Wish List and Bug List for the Teaching Machine

To request updates, email theo@engr.mun.ca.

C++ Wish List

• If a return expression evaluates to a reference, the value is not shown in the Expression Engine. (Same problem for initializations, I  think.) The GLF should deal with this.  (TSN)
• Assignment operators should work right to left (DKP, MPBL).
• The Great Leap Forward: Static type checking, new evaluation model, overloading, and then, finally, classes.
• Reject programs with main returning anything but int. TSN
• Allow return from main, even if no actually return statement is executed. TSN
• Explicit type conversions. DKP
• Support for parameter declarations without parameter names. MPBL. Will be solved in the GLF (TSN).
• String operations: Stream insertion, stream extraction, default and copy constructors, destructor, constructor from C strings (string s = "abc"; string t("xyz") ; ), the + operator, length. At lower priority size, find, substr. DKP. (Will be solved when we bridge to the library. TSN)
• iostream manipulators: setw, setprecision, fixed and showpoint. DKP
• A bridge to the C/C++ library such that a library call would formulate C style arguments and pass them pass them to the library. We don't trace through the library routines(step-in disabled or simply works like step-over). The bridge fields the returns and perhaps even the error messages. We could refuse to make the call if the h file was not properly included. We probably don't want to parse the h file (except maybe???? for simple defines) - as they include some of the most abstruse C code around (unless I've been looking at Microsoft too long). MPBL.  Will be solved when we implement multiple source files and a proper preprocessor. Yes we will parse the .h files. TSN.

Java Wish List

Generic Wish List

• Choice of tab stops in code window should be configurable.
• Make order of evaluation configurable (left to right, right-to-left, arbitrary).
• Add a method to force the configuration to be restored to default as of the next load. TSN.
• When a configuration kills a subwindow and subsequent configuration uses that subwindow, then the subwindow should be reborn. TSN
• When the Input request frame pops up, it's text field should receive the focus. TSN.
• Box & Arrow view not be tied to a particular memory but rather to a particular object or structure. Click on a variable and a window is created showing that structure. Or click on a root on standard memory. Point is to control branching by limiting view to one structure. MPBL
• Special stack and heap displays that deal with gap issues and stuff like what's on the stack after it's popped?
• Configurable grey-outs on buttons to let some be disabled for beginners. MPBL
• Special windows for objects/classes. Also maybe for very particular objects like strings.MPBL
• There should be a thick line or something drawn between the activation records on the stack.  Furthermore, names of stack variables not belonging to the topmost invocation should be "greyed out" or something to indicate that they are not in scope.

C++ Bug List

• The way lines numbers are calculated is not consistant with the way that lines are stored. Also we don't support Mac files. TSN 19 Sept 2000.
• Test A018.txt causes an infinite loop.

Java Bug List

Generic Bug List

• Windows sometimes move when you grab them. MPBL
• The new self-sizing stores sometimes leave a stripe where the scroll bars were without filling them up properly. MPBL
• High-light in a memory window remains when there is an undo. TSN 16 Jan 2000. I tracked this down to AbstractDatum; it needs access to the time manager. Will be solved in the GLF, but I could solve it sooner, if anyone makes it is a priority. TSN.

Granted Wishes

• Support for void parameter lists. DKP. Done TSN
• break and continue. TSN . Done TSN
• switch. DKP. Done TSN
• Math functions:  sin,cos,tan, atan, atan2, acos, asin, sqrt & pwr (MPBL) abs, cos, fabs, labs, pow, sin, and sqrt (DKP) Done, TSN.
• endl. DKP. Done, TSN.
• Support for the conditional operator x?y:z. MPBL. Done, TSN.
• We need to implement cin >>. Characters should show up on the console as they are typed after the last line. This means that the last "line" (only) does not have to terminate in a newLine to allow characters to be input after a prompt. Different colours for input and output for the console. TSN. DONE TSN.
• Ability to configure title string that appears on subwindows. Thus Stack could be renamed Memory for simple single memory models. DONE MPBL

Squished Bugs

• Input is not immediately echoed to the console window. TSN.  FIXED TSN