Writing Cplusplus

Guidance for writing C++ code for RISC OS.

Scope

Use this skill for C++ in the RISC OS cross-compilation environment. C++ is currently supported only for 64-bit RISC OS builds.

Current caveats:

• Exceptions are not supported. Do not use throw, catch, or code paths that depend on exception unwinding.
• RTTI does not work. Do not use typeid or dynamic_cast.
• Templates are not tested. Avoid template-heavy designs unless the user has explicitly accepted the risk.
• C++ modules are not tested.

Prefer simple, explicit C++ using ordinary functions, classes, constructors, destructors, references, and C-compatible interfaces where practical.

Project Structure

Use the RISC OS source filename conventions:

• C++ sources live in cc/ and have no host extension, for example cc/main.
• C and C++ headers live in h/ and have no host extension, for example h/countlib.
• Include headers using their C/C++ names, for example #include "countlib.h".
• Makefiles are named Makefile,fe1.
• The version include is usually VersionNum.

Do not create source files such as cc/main.cpp or headers such as h/countlib.h unless the existing project already uses that convention.

Create a new C++ command skeleton with:

riscos-project create --type c++command --name <Name> --skeleton

The skeleton should build before it is extended.

Build And Test

Build C++ command projects for 64-bit RISC OS:

riscos-amu BUILD64=1

Run the resulting absolute with riscos-build-run --64:

riscos-build-run --64 aif64/<Name>,ff8 --command <Name>

riscos-build-run creates a temporary RISC OS filing system and copies listed files into its root. If the host file is aif64/Testing,ff8, run it as Testing, not aif64.Testing.

For direct compiler use:

riscos64-c++ -c -o o.name cc.name
riscos64-link o.name -lsupc++ C:c++64.o.libc++-64 -o name,ff8
riscos-build-run --64 name,ff8 --command name

When using the RISC OS makefile system, put the C++ runtime in LIBS:

LIBS       = ${CLIB} ${C++LIB}

List objects using o. names and let the build system vary them for 64-bit builds:

OBJS       = o.main \
            o.worker

C++ Style

Match the surrounding project style first. For new C++ code:

• Use 4-space indentation.
• Put braces at the start of lines when that matches nearby RISC OS C/C++ code; otherwise follow the local C++ style already present.
• Do not leave trailing spaces.
• Keep main small and move reusable logic into separate functions or classes.
• Avoid magic numbers and strings; use named constants.
• Use static for file-local helper functions.
• Use const for values and references that should not be changed.
• Use RAII for simple ownership, but avoid constructors that need to report failure by throwing. Prefer explicit init, open, or create methods for operations that can fail.
• Avoid threads and re-entrancy assumptions. RISC OS is single-threaded.

Do not add broad abstractions just because C++ makes them possible. RISC OS is memory constrained; keep interfaces small and predictable.

Includes And Types

Common includes:

#include <stdint.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <iostream>
#include "kernel.h"
#include "swis.h"

Use fixed-width types at RISC OS and C ABI boundaries:

int32_t value;
uint32_t flags;
uintptr_t address;

Use uintptr_t when converting pointers to integers. Be careful with _kernel_swi_regs: 64-bit RISC OS headers may still represent SWI register fields as 32-bit values.

C And RISC OS Interop

Use extern "C" for functions compiled as C or exported to C:

extern "C" int c_scale(int value, int multiplier);

For headers included from both C and C++:

#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C" {
#endif

int c_scale(int value, int multiplier);

#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif

Do not expose C++ classes, references, overloaded functions, exceptions, or standard library types through C-callable interfaces.

RISC OS APIs often use C strings or control-terminated strings. Use C zero-terminated strings for normal C/C++ interfaces, and control-terminated strings only when the RISC OS API documents that convention.

Comments

Retain existing comments where they remain correct. Add comments to explain intent, not mechanical operations.

Use the project's existing file prologue style for new C++ source files:

/*******************************************************************
 * File:        name
 * Purpose:     Description
 * Author:      AUTHOR
 ******************************************************************/

Do not use the bordered C function prologue format from the C skill for every C++ member function unless the local C++ project already does so.

Common Failures

If a build tries to produce or run 32-bit output, check that BUILD64=1 and riscos-build-run --64 are both present.

If linking fails with missing C++ runtime symbols, check that ${C++LIB} is in LIBS for makefile builds, or that direct links include -lsupc++ and the C++ library object.

If code fails around exceptions, RTTI, templates, or modules, remove or isolate that feature before chasing unrelated build issues.