Ch (computer programming) explained

CH C/C++ interpreter
Author:	Harry H. Cheng
Developer:	SoftIntegration, Inc.
Latest Release Version:	8.0.0
Programming Language:	C
Operating System:	Windows, OS X, Linux, AIX, HP-UX, Solaris (SPARC and x86), QNX, FreeBSD
Platform:	x86, SPARC
Language:	English
Genre:	Integrated development environment
License:	Proprietary software Standard edition: freeware Student edition: freeware for students Professional edition: trialware for 30 days

CH is a proprietary cross-platform C and C++ interpreter and scripting language environment. It was originally designed by Harry Cheng as a scripting language for beginners to learn mathematics, computing, numerical analysis (numeric methods), and programming in C/C++. Ch is now developed and marketed by SoftIntegration, Inc., with multiple versions available, including a freely available student edition, and a CH Professional Edition for Raspberry Pi which is free for non-commercial use.

CH can be embedded in C and C++ application programs. It has numerical computing and graphical plotting features. CH is combined of both shell and IDE.^[1] CH shell combines the features of common shell and C language.^[2] ChIDE provides quick code navigation and symbolic debugging. It is based on embedded CH, Scite, and Scintilla.^{[3] [4]}

CH is written in C and runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, AIX, Solaris, QNX, and HP-UX. It supports C90 and major C99 features, but it does not support the full set of C++ features. C99 complex number, IEEE-754 floating-point arithmetic, and variable-length array features were supported in CH before they became part of the C99 standard.^{[5] [6] [7] [8]} An article published by Computer Reseller News (CRN) named CH as notable among C-based virtual machines for its functionality and the availability of third-party libraries.^[9]

CH has many tool kits that extend its functions. For example, the CH Mechanism Toolkit is used for design and analysis of commonly used mechanisms such as four-bar linkage, five-bar linkage, six-bar linkage, crank-slider mechanism, and cam-follower system.^[10] CH Control System Toolkit is used for the design, analysis, and modeling of continuous-time or discrete-time linear time-invariant (LTI) control systems.^[11] Both tool kits include the source code.

CH is now used and integrated into the curriculum by many high schools and universities to teach computing and programming in C/C++.^{[12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]} CH has been integrated into free C-STEM Studio, a platform for learning computing, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (C-STEM) with robotics. C-STEM Studio is developed by the UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education, offering a curriculum for K-12 students. CH supports LEGO Mindstorms NXT and EV3, Arduino, Linkbot, Finch Robot, RoboTalk and Raspberry Pi, Pi Zero, and ARM for robot programming and learning.^{[19] [20] [21]} It can also be embedded into the LabVIEW system design platform and development environment.^[22]

Features

CH supports the 1999 ISO C Standard (C99) and C++ classes. It is a superset of C with C++ classes. Several major features of C99 are supported, such as complex numbers, variable length arrays (VLAs), IEEE-754 floating-point arithmetic, and generic mathematical functions. The specification for wide characters in Addendum 1 for C90 is also supported.

C++ features available in CH include:

• Member functions
• Mixed code and declaration
• The this -> pointer
• Reference type and pass-by-reference
• Function-style type conversion
• Classes
• Private/public data and functions in classes. Ch is compatible with C++ in that by default, members of a class definition are assumed to be private until a 'public' declaration is given
• Static member of class/struct/union
• Const member functions
• The new and delete operators
• Constructors and destructors
• Polymorphic functions
• The scope resolution operator
• The I/O functions cout, cerr, and cin with endl
• Arguments for variadic functions are optional

CH supports classes in C++ with added abilities, including:

• Classes inside member functions
• Nested functions with classes
• Passing member function to argument of pointer-to-function type of functions

CH can interact with existing C/C++ libraries and call C/C++ functions from CH script.^[23] As a C/C++ interpreter, CH can be used as a scripting engine and extension language for applications. Pointers to arrays or variables can be passed and shared in both C-compiled and CH scripting contexts. One example of an embedded CH scripting application is Mobile-C, which has been used for collaborative visualization of distributed mesh model.^{[24] [25] [26]}

CH has a built-in string type (string_t) for automatic memory allocation and de-allocation. It supports shell aliases, history, and piping.^{[27] [28]}

CH has built-in 2D/3D graphical plotting features and computational arrays for numerical computing. A 2D linear equation of the form b = A*x can be written verbatim in Ch.^[29]

See also

• CINT
• Pike (programming language)

Further reading

• Heller . Martin . 2001 . The Ch Language Environment . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20011116220556/http://www.byte.com/documents/s%3D1776/byt20011031s0002/1105_heller.html . November 16, 2001 .
• Cheng . Harry . 2002 . C99 & Numeric Computing . 28–34 . Dr. Dobb's Journal.
• Cheng . Harry . 2006 . Ch: A C/C++ Interpreter for Script Computing . 6–12 . Dr. Dobb's Journal.
• Book: Cheng, Harry . 2009 . C For Engineers & Scientists, An Interpretive Approach . McGraw-Hill. 978-0-07-729046-7.
• Book: Cheng, Harry . 2011 . C For Engineers & Scientists . Higher Education Press. 978-0-07-729046-7. Chinese .

