### Author:  [@charlie5](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/charlie5)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2026, 8:31am UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/3 "2026-07-21T08:31:58Z")
Hi Joakim,
Thanks — both of these were genuinely underdocumented, and you prompted me to
fix them, so this reply also comes with runnable code and clearer docs on the
`main` branch.
**Encryption / `DSA_NS_CURVE_*`.** You read the notation the reasonable way, and
it was ambiguous — sorry. The `*` is just shorthand for the two suffixes
**`SECRET`** and **`PUBLIC`** ; it is _not_ a per-partition placeholder. There is
no `DSA_NS_CURVE_`, and you never configure a key per partition by
hand.
There are two separate models:
1. **Shared system key** (`DSA_CURVE_SECRET` / `DSA_CURVE_PUBLIC`): a single
keypair for the whole deployment — secret on binders, public on connectors;
in practice set both on every process. Encrypts all traffic, but any holder
of the pair is trusted. Generate with `eval "$(pcs_keygen)"`.
2. **Per-partition mutual authentication** (`DSA_AUTH=peer`): here
`DSA_NS_CURVE_SECRET`/`DSA_NS_CURVE_PUBLIC` is the **infrastructure keypair —
one pair for the entire deployment**, generated with `pcs_keygen ns`.
Distribute it like this:
You were also right that there was no runnable peer-auth example — only
`rogue.adb`. There’s now a complete one: **`examples/peer-auth/`**
(`run_peer_auth.sh`) — it sets up the infra key, runs a legitimate registered
client that succeeds, then fires the rogue with a fresh _un_registered identity,
which is denied at the ZAP handshake. The `DSA_NS_CURVE_*` explanation above is
now written up in **`docs/users-guide.md` §9 (“Encryption in practice”)**. Both
are on `main`.
**Detecting an already-started partition.** There’s no turnkey “singleton /
refuse-second-instance” feature today, but the pieces are there:
- **Detection** : the name server _is_ the registry — every partition registers
its units on startup. So “is a partition hosting unit X already up?” is
answerable by resolving X. From Ada,
`System.Partition_Interface.Get_Active_Partition_ID ("X")` returns the hosting
partition’s id if one is running, and raises `Communication_Error` if not —
you can call that in your main before handing off to `Run`.
- **What happens if you start a second instance today** : both register; the name
server’s unit→partition mapping is _latest-wins_, so the new instance
transparently takes over and callers re-resolve to it (the restart-recovery
path). It does _not_ error or refuse.
- **Gracefully shutting the existing one down** : the mechanism exists — the name
server sends a one-byte `'X'` shutdown frame to a partition’s control endpoint
(that’s how global termination and the liveness watchdog stop partitions) —
but it isn’t yet exposed as a targeted “shut down partition N” command. A small
name-server verb, or a one-line client that resolves the unit and sends `'X'`
to its control endpoint, would give exactly the “gracefully replace the
already-started instance” behaviour you want.
This “detect and replace” pattern is really the job of a supervisor/orchestration
layer on top of the PCS, which I’ve just sketched as a design entry — see
`docs/developers-guide.md` §16. Happy to go deeper on any of it.
Regards.
---
### Author:  [@joakim-strandberg](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/joakim-strandberg)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/4 "2026-07-21T20:24:47Z")
Thanks charlie5 for the clarifications and detailed explanations!
Best regards,
Joakim
---
### Author:  [@DrPi](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/DrPi)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2026, 9:32pm UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/5 "2026-07-22T21:32:00Z")
Is it possible to use it with a process running on a PC (Windows or Linux) on one side and a process running on a ARM device (Linux) on the other side ?
---
### Author:  [@charlie5](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/charlie5)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2026, 12:47am UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/6 "2026-07-23T00:47:33Z")
A good question and the answer should be yes.
The DSA\_XDR=1 build flag should take care of any endian difference, as well as any type size differences (such as is possible with Long\_Integer).
