README file for plantElement "distribution" v.0.8.1	(27 Jun 96)
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Abstract
--------

This "distribution" contains some c++ classes aimed to the
plant simulation and a pseudo "iterator" class suitable
to perform various operation on them.
	A---not necessarily detailed---description of the
classes can be found in the subsequent README.* files.

These classes have been successfully compiled with
gcc 2.7.2p on a pentium box running Linux 1.3.20, though
not necessarily specific to Linus Torvalds' op. system.

Please note that the distribution consists of three major
"classes":
fluid, plantElement and elemHandler;
(well, i don't have that much imagination...)

the first one is stand--alone, that is if you want to write
a little applet which gives the mean Cp of a fluid betweeen
two states at "x" and "y" K... you can well do it. I have 
already done it, and may have already provided it in the 
examples directory by now;

the second and the third are not necessarily tied since
the latter is only a (supposed cute) wrapper of the 
gnu libg++'s DLList<T> class which uses pointers to classes
to avoid the slicing problem with derived classes (see
(Bjarne) Stroustrup, "the c++ programming language", 2nd ed., 
Addison Wesley, chap. 5). please have a careful look at the 
syntax of the class... it may be confusing and/or annoying. if
you think so, send me a threatening e-mail and i will change 
it at once :). 

the core class is plantElement, which is an abstract one:
all the methods are/will-be redefined in subsequent implementation
from the derived classes; it provides some methods to identify
itself and some other specifically related to its plant element
nature. have a look at the sources and let me know...


Examples
--------

You can find some source code in the "examples" directory.

You *must* run make as root, as some lib installing is 
needed... (to be exact, a ``cp'', a ``ln'' and a call
to ``ldconfig'' are needed; the path to which the makefile
points to defaults to ``/usr/local/lib''. Make sure 
ldconfig looks for this dir (or for the dir you're going
to put this library) otherwise the programs won't run.

Just type ``make'' from the current directory; then ``cd'' 
to "examples" and try the executables. 

If you don't end up with all the binaries, please let me know 
and i'll fix that (just in case... it should all compile swiftly).
[you may want to do a ``make clean'' to get rid of those "nasty"
.o files :), or a ``make strip'' to keep'em small...]


Notes
-----

You must have libg++ to use this. Also have a look
at the README.plantElement file.

The source code included within the compressed tar file 
"plantElement-v.0.8.1.tar.gz" is copyrighted by a.cella
(cella@mail.conecta.it, cella@marvin.conecta.it) and 
subject to the gnu GPL v.2., which is also included.

I don't make any promise these classes may be of any use
or be reliable or suitable for any purpose... well, read
the gnu GPL for that kind of disclaimer.

If you like them or you would like me to give up this stuff
please send me an e-mail to the abovementioned address
(please use preferably the first, cella@mail.conecta.it)


History
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Too long and boring to add. Maybe next version.


Bugs/Whatsoever
---------------

Please see README.* files.
