# $Id: NEWS 41266 2009-09-15 05:29:09Z particle $
New in 1.6.0
- Functionality
+ Added a fixed-size structure allocator to the Garbage Collector
+ Added a "lazy" mode to the PObj and Fixed-Size memory allocators
+ Added a profiling runcore, which generates Callgrind-compatible output
+ Added lexical subsystem opcodes: find_dynamic_lex, store_dynamic_lex
+ Converted Contexts to garbage-collectable PMC structures
+ Created a new Context API
+ Enhanced the PMC allocator to automatically allocate ATTR structures
- Performance
+ Optimized opcodes to cache the current Context for subsequent lookups
+ Reduced string comparisons in VTABLE_isa
- Maintenance and cleanup
+ Began proper encapsulation of STRING API
+ Unified all PMC destruction functions
+ Unified Continuation PMC and Parrot_cont structure
+ Unified Sub PMC and Parrot_sub structure
+ Removed PMC_EXT structure
+ Removed PMC_Sync from PMC
+ Removed UnionVal from PMC structure
- Bugfix
+ Fixed several stack-walking bugs in Garbage Collector code
+ Fixed bug when copying a NULL STRING, now returns empty STRING struct
- Tests
+ Converted several Perl5 tests to PIR
+ Expanded test coverage of NameSpace PMC
- Compilers
+ Made Parrot Compiler Toolkit available in the base install
New in 1.5.0
- Core
+ Removed several deprecated functions and features
+ Removed bsr, jsr, branch_cs, and ret opcodes
+ Removed global stacks system
+ Changed OPS file format to include explicit preamble
+ Changed all "new 'Iterator'" instructions into 'iter' instructions
+ Removed Configure.pl options for specifying non-working GC cores
+ Removed unexecuting code as found by Coverity
+ Improvements to the Parrot Debugger
+ Added experimental fixed-size structure allocator to the GC
+ Added experimental lazy arena allocation to the GC
+ Refactored hashes, keys, and iterators
+ Added "corevm" make target to build Parrot without all the supporting libraries
+ Removed Random PMC type and added in a "rand" dynop
+ Optimization and Improvements to the NCI thunk generator
+ New include file libpaths.pasm
- Compilers
+ Multiple .local with same name and different type is now an error on IMCC.
- Platforms
+ Improved support for detecting Fink and Macports
+ Updated search directories for libraries
- Documentation
+ "Parrot Developers Guide: PIR" released to publisher and available to purchase
+ Improved documentation about Parrot Debugger
+ Update PGE Documentation
- Miscellaneous
+ Deprecate 'PASM1' compiler object, update to warn instead of segfault
+ Added tests
+ Fixes to code, documentation, and standards
New in 1.4.0
- Core
+ Key and Iterator refactor
+ Major pbc_to_exe generated code speed improvement
+ New "Infinite Memory" GC core for demonstration purposes
+ gc_debug runcore and GC-related heisenbug fixes
+ Elimination of variable expansion in parrot_config
+ CLI arguments are processed as Unicode by default
+ Substantial optimizations in NCI
+ Parrot builds on Win64
+ Hashes can use native types as keys and values
+ Fixed installed pbc_to_exe
+ Simplification of PMC generation code
+ Improved GC encapsulation and API documentation
- Documentation
+ List of candidates for embedding API (docs/embed.pod)
+ PIR book sent to publisher
- Testing
+ Several conversions of Perl test to pure PIR.
+ C indentation coding standards test improvement
+ Improved test coverage of example code
- Deprecations
+ Removal of PGE rules: <null> <fail> <sp> <lt> <gt> <dot>
+ Removal of PGE methods: .text .item .result_object
+ Deprecation of most dynops
+ Miscellaneous
+ Beginnings of OpenGL::Math library; OpenGL bindings and library marked experimental
+ Localizing and consting fixes
+ Many memory and thread-related leaks plugged
New in 1.3.0
- Core
+ Optimized parts of the IO system
+ Fixed inheritance hierarchy of FileHandle and Socket PMC types
+ Fixed leaks involving subroutines and Parrot_Context
+ Cleaned up and refactored GC internals, including fixes and optimizations
+ Optimized PMC class manipulations to use type numbers instead of string names
+ Fixed problems involving hashval calculations in strings
+ Removed unnecessary MULTI dispatches in built-in PMCs
+ Fixed memory leaks involving PMCs that were not properly destroyed
+ Fixed creation of PMCProxy PMCs in correct namespaces
+ Added preliminary Pipe support
+ Fixed cloning of Object PMCs
+ Added root_new opcode
+ Added initial versions of Packfile PMCs with read/write capabilities
- Compilers
+ Fixed several memory leaks in IMCC
+ Updated PCT to use root_new opcode
+ Added support for keyword "self" in NQP
- Documentation
+ Improved and expanded /docs/book
+ Updated project documentation
+ Defined 'experimental' status and procedures in DEPRECATED.pod
- Miscellaneous
+ Cleaned code and improved code-level documentation
+ Various bugfixes, code cleanups, and coding standard fixes
+ Added an experimental compiler library to help use PIR libraries from HLLs
+ Updated OpenGL library and examples to support experimental HLL import
New in 1.2.0
- Core
+ Fixes for pir classes inheriting from core pmcs.
+ Cleaned up headers and reorganized some sources into subsystem directories.
+ Clean up PMCs so libparrot.so exports far fewer vtable/method symbols.
+ Clean up the GC API.
+ Several unicode identifier improvements in IMCC.
- Deprecations
+ Protoobject stringification is gone.
- Documentation
+ Rewrite several core documents.
+ Many reworks, improvements & additions to the Parrot Book.
+ Installation PDD is launched out of draft.
- Tools
+ Fixes for running the language shell generator outside the parrot tree.
+ Several fixes for developing and building HLLs from an installed parrot.
+ Configure.pl now has a --no-line-directives option to ease source level debugging.
- Miscellaneous
+ Portability updates for macports, netbsd, mingw32, hpux.
+ Several (build time, runtime) performance improvements.
+ Lots of updates to examples and tests.
+ Various bugfixes, code cleanups, and coding standard fixes.
New in 1.1.0
- Core
+ Added op: load_language, find_caller_lex
+ Socket IO are back as PMC
+ Refactor some PMC: Hash, ManagedStruct
+ Refactor GC API
- Compiler
+ PGE
- Allow \x, \c, and \o in enumerated character classes (incl ranges)
- Add initial greedy-only version of ** <exp> quantifier
+ PCT
- Add HLL source line bytecode annotations
- Add another dumper format to assist syntax highlighters
- Revise mk_language_shell.pl to updated create_language.pl
- Deprecations
+ Removed ops: gcd, exec, classname, need_finalize, runinterp, substr_r
+ Removed dynamic op: mul
+ Removed .HLL_map directive; use interp's .hll_map() instead
+ Removed PMCs: slice, bound_nci, ref
+ Removed Configure.pl option: --pmc
+ Removed PMC union struct
- Documentation
+ Book
- Reorganization and many improvements & additions
- Tools
+ Add a parrot-fuzzer
- Miscellaneous
+ Improve Debian/Ubuntu package
+ various bugfixes, code cleanups, and coding standard fixes
New in 1.0.0
- Documentation
+ New user documentation for exceptions.
+ Updates to Chapters 4 & 5 of the Parrot book.
+ Improved and expanded generated HTML documentation, as the input for
http://docs.parrot.org.
+ Added Compiled HTML Help (.chm) version of documentation.
+ Cleanups and fixes.
- Languages
+ Pynie
- left the nest and is now at http://pynie.googlecode.com/
+ Cardinal
- left the nest and is now at http://github.com/cardinal
+ APL
- left the nest and is now at http://paraplegic.googlecode.com/
+ ABC, Squaak, and Befunge moved to examples/.
+ All remaining languages moved to https://svn.parrot.org/languages/
- Tools
+ Support for language builds from an installed Parrot.
+ Expanded language shell generator for new languages.
+ 'parrotbug' utility repurposed for the Trac interface.
- Deprecations
+ Removed deprecated Tqueue and Closure PMCs.
+ String, Key, NCI, LexPad, Iterator, Sub, Continuation, RetContinuation,
ExceptionHandler, ParrotLibrary, ParrotInterpreter, ParrotThread,
ParrotRunningThread, Rational, FixedPMCArray, ResizablePMCArray, and
GDBMHash PMCs now use declared attributes (ATTR), in place of the
deprecated UnionVal.
