DDC-I Announces Industry's Highest Performance Java™ Solution for Hard Real-Time Applications
DDC-I Announces Industry's Highest Performance Java™ Solution for Hard Real-Time Applications. A new Eclipse-based tool set provides Java programmers with two orders of magnitude lower latency than competitive solutions and supports mixed Java, C, Embedded C++, and Ada development Systems & Software Technology Conference, Tampa, FL. June 18, 2007. DDC-I, a leading supplier of development tools for safety-critical applications, today announced the industry's most responsive Java™ solution for hard real-time applications. Known as Scorpion, the new Eclipse-based tool set delivers two orders of magnitude lower latency than competitive real-time Java solutions. Scorpion is also the first Java solution to support mixed language development, which makes it possible to combine Java with other languages such as C, Embedded C++, and Ada. Scorpion supports the existing Real-Time Specification for Java (RTSJ), and will support the emerging safety-critical Java specification presently under development by the Safety-Critical Java Expert Group (JSR 302). "Scorpion is the only Java environment that supports true hard real-time Java development and mixed-language integration," said Bob Morris, president and CEO of DDC-I. "Other Java solutions proclaim real-time capability, but lack the deterministic real-time garbage collection needed for true hard real-time response. Scorpion not only offers best-in-class real-time Java capability, but also the ability to mix Java with other languages and migrate existing Embedded C++ and Ada programs to Java." The Scorpion environment features compilers and debuggers for Java, Ada, C, and Embedded C++, a builder for ahead-of-time Java file compilation, and a virtual machine (ScorpionVMTM) for executing real-time Java applications. Scorpion also features a smart linker that removes unused objects from closed systems, thereby reducing code size by up to 80%, and a profiler that helps optimize speed/size tradeoffs by determining the best mix of compiled and interpreted code. Scorpion utilizes patented technology from aicas GmbH, which provides for deterministic garbage collection, a prerequisite for executing bounded, hard real-time applications. The Scorpion garbage collector is fully distributed, which reduces overall Java complexity. The Scorpion garbage collector also enhances memory efficiency and performance by reducing garbage accumulation and the memory/time required to store and collect it. To facilitate mixed-language development, Scorpion provides a wizard that maps Java native method calls directly to existing Ada/C code, thereby enabling Java programs to call existing C and Ada programs. This unique tool makes it easy to combine Java with other languages in the same application. It also simplifies the migration of legacy C and Ada programs, both to present day RTSJ-compliant real-time Java environments, and to future JSR 302-compliant safety-critical Java environments. The Scorpion compiler, implemented as an Eclipse plug-in, is integrated with Wind River Workbench 2.6, an Eclipse-based integrated tools suite, and the VxWorks 6.4 operating system. This enables developers working within Workbench to combine Scorpion Java with other development languages. Scorpion also provides a run-time Java platform, which runs on top of VxWorks and enables the compiled Java code to be deployed on VxWorks target systems. "Scorpion makes an excellent addition to the Wind River Workbench environment," said Andrew Lyons, director of developer tools product management at Wind River. "The integration of DDC-I's Scorpion tools with our Workbench development suite makes it easier than ever for developers using a mix of Java C, Embedded C++ and Ada to create reliable, optimized code for a broad range of embedded real-time applications targeting VxWorks systems." Scorpion is initially available for target systems running VxWorks 6.4 on PowerPC and Pentium processors. Additional target platforms will be announced later in the year. More on Real-Time and Safety Critical Java DDC-I is a member of the Safety Critical Java Expert Group (JSR 302), whose mission is to create a subset of real-time Java suitable for safety critical applications requiring FAA certification. The Java Community first addressed the real-time limitations of Java when it convened the Real-Time for Java Expert Group (RTJEG) in 1999, which developed the Real-Time Specification for Java (RTSJ). This specification, an extension of The Java Language Specification and The Java™ Virtual Machine Specification, enhances real-time responsiveness by introducing mechanisms for pre-emptive scheduling and priority inversion avoidance, and providing tools that allow tasks to avoid garbage collection delays. The Safety Critical Java Expert Group will provide a subset of the RTSJ, making it suitable for safety critical applications with the most demanding testing requirements. In particular, the Safety Critical Java Expert Group will trim the RTSJ spec, ensuring that conforming safety-critical applications can be run without a garbage collector or heap, and ensuring that the rigors of FAA certification to DO-178B level A can be met.DDC-I Announces Ada Support for Eclipse Based Wind River® Workbench Development Suite
