HOLON-LITE: Version 3.2

Copyright © 1995 Wolf Wejgaard


[ Introduction | Obtaining a Copy | Installation ]
[ Target Platforms | Host-Target communication | Further Information ]


Introduction

Holon is a new kind of cross-platform development system based on the programming language Forth. The development system (host) is able to work interactively on the living application program (target).

HOLON-LT (lite) is a fully functional demonstration version of HOLON-86, which builds target programs on DOS platforms. You can use it for real programming.

HOLON-LT may be freely distributed, but only as the original unchanged file HOLON.ZIP.

Copyright © 1995 Wolf Wejgaard, All Rights Reserved.


Obtaining a Copy

HOLON-LT or Holon-Lite is a freeware version of the Holon-86 programming system by Wolf Wejgaard. It can be obtained by anonymous FTP from the following sites:

Germany ftp://ftp.uni-bremen.de/pub/programming/languages/forth/Taygeta-Archive/Applications/holon4th.zip
UK ftp://cis.paisley.ac.uk/forth/holon.zip
USA ftp://ftp.taygeta.com/pub/Forth/Applications/holon4th.zip

The full version can be obtained by contacting Wolf directly.

This system has been documented in various research papers, presented at the euroFORTH conference. You can obtain the related abstracts via the Forth bibliography.


Installation

Copy HOLON.ZIP to a new directory on the hard disk and uncompress it. You should have the following files:

HOLON-LT.EXE The Holon development system (host)
HOLON-LT.STR The index (structure) of the basic system
HOLON-LT.TEX The text of the basic system
HOLON-LT.COD The current code image
HOLONHLP.STR The index of the on-line manual
HOLONHLP.TEX The text of the on-line manual
WIN-MON.EXE Target monitor for a DOS window
COM-MON.EXE Target monitor for a separate PC, serial port COM1:
TETRIS.MOD Example program in a Holon module
README.TXT A Text version of this page


Target Platforms

Holon offers three possibilities for the location of the target during develoment:
  1. The target runs on a second PC (recommended, if available).
  2. The target runs in a separate DOS window under MS Windows or OS/2
  3. The target runs as a coroutine, sharing the DOS memory with the host.
The target is built upon a monitor, which communicates with the host. The monitor has the ability to accept and send code, and to execute code in the target.

The monitor runs as a task in parallel with the target program. If the target program yields control to the monitor periodically (task switching), then the host is able to change and test the running program.

HOLON-LT is preset for the target running in a DOS window. For other cases change the target platform in the system setup (Control+Shift+F3).

Separate PC's

Run HOLON-LT.EXE on the workstation and COM-MON.EXE on the separate PC, connect both PCs with a serial communication line.

Change the setting for the target platform in the system setup (Control+Shift+F3).

The monitor COM-MON.EXE uses port COM1. On the host you can choose among the ports COM1..COM4.

DOS Windows

Start HOLON-LT.EXE and WIN-MON.EXE in two separate DOS windows. Setup the DOS-windows for cooperative multitasking in foreground and background:
Windows 3.1 (in 386 enhanced mode):
Select the window menu (click at upper left box of window), choose settings:
Exclusive=no
Background=yes
Priority:100
for foreground and background.

Windows 95:
Select the window menu (click at the upper left icon of the windows), select Properties / Misc:
Always_suspend=no
Idle_sensitivity=low

Coroutine

Start HOLON-LT.EXE under DOS or in a DOS window.

Change the setting for the target platform in the system setup (Control+Shift+F3).


Host-Target communication

Holon automatically establishes communication, if host and target are correctly connected. Difficulties are announced by the message "off-line" in the lower right corner. A blinking point indicates successful contact with the target.


Further Information

The tutorial module offers a quick introduction to Holon.

Extended information is available in the online manual (press function key F1 twice).

For additional information please contact:

Dr. Wolf Wejgaard
Forth Engineering
Neuhoflirain 10
CH-6045 Meggen
Switzerland

Tel:
Fax:
Net:
+41 - 41 - 377 3774
+41 - 41 - 377 4774
wejgaard@centralnet.ch