New in 0.9.1
- Implementation
+ Support for portable 'Inf', 'NaN' and -0.0
+ pbc_disassemble prints constants in constants table
+ New experimental BigNum implementation
+ Pair is now a dynamic loadable PMC
+ Various function name sanification
+ New implementation of Strings component
+ Replace various PMC value union access code by VTABLE method invocations
+ Replace various PMC value unions by ATTRibutes
+ Removed SArray PMC. Use FixedPMCArray instead.
- Documentation
+ Book
- updates to Chapter 2 (getting started)
- updates to Chapter 3 (PIR basics)
- updates to Chapter 4 (PIR subroutines)
- updates to Chapter 10 (HLLs)
- updates to Chapter 12 (opcodes)
+ Function documentation
+ Pod documentation style modernized; no longer Perl 5 style.
+ PMC has an additional acronym: Poly Morphic Container
+ The DOD (Dead Object Detection) acronym is no longer used;
use 'GC' to refer to the Garbage Collector component.
- Compilers
+ IMCC
- :named flag can now take string registers as argument
- A single '=cut' directive is now ignored (without initial Pod directive)
- :vtable subs now have proper access to 'self' pseudo variable
- Languages
+ add new 'Pod' documentation parser
+ Pipp (PHP implementation):
- Pipp is now at http://github.com/bschmalhofer/pipp
- support for 'print', 'dirname', 'implode', 'str_replace',
- various grammar fixes
+ ECMAScript
+ add 'quit', 'readline' builtins
+ fix 'Boolean' type and 'print' builtin
+ Lua
- left the nest and is now at http://github.com/fperrad/lua/
+ Rakudo
- left the nest and is now at http://github.com/rakudo/rakudo/
- build instructions can be found at http://tinyurl.com/rakudo
+ lazy-k
- left the nest and is now at http://github.com/bschmalhofer/lazy-k.git
+ unlambda
- left the nest and is now at http://github.com/bschmalhofer/unlambda/
+ WMLScript
- left the nest and is now at http://github.com/fperrad/wmlscript.git
+ removed Zcode implementation
- Tools
+ pmc2C
- ATTRs are now inherited automatically in subclassing PMCs
- Deprecations
+ Parrot_readbc, Parrot_loadbc renamed to Parrot_pbc_read, Parrot_pbc_load.
+ .HLL_map directive in favour of 'hll_map' method on Parrot interpreter
+ Data::Escape library
- Tools
+ pbc_disassemble options added
+ pbc_dump renamed from pdump
- Miscellaneous
+ Parrot is now Copyright Parrot Foundation
+ Parrot's SVN repository is now hosted at https://svn.parrot.org
+ Various code cleanups, consting, 64-bit incompatibilities and other bug fixes
New in January 2009 release (0.9.0)
- Implementation
+ Implemented bytecode annotations
+ Role composition is now aware of multi-subs
+ Unbuffered IO PMCs now autopromote when buffering is necessary
+ Installation parrot binary and libparrot shared library now supported
+ Class registry now respects HLLs
- Compilers
+ IMCC
- removed keyed string indexing, e.g. $S0[1].
- removed slice syntax, e.g. $P0[1..2]
- removed .namespace <ident>/.endnamespace <ident> pair
- fixed 'new $P0, [classname]' syntax
+ PIRC
- refactoring of various data structures
- various bug fixes and updates
- complete bytecode generation
- add '-x' commandline option to run compiled code
+ PCT
- add 'hll' and 'subid' attributes to PAST::Block
- refactor loop handling code to handle last/redo/next
- add :pasttype('stmts') and :pasttype('null')
- improve "scope not found" error message
- allow PAST::Val nodes to contain block references
+ PGE
- add "skipkey" option to PGE::OPTable
- allow spaces before modifiers in regexes
- add '(' ~ ')' goal matching syntax
- skip creating a class/grammar if it already exists
- Languages
+ Rakudo
- improved error mesages in multi dispatch
- implemented clone method for all objects
- implemented MAIN sub
- Unicode versions of infix hyper operators
- refactored IO.readline
- basic support for Inf and NaN
- list and array slices with whatever star
- hash slices
- implemented last and redo
- pointy blocks as terms
- refactored variable and parameter passing
- improved assignment semantics
- improved parsing of type names and subs
- mostly implemented parametric roles
- separate types for blocks, subs and methods
- basic support for submethods
- implemented Junction autothreading of user code (not builtins yet)
- eval supports :lang attribute
- proto makes other subs in scope multis, including in role composition
+ Befunge
- back to working state
- ported to pir
+ Pipp
- add support for predefined constant __CLASS__ and __METHOD__
- add initial support for static members
- add support for namespaced constants
- constants are now handled as package vars
- variables are now lexical variables
- add support for superglobals in functions
- Call the class __constructor when there is one
- added incomplete support for closures
- removed support for the alternative parsing strategies
- added support for 'elsif'
- added support for 'do-while'
+ HQ9+
- left the nest and is now at https://github.com/bschmalhofer/hq9plus/
+ Eclectus
- left the nest and is now at http://github.com/bschmalhofer/eclectus/
+ m4
- left the nest and is now at http://github.com/bschmalhofer/m4/
+ Lua:
- add a minimalist user back trace
+ PIR
- "does" and "morph" VTABLE interfaces are now overridable from PIR
- Miscellaneous
+ Infrastructure
- 'make smoke' now generates Smolder reports sent to
http://smolder.plusthree.com/app/public_projects/smoke_reports/8
+ Improved const and null correctness for C function parameters
+ Sped up STRING manipulation (append, chop), improving PGE about 30%
+ BOOK
- Added sections about Classes, OO programming, and methods.
- Added information about Annotations, Exceptions, and Handlers
+ STM
- Removed non-functional STM subsystem
New in 0.8.2
- Implementation
+ fixed lexical semantics
+ added the 'capture_lex' opcode
+ added automatic resume for nonfatal exceptions
+ added multidispatch cache
+ applied miscellaneous performance improvements, including startup time
+ fixed several bugs and leaks found by Coverity Scan
+ removed race conditions from parallel testing
- Compilers
+ IMCC
- removed undocumented .param int <stringc> => <ident> syntax
- .line directive now only takes an integer argument
- new .file directive to specify the file name being compiled
+ PCT
- properly handles lexical generation and closure semantics
- uses :subid instead of name lookups to reference PAST::Block nodes
- added PAST::Control node type (exception handlers)
+ PGE
- add support for <?{{...}}> and <!{{...}}> assertions
- Match objects use Capture PMC instead of Capture_PIR
+ PIRC
- add macro handling to PASM mode
- disable vanilla register allocation in PASM mode, but do allow optimization
- add tests and bug fixes
- first bits of bytecode generation. No sub calling/returning yet.
- Languages
+ Rakudo
- fixed lexical handling and recursion
- refactored subtypes implementation
- support for quotes with multi-character delimiters
- implemented list slices (Positional role)
- list assignment
- reduction meta operators
- hyper meta operators
- cross meta operators
- more builtin functions
- added Nil type
- basic support for protos
- iterator on filehandle objects
- basic support for exception handlers
- warn
+ Lua
- added complex & mathx libraries
- merged LuaClosure & LuaFunction PMC
+ Pipp
- added support for a return value from user defined functions
- added incomplete implemention of 'require_once'
+ Ecmascript
- parser fixes, parses spidermonkey's top level test/shell.js
- Deprecations
+ PARROT_API is now PARROT_EXPORT
+ PIR
- :lexid is now :subid
- .arg is now .set_arg
- .result is now .get_result
- .yield (in .begin/end_yield) is now .set_yield
- .return (in .begin/end_return) is now .set_return
- .namespace x / .endnamespace x syntax is removed
+ Capture_PIR (runtime/parrot/library/Parrot/Capture_PIR.pir)
New in 0.8.1
- Implementation
+ added CPAN module Storable 2.12 as a configuration and build dependency
+ removed the pseudo PIR opcode 'addr'
+ added the 'box' opcode
+ fixed 'pop_eh' handling in PIR libraries and examples
+ removed usage of .return for tailcalls (use .tailcall instead)
+ removed 'get_hash' and 'get_array' from Capture PMC and Capture_PIR
+ improved debugger and HLL coordination
+ allowed MMD primitive autoboxing
+ fixed all known memory leaks in PIR "Hello, world!"
