ALTOS^©: automated ALGOL to C++ conversion tool is now available

Many of the current users of Unisys/MCP/ALGOL platform would welcome an opportunity to convert their systems to C/C++ on UNIX or Windows running on commodity servers.

Spectrum's ALTOS^©(ALGOL to C++) tool automates this conversion process.

ALTOS^© package includes the source code processing tool itself, and multi-platform C++ run-time libraries and header files to use with converted code. Converted systems run on UNIX or Windows platform.

We used ALTOS^©  to convert real-life ALGOL programs with individual modules of up to 100K lines of complex and very advanced ALGOL code. The code includes deep-nested DEFINEs, partial words, value arrays, local functions, locking, interrupt handling, multitasking  (processes), etc. The results of conversion prove that ALTOS^© automatically converts more than 99% of ALGOL code. Resulting code provides for ease of maintenance and modifications. It is easily readable for developers, retains commentaries, names, and program structure from the original source code. In rare cases when automated conversion is not possible, ALTOS^© clearly identifies constructs in the original code that require attention. Converted code may be automatically instrumented by ALTOS^© to provide tracing and statistics gathering both for testing and production environments.

ALTOS^© generates efficient C++ code. On a low-end, single - CPU Windows machine converted code executes faster than the original ALGOL code running on Unisys's Libra 400 machine with 4 CPUs.

The use of Spectrum's ALTOS^© conversion tool and methodology allows for an efficient, Client - controlled conversion process. Our experience shows that converting an ALGOL program with 25K - 30K lines of code into C++ and testing/refactoring the converted code in target environment takes on average only 25 - 30 man/days.  This represents dramatic savings in comparison to developing a C++ program that implements the functionality of such an ALGOL program from scratch.

Spectrum offers a variety of services related to ALGOL to C++ conversion using ALTOS^©. That includes ALTOS^© technical support, expert UNIX and Windows knowledge, conversion project management, staff augmentation and outsourcing.

Please find more information on Altos:

ALTOS^© Features

All News

« previous    next »