

  Compiling with MIX Power C Compiler
  -----------------------------------

  The Power C compiler (PC.EXE) translates your C source files (.C)
  into linkable object files (.MIX).  C source files may be created
  using any editor that is capable of writing ASCII text files.  If
  you are using floppies, make sure the COMPILER disk is in drive B
  Type the following command to compile the program BARCHART.C.  If
  no file extension is specified, the compiler appends the C exten-
  sion automatically.

  PC BARCHART

  As the program is compiled,  the compiler displays the  following
  information,  where xxx is a running count of the number of lines
  compiled,  and filename is the name of the C source file (.C)  or
  the included header file (.H) that is currently being compiled.

  Power C - Version x.x.x
  (C) Copyright 1993 Mix Software
  Compiling ...
  xxx -> filename

  After the program has finished compiling, the compiler displays
  the total number of lines compiled, then automatically loads the
  optimizer (PCO.EXE) and begins optimizing each function in the
  program.

  After all the function have been optimized, the compiler displays
  a count of he total number of functions and the total number of
  object files (.MIX).

  Type DIR <Enter> to verify that the compiler has created an
  object file named BARCHART.MIX.

  Compile Options
  ---------------

  The compiler accepts command line option to control various aspects
  of the compile process.  Command line options have the form /option,
  where option is one or more characters.  The case of the characters
  is not significant (i.e., both lower case and upper case are
  accepted).  Compile options may be specified anywhere on the
  command line.  There are many compile options.  only a few are
  mentioned here.

  One of the time saving features of Power C is a built-in Make
  utility.  One important funciton of this utility is to check the
  date and time of the object file (.MIX) to the date of the
  cooresponding C source file (or if the object file does not
  currently exist), then the file is compiled.  However, if the
  date of the object file is later than the date of the C souce file,
  then the file is not compiled.

  Test this out by recompiling the BARCHART.C file.  Type the
  following command to recompile the program.

  PC BARCHART

  Since the BARCHART.C file has not been modified since the previous
  compile, the compiler does not atttept to recompile it.  A
  message indicating that 0 files were compiled informs you of this
  fact.

  The compiler option /c may be used to force the compiler to
  compile a C source file regardless of the file dates.  Type the
  following command to force the compiler to recompile the
  BARCHART.C file even thought the BARCHART.MIX file has a later
  date.

  PC/C BARCHART

  Another compile option that you should be aware of is the /f
  option.  The /f option may be used to select one of three floating
  point libraries.  The /fa option selects the auto-sensing
  hardware and software floating point library.  With this floating
  point library selected, your programs will automatically use
  the 80x87 hardware floating point coprocessor if present.
  Otherwise it used IEEE software floating point.  The /fi option
  selects the IEEE software only floating point library.  With
  this floating point library selected, your programs will use
  software floating point even if an 80x87 coprocessor is present.
  The /f8 option selects the 80x87 hardware only floating point
  library.  With this floating point library selected, your
  programs will attempt to use the 80x87 coprocessor even if one
  is not present (i.e., the computer better have an 80x87
  coprocessor installed).

  By default, the compiler selects the auto-sensing floating point
  library.  If you have an 80x87 coprocessor installed, you may
  want to specify the /f8 compile option.  The advantage of the
  hardware only floating point library is that it is much smaller.
  The disadvantage is that any programs compiled with this option
  will execute only on computers that have an 80x87 floating point
  coprocessor.

  In order to use the /f8 option, the PC87.MIX file must be present.

  One Step Compile & Link
  -----------------------

  If you are using a hard disk or if you were able to fit all of
  the essencial compiler and linker/library files on the COMPILER
  disk, then you can perform a compile and link in one step.  The
  /e compile option instructs the compiler to execute t linker at
  the end of the compile.

  Type the following comand to cimpile and link the BARCHART
  program in one step. The /c compile option is used to force a
  compile.

  PC/C/E BARCHART


  Documentation files:
  -------------------

  READ.ME contains important information you should read

  Essential compiler files:

  PC.EXE        Power C compiler
  PCO.EXE       Power C optimizer
  HEADERS.HHH   precompiled header files

  Essencial Library/Linker files:

  PCL.EXE       Power C linker
  PCLIB.MIX     Power C main function library (medium model)
  PCLIB2.MIX    Power C secondary funciton library (medium model)
  PCAUTO.MIX    Power C auto-sensing floating point library (80x87 + IEEE)
  PCDMY.MIX     Power C dummy library (no floating point)

  Additional Library files:

  PC87.MIX     Power C 80x87 hardware only floating point library
  PCIEEE.MIX   Power C IEEE software only floating oint library
  PCLIBS.MIX   Power C main function library (small model)
  PCLIB2S.MIX  Power C secondary function library (small model)
  PCLIBL.MIX   Power C Power C main function library (large model) 
  PCLIB2L.MIX  Power C secondary function library (large model)

  Utility program files:

  MERGE.EXE    builds libraries by merging .MIX object files
  FASTHDR.EXE  precompiles header files
  MIX.EXE      convers .OBJ files to .MIX files

  Example C source files:

  BARCHART.C   draws bar chart
  PIECHART.C   draws pie chart
  PATTERNS.C   function that generates fill patterns for piechart program
  SCREEN.C     function that sets screen mode for pie chart program
  PIECHART.PRJ sample project file for pie chart program

  MENUDEMO.C   sample menu program

  Header Files included are not listed here.

  Miscellaneous Files:

  PCMAC.ASM     macros for writing assembly language functions