+ NCI signatures now JITted on x86-32 platforms (Windows and Linux)
+ made the .const directive take a quoted type name instead of a constant
+ made IMCC more re-entrant
- Languages
+ Rakudo
- refactored Junctions implementation
- added "fire and forget" tool to rebase/rebuild/test Parrot and Rakudo
- updated container/reference semantics
- added more builtin methods and functions
- improved support for multilevel namespaces
- added support for .Str, .succ, .pred in user-defined classes
- implemented pointy blocks on if/loops
- increased STD.pm convergence
- added %*VM hash
- improved MMD candidate sorting
- improved integration of Num and Int
- implemented increment on protoobjects
- added initial support for MAIN subs
- added .PARROT method
+ Pipp
- added some predefined constants
- added implemention of the function basename()
+ Cardinal (Ruby)
- Added initial support for the classes Proc, Continuation, Queue, Dir, File, and FileStat
- fixed various minor bugs
- fixed broken Regexes
- Compilers
+ PCT
- added '.isa' method to PCT::Node
- cleaned up 'immediate block' handling
- allowed arguments to immediate blocks in loops/conditionals
- metaclass objects can now 'add_method'
+ PIRC
- integrated macro processing in PIRC's lexer
- integrated heredoc lexer in PIRC executable
- added preprocess and heredoc-preprocess commandline options
- integrated the PASM grammar into PIRC
- added a register allocator to optimize the built-in vanilla allocator
- code cleanups and documentation
- added 'make test' target
+ TGE
- updated to work with new namespace/classname syntax
- Deprecations
+ PARROT_API will become PARROT_EXPORT
+ :lexid will become :subid
- Miscellaneous
+ Documentation
- updates and additions to the Parrot book (see docs/book/)
+ OpenGL
- minor fixes to Parrot's base OpenGL bindings
- converted OpenGL PIR examples to Perl 6 (two complete, one WIP)
- added simplified OpenGL PIR example for NCI JIT testing
+ Tests
- further improvements to parallel tests
- tests no longer leave filesystem breadcrumbs
- more thorough testing of Parrot::Test itself
New in 0.8.0
- Implementation
+ float precision expanded to 15 significant digits from 6
+ large integers autopromoted in PIR so as not to lose precision
+ improved precision of complex square root
+ exception handlers can register types of exceptions they catch
- Languages
+ Cardinal (Ruby)
- implemented gather, take, and yield builtins
- Range, Time, Math, GC, Kernel classes
- many more tests
- added a new committer
+ Markdown : new lightweight markup language
- start implementation with PCT/NQP
+ partcl (Tcl 8.5.4)
- Moved to its own repository: http://code.google.com/p/partcl/
+ Rakudo (Perl 6)
- split() works with regexes
- implemented Str.comb
- ord() and chr() builtins
- improved parsing of literal numbers
- support for hyphens and dashes in identifiers
- next() on for-loops
- fixed floating point constant precision
- improved namespace handling, closer to STD.pm model
- support for exporting symbols
- Compilers
+ P6object
- now generates classes in nested namespaces instead of :: names
- supports class creation in caller's HLL namespace
+ PCT / PGE
- now using true nested namespaces instead of :: names
- cleaned up HLLCompiler interactive prompts and readline mode
- updated to use typed exception handler registration
- added initial support for loop control exceptions
+ PIRC
- fixed Heredoc preprocessor
- cleaned up Macro preprocessor
- many code clean-ups, warning fixes and consting
- updated Makefile for easier compilation
+ IMCC
- Added .tailcall syntax to replace .return in tailcall context
- Examples
+ pirric (BASIC)
- an old style line numbered Basic interpreter able to use parrot objects
- example connecting to mysql via nci
- example using classes to write and run an embedded Basic program
- Documentation
+ Book
- Added chapters for PCT, PMCs, and Opcodes/Runcores
- Expanded and improved formatting in various chapters
- Renumbered chapters
New in 0.7.1
- Implementation
+ add -I and -L command line options
+ support for null strings in NCI calls
+ preliminary support for resumable exceptions
+ add '.hll_map' method for dynamic HLL type mapping
+ more parrot_debugger fixes
+ remove obsolete '.past' extension
- Languages
+ Rakudo (Perl 6)
- now over 3300 passing spectests
- precompiled modules
- precompiled scripts (--target=pir can now be executed standalone)
- Support for @*INC and %*INC varialbes
- additional builtin methods and subs
- added 'fail' function, warnings on use of undefined values
- m/.../ regexes
- qq, qw, q quoting forms
- run tests in parallel
- gather/take
- Perl6MultiSub
+ Cardinal (Ruby):
- 'require' and precompiled modules
- many new tests
- all Array tests pass
- regexes
- default arguments to functions
- new committer
- Compilers
+ PCT:
- add :loadinit attribute for PAST::Block
+ PIRC:
- major refactoring to allow all PIR keywords as identifiers
- links to libparrot now, so all Parrot ops are recognized as such
- implemented .loadlib, .HLL_map, .HLL
- Miscellaneous
+ add Xlib and Mysql modules and test programs to NCI examples
+ many updates and cleanups to PDD documents
New in 0.7.0
- Specification
+ PDD27: add multisub lookup
- Implementation
+ new concurrency implementation (see PDD25)
+ Exception PMC now captures a return continuation
+ improved PMC encapsulation (Iterator, Key, Pair)
- Languages
+ Cardinal (Ruby):
- class variables
- parsing improvements
- minor additions to class builtins
- add support for block parameters to functions
+ Lua:
- various language fixes
- refactor all libraries (namespace, method registration)
- add a OpenGL binding (still incomplete)
- lost user back trace (see ppd25 & pushaction)
+ Pipp (PHP):
- add support for while- and for-loops
- add support for increment and decrement
- designate PHP 5.3 as the reference implementation
- improve support for string literals
+ Pugs (Perl 6):
- removed due to bit rot
+ Rakudo (Perl 6):
- now over 2200 passing spectests
- updated the Rakudo roadmap
- Perl 6 multi dispatch
- dispatch with slurpies
- class attributes ("my $.x")
- anonymous classes
- OO and metaclass improvements (.WHAT, .WHICH, .WHENCE)
- additional builtin methods and subs
- improved make test targets and harness
+ Tcl:
- implement [lreverse], [lsort -command]
- allow [incr] to autovivify
- update tclsh spec target to 8.5.3
- fix bug in TclDict PMC, allowing ~200 more [dict] spec tests to pass
- update 'make spectest' fudging, using TODO instead of SKIP if possible
- Compilers
+ PCT:
- :scope('register') for PAST::Var nodes
- allow invocant specification in attribute scope PAST::Var nodes
- correct ordering of sub generation from POST
- add 'loadinit' attribute to PAST::Block for block initialization
+ PIRC:
- PIR registers now use the vanilla register allocator
- all PASM output now uses PASM registers
- all .locals and $registers are mapped
- clean-up of grammar, back-end and documentation
- implemented constant folding
- implemented instruction selection
- Configuration
+ tests now clean up after themselves
+ improved parallel test support
+ ports/cygwin added
+ Darwin problems fixed
- Tools
+ parrot_debugger renamed from pdb, numerous tweaks
- Miscellaneous
+ IMCC cleanups
+ :vtable implies self in PIR
+ modest core speed improvements
+ Cygwin support improved
+ "say" now an opcode (was dispatched to a method; see Deprecations)
- Deprecations
+ ".pragma n_operators" is deprecated
+ old PASM register syntax (without "$") is deprecated
+ bare (unquoted) method names are deprecated
+ "#line" will be replaced with ".line"
+ ".HLL_map" syntax will change
+ ".loadlib" is now separate from ".HLL"
+ mmdvtregister and mmdvtablefind opcodes are deprecated
+ removed getfd, getclass opcodes
+ removed IMCC syntax that treated some methods as builtins
+ removed numeric get_attr and set_attr vtable entries
New in 0.6.4
- Documentation
+ removed a lot of old information from the FAQ
+ improved function level documentation
- Configuration
+ removed the configuration item 'has_gnu_m4'
+ refactored ICU-detection
- Languages
+ ChitChat
- improved the Smalltalk implementation
+ Pipp
- renamed Plumhead to Pipp
- support for a lot of builtin functions.
- Pipp now uses PHP specific data types.
