vlv@drux1.UUCP (Vaughn Vernon) (04/30/85)
I'm in need of the following information about graphics drivers and libraries for VDI (Virtual Device Interface): 1. Is DRI's GEM (Graphics Environment Manager) Programmer Tool Kit a decent product for VDI. Is it fast? 1.1. Can you break up DRI's package and just use the device interface and 'C' bindings or must you OEM the whole package just to use the VDI for graphics? 2. Are the 'C' bindings libraries included and the VDI driver the same as or compatable with GSS's? DRI once did business with GSS. 3. GSS's (Graphics Software Systems) bindings and drives are available on the AT&T Unix PC (7300), are they available for the 6300 or IBM PC and compatables. 3.1. Does GSS Bindings come with source? 4. Phone number and address for GSS. 5. Does anyone know of a VDI which is upgradable from [MS|PC]DOS to Unix and Xenix for graphics, plotters, printers and mice? 6. Any price information as well as OEM details would be helpful. 7. What 'C' compilers are supported? Is 'C' and ASM source included? DRI includes 'C' bindings source. 8. Do any of these do 3D and or rotation of objects? 9. Ohhhhhhhhhh yeh! how about that nasty word ..... documentation! Thanks in advance, Vaughn Vernon AT&T ISL Denver, CO drux1!vlv "It is easier to ask forgiveness than for permission"
skinner@saber.UUCP (Robert Skinner) (05/20/85)
> I'm in need of the following information about graphics drivers and > libraries for VDI (Virtual Device Interface): > Here's some info about what I learned working with DRI's VDI package (no GEM) last year at another company: > 1.1. Can you break up DRI's package and just use the device > interface and 'C' bindings or must you OEM the whole > package just to use the VDI for graphics? > DRI's VDI package is available seperately. I wish I could remember the product name, but I just went completely blank. > 2. Are the 'C' bindings libraries included and the VDI driver > the same as or compatable with GSS's? DRI once did > business with GSS. > C bindings are not included with DRI's product, they are a separate package. I would not recommend DRI's "bindings", I think they are a complete rip-off and virtually useless, here's why: The VDI interface is just a pointer to an array of five pointers. These five pointers point to a control array, and integer and real arrays for input and output. All of the information for the function wanted is in the control array, and info for, say a polyline is in the integer input array. The ONLY thing in DRI's binding is ONE 'C' routine with the first pointer as an arguement. In other words, the programmer is still faced with building up the structures needed for the DOS call. The really iritating thing about this is that there is a BDOS call builtin to DRI's 'C' language, which does exactly the same thing, no less. What you really want 'C' call for each function that looks something like: v_pline( number_of_points, x_array, y_array ) to do a polyline. Then let the binding set up the silly data sturcture I know you don't want to worry about. This is what GSS's bindings do. A word about the DRI-GSS relationship: As I understand the folklore, DRI's VDI was done by GSS for DRI. The two companies parted ways when the product was barely done. To my knowledge, DRI has not expanded or fleshed out the product, because they are in the operating systems business. GSS on the other hand has evolved the product, since it is the foundation for their entire product line. For example, there is absolutely no error checking in DRI's VDI, whereas GSS does have error checking, at least at the binding level. And, GSS has a real binding. > > 4. Phone number and address for GSS. 25117 SW Parkway PO Box 673 Wilsonville, OR 97070 503-682-1606 > > 5. Does anyone know of a VDI which is upgradable from [MS|PC]DOS > to Unix and Xenix for graphics, plotters, printers and > mice? GSS runs under Unix > > > 8. Do any of these do 3D and or rotation of objects? Not to my knowledge, but I know that GSS is working on 3D-GKS (3KS). > > 9. Ohhhhhhhhhh yeh! how about that nasty word ..... documentation! > GSS gets my strong vote here too. Robert Skinner Saber Technology San Jose, CA
tsc2597@acf4.UUCP (Sam Chin) (05/23/85)
<> In general, I agree that the GSS VDI is much more comprehensive than the DRI VDI and the documentation is superior. The cost of the GSS VDI is much much more than DRI's though (hundreds vs thousands of dollars) and there are royalties. It is true that the bindings for DRI's VDI are quite crummy but they have some demonstration files which have examples of most everything you want to know. I just converted some of the demo's and interfaced it to a 3D device independent package I had written and had ported a business graphics package to GSX/GEM in a few hours. It is also simple to write bindings for non DRI languages as I did for Microsoft Pascal. In general I think the GSX/GEM programmers toolkit cannot be beat for the price. Sam Chin allegra!cmcl2!acf4!tsc2597 tsc2597.acf4@nyu.ARPA