The C/C++ Market Place: Product Management

New System z Compiler Product Announcements

Roland_K — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:59:28 GMT

We have recently announced the following 3 new compiler products on System z:

Enterprise COBOL for z/OS v4.2 (GA: Aug. 28, 2009)http://www.ibm.com/software/awdtools/cobol

Product Highlights:

Improved support for processing of XML documents
- Enable validation of XML document against a schema while it processed by the COBOL application
- Support offloading of XML parsing to zAAP specialty processors
- Provide significant performance improvement when using z/OS XML System Services parser
Improved usability
- Underscore now supported in user-defined words and program name literals
- New option to allow customization of severity for Compiler messages
Improved support for middleware and tools
- Support CICS v4.1
- Added capability to show CICS options in listings
Support more Java versions to enable integration of COBOL applications with Web applications
- Added support for Java 5 and Java 6

z/OS XL C/C++ v1.11 (GA: Sep. 25, 2009)

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/awdtools/czos/

Product Highlights:

Improved Performance
- Improved overall SPECint2006 performance by 8.7%
- Improved memory optimization features and inline C++ destructor
Provide system programming capabilities
- METAL C Compiler option
Support latest Middleware and tools
- Improved readability of listings (qskipsrc)
- Support debugging on production systems where original source is not available
- Produce pseudo-C listing to aid debugging of optimized code (-qreport)

Enterprise PL/I for z/OS v3.9 (GA: Oct 30, 2009)

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/awdtools/pli/plizos/

Provide more exploitation of recent hardware
- Inline conversions amongst UTF-8, UTF-16 and UTF-32
- Improved support for internationalization
- Improved null pointer usage with compare-and-trap instruction
Improved I/O capability
- Support of LRECL=X for QSAM files with records > 32K
- Support of dynamic file allocation
Improved support for latest Middleware and tools
- Added Block scoping to the integrated SQL and CICS preprocessors
- Enhanced IPCS support for easier and faster problem resolution
Addressed many user requirements, including
- Improved performance in array and bit assignments
- Enabled feature to allow easy compiling out of code with comments
- Provided more RULES suboptions to enforce coding standards
- Added compiler message to identify expensive statements to help tune application performance
- Added compiler messages to flag poor and/or dangerous code to improve maintainability
- Support for additional common European date formats

For more information on our new products, please visit the Enterprise modernization for System z solution webpage: http://www-01.ibm.com/software/rational/solutions/em/systems/z/

If you were unable to join us at webcast titled " Compilation technology optimizes investment on System z", the replay is now available at: http://www-01.ibm.com/software/os/systemz/telecon/nov11/

A podcast on these new compilers is also available on the on the Rational Talks to You page. Look for #79.

C/C++/COBOL IDE for AIX

mikeberger — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:55:42 GMT

As a software developer, it's a challenge finding the right Integrated Development Environment(IDE). IBM is working on an exciting new concept in developing applications for the AIX operating system.

As an AIX developer, you are no doubt used to working on the machine you are compiling on in a remote terminal session using a command line editor such as vi or emacs. While these editors are powerful and efficient, modern IDEs provide powerful tools such as indexed searching, code navigation and on the fly error detection. These powerful tools can help you find bugs sooner and save time usually spent waiting for compilers to finish.

IBM has developed an IDE that allows you to leverage the Eclipse platform on a client workstation to edit and compile C/C++ code directly on AIX. You can import existing projects into your workspace and use the existing tool chain. The IDE also provides the capability to edit, compile, and debug COBOL source code. Intelligent marking of errors allows you to jump quickly to the problem. The platform also allows you to navigate remote directories and perform basic file operations.

A beta level trial version of this technology is available here http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/cremoteide

Go ahead and give it a try and feel free to comment in the Forum section of the above site.

Virtual Loaner Program may be answer to cost-effective compiler evaluation

ryou — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:58:42 GMT

Are you getting the most performance from your IBM hardware investment? Using an up-to-date compiler is key to hardware exploitation. A no-charge, 60-day evaluation copy of the latest IBM XL C/C++ compiler is downloadable from www.ibm.com, but how can you really test it in scenarios such as seeing how your application behaves on newer hardware, with a different operating system, or on a newer level of an operating system? If you are member of IBM PartnerWorld, the Virtual Loaner Program may be the answer.

The IBM Virtual Loaner Program provides no-charge, self-service Internet access to IBM hardware and middleware for IBM business partners and qualified members of IBM PartnerWorld. The Virtual Loan Program allows a user to select an environment from multiple hardware and operating system configurations. The dedicated, IBM IES/ITSC-certified environment of a VLP system provides the benefits of a secure loaner machine with greater flexibility in scheduling and less hassle than other loaner programs because IBM manages and hosts the hardware. Instead of month-long engagements, a VLP user makes multiple short reservations for a VLP system. The VLP system "remembers" the user's system image so that he or she can return repeatedly during a longer overall period of time to the same type of system and environment, including all files and work in progress.

On a VLP system, a user might evaluate IBM hardware, tools, and middleware, or develop, test, debug, and port applications and solutions. VLP systems might be used to develop product demonstrations or to allow users to see how their application performs with varying amounts of virtual CPU and RAM. Other features of the VLP usage model are full access to the user's own data and build environments and full root access (QSECOFR), which allows the user to install fixes and software.

The IBM Software Access catalog, accessible from an AIX or Linux partition on a VLP system, includes other IBM compilers, such as IBM XL Fortran.

Platforms and operating systems currently supported

POWER5, and POWER6 dedicated (root access) resources:

AIX 5.3, AIX 6.1 with WPAR
IBM i 5.4, IBM i 6.1
Linux:
- Red Hat: RHEL4, RHEL5
- SUSE: SLES9, SLES10

Watch for our development blogs about using the XL C/C++ compiler on VLP systems.

