getting started in D

[Erik Lechak]

Hello All,

I hope this is correct forum to ask these questions.  I just started looking at D.  I was excited to go about writing my first application but ran into a few problems.

I decided to use gdc ( maybe this was the first problem? ).  Is gdc behind the times with respect to the dmd compiler?  I noticed that the standard library (phobos) was missing several functions that are documented here:
    http://www.digitalmars.com/d/2.0/phobos/phobos.html

    "std.string.startsWith" and "std.process.shell" are two that I recall being missing.

I used a standard debian gdc install.  I have the directory /usr/include/d/4.1  and a link /usr/include/d/4.1.3 that links back to 4.1.  All the files appear to be there but they are missing functionality.  Am I using the wrong libraries?  Is there a better or more up to date Phobos library?

Happily I got a program to compile and run ... wooohooo ... So I tried to get fancy and write my own module.  It took me a while, but I finally figured out I needed a build tool to do an "automated" build (like javac does).  So I tried to compile "build" / "bud" version 3.04.  It failed to compile.  So I spent some time fixing "bud" and got it to compile.  Now it runs fine.

Since "bud" didn't want to compile out of the box, I have to assume that it is not the approved method of compiling D code.  So what is the recommended way to compile D code?  Is anyone interested in my modified version of "bud" that compiles under gdc?  Does "bud" compile with dmd without problems?

Thanks,
Erik Lechak