I have not tested for ARM, as yet, but will do so today and let you know the results.
I have run a test with 3 partitions across separate Windows, freeBSD and Linux VM’s successfully. The freeBSD box even used an older GCC/GNAT (v15) than on the other two (v16).
Anyways, will test ARM now.
---
### Author:  [@charlie5](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/charlie5)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2026, 7:04am UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/7 "2026-07-23T07:04:12Z")
Just tested on ARM with Debian 13 and GCC/GNAT v14. All tests ran successfully, except that I was mistaken about XDR handling type size differences (such as Long\_Integer). These aren’t handled by XDR but a warning is now given by gnatdist when such types are used.
---
### Author:  [@dmitry-kazakov](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/dmitry-kazakov)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2026, 7:27am UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/8 "2026-07-23T07:27:50Z")
> [@charlie5](#):
>
> Just tested on ARM with Debian 13
Which one? Debian supports both armhf (32-bit ARM) and aarch64 (64-bit ARM).
---
### Author:  [@charlie5](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/charlie5)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2026, 7:37am UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/9 "2026-07-23T07:37:07Z")
armhf
armv7l, machine virt-11.0, cortex-a15, 4 vCPUs, 3 GB RAM
The other partition was running under arch linux on an amd64 box.
---
### Author:  [@DrPi](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/DrPi)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/10 "2026-07-23T15:35:35Z")
Interesting. Thanks.
Maybe I’ll use it in a future project at work if Ada is used, which is not sure at all 😢
---
### Author:  [@DrPi\_Work](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/DrPi_Work)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2026, 7:53am UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/11 "2026-08-05T07:53:55Z")
I’d like to create a demo based on the examples of aDSA to learn how it works and to show to my colleagues.
Is there a detailed documentation about compiling on Windows 11 ?
I use Alire 2.1.1.
I had quite hard time to run `build_gnatdist.sh` successfully (in Alire prompt).
`adsa/build/gnatdist-obj` folder and `pcs_gnatdist.exe` have been built.
Running `build_echo_gpr.sh` in a Alire prompt fails with :
```ada
bash: cd: /z/ada/adsa/examples/echo/../../build/garlic-rts: No such file or directory
```
Edit :
I run `build_rts.sh` as it is not run automatically.
```ada
system adainclude : C:/Users/nicolas/AppData/Local/alire/cache/toolchains/gnat_native_16.1.0_bbd69633/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/16.1.0/adainclude
system adalib : C:/Users/nicolas/AppData/Local/alire/cache/toolchains/gnat_native_16.1.0_bbd69633/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/16.1.0/adalib
kazakov sources : /z/ada/adsa/third_party/simple_components (os-windows)
custom RTS : /z/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts
compiling strings_edit
compiling strings_edit-fields
compiling strings_edit-integer_edit
compiling strings_edit-integers
compiling strings_edit-quoted
compiling synchronization
compiling synchronization-windows
compiling synchronization-interprocess
synchronization-interprocess.ads:381:13: warning: intrinsic binding type mismatch on parameter 2 [enabled by default]
synchronization-interprocess.ads:381:13: warning: profile of "Compare_And_Swap" doesn't match the builtin it binds [enabled by default]
compiling synchronization-interprocess-mutexes
compiling synchronization-interprocess-generic_shared_object
compiling system_errno
compiling pcs_config
compiling pcs_zmq
compiling pcs_zlib
compiling pcs_transport
compiling s-rpc
compiling s-parint
s-parint.adb:428:56: warning: aspect Unreferenced specified for "Version" [enabled by default]
s-parint.adb:479:07: warning: use clause for type "Interfaces.Unsigned_64" has no effect [-gnatwu]
s-parint.adb:480:07: warning: use clause for type "System.Address" has no effect [-gnatwu]
compiling s-shasto
compiling s-dsaser
GARLIC RTS ready: /z/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts
```
I’ve copied `libz.a`, `libz.dll.a`, `libzmq.a` and `libzmq.dll.a` from MSYS2 to compiler location manually.