For more information, see:

Compiler session at IBM Rational Software Conference 2009

Roland_K — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:13:45 GMT

Come and learm how to leverage the latest IBM Rational compilation technology to improve programmer productivity, application performance, and return on hardware capital investments. This session " Leverage Compilation Technology to Optimize Return on Investment", will be held on Thursday (June 4). Check out the Conference agenda !

We look forward to seeing you at the conference. Click here to register.

To learn more about IBM Rational Software Conference 2009, please visit the conference web site

XL C/C++ and XL Fortran support for SLES 11

Roland_K — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:13:33 GMT

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (SLES 11) for POWER is now available.

IBM XL C/C++ for Linux, V10.1 and XL Fortran for Linux V12.1 are enabled to run on SLES 11. To upgrade, you need download and install the March 2009 Updates from the respective product support page.

For more information, please visit http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21382092

Announcing XL C/C++ for Multicore Acceleration V10.1

Roland_K — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 16:23:32 GMT

Today, IBM announced two new C/C++ products designed to exploit the unique performance capabilities offered by the hybrid Cell Broadband Engine processor architecture. They are:

XL C/C++ for Multicore Acceleration for Linux on x86 Systems
XL C/C++ for Multicore Acceleration for Linux® on Power Systems

Both XL C/C++ products are cross compilers. They are hosted on either Linux on x/86 or Linux for IBM POWER systems and cross compile to the target IBM BladeCenter QS21 and BladeCenter QS22 systems.

In this release, advanced compilation technology is applied in an innovative way to significantly improve programmer productivity. The highlight feature is the "single-source compilation technology". It is based on OpenMP API v2.5. Using standard conforming OpenMP directives, programmers can now compile and build executables for the PPE and SPE with a single invocation. They no longer have to go through the hassles of compiling and linking code segments separately for PPE and SPE. Single-source compilation technology makes programming the Cell Broadband Engine architecture significantly simpler. Also, applications developed with this new technology are portable. They can run on all systems which support the OpenMP API v2.5 standard.

Besides single-source compilation technology, we have also made a number of enhancements to the products. More information is available on the product web pages. Just go to C/C++ Café and follow the page links provided in the Products tab.

Today's product announcements can be found by following the links below:

http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/rep_ca/3/649/ENUSA08-1693/index.html
http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/rep_ca/2/649/ENUSA08-1692/index.html

A free trial is also available for these new products. Just go to C/C++ Café and follow the page links provided in the Resource Library tab after clicking on Downloads.

Introducing the IBM XL C/C++ Compiler Family

Roland_K — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:07:34 GMT

Many applications that companies run their businesses on are developed in C and C++. Therefore it is very important to use a compiler that is proven and is able to provide the performance needed for optimizing business-critical applications. IBM has a long history of delivering innovative, high-quality C/C++ compiler products to the marketplace. We delivered our first C compiler in 1988 on S/370 and first C++ compiler in 1992 on RISC System/6000.

There are currently 10 products in the IBM XL C/C++ compiler family. They are:

XL C for AIX
XL C/C++ for AIX
XL C/C++ for Linux
z/OS XL C/C++
XL C/C++ for z/VM
XL C/C++ for Advanced Edition Blue Gene/L
XL C/C++ for Advanced Edition Blue Gene/P
XL C/C++ for Multicore Acceleration for Linux for Power systems
XL C/C++ for Multicore Acceleration for Linux for x/86 systems
ILE C and ILE C++ (shipped in Websphere Development Studio for IBM i)

XL C/C++ compilers are designed to take full advantage of IBM processor architectures. They provide state-of-the-art optimization technology to enable programmers to exploit leading-edge performance of IBM Power, System z, Blue Gene and Cell Broadband Engine hardware architectures. XL C/C++ compilers are built on a very powerful and advanced framework that supports the application of common optimizations across virtually all languages, as well as the application of C/C++ language features to products on different platforms. Our goal is to enable programmers to focus on the logic of their applications, the compiler will figure out the best way to transform and optimize the code generation for the system(s) your applications will run on. Organizations will also have peace of mind because all XL C/C++ compiler products are backed by industry-leading services and support.

You can actually try out most of IBM's XL C/C++ compiler products at no cost. Just go to C/C++ Café and follow the page links provided in the Resource Library tab after clicking on Downloads.

Welcome to the C/C++ Market Place Blog

Roland_K — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:57:23 GMT

Welcome to the C/C++ Café. My name is Roland Koo. I am the Product Line Manager for Compilers. XL C and XL C/C++ are key products in portfolio. I have been with IBM for 19 years and for my entire career, I have been involved in compilation technology.

IBM XL C/C++ compilers are specially designed to allow applications to take advantage of virtually all the hardware features provided by IBM processors. They include POWER, System z, Blue Gene, and Cell Broadband Engine architectures. By utilizing leading-edge optimization technologies in IBM compilers, you can improve your return on investment from capital investments in hardware and programmer productivity. XL C/C++ complies with the latest international programming language standards and provides support for code portability between multiple operating systems and hardware platforms.

This blog will contain announcements, product information and product directions. We will also have members of the C/C++ compiler development team contributing to blogs on tips to optimize performance for commercial and scientific workloads on IBM servers, useful product features to help increase programmer productivity, technological advancements, and latest activities on C and C++ language standard committees. There will also be forums for open discussions.

The goal for this Café is to build an XL C/C++ community where customers, partners and compiler developers can meet, share experiences, and exchange ideas. We can also discuss future direction of the C and C++ programming languages, and requirements future releases of XL C/C++ compiler products. Let's all participate in to make this community a vibrant one where everyone benefits.

Thank you very much for visiting today. Please come back often in the future.