Ch (computer programming): Difference between revisions

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'''Ch''' {{IPAc-en|ˌ|s|iː|ˈ|eɪ|tʃ}} is a proprietary [[cross-platform]] [[C (programming language)|C]] and [[C++]] [[Interpreter (computing)|interpreter]] and scripting language environment, originally designed by Harry H. Cheng as a scripting language for beginners to learn mathematics, computing, [[numerical analysis]] (numeric methods), and programming in C/C++. Ch is now developed and marketed by SoftIntegration, Inc. A student edition is freely available. Ch Professional Edition for Raspberry Pi is free for non-commercial use.

Ch can be embedded in C/C++ application programs. It has numerical computing and graphical plotting features. Ch is a combined shell and IDE.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Veeraraghavan |first= Sriranga |year= 2013 |title= An introduction to Ch: Implementing a temperature converter in Ch |url= http://www.techworld.com.au/article/452524/an_introduction_ch_implementing_temperature_converter_ch/ |publisher= ComputerWorld}}</ref> Ch shell combines the features of common shell and C language.<ref>[http://www.softintegration.com/docs/ch/shell/ Ch Shell]</ref> ChIDE provides quick code navigation and symbolic debugging. It is based on embedded Ch, Scite and Scintilla.<ref>[http://www.softintegration.com/docs/ch/chide/ Ch IDE]</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last= Wang |first= Gary |year= 2002 |title= Ch Solves Portability Headaches |journal= IEEE Spectrum |volume= 39 |issue= 6 |pages= 59 |doi= 10.1109/MSPEC.2002.1049264 |s2cid= 32477309 }}</ref>

Ch is written in C and runs on [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Linux]], [[macOS]], [[FreeBSD]], [[IBM AIX|AIX]], [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]], [[QNX]], and [[HP-UX]]. It supports C90 and major C99 features, but it does not support the full set of C++ features. C99 complex number, IEEE-754 floating-point arithmetic, and [[variable-length array]] features were supported in Ch before they became part of the [[C99]] standard.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Cheng |first= Harry |year= 1993 |title= Handling of Complex Numbers in the Ch Programming Language |pages= 76–106 |url= http://iospress.metapress.com/content/xml874m51x1w42w0/|journal=Scientific Programming}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last= Cheng |first= Harry |year= 1993 |title= Scientific Computing in the Ch Programming Language |pages= 49–75 |url= http://iospress.metapress.com/content/f225771541203807/ |publisher= Scientific Programming}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last= Cheng |first= Harry |year= 1995 |title= Extending C and FORTRAN for Design Automation |pages= 390–395 |url= http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=JMDEDB000117000003000390000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=yes&ref=no |publisher= ASME Trans., Journal of Mechanical Design}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last= Cheng |first= Harry |year= 1995 |title= Extending C with arrays of variable length |pages= 375–406 |doi=10.1016/0920-5489(95)00007-H |journal= Computer Standards & Interfaces |volume= 17 |issue= 4}}{{dead link|date=March 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> An article published by ''Computer Reseller News'' ([[CRN Magazine|CRN]]) named Ch as notable among C-based virtual machines for its functionality and the availability of third-party libraries.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Morejon |first=Mario |year= 2006 |title= Ch Language Rivals Java Functionality |url= http://www.crn.com/reviews/applications-os/175804126/ch-language-rivals-java-functionality.htm |publisher= CRN}}</ref>

Ch has many toolkits that extend its functions. For example, Ch Mechanism Toolkit is used for design and analysis of commonly used mechanisms such as fourbar linkage, five-bar linkage, six-bar linkage, crank-slider mechanism, and cam-follower system.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Cheng |first= Harry |year= 2006 |title= Object-Oriented Interactive Mechanism Design and Analysis |journal= Engineering with Computers |volume= 21 |issue= 3 |pages= 237–246 |doi= 10.1007/s00366-005-0008-4 |s2cid= 16996625 }}</ref> Ch Control System Toolkit is used for modeling, design, and analysis of continuous-time or discrete-time linear time invariant (LTI) control systems.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Zhu |first= Yong |year= 2003 |title= An Object-Based Software Package for Interactive Control System Design and Analysis |journal= Journal of Computing and Information Science in Engineering |volume= 3 |issue= 4 |pages= 366–367 |doi= 10.1115/1.1630815 }}</ref> Both toolkits includes the source code.