Running `build_echo.sh` generates object files but fails on link.
```ada
== building server_main.adb into obj-server (-gnatzr) ==
C:/Users/nicolas/AppData/Local/alire/cache/toolchains/gnat_native_16.1.0_bbd69633/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/16.1.0/../../../../x86_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: Z:/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts\adalib\s-parint.o:s-parint.adb:(.rdata$.refptr.__executable_start[.refptr.__executable_start]+0x0): undefined reference to `__executable_start'
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status
gnatlink: error when calling C:\Users\nicolas\AppData\Local\alire\cache\toolchains\gnat_native_16.1.0_bbd69633\bin\gcc.exe
```
Running `build_echo_gpr.sh` fails too.
**Note** : I have to manually add compiler and gpr paths in Alire prompt to be able to compile.
---
### Author:  [@charlie5](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/charlie5)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2026, 8:37am UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/12 "2026-08-06T08:37:53Z")
Hi DrPi,
Good news: nothing is broken — you just entered through a door that wasn’t the
entrance. Your report was genuinely useful, too: it led to several fixes that
are now released in **v1.5.0** , so the path you tried works out of the box.
**What happened**
`examples/echo/build_echo_gpr.sh` (and its sibling `build_echo.sh`) are
historical hand-driven scripts, kept as reference material documenting what
`pcs_gnatdist` automates. They expect the custom GARLIC runtime to already
exist at `build/garlic-rts` — and nothing you had run builds it
(`build_gnatdist.sh` deliberately uses the stock runtime). Hence the bare
`cd: ... No such file or directory`.
Since v1.5.0, thanks to your report:
- all the hand-driven example scripts print a friendly explanation (with the
two ways to fix it) instead of that bare error, and
- the echo example’s hand-written project files gained a Windows-specific
link fix (`Linker'Trailing_Switches`) — that would have been the _next_
error you hit. Both build paths of the echo example are now verified on
Windows 11.
**The supported path**
From Alire’s MSYS2 bash prompt (as you were), after updating to v1.5.0:
```sh
alr build # the repo is now an Alire workspace
# (equivalent: bash scripts/build_gnatdist.sh)
build/pcs_gnatdist examples/gd-echo/gd-echo.cfg
bash examples/gd-echo/run_gd.sh # -> result = 42, clean shutdown
```
`pcs_gnatdist` auto-builds the custom runtime (and the name server) on first
use — and since v1.5.0 it also rebuilds it automatically if you ever switch
Alire toolchains. (`alr install --prefix=` works too, if you prefer the
tools on your PATH.) If you still want the hand-driven echo scripts
afterwards — they are a nice way to _show_ what the tool automates — run
`bash scripts/build_rts.sh` first.
Going one step further: aDSA v1.5.0 has been submitted to the **Alire
community index** ([alire-index#2050](https://github.com/alire-project/alire-index/pull/2050),
checks green, awaiting review). Once it merges, no manual clone is needed at
all: `alr install adsa` is the simplest way to get the tools — it puts
`pcs_gnatdist` on your PATH (with the full tree, examples included, under
the prefix’s `share/adsa`) — while `alr get adsa` fetches a browsable
workspace right where you are, which is handy for exploring and adapting
the examples with your colleagues.
**Windows 11 documentation**
The README’s _Platforms → Windows_ section has the one-time setup, and §2 of
`docs/users-guide.md` the general flow. Short version (verified with Alire
gnat\_native 15.2.1 + gprbuild 26.0.1 on Windows 11):
1. from an MSYS2 shell: `pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-zeromq mingw-w64-x86_64-zlib`
2. copy `libzmq.dll.a` and `libz.a` from `mingw64/lib` into your Alire
toolchain’s `x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib/` — the Alire GNAT doesn’t search
`/mingw64/lib`, and the runtime build needs both
3. keep `mingw64/bin` on PATH at runtime, so the DLLs are found
4. drive everything from Alire’s MSYS2 bash (as you already do) — the
scripts and generated launchers are bash, not PowerShell
If the first `pcs_gnatdist` run fails around libzmq, it’s almost certainly
step 2. You can validate the whole setup with `bash scripts/verify_fork.sh` —
on Windows it scores 6/6 on both build paths (the dsa-json `-P` variant
additionally needs GNATCOLL installed).
