Programming and debugging distributed real-time applications in Ada
A. D. Hutcheon, D.S. Snowden, A. J. Wellings · 1987
The availability of cheap microprocessors and the advent of local-area network technology has brought about a n increasing interest in distributed computer systems .For embedded computer systems, distribution allows not onl y geographical distribution and the potential for improved performance but also the promise of improved reliabilit y through the use of redundant components .The Ada programming language is increasingly being used to progra m such systems -perhaps more so than was originally envisaged by its designers .Unfortunately, it is not obvious ho w to design distributed software in Ada, and consequently a wide variety of approaches has been adopted .3 In thi s paper we present the approach adopted by the Aspect project . THE ASPECT PROJECTThe Aspect project is funded through the UK's Alvey Software Engineering Directorate, and involves a consortiu m comprising Systems Designers, the Universities of York and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, MARI, and ICL .The projec t involves the consortium in the collaborative research and development of an enhanced Integrated Project Suppor t Environment (IPSE), called Aspect .The broad aims of the project are :• to support the entire development process, including both managerial and technical support requirements ;• to aid the development of real-time embedded distributed target systems ; and• to be capable of multi-language development, supporting, at least, the languages Ada, Pascal and C .Further information on the project can be found in the literature .5 ' 6 For the remainder of this paper we concentrat e on the approaches we have taken in designing and debugging distributed programs, particularly those written i n Ada .