Ch is now used and integrated into curriculum by many high schools and universities to teach computing and programming in C/C++.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Cheng |first= Harry |year= 2009 |title= C for the Course |pages= 50–52 |url= http://memagazine.asme.org/Articles/2009/september/C_Course.cfm |publisher= ASME Mechanical Engineering Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last= Huber |first= Tom |year= 2010 |title= An Introduction to C and Ch: Your One-Stop Shop for Scientific Computing |doi=10.1109/MCSE.2010.82 |journal= Computing in Science & Engineering |volume= 12 |issue= 4 |page= 7}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Liu |first1=Li |last2= Wang |first2= Zhaoqing|last3=Jiang |first3= Xusheng |year= 2010 |title= Anchor-based programming teaching embedded with Ch platform |pages= 49–52 |publisher= Mechatronics and Embedded Systems and Applications (MESA), IEEE/ASME International Conference|doi=10.1109/MESA.2010.5552033 |chapter=Anchor-based promgramming teaching embedded with Ch platform |isbn=978-1-4244-7101-0 |s2cid=2063024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Furman |first1=B. |title=Proceedings of 2010 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Mechatronic and Embedded Systems and Applications |last2= Wertz |first2= E. |year= 2010 |pages= 70–75 |publisher= Mechatronics and Embedded Systems and Applications (MESA), IEEE/ASME International Conference|doi=10.1109/MESA.2010.5552091 |isbn=978-1-4244-7101-0 |s2cid=12764358 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zhuang |first1=Hong |last2= Wang |first2= Zhao-qing |year= 2009 |title= Experience of Using Ch for Teaching Computer Programming in C |pages= TP311.11–4 |url= http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-JYJS200907016.htm |publisher= Computer Education |id=[http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-JYJS200907016.htm CKNI:SUN:JYJS.0.2009-07-016]}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wang |first1=Rong |year= 2009 |title= Study of C Language Programming Teaching Method on platform Ch |pages= TP312.1–4 |url= http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-WOLF200905018.htm |publisher= Journal of Weinan Teachers University |id=[http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-WOLF200905018.htm CNKI:SUN:WOLF.0.2009-05-018]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Stopforth |first1=Riaan |title=2013 6th Robotics and Mechatronics Conference (Rob ''Mech'') |year= 2013 |pages= 146–149 |publisher= Robotics and Mechatronics Conference (RobMech)|doi=10.1109/RoboMech.2013.6685507 |isbn=978-1-4799-1518-7 |chapter=Teaching and programming with Ch for tertiary-level mechatronics engineering education |s2cid=23172598 }}</ref> Ch has been integrated into free C-STEM Studio, a platform for learning computing, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (C-STEM) with robotics. C-STEM Studio is developed by UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education (C-STEM). It offers the curriculum for K-12 students.

Ch supports LEGO Mindstorms NXT and EV3, Arduino, Linkbot, Finch Robot, RoboTalk and Raspberry Pi, Pi Zero, and ARM for robot programming and learning.<ref>

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Ch can interact with existing C/C++ libraries and call C/C++ functions from Ch script.<ref>{{cite magazine |last= Wilson |first= Matthew |year= 2004 |title= Open-RJ and Ch |url= http://drdobbs.com/184401877?queryText=ChSDK |magazine= Dr. Dobb's Journal}}</ref>

As a C/C++ interpreter, Ch can be used as a scripting engine and extension language for applications. Pointers to arrays or variables can be passed and shared in both C-compiled and Ch scripting contexts. One example of an embedded Ch scripting application is Mobile-C, which has been used for collaborative visualization of distributed mesh model.<ref>{{cite magazine |last= Cheng |first= Harry |year= 2009 |title= Speeding-Up Software Development Using Embedded Scripting |pages= 8 |url= http://drdobbs.com/architecture-and-design/212201774 |magazine= Dr. Dobb's Journal}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Wang |first1=Li-rong |title=2009 IEEE 10th International Conference on Computer-Aided Industrial Design & Conceptual Design |pages=1127–1132 |last2= Bo |first2= Yo|last3=Hagiwara |first3= I |publisher= Computer-Aided Industrial Design & Conceptual Design, 2009. CAID & CD 2009. IEEE 10th International Conference|doi=10.1109/CAIDCD.2009.5375178 |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-4244-5266-8 |s2cid=39307433 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Wang |first1=Li-rong |last2= Bo |first2= Yo|last3=Hagiwara |first3= Ichiro |title= An agent based collaborative simplification of 3D mesh model |pages=325–328 |url= http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1813032 |year=2009 |publisher= CDVE'09 Proceedings of the 6th international conference on cooperative design, visualization, and engineering|isbn=9783642042645 |series=Cdve'09 }}</ref>

Ch has a built-in string type (string_t) for automatic memory allocation and de-allocation. It supports shell aliases, history, piping, etc.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Campbell |first= Matt |year= 2003 |title= Ch, A C/C++ Interpreter – New possibilities for people who like C and Unix |url= http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech/Vol.19/19.09/CInterpreter/index.html |publisher= MACTECH, the journal of Apple technology}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Cheng|first=Harry|title=The Ch Language Environment|edition=6.3|year=2010|publisher= SoftIntegration , Inc.|___location=Davis, CA}}</ref>