**For the demo to your colleagues**
`gd-echo` is the minimal one; `dsa-bank` and `dsa-mailboxes` (from the
original PolyORB corpus) are realistic multi-partition apps; `racw-callback`
and `concurrent` show distributed callbacks and the server-side worker pool.
The users-guide walks through writing your own distributed application from
scratch — probably the best colleague-facing document.
Thanks again for the report — you’re the first outside user to exercise the
Windows path, and v1.5.0 is better for it.
---
### Author:  [@DrPi\_Work](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/DrPi_Work)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2026, 1:27pm UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/13 "2026-08-07T13:27:06Z")
Hi @charlie5 ,
Thanks for your answer.
Sorry to say that but it still does not compile on my machine.
Running `alr build` in a Alire prompt (powershell) is OK.
Running `build/pcs_gnatdist examples/gd-echo/gd-echo.cfg` fails :
```ada
PS Z:\ada\adsa> build/pcs_gnatdist examples/gd-echo/gd-echo.cfg
[pcs_gnatdist] building the name server / DSM / keygen ...
<3>WSL (10 - Relay) ERROR: CreateProcessCommon:640: execvpe(/bin/bash) failed: No such file or directory
runtime setup failed: command failed: bash Z:\ada\adsa/scripts/build_nameserver.sh
```
WSL interfere.
I’m not sure I run it in the correct prompt. When you say _From Alire’s MSYS2 bash prompt_, does it means a Alire’s prompt (powershell) or a MSYS2 prompt (MSYS2 installed by Alire) ?
I tried from a MSYS2 (Alire’s one) prompt but the compiler is not found, which is not surprising. I tried to add the compiler and gprbuild paths but this is not enough. There are still missing things but I guess this is not the way to go.
Edit :
To go further, I tried to run the command through Alire with `alr exec -- build/pcs_gnatdist examples/gd-echo/gd-echo.cfg` :
```ada
[pcs_gnatdist] building the PCS runtime (RTS) -- one-time / after src/pcs or toolchain changes ...
system adainclude : C:/Users/nicolas/AppData/Local/alire/cache/toolchains/gnat_native_15.2.1_346e2e00/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/15.2.0/adainclude
system adalib : C:/Users/nicolas/AppData/Local/alire/cache/toolchains/gnat_native_15.2.1_346e2e00/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/15.2.0/adalib
kazakov sources : /z/ada/adsa/third_party/simple_components (os-windows)
custom RTS : /z/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts
compiling strings_edit
compiling strings_edit-fields
compiling strings_edit-integer_edit
compiling strings_edit-integers
compiling strings_edit-quoted
compiling synchronization
compiling synchronization-windows
compiling synchronization-interprocess
synchronization-interprocess.ads:381:13: warning: intrinsic binding type mismatch on parameter 2 [enabled by default]
synchronization-interprocess.ads:381:13: warning: profile of "Compare_And_Swap" doesn't match the builtin it binds [enabled by default]
compiling synchronization-interprocess-mutexes
compiling synchronization-interprocess-generic_shared_object
compiling system_errno
compiling pcs_config
compiling pcs_zmq
compiling pcs_zlib
compiling pcs_transport
compiling s-rpc
compiling s-parint
s-parint.adb:4:06: warning: redundant with clause in body [-gnatwr]
s-parint.adb:7:06: warning: redundant with clause in body [-gnatwr]
s-parint.adb:8:06: warning: redundant with clause in body [-gnatwr]
s-parint.adb:444:56: warning: aspect Unreferenced specified for "Version" [enabled by default]
s-parint.adb:494:07: warning: use clause for type "System.Address" has no effect [-gnatwu]
s-parint.adb:494:07: warning: use clause for type "Interfaces.Unsigned_64" has no effect [-gnatwu]
compiling s-shasto
compiling s-dsaser
GARLIC RTS ready: /z/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts
[pcs_gnatdist] building the name server / DSM / keygen ...