- converted from PCT with TGE to PCT with NQP actions
- improvements in the PCT variant by using optok parsing
- start of object support
+ pir
- simple assignments work
+ json
- added a PCT-based implementation of JSON parsing
+ lolcode
- improved handling of symbols
- added support for block handling
- added support for globals
+ Lua
- more tests
+ Rakudo
- updated Range implementation
- added enums
- added generic type declarations (::T)
- added runtime mixing of roles with 'does' and 'but'
- fixed handling of implicit lexicals ($_, $!, and $/)
- fixed implicit method calls on $_
- improved complex math builtins, added Complex
- moved many builtins to class Any
- declaration of lists of variables now work
- improved test infrastructure
- 910 additional passing spec tests since last release
- more convergence with STD.pm grammar
- added named 0-ary parsing and ops
- Compilers
+ PCT:
- allowed subroutine and method names to be a PAST tree that produces the name
- Improved lexical handling
- Tools
+ pbc_disassemble renamed from disassemble
- Implementation
+ allowed .macro_const in PIR
+ added the flag :lexid(...) for subroutines
+ made multiple dispatch work for sub types
+ fixed garbage collection bug related to the metadata attached to a PMC_EXT structure
+ added a warning when using deprecated opcodes
+ simplified the stacks implementation
+ fixed C++ build
+ improved closure and lexical support
+ improved IMCC register allocator
+ added cache for all runtime-constant strings, reducing memory usage
- Miscellaneous
+ improved OpenGL/GLU/GLUT bindings
+ added a standard profile for Perl::Critic coding standard testing
+ added support for smoke testing with Smolder
+ enabled use of Test::Harness 3.0 if available, but don't require it for 'make test'
+ added the executable 'parrot_config' to query Parrot configuration
New in 0.6.3
- Specification
+ updated pdd09_gc.pod
- Languages
+ Cardinal:
- dramatically improved parsing speed
- added support for defining and instantiating classes
- started fleshing out the builtin class hierarchy
- added support for hashes and arrays
+ Chitchat: added the start of a smalltalk compiler
+ Pheme: updated to match PGE changes
+ Pynie: return statement, other minor updates
+ Rakudo:
- added working list and hash contexts
- added 'return' statements
- added => pair constructor
- added ?? !! ternary
- added Range, range operators, Complex
- added common List, Hash methods
- refactored base classes
- added Mutable, Perl6Scalar classes
- added type-checking, is readonly/rw/copy for parameters
- added make localtest, docs/spectest-progress.csv
- fix named unaries
+ Squaak: implement return statement
+ Tcl: updated control flow exceptions to use new builtin types
- Compilers
+ All tools converted to P6object metamodel
+ PGE:
- <?foo> is now a zero-width match
- reduced backtracking to improve parsing speed
+ PCT:
- added "return" PAST.op node type for subroutine returns
- added "keyed_int" scoping to PAST::Var
- fixed calls to closures
- automatically transcode 7-bit unicode to ascii for faster processing
+ NQP: added "return" statement, ?? !! ternary operator
- Configuration
+ expanded step gen::opengl
- Implementation
+ updated function and macro names to match pdd09_gc.pod
+ removed Super PMC
+ add ".namespace []" as alternative to ".namespace"
+ "make codetest" target runs standard coding tests
- Miscellaneous
+ added P6object class for Perl 6 interfaces to objects in Parrot
+ ported OpenGL/GLU/GLUT bindings to Win32, BSD, and more Mac OS X variants
+ generate OpenGL/GLU/GLUT bindings by parsing system headers
+ new OpenGL example shapes.pir, covering basic OpenGL 1.1 / GLUT 3 APIs
+ new float4.pir structure-packing benchmark
+ reduced memory use for variables
+ improved constant string caching
+ made code g++ and gcc (with optimizations) safe
+ the usual collection of bugfixes and optimizations
New in 0.6.2
- Specification
+ updated and launched pdd28_strings.pod
+ updated pdd19_pir.pod
- Implementation
+ added implementation of Rational PMC.
+ simplified ops control flow syntax
+ enabled backtrace on non-glibc platforms too
+ improved some PIR error reporting
+ removed user stack opcodes
(save, restore, lookback, entrytype, depth, rotate_up)
(NOTE: This was scheduled to occur after 0.7.0, moved up to this release)
+ removed register stack, saveall, and restoreall opcodes
+ removed various deprecated features and unused code
- Languages
+ Amber: retired
+ C99: grammar updated
+ Cardinal: resurrected, method calls and do blocks work now
+ Eclectus: use NQP as PAST generating code
+ Lua:
- added big number library
- updated to match PGE changes
- added a bytecode disassembler & a Lua 5.1 VM bytecode translator
+ Pheme: updated to match PGE/PCT changes
+ Plumhead:
- use NQP as PAST generating code
- use riaxpander for macro expansion
+ Rakudo:
- updated ROADMAP
- conditional and loop statement modifiers
- lots of class, object, role, and method improvements
- Str increment and decrement
- improved spectest reporting
- type checking on assignment
- regexes and grammars
- undef and self
- placeholder vars
roadmap updated
+ Squaak: added to repository
+ TAP: retired
- Compilers
+ PGE: updated to match Synopsis 5, deprecated features removed
+ PCT:
- improve handling of register types, conversion between registers
- improved error diagnostics
- add 'arity' to for loops
- Configuration
+ added step auto::opengl
+ added step gen::opengl
+ added step gen::call_list
- Miscellaneous
+ still more optimizations and performance improvements, especially in GC
+ new libraries: OpenGL/GLU/GLUT bindings (small subset working)
+ new dump_pbc.pl utility: PBC disassembly/source code weaver
+ improved C++ compiler support
+ optimized builds work again
New in 0.6.1
- Specification
+ drafted pdd29_compiler_tools.pod
+ updated pdd28_character_sets.pod draft
+ updated pdd19_pir.pod draft
- Languages
+ c99: added independent C pre-processor
+ HQ9+: reimplemented with PCT
+ Lua:
. reimplementation with PCT, using PAST and POST
. behavior aligned wih 5.1.3
+ Rakudo:
. implemented basic I/O, including '$*IN', '$*OUT', '$*ERR', 'prefix:='
. implemented simple typing and runtime type checking
. added basic multi-method dispatch
. expanded named argument handling, including Pair and colonpairs
. added 'Whatever' and 'Capture' classes
. implemented 'handles' trait verb
. added 'loop' statement
. implemented 'given', 'when', 'for', 'while', 'until' statement modifiers
. implemented Hash methods '.keys' and '.values'
. fixed bug to get '.WHAT' working correctly
. initial implementation of 'eval'
- Compilers
+ NQP:
. created a bootstrapped build, see 'make boot'
. added 'infix:<', 'infix:<=', 'infix:>', 'infix:>=' relational operators
. added 'postfix:++', 'postfix:--' operators
+ PCT:
. added methods specifying default behaviors in PAST, reducing repeated code
. improved symbol table lookup
+ PGE:
. removed deprecated code including: P6Regex, P6Grammar, PAST-pm
- Miscellaneous
+ notable speedups during compilation and execution of parrot and HLLs
+ pdb (the parrot debugger) can now catch parrot exceptions
+ better detection of glibc and gettext during configuration
+ various bugfixes, code cleanups, deprecations, and coding standard fixes
New in 0.6.0
- Specification
+ launched pdd18_security.pod
+ updated pdd17_pmc.pod
+ launching draft of pdd28_character_sets.pod
- Documentation
+ cleanup of IMCC documentation
- Configuration
+ add step auto::gettext
+ add step auto::crypto
- Compilers
+ PCT:
. Fix '-e' option
. Phase out P6Regex in favor of Perl6Regex
+ IMCC:
'.local Array my_arr' is illegal now
- Languages
+ C99: reimplementation with PCT
+ lolcode:
. various updates
. add support for functions with params
. add math functions
+ Rakudo:
. support for 'say'
. first cut at smart matching
. indirect method calls
. support for Pairs
. added methods 'grep' and 'first'
. implement auto{increment,decrement}
. initial implementation of 'perl6doc'
+ Lua:
. various updates
. add base64 library
+ Cardinal: basic support for functions with parameters
+ Pheme: various updates
+ Ecmascript: various updates
+ Tcl: now targeting tcl 8.5.1, no more expected failures in test suite.
