Versions 3.0x/3.5, 3.65 and 4 all include extensive libraries for C++, including a very powerful library for building user interfaces. Versions 3.0x/3.5 use version 3 of the IBM open class library (IOC), Versions 3.65/4 compilers are bundled with IOC version 4. Parts of the IOC were rewritten between versions 3 and 4. The v 3 of the IOC seems more optimized (for performance) on OS/2 than v 4- at least the user interface parts of the library.
IOC was the real reason I wanted to install VA instead of a gcc toolchain - I've been reading the books on that, but unfortunately all of the books I've found are around IOC 3 and VA 3, not 4.
I keep managing to crash VA 4 too.
In my experience the programming editor (LxPM) bundled with version 3.0x does not work on AOS (and may not work with eCS). However you can substitute EPM in the WorkFrame (the "ide" for version 3.0x) settings and that does work. The version of LxPM that is bundled with version 4 does work with AOS. While LxPM is integrated into the version 4 IDE you can execute LxPM as a standalone editor.
Okay that's handy, I was planning on using EPM anyhow.
but thanks so much for all the replies, super helpful info here.
One last question though - is there a VA 3.65, or is that the "C Compilers 3.65" package which doesn't have WorkFrame/2?
I've downloaded pretty much all of them, just need to figure out which one to use