gcc -c -IZ:/ada/adsa/src/nameserver/ --RTS=Z:/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts -I/z/ada/adsa/src/nameserver -fPIC -g -I- -o Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_nameserver.o Z:/ada/adsa/src/nameserver/pcs_nameserver.adb
gnatbind --RTS=Z:/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts -aI/z/ada/adsa/src/nameserver -aOZ:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj -x Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_nameserver.ali
gnatlink Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_nameserver.ali -fPIC -g -o Z:/ada/adsa/build/pcs_nameserver.exe -lzmq
built: /z/ada/adsa/build/pcs_nameserver
gcc -c -IZ:/ada/adsa/src/nameserver/ --RTS=Z:/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts -I/z/ada/adsa/src/nameserver -fPIC -g -I- -o Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_dsm.o Z:/ada/adsa/src/nameserver/pcs_dsm.adb
gnatbind --RTS=Z:/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts -aI/z/ada/adsa/src/nameserver -aOZ:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj -x Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_dsm.ali
gnatlink Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_dsm.ali -fPIC -g -o Z:/ada/adsa/build/pcs_dsm.exe -lzmq
built: /z/ada/adsa/build/pcs_dsm
gcc -c -IZ:/ada/adsa/src/nameserver/ --RTS=Z:/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts -I/z/ada/adsa/src/nameserver -fPIC -g -I- -o Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_keygen.o Z:/ada/adsa/src/nameserver/pcs_keygen.adb
gnatbind --RTS=Z:/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts -aI/z/ada/adsa/src/nameserver -aOZ:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj -x Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_keygen.ali
gnatlink Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_keygen.ali -fPIC -g -o Z:/ada/adsa/build/pcs_keygen.exe -lzmq
built: /z/ada/adsa/build/pcs_keygen
gcc -c -IZ:/ada/adsa/src/nameserver/ --RTS=Z:/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts -I/z/ada/adsa/src/nameserver -fPIC -g -I- -o Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_ctl.o Z:/ada/adsa/src/nameserver/pcs_ctl.adb
gnatbind --RTS=Z:/ada/adsa/build/garlic-rts -aI/z/ada/adsa/src/nameserver -aOZ:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj -x Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_ctl.ali
gnatlink Z:\ada\adsa\build\nameserver-obj\pcs_ctl.ali -fPIC -g -o Z:/ada/adsa/build/pcs_ctl.exe -lzmq
built: /z/ada/adsa/build/pcs_ctl
== partition Server_Partition ==
gcc -c --RTS=Z:\ada\adsa/build/garlic-rts -fPIC -g -gnatzr -Iexamples/gd-echo -Iexamples/gd-echo/bin/obj-server_partition -o examples/gd-echo/bin/obj-server_partition/echo.o examples/gd-echo/echo.adb
gnatmake -m --RTS=Z:\ada\adsa/build/garlic-rts -fPIC -g -aIexamples/gd-echo -aIexamples/gd-echo/bin/obj-server_partition -D examples/gd-echo/bin/obj-server_partition -o examples/gd-echo/bin/server_partition examples/gd-echo/bin/obj-server_partition/server_partition.adb -largs -fPIC -lzmq
gnatbind --RTS=Z:\ada\adsa/build/garlic-rts -aIexamples/gd-echo -aIexamples/gd-echo/bin/obj-server_partition -aOZ:\ada\adsa\examples\gd-echo\bin\obj-server_partition -x Z:\ada\adsa\examples\gd-echo\bin\obj-server_partition\server_partition.ali
gnatlink Z:\ada\adsa\examples\gd-echo\bin\obj-server_partition\server_partition.ali -fPIC -g -o examples/gd-echo/bin/server_partition.exe -fPIC -lzmq
C:/Users/nicolas/AppData/Local/alire/cache/toolchains/gnat_native_15.2.1_346e2e00/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/15.2.0/../../../../x86_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: Z:\ada\adsa/build/garlic-rts\adalib\s-parint.o:s-parint.adb:(.rdata$.refptr.__executable_start[.refptr.__executable_start]+0x0): undefined reference to `__executable_start'
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status
gnatlink: error when calling C:\Users\nicolas\AppData\Local\alire\cache\toolchains\gnat_native_15.2.1_346e2e00\bin\gcc.exe
gnatmake: *** link failed.
