unixlib

Short:        Unix compatibility library (source code)
Author:       Various
Uploader:     carsten larsen mail com
Type:         dev/src
Architecture: generic


Introduction
------------

This library provides 80 odd functions which are useful for porting
Unix programs to the Amiga running AmigaDOS 2.04 or higher. It is thus
similar to Markus Wild's ixemul.library, but has more restricted aims:

a) It is written specifically for SAS C 5.10b.

b) It isn't a complete C library, it requires the SAS C library to function.
It adds some routines, and replaces others that were deficient, out of date,
or that didn't provide adequate functionality.

c) It isn't a complete Unix emulation library, it only contains those functions
that I needed while porting various utilities (mainly from GNU) to the Amiga.

d) It is a traditional C link library, not an Amiga library. This produces 
bigger executables.

Considering the above points, you might ask why I wrote it ... There are several
good answers:

a) I started it before I was aware of ixemul.library.

b) ixemul.library didn't provide the features I needed for Emacs (support for
select).

c) It is easier for me to maintain when I find I need to support another Unix
feature (eg deleting open files).

Copying
-------

The library includes code that I have written, which I place in the public domain.
This is found in all the files that don't have a Copyright notice.

It also includes code which is (inclusive of my modifications)

 Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1991 The Regents of the University of California.
 All rights reserved.

This code is freely redistributable (see the copyright notices in the source
and include files).

Finally it includes Doug Gwyn's public domain alloca implementation.

Installation & Use
------------------

To use this library, you must compile with the include directory in your include
search path, and link with the unix.lib library (which must be specified before
lc.lib). For example, if you extract this archive in a directory called src:, you
could compile the following program:

echo.c:

#include <sys/unistd.h>

void main(int argc, char **argv)
{
  int i;

  for (i = 1; i < argc; i++)
    {
      if (i != 1) write(1, " ", 1);
      write(1, argv[i], strlen(argv[i]));
    }
  write(1, "n", 1);
}

with the command

  lc -isrc:unix/include/ -L+src:unix/src/unix.lib echo.c

to produce a simple unix-like echo command.

You should define the following environment variables:

USER - A user name for the sole Amiga user (default "user").
USERNAME - The full name of the sole Amiga user (default $USER).
HOME - A "home" directory (default "s:") for programs that want one. Configuration
       files will probably end up here ...
SHELL - A program which behaves reasonably like a Unix shell (default "bin:sh").
	You should copy the sh executable there if you don't have a Unix-like shell.
HOSTNAME - The name of your machine (default "amiga").

If you are going to be using pipes, you will require Matt Dillon's fifo.library
and fifo: device. This can be found on the Fish disks, with his UUCP distribution
and on many FTP sites.

If you want to install the timezone information (see the discussion below on
Unix vs Amiga time), do the following:

  a) change to the zoneinfo directory
  b) compile the zic problem by running lmk.
  c) change to the datfiles directory.
  d) edit lmkfile and choose your timezone (you can look at the data files
     to see the ones available). If you get this wrong, you can always change
     it later with the zic program.
  e) type 'lmk install'. This will compile the timezones, and setup the one
     you chose as the default. The default can be changed with
       zic -l <timezone name>

     or by defining the environment variable TZ.