Setting up Linux Machines for use of SPARK Ada and why3 via File Manager (Computer Science, Swansea University)

The following are the steps for configuring the settings in the Linux Lab so that SPARK Ada and why3 can be started from the file Manager without using the Command Shell.

Please study the file Basic Terminology in Linux explaining the basic terminology of Linux such as directory, ~/bin etc.

Download the git repository using these instructions

Then go in the file manager in the git repository downloaded to the directory exampleCodeForTesting/

Rightclick on the file main.gpr → open with → open with other Appliction
Choose "Use a custom command" which appears below all the applications
Browse and go to "/usr/local/gnat/bin/gnatstudio" (not a smilar file ending with exe)
- If you have installed it on your own machine, you need to navigate to where gnatstudio is installed.
- During installation the system will tell you to adapt the path, which will includie the path to gnatstudio.
- If you have set the path but forgotten where it is you can try on a terminal "which gnatstudio" -- this shows where this file is located.
Click on "Use as default for this kind of file (you can always change it by using the same procedure).

Once why3 is installed (it will be installed later since it is not needed yet) we will similarly associate files with extension .mlw with the why3 program

Make sure that you don't use file names and paths containing blanks.

We had in the past problems that Spark Ada doesn't work when the file name or any file name in the path contains a blank.
Simply replace blanks by underscore "_".

If you now navigate using a new file manager to a directory containing a SPARK Ada project, and left click on main.gpr gnatstudio is opened for this directory.

We need to change the preferences for executing programs using the terminal xterm.

In gnatstudio, go to edit → preferences → External commands → on right side change "xterm -hold -e" to "xterm -hold"
Just delete -e, don't copy from the webpage since it might replace - by a similar but different symbol.
If you accidentially changed it or have problems later just enter from the keyboard "xterm -hold"

Now study basic usage instructions of SPARK Ada