build error: command failed: gnatmake -m --RTS=Z:\ada\adsa/build/garlic-rts -fPIC -g -aIexamples/gd-echo -aIexamples/gd-echo/bin/obj-server_partition -D examples/gd-echo/bin/obj-server_partition -o examples/gd-ech
ERROR: Command ["build/pcs_gnatdist", "examples/gd-echo/gd-echo.cfg"] exited with code 1
```
---
### Author:  [@charlie5](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/charlie5)
#### Post date: [August 8, 2026, 7:13am UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/14 "2026-08-08T07:13:10Z")
Hi @DrPi_Work,
Thanks for persisting. My testing under Windows was clearly less than adequate
… sorry about that. Both problems you mention should now be fixed and are released as
‘v1.5.1’. The Alire community index is being updated to ‘v1.5.1’ as well (in review as I
write this), so `alr index --update-all` followed by `alr get adsa` might be simplest by
the time you read this.
**The link failure (`undefined reference to __executable_start`)** should no longer occur.
Regarding **Your prompt question — Alire PowerShell vs MSYS2 bash**
`alr exec -- build/pcs_gnatdist examples/gd-echo/gd-echo.cfg` from the
Alire (PowerShell) prompt is the way … `alr exec` puts both the toolchain
_and_ Alire’s MSYS2 tools (including a real `bash`) on PATH for the child
process. A bare PowerShell call instead resolves `bash` to the **WSL relay
stub in System32** … that’s the cause of your `execvpe(/bin/bash) failed` error;
WSL wasn’t interfering so much as being wrongly volunteered by PATH.
`pcs_gnatdist` now detects that stub and tells you what to do instead of
dying cryptically. The README’s Windows section now documents the
`alr exec` form.
(The MSYS2-bash route you tried also works, but needs the toolchain paths
prepended manually — both the `gnat_native_*/bin` and `gprbuild_*/bin`
toolchain dirs plus `/mingw64/bin` for the DLLs at runtime. `alr exec` does
all of that for you, so I’d stay with it.)
So, after pulling:
```ada
alr exec -- build/pcs_gnatdist examples/gd-echo/gd-echo.cfg
alr exec -- bash examples/gd-echo/run_gd.sh # -> result = 42
```
I also cleaned up a few compile warnings.
Thanks again for reporting … Windows is not my main OS, so I guess I’m hitting a
few teething problems.
Regards,
Rod.
---
### Author:  [@DrPi](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/DrPi)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/15 "2026-08-09T19:38:54Z")
Hi @charlie5 ,
Third try and… Success !!!
I’ve been able to build and run the gd-echo example on my home PC running Windows 11. I have no doubt I’ll be able to reproduce it at work.
I’ve also been able to build and run gd-echo on a RaspberryPi running the official Raspian distribution.
I’ll have questions about how to use aDSA in real world. I have to think about it before asking.
Thanks a lot for your hard work on aDSA.
Regards,
Nicolas
---
### Author:  [@OneWingedShark](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/OneWingedShark)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2026, 8:26pm UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/16 "2026-08-09T20:26:31Z")
> [@charlie5](#):
>
> historical hand-driven scripts, kept as reference material documenting what
A little organizational suggestion: perhaps inside the `doc` subdirectory, put a `history.ref` subdirectory, move those scripts there, and generate a “`Readme.txt`” listing the files and their significance.