(No, this doesn't mean everything's implemented. =-)
+ Eclectus: various updates
+ WMLScript: various updates
- Implementation
+ PDD17 (PMCs)
+ Add library YAML::Dumper
+ Add the MD2, MD4, MD5, RIPEMD160, SHA & SHA1 PMC, as a wrapper
around libcrypto
- Miscellaneous
+ various bugfixes, code cleanups and coding standard fixes
+ consting
+ remove external Perl 5 modules from the Parrot distribution
New in 0.5.3
- Documentation
+ PDD09 (garbage collection) - approved
+ PDD28 (character sets) - draft started
+ added function documentation to some core functions
+ PCT beginners guide, optable guide and PAST nodes guide, bug fixes
- Compilers
+ IMCC: plugged various memory leaks and other cleanups
+ PCT:
. add "attribute" as a scope variant to PAST::Var nodes
. add 'shift' and 'pop' methods to PAST:: nodes
+ NQP: add '=:=' op, tests for scalar and list contextualizers, \x escapes
- Languages
+ APL: reimplementation with PCT
+ Cardinal (Ruby): reimplemention with PCT
+ Ecmascript: reimplementation with PCT
+ lolcode: improved expression parsing, ifthen, IT, YARN
+ lua:
. aligned with Lua official release 5.1.3.
. added initial PCT-based implementation.
+ Punie (Perl 1): refactor to use standard PCT-based filenames
+ Pynie (Python): add functions
+ Rakudo (Perl 6):
. rebranded, formerly known as 'perl6'
. passes many more official Perl 6 Specification tests
. added 'perl6doc' utility
. oo including meta?classes, objects, methods, attributes, role composition
. match variables, while/until statements, traits
. many new methods for Str, List, Hash, Junction
- Implementation
- Deprecations
+ PCCINVOKE syntax for named arguments using []; use () instead.
+ see DEPRECATED.pod for details
- Miscellaneous
+ pbc_to_exe refactored for code reduction, portability, and maintainability
+ various bug fixes
+ #line directives added to generated JIT files, improving debugging
+ consting, attribute marking, refactoring, warnings cleanup
New in 0.5.2
- Documentation
+ PDD27 (multiple dispatch) - debut of new design
+ Numerous small updates to glossary.pod, etc
- Compiler Toolkit
+ NQP: optional, named, and named/required parameters
+ PIRC: cleanups
+ PAST: "defined-or"
- Languages
+ New mk_language_shell.pl script creates language stubs
+ LOLCODE: new
+ Lua: various
+ Eclectus: start with support for local variables and procedures,
use SXML as intermediate representation
+ Perl 6: list builtins, compiler directives, command-line options, etc.
+ "make perl6" now builds a Perl 6 executable
+ punie: more builtins, control structures, code refactoring
+ pynie: builtin stubs, more tests
- Implementation
+ New "pbc_to_exe" utility turns bytecode to executables
+ New set_outer method for subs
+ Further configuration refactoring for testability
+ All functions now completely headerized
+ Concurrency: interpreter schedulers
- Deprecations
+ DYNSELF (changes to SELF; SELF to STATICSELF)
+ METHOD (replaced by renaming PCCMETHOD)
+ pmcinfo op (superseded by 'inspect')
+ get_attr, set_attr, and 8 other vtable methods
+ See DEPRECATED.pod for details
- Miscellaneous
+ Many bug fixes
+ Minor speed enhancements with UTF-8 string handling
+ Debian packaging
+ consting, attribute marking, warnings cleanup, memory leaks plugged ...
New in 0.5.1
- Documentation
+ PDD19 (PIR) - reflect state on the ground; incorporate old IMCC docs
+ PDD25 (Concurrency) - launch out of draft
+ Improve documentation of deprecated parrot features.
- Compilers
+ PCT: Parrot Compiler Toolkit redesigned and updated
+ NQP: major updates, including support for namespaces,
module/class declarations, methods
+ IMCC: remove .sym as alias for .local. Remove .pcc_
prefix for calling directives (.pcc_begin became .begin_call).
+ PIRC: creates an AST during the parse.
+ PGE: more updates to match S05 syntax.
- Languages
+ perl6: re-implemented using PCT and NQP, new object subsystem
+ abc: re-implemented using PCT and NQP
+ eclectus: initial implementation
+ plumhead: add PCT variant
+ punie: re-implemented using PCT and NQP, extended to handle subroutines
Happy 20th Birthday, Perl!
+ pynie: re-implemented using PCT and NQP
+ PIR: start conversion to NQP (under construction)
- Implementation
+ new opcodes: 'die', 'addhandler', 'copy'
+ Initial implementation of Concurrency PDD
+ Add 'arity' method to Sub and NCI PMCs
- Miscellaneous
+ Bug cleanup
+ consting, attribute marking, warnings cleanup, memory leaks, GC...
+ dead code removal (includes some defunct languages)
New in 0.5.0
- Implementation
+ PDD15 (OO) branch merged with trunk; this release contains a working,
tested implementation of the latest OO model
+ Added pop_eh/push_eh_p/count_eh opcodes
+ Add --runcore command line option
+ Add gcdebug runcore to help track down GC bugs
+ minor improvements to IA-32 JIT
- Documentation
+ PDD19 (PIR): updates to macros, .pcc* directives
+ PDD25 (Concurrency): updated
+ PDD26 (AST): draft approved
+ PDD23 (Exceptions): draft approved
+ Copyright cleanups
- Languages/Compilers
+ languages/APL: minor updates, PDD15 conformance
+ languages/dotnet: minor updates
+ languages/lua: minor updates, PDD15 conformance
+ languages/lisp: minor updates
+ languages/perl6: minor updates, PDD15 conformance
+ languages/plumhead: minor updates
+ languages/punie: minor updates, PDD15 conformance
+ languages/nqp: minor updates
+ languages/scheme: many updates, PDD15 conformance, improved tests, use
PMCs instead of primitive registers to represent values
+ languages/tcl: bugfixes, PDD15 conformance
+ languages/WMLScript: minor updates
+ compilers/pirc: updates from PDD19, PDD06
+ compilers/pct: minor updates, PDD15 conformance
+ compilers/pge: PDD15 conformance
+ compilers/tge: PDD15 conformance
- Configuration
+ Improve test coverage
+ Improve reporting when a step fails; allow abort on failure
- Miscellaneous
+ More coding standard conformance, tests, cleanup, speedups,
warnings cleanup
+ Bug cleanup, esp. GC bugs
+ Eliminate .imc extension (use .pir)
+ Simplify some core config steps to not allow interactive prompting
- Removed
+ clear_eh opcode
New in 0.4.17
- Implementation
+ Bug fixes (including Coverity IDs 20, 22, 30, 119-122, 124-126, 129-131)
Also various GC, memory, and segfault issues
+ Fix & reenable CGP core
+ Parrot's -r flag now works again (compile to and execute bytecode)
+ Updates to pmc2c & PIR syntaxes
+ Fix Complex PMC
+ Minor performance improvements, especially in PGE
- Documentation
+ PDD02 "Vtables" - superceded by PDD17
+ PDD06 "PASM" - minor updates
+ PDD17 "PMC" - add VTABLE syntax, update core PMC struct, restore UnionVal
+ PDD19 "PIR" - early review started
+ PDD21 "Namespaces" - cleanup
+ PDD24 "Events" - draft approved
+ PDD25 "Concurrency" - minor updates
+ PDD26 "AST" - draft version begun
+ PIR tutorials updated
- Languages/Compilers
+ Make scheme work with the current calling conventions, other major work.
+ Updates to m4, lua, compilers/pirc, languages/PIR, dotnet, tcl
- Miscellaneous:
+ make -j functional again
+ Code cleanup (refactoring, optimizations)
New in 0.4.16
- Implementation:
+ Performed code review on every PMC
+ Modified PMC code generation to use Storable, reducing compile times
+ Added a makefile target to generate test coverage data of C sources
- Languages:
+ NQP: added lists, for loops, operators, comparison and multiplicative operators
+ Announced Kea-CL, Kea Common Lisp, an ANSI Common Lisp implementation
The repository is available at https://rgrjr.dyndns.org/svn/kea-cl/trunk/
- Documentation
+ PDD17 "PMCs" - draft approved, the design is complete
+ Added more PIR tutorials, see examples/tutorial/00_README.pod
- Miscellaneous:
+ Many bugfixes, enhancements, documentation, and coding standard updates
+ Deprecated PMC constants and other crufty syntax, see DEPRECATED.pod
+ Improved icc compiler compatibility for error line reporting
New in 0.4.15
- Implementation:
+ Lots of code review, many bugs fixed
+ Many more code cleanups and compiler warning levels
+ Started a new jit engine for 64-bit processors
+ Refactored configure process, with tests and new diagnostic options
+ Added new CodeString PMC for dynamic generation of PIR code
+ More pdd15 support for object metamodel.
