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Compiler definition in the game dictionary.

__ALex_J_ · 2002-05-04T11:00:45

I'm making this post to continue the discution about the strange definition of compiler in the game dictionary. Please don't explain me for the 100th time how a compiler works with all the stages involved in the process of creating a binary file. I know them: source file(.c, .pas...) --compiler--> assembly language (.s, .asm) assembly(.s, .asm) --assembler--> object file(.o, .obj) object file(.o, .obj) --linker--> executable file(.exe, ...) What bother me are some terms used in the definition that makes me feel it is wrong but somehow everybody say it is right and they explain me what I alredy know with words that I would have used. Here is the definition: quote:Game Dictionary Compiler A program that translates a computer language into object code which can then be assembled into machine language . This is necessary for programming in all high level languages (like C/C++ and Pascal) which are not interpreted (like BASIC). What I do think when I hear object code is about object files (.obj). Then the definition say that the object code can be assembled into machine language. It makes no sense since an .obj alredy come from the assembler. What I would have expected is that we link the .OBJs. Someone sugested that assemble is used in the sense of "put together", another word for link. It is unlikely since the definition say: "assembled into machine language". I'm completly lost. Or. Maybe, "object code " have diferent meaning that the term "object file " (.obj). Look at this other definition. quote:American Heritage Dictionary object code n. The code produced by a compiler from the source code, usually in the form of machine language that a computer can execute directly, or sometimes in assembly language. Sometimes in assembly language!? Maybe with some archaic compilers, what I call "object files "(.obj) was stored in textual assembly code? Or more likely, the intermediate "assembly (.asm) file" generated by most moderm compilers is also object code " but not "oject file "? If the latter is true, the first definition "object code which can then be assembled " could make some sense. But I don't know anything for sure (except of course that we can't assemble an obj), so please help. Is this definition correct? [edited by - __ALex_J_ on May 3, 2002 7:27:57 PM]

General and Gameplay Programming Programming

Started by __ALex_J_ May 03, 2002 06:20 PM

10 comments, last by __ALex_J_ 21 years, 11 months ago

SabreMan

504

May 04, 2002 06:40 AM

quote:Original post by a person
because the reality is that object code is considered excutable to some extent by the cpu, even if the not directly by the OS.

This is incorrect. Object code is the result of a compiler, independent of whether it is machine language or not. If a compiler emitted Cobol (God forbid), then Cobol would be the language of the object code.

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__ALex_J_

122

Author

May 04, 2002 11:00 AM

When you(SabreMan) say that "Object code is the result of a compiler" does it have something to to with the following definition?

quote:Cambridge online dictionary
object (PURPOSE)
noun [C usually sing]
a purpose, desired result, or reason for doing something
The object of their expedition was to discover the source of the River Nile.
See also objective (AIM).

I guess it is clear but still complicated...

quote:Original post by a person
assmeble is a better description

Why is it called a linker then?

I have nothing agaist the word assemble. I simply find it confusing.

The "into machine language" part is also confusing since one could think that an object file contains no machine instruction.

Compiler definition in the game dictionary.

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Compiler definition in the game dictionary.

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