Subject: Icmake 6.15 distribution at tsx-11/sunsite/beatrix
From: Frank B Brokken <[email-masked]>
Date: 10 Feb 1994 19:59:34 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.announce

icmake-6.15.tgz and related files was just uploaded to

	tsx-11.mit.edu
	sunsite.unc.edu
	beatrix.icce.rug.nl

This distribution unpacks its files in a subdirectory 'icmake' which
is created below the subdirectory where the untarring takes place.
Also, smoothening of some code and of the port to the hpux is performed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

icmake-6.15.tgz and related files was just uploaded to

	tsx-11.mit.edu		( /pub/linux/sources/usr.bin )
	sunsite.unc.edu		( /pub/Linux/devel )
	beatrix.icce.rug.nl	( /pub/unix )

This distribution unpacks its files in a subdirectory 'icmake' which
is created below the subdirectory where the untarring takes place.
Also, smoothening of some code and of the port to the hpux is performed.

        Icmake is a hybrid between a 'make' utility and a 'shell script'
language.  Originally, it was concocted to provide a useful tool for
automatic program maintenance and system administrative tasks on MS-DOS
platforms.  As we learned to appreciate its flexibility, Icmake was
eventually ported to Unix platforms (SCO and Linux). By now Icmake also runs
on a HP-Unix platform.

        The source files for Icmake look remarkably like C sourcefiles. The
resemblance is so close that this cannot be pure chance!  Yes, we have
implemented Icmake to be a language with a syntax which largely overlaps C.
Since we know how to program in C, we decided that we didn't want to learn
some new macro language.  The Icmake language is a "subset" of C in the
sence that not all operators or functions of C are implemented (but a good
deal are, e.g., gets(), getch(), printf(), etc.).  The Icmake language has
its own extensions to make it a handy language for the purpose of
maintenance: e.g., the operator "younger" compares two files in respect to
their date of last modification, a type "list" is defined to hold several
strings.

        The usage of Icmake is not restricted to program maintenance. The
setup, which allows for functions, arguments, local or global variables, the
calling of external programs, etc.  makes Icmake also extremely suitable as
a shell script language.  E.g., it is easy to accomplish to let Icmake
figure out which files need to be backupped since the last backup date and
to start a process to do so, to send mail about it etc.

        Icmake is documented in a Postscript file, "icmake.ps".  This file 
is generated from a .dvi file using dvips, and can be processed with 
GhostScript.  Note that the file is generated for a printer resolution of 
300 dpi, which suits a LaserJet family printer. 

        Furthermore there is a file "icmake.1". This is a crude "man" page 
for Unix systems.

	Requests, comments, or any other remarks about the programs or the 
documentation can be emailed to us. We can be reached at:

                Frank Brokken                   Karel Kubat
e-mail:         [email-masked]         [email-masked]
phone:          (+31) 50 63 36 88               (+31) 50 63 36 47
address:        Westerhaven 16                  Westerhaven 16
                Groningen                       Groningen
                Netherlands                     Netherlands

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