local XWPE with remote sources, compiler and debugger?

[Arjan van Dijk <a.vandijk@phys.uu.nl>]

Hi,

On my new Linux machine I can run the current XWPE version. It does not
well run on our main computer, where we have the better libraries, the
larger memory, the stronger compilers etcetera. I would like to use this
Linux-box to run XWPE to develop programs on our main systems (more than
one!). I think that only a few small modifications need to be written and I
am looking for someone to do it for me (us), because my C skills are very
poor. What is needed?

- Extension of the FILE-OPEN/SAVE menu items with the possibility to make a
link to a remote system. Then XWPE should ask for the name of that system
and a username/password. An FTP-link is established, and, if the link is
successfully made, the file-list in the file-manager gives the list of
files on the remote system. The following handling of the selection-process
of which source-file is wanted (scrolling through the directory) is just
like in the current XWPE-version, so this needs no modification. When then
a file is selected, the FTP-link says "GET FILENAME" to port the file to
the local (working-)directory on my Linux machine. Now the regular editing
by XWPE can start. Every source-file that is opened is placed in the local
directory for future use by the debugger. Another advantage of this copying
of files: if you loose connection to the remote system, nothing is lost.
Every time one saves a file, there should be done two save-commands in one:
both to the local directory and via FTP to the remote system.

- Extension of the protocol for starting ''tools'' (debugger and compiler).
Now this is done by calling the name of the tool via sending a string to
the standard command-line. For the remote-session there should first be a
"TELNET REMOTENAME" command to connect to the remote system with the
username/password which we already gave for the FTP. Once there is a telnet
line open, the regular tool-commands can be issued. To compile a program
the normal string is sent to this telnet line, e.g. "f77 -g -O source.f",
instead of to the local commandline; to debug a program the command "gdb
programname" is similarly sent to the telnetline instead of to the local
commandline. If the debugger needs a source-file which is not yet open,
then it is searched for in the local directory. If it is not there, then a
GET-command is issued on the FTP-link.

The "XWPE-remote-option", which I just outlined, would give me and all my
hard working colleagues in science, development capabilities from my
Linux-box to all other unix-boxes for which we have username/password. It
would even work for systems which have no XWindows installed! I am still
trying to make XWPE run on our other machines, but if the remote-option
would be realized, then one well working binary installation of XWPE would
solve all problems on the other machines!

Who can I invite? What would you need to be motivated to implement these
options? Suggestions?

HELP!!

Thanks in advance,

Arjan



Arjan van Dijk
Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht
Faculty of Physics and Astronomy
Utrecht University
Princetonplein 5
NL - 3584 CC  Utrecht
The Netherlands

phone: +31 30 2532815
fax:   +31 30 2543163
e-mail: mailto:A.vanDijk@phys.uu.nl
homepage: http://www.phys.uu.nl/~vndijk