WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SEED7
=============================

    This are the release notes to the Seed7 package. Read them
  carefully, as they tell you what this is all about and in
  which files the rest of the information is.


WHAT IS SEED7?

    Seed7 is a general purpose programming language. It is a
  higher level language compared to Ada, C++ and Java. In Seed7
  new statements and operators can be defined easily. Functions
  with type results and type parameters are more elegant than
  the usual template or generics concept. Object orientation is
  used when it brings advantages and not in places when other
  solutions are more obvious. Although Seed7 contains several
  concepts of other programming languages it cannot be seen as
  direct descendant of another programming language. To get a
  general overview over the language read: doc/manual.txt
  (Chapter: Introduction).


WHAT IS CONTAINED IN THIS PACKAGE?

    The Seed7 package contains the hi Interpreter in source besides
  documentation files, include files and program examples. The
  following subdirectorys exist:

    src    The source of the interpreter
    prg    Program examples
    lib    Include files
    doc    Documentation files

  Using the extension several files can be distinguished:

    *.txt  Documentation files
    *.sd7  Program example files
    *.s7i  Include files
    *.dna  Include file for the dna program
    *.c    C source file
    *.h    C include file


HOW TO COMPILE THE INTERPRETER?

    To compile the interpreter just go to the 'src' directory
  and type:

    make depend
    make

  After the compilation the interpreter is linked to the prg/hi
  file. The file seed7/src/read_me.txt contains a detailed
  explanation of the compilation process.


HOW TO EXECUTE A PROGRAM?

    After compiling the interpreter you can make the first test.
  Switch to the 'prg' directory and type:

    ./hi hello

  This executes the hello world program which is in the
  'hello.sd7' file. Every file with the '.sd7' extension can be
  executed with the 'hi' interpreter.

  A list of the program files with a short description can be
  found in the file: prg/files.


HOW TO COMPILE UNDER WINDOWS?

    You need gcc and gmake from MinGW. Use a console and
  change the PATH variable to contain the MinGW tools. Then
  go to the 'src' directory and type:

    copy mk_mingw.mak makefile
    gmake depend
    gmake

  To compile under MSYS (from the MinGW tools) go to the 'src'
  directory and type:

    cp mk_msys.mak makefile
    gmake depend
    gmake

  To utilize nmake from windows and gcc from MinGW use a
  console, go to the 'src' directory and type:

    copy mk_nmake.mak makefile
    nmake depend
    nmake

  To utilize the experimental compilation with nmake and cl
  (the command line compiler of a big big software company)
  use a console, go to the 'src' directory and type:

    copy mk_msvc.mak makefile
    nmake depend
    nmake

  After the compilation the interpreter is copied to prg/hi.exe.


WHAT TO DO WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE COMPILATION?

    There is a read_me.txt file in the seed7/src directory which
  discusses the compilation process with more detail.


HOW TO SEND A PATCH?

    If you want to participate, you are always welcome.
  I would be glad to receive patches in the unified diff format:

    diff -urN oldseed7dir/ newseed7dir/ > patch.diff

  If you send a patch, it is assumed that this patch is released
  under the GPL (or LGPL for librarys) license.


Greetings Thomas Mertes
