is tightly specified so that compilers from different vendors normally can compile code without too many problems. It has all modern constructs built in (and as stated, tightly specified) like classes, interfaces, generics, tasks, protected objects and so on.

One of the more cool features for embedded is the language built in representation clauses that give you the possibility to map variables to memory locations and structures to device-registers. And that is NOT with a vendor specific language addition. It's native Ada.


Another option is to look at model driven development, for instance using xtUML. That solution will give you portability like never before as your models shall be platform independent (without knowledge of hardware, programming language and so on). After doing your model homework you run your models through a model compiler crafted for your platform that will turn them into code in a language of your choice. If you want lisp i'm sure it could do it. Then you compile that code WITHOUT MANUAL MODIFICATION to run on your platform. For all those who still don't believe it works I can only say that it runs in aircrafts, cars, missiles and pacemakers all over the planet. Solution gets too slow, fiddle with the MC to do VHDL instead of lisp (Go ask mentor about bridgepoint or KennedyCarter about iUML)

/Leif

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