pTAL Conversion Guide

pTAL Conversion Guide—527302-002

1-1

1 Introduction

The HP Transaction Application Language (TAL) has constructs that depend on TNS

architecture. TAL programs that use these constructs might not have the intended

result on other architectures.

The portable Transaction Application Language (pTAL) has no constructs that depend

on a specific architecture (this is why it is portable). pTAL programs fully utilize the

features of native architecture.

TAL programs that use only higher-level language TAL features can be compiled by

using a native compiler and run on the native architecture with little or no change.

TAL programs that access TNS architecture features explicitly (for example, those that

use CODE statements or reference TNS registers) might require extensive change,

including some algorithm redesign.

Topics:

•

New Features in pTAL on page 1-1

•

TAL FeaturesThat pTAL Does Not Support on page 1-2

•

Converting TAL Source Code to pTAL Object Code on page 1-3

New Features in pTAL

pTAL features that are not TAL features are:

•

Address types that ensure that addresses in pointers are the correct type for the

data the pointer references:

BADDR

WADDR

EXTADDR

SGBADDR

SGWADDR

SGXBADDR

SGXWADDR

PROCADDR

CBADDR

CWADDR

•

Built-in routines that make pTAL programming easier and that enable the native

compilers to generate better object code:

$FILL8

$FILL16

$FILL32

$STACK_ALLOCATE