This is FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for the µCL project.

µCL FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is the current version?
What platforms are supported?
How much does µCL cost?
Is µCL compiler source code available?
What language is the µCL compiler written in?
What license does µCL have?
Is µCL suitable for life critical applications?
Who do I contact for support questions?
Where are bug reports to be sent to?
What is a well formatted bug report?
Where do I send complaints?
Where do I send enhancement requests?
How does µCL code compare to product XYZ?
How good is the generated code?

The currently supported platforms are Linux^® and later versions of Microsoft^® operating systems (i.e. 2K and XP.) Alas, there is a nasty bug on the Windows version that sometimes causes it to crash and I have not been able to successfully track down and eliminate. Use at your own risk.

How much does µCL cost?

Nothing. It is is free.

Is µCL compiler source code available?

Yes, but you need to ask the next question...

What language is the µCL compiler written in?

The µCL language is written in an obscure programming language called STIPPLE. The STIPPLE compiler is also freely available, but it means that there are far fewer people who are going to be interested in jumping in and modifying the code. Contact Wayne Gramlich directly if you really want the code.

What license does µCL have?

The primary µCL license is basically an open source license with a few extra restrictions. Please read the µCL License for details.

Is µCL suitable for life critical applications?

No. Absolutely not!

Who do I contact for support questions?

Currently, the only support for µCL is the uCL_general Yahoo!^® group. The archives are open for anybody to read, but you need to join the Yahoo! group in order to post a question or comment. If you join please make sure to post a little text explaining why.

Where are bug reports to be sent to?

There is no promise that anybody will even look at a bug report. However, a well formatted bug report sent to Wayne Gramlich is likely get looked at and fixed. Wayne uses the compiler regularly, and thus, is personally motivated to fix bugs.

What is a well formatted bug report?

A well formatted bug report is a short description of the problem along with a short code example that triggers the problem. People who do not take the time to shorten their bug example down to the smallest size possible should not expect to see it get fixed.

Where do I send complaints?

Send them to the center of the galaxy; there is a black hole there that will eat anything including your complaints. More seriously, well thought out complaints should be sent to Wayne or the support group.

Where do I send enhancement requests?

You may politely ask Wayne Gramlich. He is busy, so you should not get your hopes up.

How does µCL code compare to product XYZ?

Don't know; don't care.

How good is the generated code?

It does pretty well. For example,

	if clockwise
	    state := (state + 1) & 3
	else
	    state := (state - 1) & 3

generates:

	btfsc   clockwise___byte, clockwise___bit
	incf    state,w
	btfss   clockwise___byte, clockwise___bit
	decf    state,w
	andlw   3
	movwf   state

There is always room for improvement though.