DDC-I Announces Ada Support for Eclipse Based Wind River® Workbench Development Suite DDC-I announce Ada Support for Eclipse Based Wind River® Workbench Development Suite with proven code generation with all the features and middleware of the VxWorks® RTOS. This new plug-in provides multi-language support (Ada, C and Embedded C++), targeting the VxWorks RTOS on Intel 80x86 (including VxSim) and PowerPC processors. DDC-I’s SCORE® development tools (including compiler, linker, disassembler, library management and object dumper), are seamlessly integrated into the Wind River Workbench development suite and do not open another unique window. Through the project management view of the Workbench tools, the user has the ability to compile, link and build both downloadable kernel modules, and real-time processes with mixed language code including Ada 95, C, Embedded C++, and Assembler. The DDC-I build process for Ada files automatically determines a correct compilation order when building or compiling multiple files. SCORE® is also integrated with the Wind River debugger and enables source-level debugging of Ada 95 , C and Embedded C++, switching seamlessly between the languages. "This is a good integration," states Alan Barker, Managing Director of First Matrix Ltd., the DDC-I U.K. distributor, "No more separate tool windows; the entire development session is run through Workbench - the leading Wind River development suite." "Industry partners like DDC-I help provide quality software tools needed for device software applications," states Rob Hoffman, Senior Director Aerospace & Defence at Wind River Systems. "We are pleased that this seamless integration is now available for our safety critical customers and look forward to working with them in the future." SCORE® adds the following features to the Wind River Workbench development suite: Hierarchical setting of compilation options through property editors. Context sensitive actions to compile, link, build and disassemble Ada 95 source code. A view for detailed compiler output, also showing exactly what compilation options are set on each file as it is being compiled. Automated building of Ada 95 and mixed language projects - in the background. Selective Linking to eliminate unused code portions from each object file. Powerful error reporting back to the Workbench tools.SCORE now has support for Dy 4 Systems SVME/DMV-181 Single Board Computer
DDC-I have announced the availability of a support package enabling the versatile SCORE® integrated development environment (IDE) system to target and debug applications for Dy 4 Systems' popular PowerPC™-based SVME/DMV-181 single board computer (SBC). "Packed with features to satisfy systems integrators real-world requirements, a high level of integration and diverse I/O capabilities make Dy 4's 181 a target platform of choice," explains David Mosley, Engineering Manager and SCORE® Product Champion. "We created the 181 board support package for SCORE® to maximize the development options available to customers designing products for the latest generation of civilian and military embedded systems." The SCORE® Multi-Language Debugger support is provided via the Abatron BDI2000 JTAG interface. Using this JTAG interface means that no debug monitor needs to be present on the board to support debugging. The application code in its final form can be easily debugged over Ethernet from the host-based debugger to the Abatron JTAG device. The first IDE with multi-language, multi-target and multi-host capabilities based on non-proprietary open system standards, SCORE® meets an increasing need to combine reusable software components, often written in different languages, targeting different microprocessors and created on different platforms. The front-end incorporates project management tools, online help, tool activation, numerous efficiency features and a universal interface for compilers and tools, using open standards for easy third-party product integration. Known in the defense and aerospace community for leading-edge ruggedized products, Dy 4 System's SVME/DMV-181 SBC combines a processing core based on the powerful AltiVec™-equipped PowerPC 7410 processor with an unmatched I/O complement. Two independent 10/100 Ethernet ports provide redundancy and survivability in a networked system environment, alongside two PMC mezzanine I/O expansion sites, SCSI, six serial ports and two USB ports. For military and aerospace development requiring stringent certification, both DDC-I's SCORE® IDE and Dy 4's SVME/DMV-181 provide full DO-178B capability. "Dy 4 has seen great interest from customers in using the SVME/DMV-181 for applications requiring high-reliability," says Mosley. Dy 4 works with leading OS and software tools vendors, "and we have worked closely with them to ensure SCORE® will support many of the advanced features of their most popular single board computer."ROYALTY FREE DEVELOPMENT WITH SCORE ADA 95 & C/EC++
DDC-I has announced a new pricing model for the SCORE IDE series. With immediate effect NO ROYALTY FEES are payable for all SCORE IDE licences and the cost of development licences remains very competitive providing the software developer a cost efficient project solution. The SCORE IDE is available for PowerPC and 80x86/Pentium embedded target systems for general, defence, process or safety critical applications. Versions are available for targeting bare board or RTOS solutions. For more information: http://www.ftmx.com/products.htm SCORE has much to commend it, the Ada 95 compiler is a purpose built, fast, effective solution not based on OEM technology. SCORE's C/EC++ compiler, developed by QinetiQ (DERA), Malvern under a joint development project with DDC-I, provides a true multi-language programming solution with full multi-language development tool support.