External links

• , SoftIntegration
• Mobile-C: a Multi-Agent Platform for Mobile C/C++ Agents Home Page
• C-STEM Studio

Notes and References

1. Veeraraghavan . Sriranga . 2013 . An introduction to Ch: Implementing a temperature converter in Ch . ComputerWorld.
2. http://www.softintegration.com/docs/ch/shell/ Ch Shell
3. http://www.softintegration.com/docs/ch/chide/ Ch IDE
4. Wang . Gary . 2002 . Ch Solves Portability Headaches . IEEE Spectrum . 39 . 6 . 59 . 10.1109/MSPEC.2002.1049264 . 32477309 .
5. Cheng . Harry . 1993 . Handling of Complex Numbers in the Ch Programming Language . 76–106 . Scientific Programming.
6. Cheng . Harry . 1993 . Scientific Computing in the Ch Programming Language . 49–75 . Scientific Programming.
7. Cheng . Harry . 1995 . Extending C and FORTRAN for Design Automation . 390–395 . ASME Trans., Journal of Mechanical Design.
8. Cheng . Harry . 1995 . Extending C with arrays of variable length . 375–406 . 10.1016/0920-5489(95)00007-H . Computer Standards & Interfaces . 17 . 4.
9. Morejon . Mario . 2006 . Ch Language Rivals Java Functionality . CRN.
10. Cheng . Harry . 2006 . Object-Oriented Interactive Mechanism Design and Analysis . Engineering with Computers . 21 . 3 . 237–246 . 10.1007/s00366-005-0008-4 . 16996625 .
11. Zhu . Yong . 2003 . An Object-Based Software Package for Interactive Control System Design and Analysis . Journal of Computing and Information Science in Engineering . 3 . 4 . 366–367 . 10.1115/1.1630815 . 17908643 .
12. Cheng . Harry . 2009 . C for the Course . 50–52 . ASME Mechanical Engineering Magazine.
13. Huber . Tom . 2010 . An Introduction to C and Ch: Your One-Stop Shop for Scientific Computing . 10.1109/MCSE.2010.82 . Computing in Science & Engineering . 12 . 4 . 7.
14. Book: Liu . Li . Wang . Zhaoqing. Jiang . Xusheng . Proceedings of 2010 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Mechatronic and Embedded Systems and Applications . 2010 . 49–52 . Mechatronics and Embedded Systems and Applications (MESA), IEEE/ASME International Conference. 10.1109/MESA.2010.5552033 . Anchor-based promgramming teaching embedded with Ch platform . 978-1-4244-7101-0 . 2063024 .
15. Book: Furman . B. . Proceedings of 2010 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Mechatronic and Embedded Systems and Applications . Wertz . E. . 2010 . 70–75 . Mechatronics and Embedded Systems and Applications (MESA), IEEE/ASME International Conference. 10.1109/MESA.2010.5552091 . 978-1-4244-7101-0 . 12764358 .
16. Zhuang . Hong . Wang . Zhao-qing . 2009 . Experience of Using Ch for Teaching Computer Programming in C . TP311.11–4 . Computer Education . CKNI:SUN:JYJS.0.2009-07-016.
17. Wang . Rong . 2009 . Study of C Language Programming Teaching Method on platform Ch . TP312.1–4 . Journal of Weinan Teachers University . CNKI:SUN:WOLF.0.2009-05-018.
18. Book: Stopforth . Riaan . 2013 6th Robotics and Mechatronics Conference (Rob Mech) . 2013 . 146–149 . Robotics and Mechatronics Conference (RobMech). 10.1109/RoboMech.2013.6685507 . 978-1-4799-1518-7 . Teaching and programming with Ch for tertiary-level mechatronics engineering education . 23172598 .
19. http://www.newtonium.com/public_html/Products/RoboWorks/chrobotalk.htm ch robot
20. http://www.finchrobot.com/software/ch ch finch
21. http://www.softintegration.com/company/press/ch_arm_raspberry_pi_released.htm ch raspberry and arm
22. Web site: Embedding a C/C++ Interpreter Ch into LabVIEW for Scripting.
23. Wilson . Matthew . 2004 . Open-RJ and Ch . Dr. Dobb's Journal.
24. Cheng . Harry . 2009 . Speeding-Up Software Development Using Embedded Scripting . 8 . Dr. Dobb's Journal.
25. Book: Wang . Li-rong . 2009 IEEE 10th International Conference on Computer-Aided Industrial Design & Conceptual Design . 1127–1132 . Bo . Yo. Hagiwara . I . Computer-Aided Industrial Design & Conceptual Design, 2009. CAID & CD 2009. IEEE 10th International Conference. 10.1109/CAIDCD.2009.5375178 . 2009 . 978-1-4244-5266-8 . 39307433 .
26. Book: Wang . Li-rong . Bo . Yo. Hagiwara . Ichiro . An agent based collaborative simplification of 3D mesh model . 325–328 . 2009 . CDVE'09 Proceedings of the 6th international conference on cooperative design, visualization, and engineering. 9783642042645 . Cdve'09 .
27. Campbell . Matt . 2003 . Ch, A C/C++ Interpreter – New possibilities for people who like C and Unix . MACTECH, the journal of Apple technology.
28. Book: Cheng, Harry. The Ch Language Environment. 6.3. 2010. SoftIntegration, Inc.. Davis, CA.
29. Glassborow . Francis . 2001 . The Ch Language Environment Version 2.0 . 36–37 . C Vu Magazine.