Ch (computer programming): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox software

| name = CH C/C++ interpreter

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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]]. It was 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'''.., with multipleFree versions available,include including a freely availablethe student edition, and CHthe non-commercial Professional Edition for [[Raspberry Pi is free for non-commercial use]].

CH can be embedded in C/ and C++ application programs. It has [[numerical computing]] and graphical plotting features. CH is a combined of both '''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|Scite]], and [[Scintilla (software)|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 (C version)|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 tool kits that extend its functions. For example, the CH Mechanism Toolkit is used for design and analysis of commonly used mechanisms such as [[four-bar 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, the design, analysis, and analysismodelling 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 |s2cid= 17908643 }}</ref> Both tool kits include the [[source code]].

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 the UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education, offering a curriculum for K-12 students.

CH is now used and integrated into the 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 |title=Proceedings of 2010 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Mechatronic and Embedded Systems and Applications |year= 2010 |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 the UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education (C-STEM). It offers a curriculum for K-12 students.

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

[http://www.newtonium.com/public_html/Products/RoboWorks/chrobotalk.htm ch robot]</ref><ref>

[http://www.finchrobot.com/software/ch ch finch]</ref><ref>[http://www.softintegration.com/company/press/ch_arm_raspberry_pi_released.htm ch raspberry and arm]{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It can also be embedded into the [[LabVIEW]] system design platform and development environment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://iel.ucdavis.edu/projects/chlabview/|title=Embedding a C/C++ Interpreter Ch into LabVIEW for Scripting}}</ref>

== Features ==

CH supports the 1999 ISO C Standard (C99) and C++ classes. It is a superset of C with C++ classes. Several major features of C99 are supported, such as complex numbers, [[Variable-length array|variable length arrays]] (VLAs), IEEE- 754 floating-point arithmetic, and generic mathematical functions. The specification for wide characters in Addendum 1 for C90 is also supported.

C++ features available in CH include:

* [[Member functionsfunction]]s

* Mixed code and declaration

* The ''[[this (computer programming)|this]]'' -> pointer

* [[Reference type (C++)|Reference type and pass-by-reference]]

* Function-style type conversion

* [[Classes in C++|Classes]]

* Private/public data and functions in classes. Ch is compatible with C++ in that by default, members of a class definition are assumed to be private until a 'public' declaration is given

* Static member of class/struct/union

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* The new and delete operators

* Constructors and destructors

* [[Polymorphic functionsfunction]]s

* The [[scope resolution operator ::]]

* The I/O functions cout, cerr, and cin with endl

* Arguments for [[variadic function]]s are optional

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* Classes inside member functions

* [[Nested functionsfunction]]s with classes

* Passing member function to argument of pointer-to-function type of functions

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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,and etcpiping.<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>

CH has built-in 2D/3D graphical plotting features and computational [[array data type|arrays]] for numerical computing. A 2D [[linear equation]] of the form ''b = A*x'' can be written verbatim in Ch.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Glassborow |first= Francis |year= 2001 |title= The Ch Language Environment Version 2.0 |url= http://www.softintegration.com/company/pub/accu.html |pages= 36–37 |publisher= C Vu Magazine}}</ref>