- Languages:
+ Added NQP ("Not Quite Perl"), a very lightweight Perl 6-like language
+ Significant improvements and refactors to PCT (Parrot Compiler Toolkit)
+ perl6 passes more spec tests
+ Lua works now with a PGE/TGE/PAST-pm based compiler, lives in one pbc,
and the interpreter has same behavior as original.
- Documentation
+ Added a committers' HOWTO
+ More PIR tutorial examples
+ Added PAUSE guide
New in 0.4.14
- Now, with Seat Belts!
+ added makefile targets for Sun lint, BSD lint, and splint
+ corrected many errors picked up by these tools
+ decorated source code with compiler hints, assertions, and attribute macros
+ automated creation of function declarations to prevent common errors
+ increased compiler warnings levels
+ converted more exceptions to a recoverable form
- Languages:
+ updated Lisp, Lua, Perl 6, tcl, regex, Scheme ("Pheme")
+ Perl 6 now fetches selected tests from pugs, and even passes some
+ PGE modified to handle {*} action subs for top-down and bottom-up parsers,
and to allow grammar subclassing
+ HLLCompiler now has better exception, eval, and exit support
+ Introduced PCT, a refactor of HLLCompiler and PAST-pm
- Design:
+ PDD15 "Objects" - details added to 'new' and 'getattribute' opcodes
+ PDD17 "PMCs" - notes added on instantiation and dynamic extention in PIR
- Documentation:
+ added Parrot-related text from "Perl 6 and Parrot Essentials" book,
tutorial examples from "Learning PIR" talk, and PDD15 metamodel diagrams
- Implementation:
+ reduced memory footprint when using named registers
+ implemented overridding of vtable methods by PDD15 classes
+ improved PDD15 support for 'new', 'instantiate', and others
+ added makefile targets to ease core and HLL makefile regeneration
+ updated parrot dubugger, "pdb", to allow loading of commands from file
- Misc:
+ many bugfixes, enhancements, documentation, and coding standard updates
New in 0.4.13
- Languages:
+ Updated Lisp, Lua, PHP ("Plumhead"), Python ("Pynie"), ABC,
WMLScript, and Tcl ("ParTcl").
+ Perl 6 passes all of the sanity tests.
+ PGE supports latest Perl 6 grammar syntax. Perl 6, Python
("Pynie"), and ABC parsers updated to match.
+ Updated PHP ("Plumhead") to Antlr 3.0.
+ Lua added the beginnings of a PGE/TGE based compiler (not yet
replacing the Perl/Yapp compiler).
+ Lisp updated for current features, added a test suite.
- Core Implementation:
+ Filled in features and backward compatibility for PDD 15 objects.
New object metamodel passes 85% of old test suite.
+ GCC API symbols are visible externally only when explicitly exported.
+ Added generated GCC compiler attributes to increase warnings, and
cleaned up resulting warnings.
+ Code cleanup efforts and fixed memory leaks by the cage cleaners,
resulting in notable speed increases.
- Misc:
+ Updated Parrot distribution to Artistic License 2.0, from dual
Artistic 1/GPL license.
+ SDL examples brought up-to-date with current features.
New in 0.4.12
- Build:
+ even more refactorings and improvements in configuration system
+ improved tests and documentation for configuration system
- Languages:
+ Updated abc, PHP ("Plumhead"), Lua, Tcl
+ Reclaimed Lisp
- Design:
+ new PMC PDD draft partially completed
- Implementation:
+ continued implementation of PDD 15 (Objects)
+ minor garbage collector and memory management improvements
+ several memory leaks resolved
+ extended support for compilers other than GCC
+ improved C++ compiler compatibility
+ enhanced support for Solaris, non-MSVC Win32, and other platforms
New in 0.4.11
- Compilers:
+ IMCC: added documentation for C-based Parrot Calling Conventions,
refactorings and bug fixes
+ PGE: new perl6regex front end reflecting recent S05 syntax changes
+ PIRC: new prototype PIR parser
- Languages:
+ Updated Lua, PHP ("Plumhead"), BASIC, pynie
+ Lua implements environment
- Design:
+ PDD15 "Objects" - details added, and draft approved
- Documentation:
+ Added guidelines for PMC documentation
- Implementation:
+ PDD15 implementation is largely complete, including role-based composition,
introspection, and C3 method resolution order
+ new Exporter PMC for importing globals between namespaces
+ new string utilities for radix conversion
+ PCCINVOKE and Parrot_PCCINVOKE allow calling using the full Parrot Calling
Conventions from PMCs and C code respectively
- Build:
+ Refactorings and improvements in test coverage for 'Configure.pl'
- Misc:
+ many bugfixes, enhancements, and code cleanup
+ added example subversion config file
+ extended support for gcc, icc, and other compilers
+ extended support for Solaris and other platforms
New in 0.4.10
- Compilers:
+ IMCC: Parrot calling conventions now available between two C PMCs (PMINVOKE)
+ PGE: Match object improvements
+ smop: added Attribute and Class PMCs
+ HLLCompiler: improvements for interactive mode
- PAST:
+ extended binding to a list of variables
- Languages:
+ Updated Lua, PHP ("Plumhead"), Tcl ("ParTcl"), Ruby ("Cardinal")
+ Update PIR, regex, Zcode
+ New language: Pynie - a Python compiler for Parrot
+ Lua implements require and many other ops, improved regex support
+ Remove parakeet
- Design:
+ PDD01 "Overview" - updated architecture and platform information
+ PDD15 "Objects" - details on roles, objects, and classes added
+ PDD22 "I/O" - added async ops and Status PMC details
- Documentation:
+ Added guides for Metacommitter, Relase Manager, and Cage Cleaner roles
- Implementation:
+ Object, Class, Role, and Attribute PMC implementation has begun
+ Perl 5 module "Parrot::Embed" now compiles and links on all platforms
- Build:
+ Major improvements in test coverage for 'ops2c.pl'
- Misc:
+ New utility: Crow, a template processor
+ New library module: Config/JSON for reading/writing JSON files
+ many bugfixes, enhancements, and coding standard updates, code cleanup
New in 0.4.9
- Compilers:
+ IMCC: Parrot calling conventions now available in C PMCs, allowing
named, optional, slurpy, and flat parameter passing
+ PGE: extended support for Perl 5 Regexes
+ smop: prototype object model implementation
+ hllcompiler: refactored to run a configurable set of compilation stages
- PAST:
+ redesigned assign/binding to support Perl 6 binding semantics
- Languages:
+ Updated Lua, PHP ("Plumhead"), Tcl ("ParTcl"), perl6, perl5
+ New language: PIR - a PGE-based implementation of Parrot PIR
+ perl6 now supports binding (':=') and 'join'
+ lua generates tail calls, and supports its own regex flavor (PGE-based)
+ Pheme still works, huzzah!
- Design:
+ PDD21 "Objects" - rewritten
+ PDD22 "I/O" - updated and 'TODO' tests added
- Documentation:
+ Interface stability classification standards approved
+ Roles and Responsibilities documented approved
+ Official 'drafts' directory created (was 'clip')
- Implementation:
+ More NameSpace and OS PMC methods implemented
+ Parrot executable fullname and basename now available in PIR/PASM code
+ new 'chomp' library function
- Build:
+ Major improvements in test coverage for 'ops2pm.pl'
- Misc:
+ many bugfixes, enhancements, and coding standard updates
+ extended support for Sun Workshop Compilers
+ Parrot now builds on PocketPC platform
New in 0.4.8
- Compilers:
+ HLLCompiler: added tracing options, modified api
+ PGE & TGE bugfixes and updates
- PAST:
+ added global and lexical variable support
+ added looping constructs, arrays, hashes
- Languages:
+ Updated PHP ("Plumhead"), Tcl ("ParTcl"),
forth, perl6, lua, abc, APL, WMLScript, punie
+ ParTcl is passing > 24.9% of Tcl cvs-latest test suite
+ perl6 now supports hashes, arrays, method calls, arity-based
multisubs, quoted terms, ranges (non-lazy), try blocks, $!
