Symantec Top 10

by Kevin Quah, Symantec Technical Support

Q: I am using the Think Project Manager to build a C Mac application and I want to be able to use SetGWorld with CGrafPtr or CWorldPtr as arguments. However, I do not want to have to coerce them to a CGrafPtr before I can call SetGWorld.

A: You can turn off pointer type checking (at your own peril!) so that your program will compile without the hassle of doing cumbersome coercions. Choose Options > Think C... from the Edit menu. Uncheck the box next to Check pointer types. Then find a safe place to hide this code so nobody notices the programming sin you just committed.

Q: How do I make each formal parameter of a function or procedure appear on a line by itself in THINK Pascal?

A: 1. Choose Source Options... from the Edit menu which should bring up a dialog box.

2. Click on the Parameters icon.

3. Set the radio button next to List formal parameters vertically.

The formatter will put a carriage return immediately after each semi-colon in the formal parameter list.

For instance:

 procedure foo (first : integer;
    second, third : real;
    fourth : integer)

Q: I have lost my Cafe userid and password to the Cafe website to download my Symantec Cafe updates. How do I get a new userid and password?

A: Call customer service at (800) 441-7234 and request a new userid and password.

Q: Which version of Symantec C++ is suitable for my Macintosh?

A: If you have a Power Macintosh running system 7.5 or higher with at least 16MB of RAM and a CD ROM drive, you will want to use Symantec C++ for Power Macintosh (version 8 release 5, available in CD ROM format only).

The Symantec Project Manager (SPM) is the heart of this integrated development environment (IDE). The SPM is a “fat” application, meaning that it incorporates both PowerPC and 68K code in a single file allowing you to optimally run this application on a PowerPC or 68K Macintosh. On a 68K Mac you will need a CD ROM drive, at least 16MB RAM, 68030 CPU or higher, and system 7.5 or higher. You can develop both PowerPC and 68K applications using the SPM, but you will need a Power Macintosh to actually run any PowerPC application that you create. You can also merge your PowerPC and 68K code to form a “fat” application.

Symantec C++ for 68K Macintosh (version 7) will run on any 68K or Power Macintosh with at least 8MB of RAM, System 7.0 or later. This development system allows you to create 68K applications only.

Q: I get a No FPU Installed error when I run my program. How can I fix this?

A: There are many reasons for this error. If you are using the Think Project Manager on a Macintosh that does not have an FPU (Floating Point Processor), be sure to turn off the Generate 68881 instructions in the Think C and Symantec C++ compiler options before you compile and run your program so that 68881 floating point processor instructions will not be generated.

A more likely reason for this error is that your program is executing data or garbage rather than legal instructions. FPU instructions start with an F hex value. The program could be executing in an area of memory that contains data or random garbage and encountered a word starting with an F hex value.

Common programming mistakes that result in the No FPU Installed error include:

1. Disposing memory that was not allocated.

2. Exceeding allocated array bounds.

3. Using DisposeHandle() on a resource handle, use ReleaseResource() instead.

For a more complete discussion on how No FPU Installed errors come about, please refer to the original AppleDevelopers’ Technote on

http://www.info.apple.com/dev/technotes/Main.html.

Q: In Visual Cafe, I create a button or other object. After it is created I am unable to resize it or move it. Can you tell me why?

A: In Visual Cafe the Applet’s Layout Manager defaults to FlowLayout. In order to change this, click in the contents of the Applet’s window. You will see the Property List window change to Applet1. Next to the data member Layout Manager you will see that it is set to FlowLayout. Click on the popup menu and choose None. Then you will be able to resize and move your objects.

Q: I have created a series of radio buttons using Visual Cafe. How do I set them to belong to different groups?

A: Let us say that you have created 5 radio buttons. The first three you name: 25-35, 35-45, 45-55. The last two you name: Male, Female. Select the radio button: 25-35. In the Property List window you will see that the data member GroupName defaults to Group1. In this case, select the name and type: AgeGroup. Do the same for the other two buttons in this group. Now select the button: Male. In the Property List window change the name to GenderGroup. Do the same for the button: Female. Visual Cafe will generate the code in real time to put the radio buttons in their respective groups.

Q: I am using the Symantec Project Manager and while compiling my project, I got this error: Precompiled header does not match: RTTI settings different. How do I fix this?

A: The RTTI (Runtime Type Identification) language settings of this project does not match that of the precompiled header. If you want the RTTI settings of this project to match the precompiled header, this is what you do:

1. Go to the Project menu and choose Options...

2. Click on the PowerPC C++ icon.

3. Choose Language Settings in the popup menu.

4. Set the checkbox next to Run-time Type Identification.

Q: My code compiles and runs fine by itself, but if I run it with the Symantec Debugger and set a break point, it crashes when it hits it. Any ideas?

A: Try resetting the Debugging information for your project by holding down the Option key as the Debugger is loading (right after selecting Run with Debugger).

You might also try trashing the Symantec Debugger preference file in the Preferences folder in your System Folder.

Q: I just started using Visual Architect from Symantec C++ v8r5 to create a simple Mac Application. The Application compiles OK, but when I go to run it, I get a link error: Undefined Symbol: main (PPCRuntime.o). What am I doing wrong?

A: Until the actual code gets generated by VA there is no main block in your project. The Project will still compile as you found, because the TCL sources are all perfectly happy by themselves, but without the generated code containing main(){} the linker will complain because your application has no entry point.

You need to go back into VA and select Generate All. Then recompile and run again. All will be well.

Special Thanks to Mark Baldwin, Rick Hartmann, Steve Howard,

Noah Lieberman, and Scott Morison for their contributions to this article.