EiffelStudio 6.0 Features

This page highlights some of the major feature changes between version 5.7 and the forthcoming 6.0 release of EiffelStudio.

It is not a detailed log of changes and additions, but only lists the key new mechanisms directly improving the quality of the user experience. For the 6.0 change log see EiffelStudio Releases.

EiffelStudio (General)

• Major new mechanism for the GUI: docking manager, providing a flexible and user-customizable GUI.

This is based on a new "docking library", so you can also add docking to your own applications.

• Major interface improvement: contextual menu.

This offers EiffelStudio users the industry-standard effect of "right-click", while retaining the unique power of Eiffel's Pick and Drop. Parameterizable by users (i.e. EiffelStudio experts may prefer a different configuration from that appropriate for novices).

• Tabbed editing

Makes it possible to keep multiple class editing sessions open within the same window.

• Internationalization

The EiffelStudio GUI is now available in various languages besides English.

Currently supported: English, French, Chinese, German and Russian interfaces.

Volunteers for checking and completing the translations welcome.

Volunteers for other languages also welcome!

• User-configurable shortcuts: now applicable to all keyboard shortcuts.

New tools

• Dependency tool

...

• Customized tools/formatters
• Object viewer

Debugger

General

• Along with the debugger integrated in the EiffelStudio GUI, you can now use a console-based debugger. Start it from the command line through -debug or via -loop.
• Enhancements to the breakpoint mechanism: print messages, hit count for conditions, new "Is True" and "Has Changed" conditions.
• Numerous improvements to the performance and robustness of the debugger.

Expression evaluation (watch tool, condition ...)

• It is now possible, during a debugging session, to execute an instruction, for example to call a procedure.
• By default, expressions are now evaluated, during debugging, with all assertions turned off; you can restore assertion checking for any particular expression.
• Full support for disable/restore assertion checking during debugging in classic AND dotnet system.

Graphic debugger

• New object viewer tool to browse an object, dump its structured or textual representation, or see XML in a tree.
• Watch tools: now includes auto expressions.
• Greatly improved Debugging Options dialog:
  • Easier, more intuitive ways to set and retain arguments and working directory.
  • You can now add or modify the environment variables used by the debugger.
  • New possibilities in Debugging Options dialog: start debugger outside the IDE, finalized system
• You can now:
• Force the environment to stay in debugger mode.
  • Restart a debugging session without unraising the debugger's interface and raising it again.
• Call stack tool now indicates when a feature has a "rescue" clause.
• Cleaner object grid (no more "Attributes" title row, not needed)

Eiffel Language/Compiler

• Compilation Without Configuration
• ISO/ECMA Eiffel: Multiple-constraint formal generic type parameters.

This is an often requested mechanism: the ability to specify that a formal generic parameter of a class represents a type that conforms to two or more listed types. For example, declaring

':class' SORTABLE_VECTOR [G -> NUMERIC, COMPARABLE] ...

implies that SORTABLE_VECTOR [T] is only valid if T is a descendant of both NUMERIC, COMPARABLE.}}

• ISO/ECMA Eiffel: Flat class checking

This is another result of ISO/ECMA standardization, resulting from the observation that a construct specimen that is valid in a class is not necessarily valid in a descendant.

For example x := y in a routine r could be valid in a class C, but in a descendant of C that redefines the type of x or y it might become invalid.

The type policy of ISO/ECMA Eiffel explicitly specifies that every feature must be valid in every class that has it.

Warning 1: code that previously compiled may now violate validity rules. This is justified: the code contains potential type errors. Since 6.0 avoids breaking existing code, flat class checking is enabled only on option.

Warning 2: flat class checking slows down compilation (as it needs to recheck inherited routines). This is another reason for not turning it on by default.

Libraries

• Encoding library