- Design:
+ PDD01 "Overview" - updated
+ PDD22 "I/O" - rewritten and approved
- Test Suite:
+ Converted Perl 5 Regex tests to PIR, with notable speedup
+ Added tests for opcodes, compilers, languages, and coding standards
- Build:
+ Major improvements in test coverage for 'pmc2c.pl'
- Misc:
+ many bugfixes, enhancements, and coding standard updates
+ extended support for non-core platforms including Cygwin, Tru64
New in 0.4.7
- New languages: PHP ("Plumhead"), Forth
- Updated languages: Ruby ("Cardinal"), Tcl, Lua
- Remove old Python implementation from Parrot repository; the new Python
language code is hosted at http://pirate.tangentcode.com
- Compilers:
+ PGE updated with more expressions, latest changes to S05
+ new Perl 6 grammar compiler
- Integration:
+ Perl 5 module "Parrot::Embed" allows easy embedding of a Parrot
runtime into a Perl 5 program
- PIR:
+ new :init pragma for subs that must run before the main function
+ new :vtable pragma to identify subs that override PMC vtable methods,
eliminating the need for special subroutine names
+ PIR parser/compiler does not stop on first syntax error
+ Vanilla register allocator ("register alligator") greatly improves
performance compiling large functions
+ Eliminated limit on number of PIR macros
- PMCs:
+ hash lookups return null instead of None for missing keys
- Design:
+ PDD13 "Bytecode files: format and manipulation" - new
+ PDD10 "Embedding" - new
+ PDD25 "Concurrency" - rewritten
+ PDD15 "Objects" - new section on redesign requirements
+ PDD07 "Coding standards" - significant updates and automated tests
- Test Suite:
+ Many many more new tests
- Build Process:
+ autoconf compatible install options
- Misc:
+ Namespace refinements
+ Coroutine improvements
+ An impressive swarm of other bugfixes and enhancements
New in 0.4.6
- New languages: Ruby ("Cardinal"), Javascript ("ecmascript")
- Updated languages: Tcl, dotnet, bc, Pheme, Punie, WMLScript
- Updated compilers: PGE, TGE
- IMCC updates:
+ ".loadlib" directive expresses dependencies
+ ".namespace" with no parameter goes to HLL root
+ lexer is reentrant (reentrant grammar in progress)
- Namespace improvements:
+ new suite of opcodes to access namespaces and globals
("find_global" and "store_global" will be phased out)
+ namespace '' no longer means HLL root
- Design document updates:
namespaces (pdd23), basic types (pdd17), embedding
- Updated tool requirements for developers:
flex 2.5.33, bison 2.1, perl 5.6.1
- New to-do list for people new to Parrot:
cage/todo.pod
- The usual plethora of bugfixes and enhancements
New in 0.4.5
- unicode subroutine names
- hierarchical class names finished including MMD support
- new dotnet CLI to PIR translator
- improved TGE code and compiler
- APL: vector handling
- new STM branch in the svn repository
- the usual bugfixes and enhancements
New in 0.4.4
- hierarchical class names
- APL compiler
- under development
- understands simple vector ops, strings
- demonstrates use of Unicode in Parrot
- pgc, a compiler for rules and operator precedence parsers
- Major redesign and improvements for PGE
- compilers understand named parameter options
- :ratchet option implemented to support non-backtracking quantifiers
- TGE (tree grammar engine) for tree transformations
- tgc, tree grammar compiler
- perl6 compiler
- support for many operators, lexical scalars, regex matches
- new pheme (Parrot scheme) compiler
New in 0.4.3
- namespaces partially implemented
- rulec, Perl 6 rule compiler
- PGE improvements including return values for closure
- parts of a Perl 6 parser based on PGE
- complex trigonometric methods
- type of Sub PMC is now overridable by HLL
- NetBSD support
- many bug fixes and improvements
New in 0.4.2
- improved PPC and x86 JIT support including JIT compilation
of very simple PASM/PIR subroutines
- preliminary libreadline support
- better trace and debug features
- pkgconfig support
- META.yml to support proper indexing on CPAN
- new opcode: hcf (in "my_ops" in dynamic op library)
- new File pmc for file specific ops (is_dir, is_file, copy, rename...)
- named arguments and parameters (both :named("") and => syntaxes)
- ongoing config improvements
- tons of bug fixes and other small improvements - too much to list all
New in 0.4.1
- Installation: 'make install' is using standard locations now
(/usr/local is the default --prefix)
- Produce static and shared libraries on some systems
- Configure system rearragement
- OS pmc started (mkdir,cd,cwd,rm,umask,stat)
- Shootout examples
- Test files are now testable with 'prove'
- Smoke (and smokej) outputs progress
- PIR supports: I = A < B (>,<=,>=,==,!=)
- Add support for octal number constants
- partcl updates:
- almost finish [string]; start [file]
- add build tool for generating inline'd tcl builtins from templates.
- Jako updates: NCI, subroutines, global variables and constants all work.
(Gregor)
New in 0.4.0
- New lexical handling and closure support including better
introspection for caller and outer
- PGE (Parrot Grammar Engine) provides now compilers for P6Rule,
P6Grammar, P5Regexp, and Glob
- ca. 1000 new tests including 800 for Perl5 regexp
- Improved unicode charset and encoding support
- Calling conventions for exception handlers
- Punie (Perl 1) uses TGE (Tree Grammar Engine) to convert from
PGE match objects to AST via two steps of tree transformation grammars
- New languages: amber and lua
- The usual code fixes, cleanup, and improvements, including an overhaul
of the config and test framework
New in 0.3.1
- Variable sized register frames are finished. Each subroutine gets
the amount of registers that it actually needs. No more spilling.
- Vastly improved PGE (Parrot Grammar Engine) including shift-reduce,
precedence-based expression parser and support for matching of
bracketed text delimited by e.g. ()[]{}'"
- uniccode character classification (is_upper ...)
- support for heredoc syntax in assembler
- improved examples, basic JSON support
- debian packaging support
- the usual improvements, bug fixes, and cleanup
- test count exceeds 3000
New in 0.3.0
- New calling conventions implemented: see PDD03 for details
- Merge multiple Parrot bytecode (PBC) files into a singe PBC file
- 'make smoke' target going beta
- bc now supports if statements, comparison ops, prefix inc/dec
- ParTcl adds [lassign], [switch] (partially); [expr] converted to a compiler
- Many exciting doc updates, tests, and bugfixes, too numerous to mention
New in 0.2.3
- Dynamic classes now compile on Windows (including ParTcl)
- New Super PMC allows easy access to superclass methods
- Implement C3 method resolution order (just like Perl 6 & Python)
- ParTcl has new PIR-based parser and passes more Tcl tests
- added character class support in Globs to PGE
- added language implementations of unlambda, Lazy-k
- many bugfixes, including GC and memory leaks
- the new calling scheme continued to evolve in branches/leo-ctx5
New in 0.2.2
- new call scheme: docs/pdds/pdd03_calling_conventions.pod
- partial implementation of the new calling conventions
PASM only, don't mix PIR foo() call syntax with the new scheme
- grammar and rule support in PGE - the Parrot Grammar Engine
- TCL passes >10% of the tcl test suite
- the usual bugfixes and improvements
New in 0.2.1
- better HLL support (short names for object attributes, and
.HLL and n_operators pragmas)
- string encoding and charset can now be set independently
- experimental mmap IO layer for slurping files
- distinct debug and trace flag settings
- glob support in PGE
- new character classification opcodes and interfaces
New in 0.2.0
- parrot repository is now under subversion
- MMD (Multi Method Dispatch) enhanced
- new unary and infix opcodes that return new result PMCs
- dynamic scalar PMCs inherit now almost all from Parrot core PMCs
- more unification of PMCs and ParrotObjects
- tailcalls for functions and methods
- PGE (Parrot Grammar Engine) reworked
- Pugs creates Parrot code and Pugs is a registered compiler now
- new languages/lisp
- the usual bug fixes and improvements
New in 0.1.2
- New string handling code. Strings now have charset and encoding
- Parts of a generation garbage collector
- Better Python code, separated in dynclasses
- Parrot Grammar Engine
- Improved test coverage and documentation
New in 0.1.1
Parrot 0.1.1 is an intermediate release with tons of updates and fixes.