I have found, at least for my own projects, that making use of a `doc` subdirectory for reference material helps immensely (mainly so I don’t have to hunt the file, and so I can rename it to something sensible instead of having to use the uninformative original filename).
---
### Author:  [@charlie5](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/charlie5)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2026, 7:30am UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/17 "2026-08-10T07:30:55Z")
Ah, 3rd time’s the charm, then 🙂 . Glad it is now working ok.
Feel free to ask q’s or provide any other feedback. Always welcome.
---
### Author:  [@charlie5](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/charlie5)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2026, 7:34am UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/18 "2026-08-10T07:34:20Z")
I’ve categorised related examples into their own sub-folders and added a README listing each example and it’s significance. Much tidier now. Thanks for the tip.
---
### Author:  [@DrPi\_Work](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/DrPi_Work)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/19 "2026-08-12T15:21:01Z")
Hi,
I’m trying to determine if aDSA is suitable for my use case.
I did not had time to deep investigate aDSA functionalities so I might ask dumb questions. Sorry for that.
If I understands things correctly, in a distributed system, there are at least 3 processes. One for the server, one for the client and one for the name server. The server process and the client process communicate directly. The server process also communicates with the name server process. The client process also communicates with the name server process.
It is not clear to me what’s the name server function.
In a “static” configuration (like machines in a factory), all IP addresses are fixed and known. The launch script is easy to configure.
My use case is to control testing equipments from a Windows PC. Say, the testing equipments are oscilloscopes (this is not the case but the analogy is correct).
The testing equipments controlled by a PC are dynamically discovered (using mDNS ?) and the user selects the ones he wants to control, so the IP addresses are not “statically” known.
This implies that the aDSA processes must be launched after a discovery phase. Right ?
On the network, there can be more than one PC controlling testing equipments. Each PC controls its own testing equipments. This should not a problem if we take care of no overlap (two PCs trying to control the same testing equipment). Right ?
The PC may control two testing equipments. This implies the server process and the name server process must be located on the PC. Right ?
What about the software version running on the PC and the testing equipments ? How is the compatibility between the server process and the client process enforced ?
Regards,
Nicolas
---
### Author:  [@dmitry-kazakov](https://forum.ada-lang.io/u/dmitry-kazakov)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2026, 4:09pm UTC](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548/20 "2026-08-12T16:09:23Z")
> [@DrPi\_Work](#):
>
> I’m trying to determine if aDSA is suitable for my use case
Please, give it a try? just in order to provide a feedback: use cases, missed features, bugs etc.
> [@DrPi\_Work](#):
>
> If I understands things correctly, in a distributed system, there are at least 3 processes. One for the server, one for the client and one for the name server.
A discovery is typically made by UDP broadcast. Technically you can use single Ada task for all communications. (Ada middleware works this way).
> [@DrPi\_Work](#):
>
> This implies that the aDSA processes must be launched after a discovery phase. Right ?
Not necessary. It depends on the design. When using asynchronous sockets (epoll / socket select) the communication can be a single task or a pool of tasks.
> [@DrPi\_Work](#):
>
> What about the software version running on the PC and the testing equipments ?
That is no problem with the middleware and might be an issue with DSA in the part that relies on stream attributes. Stream attributes are non-portable. I see no way to override them in present standard. But if stream attributes get overridden, then the implementation can take care of both portability and versioning. E.g. objects can be made extendable if you have a packet with the total number of object’s stream elements. The unrecognized tail can be ignored (upward compatibility), the missed part can be filled with defaults (downward compatibility).
[Next page](https://forum.ada-lang.io/t/ann-adsa-1-3-0-zeromq-backed-annex-e-dsa-runtime-for-gnat-now-runs-on-windows-and-freebsd/4548.md?page=2)