- Python support: Parrot runs 4/7 of the pie-thon test suite
- Better OS support: more platforms, compiler, OS functions
- Improved PIR syntax for method calls and <op>= assignment
- Dynamic loading reworked including a "make install" target
- MMD - multi method dispatch for binary vtable methods
- Library improvement and cleanup
- BigInt, Complex, *Array, Slice, Enumerate, None PMC classes
- IA64 and hppa JIT support
- Tons of fixes, improvements, new tests, and documentation updates.
A lot is unfinished and keeps changing. Nethertheless Parrot is stable
and usable at the surface, while internals are moving.
New in 0.1.0
- "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... objects!"
- Huge documentation overhaul
- More supported platforms, s. PLATFORMS
- Basic thread support for pthread based architectures
- Basic event handling for timers and signals including:
- PASM callbacks for NCI (native C) functions.
- Improved platform configuration
- COW stacks now working, stacks code redone
- Structure handling vastly improved
- Random PMC and rand primitives
- Better subroutine call syntax in PIR
- Make PIR subroutines compliant with pdd03
- Improved profiling (DOD, GC timings)
- Hash code improvements, incl. random key order support
- Experimental freeze/thaw code for some PMC types
- IO improvements for buffered layer and Win32
- String iterators
- String bitwise vtables
- Many new opcodes
- Support for JIT, where malloced memory isn't executable
- Priority DOD scheme for objects that need timely destruction
- Improved byte code loading (e.g. onLoad functions)
- Language updates: forth, Perl 6/P6C, m4
- Libraries: Getopt_Long, SDL, Dumper, Sort
- new JAPH examples
- Unified imcc and parrot test handling
- Many new tests (make test reports 1386 tests)
- Numerous bug fixes
New in 0.0.13
- The Big Move: Parrot source and build files rearranged into sub dirs
- Build imcc as parrot
- Objects more finished
- Delegate vtable methods to byte code
- Binary multi-method dispatching
- Isa and does methods for PMCs
- Call byte code from C
- Start of extension interface
- Experimental struct handling
- Catch access to NULL PMCs
- Experimental network socket interface code and opcodes
- IO fixes and improvements
- Dynamic opcode libraries
- Fix-assigned opcode numbers
- Argument flattening for function calls
- More native call interface (NCI) signatures
- Ncurses, postgres, and pcre interface libraries
- Forth language is vastly improved
- BSD and Win32 build improvements
- Many new tests and fixes
New in 0.0.12
- This number intentionally left blank
New in 0.0.11
- Executable output
- Dynamic PMC registration
- Trial exception system
- Beginnings of object system
- Iterators
- Ordered hashes
- I/O system improvements
- References
- Documentation for basic PMC types
- IMCC support of Parrot Calling Conventions
- Runtime loading of chartypes (and other string improvements)
- Conditional breakpoints
- Dramatically accelerated sweeps for finalizable objects
- Small PMCs (PMCs split into core and extensions)
- Loadable bytecode packfiles
- Constant PMCs
- Sub variants that deal with the stack correctly
- Switched runops core
- Line numbers in warnings
- Environment access
- Many documentation cleanups
- Conversion to CPS style!
- BASIC debugger and many other wacky features
- Filename, line number parsing support in IMCC
New in 0.0.10
- IMCC integration
- eval
- some more benchmarking
- cgp core
- optimized math ops
- intersegment branches
- more complete use of PObjs
- beefed up packfiles
- sub/continuation/coroutine fixes
- better NCI (native calling interface)
- many imcc improvements
- jako improvements
New in 0.0.9
- Native function calling interface (Dan)
- Stack/list aggregate rewrite (Leo)
- Scratchpads (Jonathan Sillito)
- Preliminary DotGNU support -- type conversion ops (Gopal V + Leo)
- Buffer/PMC unification (Leo)
- stabs debugging support for JIT (Leo)
- Jako overhaul (Gregor)
- Optional Lea allocator (Leo)
- Parrot sprintf (Brent)
- Miniparrot (Josh)
- PMC Properties (Dan)
- Various JIT improvements (D. Grunblatt + Leo)
- Extensible packfiles (Juergen)
- Restructured PMC hierarchy (Leo)
- Real Scheme (Juergen)
New in 0.0.8
- Several new grammars and a BNF -> perl5 and perl6 converter (Jeff)
- Working Perl 6 REs (Sean)
- Keyed Access (Tom Hughes et al)
- New PMCs (Alberto et al)
- Better Documentation
- New COW semantics
- GC acceleration (Mike Lambert)
- Lexical scope (Jonathan Sillito)
- IMCC patches
- JIT for the ARM
New in 0.0.7
- Perl 6 Grammar and Compiler (Sean)
- Subroutines, coroutines, and continuations (Melvin)
- GC improvements (Peter Gibbs, Mike Lambert)
- Global variables (Melvin)
- Intermediate bytecode compiler (Melvin, Angel)
- And much, much more.
New in 0.0.6
- New assembler that support keyed types (Jeff)
- New macro layer, allowing constants (Jeff)
- New Configure.pl (Brent)
- Changes to bytecode format, endian issues resolved (Melvin)
- GC improvements and bug fixes (Peter Gibbs, Mike Lambert)
- JIT compiler rewrite (Jason and Daniel)
- Parrot assembler in Parrot (Daniel)
- Parrot debugger (Daniel)
- BASIC polished, Eliza.bas is new (Clint)
- Cola compiler committed and working, with limited OOP (Melvin)
- Keyed aggregates (Steve Fink)
- Global ops (Melvin)
- Compile-time speedup (Melvin)
- Much documentation
- New PDDs (Dan)
- Contributed tetris and lzw files
- And many more, from the cast of thousands
New in 0.0.5
- Full GC
- Perl Scalar support in PMCs
- Array and Hash types almost ready for prime-time
- Internal support for keyed types
- EMACS editing mode
- New PDDs
- New Language - BASIC
- Regular expression compiler
- More tests
- Many, many bug fixes, enhancements, and speedups
New in 0.0.4
- Arena-based memory allocation system
- Copying GC
- New IO subsystem
- "Predereferencing" mode - ./parrot -P - 22% speedup
- JIT compiler - ./parrot -j
- Parrot now builds warnings-clean on many platforms
- Many more PMC methods implemented
- Regular expression operations
- Added a FAQ
- Basic support for embedding Parrot in other programs
- Warnings support
- Added PDDs to distribution
- Bignum library
- PMC inheritance
- Added an assembly optimizer
- Improved string encoding/type support
- Many more tests
- Source reformatting
- Major refactoring in packfile library
- More Miniperl functionality
- New PMC "clone" operator
- Beginnings of key-based access to PMCs - arrays and hashes
- MOPS comparisons in examples/mops/
New in 0.0.3
- PMCs!
- Perl base scalar types implemented
- A new minilanguage, Scheme
- Much improved documentation
- Register stacks pushing and popping
- User stack pushing, popping and rotating
- Jako updates: subroutines, more example programs, optimizations
- test_prog renamed to 'parrot'
- Added features to the assembler: @ for current location, and global
labels
- Build tweaks for VMS
- Bytecode typing clean-ups
- More platforms: OS X, HPUX, OS/2
- The proliferation of runops cores reduced to one fast and one slow one
- Opcode tracing, bounds checking, profiling
- Vastly improved string support, with separation of encoding and
charset
- Lots more tests
- Multiple interpreter creation support - the beginnings of threading
- Much better resource handling - the beginnings of GC
New in 0.0.2
- Parrot now works on all core platforms
- A large number of tests, in the standard Perl testing framework
- A new minilanguage (Jako) which compiles to Parrot assembly
- Documentation about the assembly language (docs/parrot_assembly.pod)
- Separate modules for assembly (Parrot::Assemble) and bytecode
manipulation (Parrot::PackFile::*, packfile.c)
- Assembler completely rewritten
- Better operand-type guessing in the assembler
- Assembler support for '\n' etc. in string constants
- Code reformatted to match the coding standards
- New ops for register-constant INTEGER comparisons
- Macro expansion in the assembler
- IVs and NVs renamed to more friendly INTVAL and NUMVAL
- Hard-coded pack("") formats removed
- Better handling of floating-point numbers in assembler
- Moved floats to constant table (fixing many alignment issues)
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