[comp.unix] X-windows manual/hints

bh11+@andrew.cmu.edu (Braddock John Hathaway) (10/15/89)

As some of you may recall from an earlier post on these two bboards,
I'm doing a project for an information systems course that deals
with graphics on UNIX systems.  I have just received word from my
professor that we can indeed assume that each system that my product
must be able to port to will already have X-windows.  In light of
this revelation, I have a question:

Does anybody out there have advice about what book(s) I should go out
and buy (or borrow from our library) regarding interfacing with the
X-window system from a C program?  Does anybody have any advice period?

I'm SUPPOSED to start prototyping soon.  I'd appreciate any help I
can get.

--Brad

howard@aic.dpl.scg.hac.com (Mike Howard (213)317-5690) (10/27/89)

In article <3498@zorba.Tynan.COM> bh11+@andrew.cmu.edu (Braddock John Hathaway) writes:
>Does anybody out there have advice about what book(s) I should go out
>and buy (or borrow from our library) regarding interfacing with the
>X-window system from a C program?  Does anybody have any advice period?

Douglas Young's book is the best reference to the X toolkit.  It does 
use HP widgets, which aren't in the main distribution, so if you don't
see them on your system, look in "contrib" for Xhp.  

Young, "X Window Systems, Programming & Applications with Xt", Prentice-
Hall, NJ, 1989. 

There is an earlier book by Oliver Jones called "Intro to the X Window
System".  It is good for reference into the lower level Xlib stuff.

You want to program using the toolkits as much as possible.  They are
higher level, and make life much simpler.  However, drawing in a window
will require calls to Xlib.  I keep both books at my side.

Mike Howard  howard@aic.hrl.hac.com

orlando@quanta.eng.ohio-state.edu (Orlando Sprockel) (11/27/89)

In article <3498@zorba.Tynan.COM>, bh11+@andrew.cmu.edu (Braddock John Hathaway) writes:
> As some of you may recall from an earlier post on these two bboards,
> I'm doing a project for an information systems course that deals
> with graphics on UNIX systems.  I have just received word from my
> professor that we can indeed assume that each system that my product
> must be able to port to will already have X-windows.  In light of
> this revelation, I have a question:
> 
> Does anybody out there have advice about what book(s) I should go out
> and buy (or borrow from our library) regarding interfacing with the
> X-window system from a C program?  Does anybody have any advice period?
> 
> I'm SUPPOSED to start prototyping soon.  I'd appreciate any help I
> can get.
> 
> --Brad


Some time back I have asked for a list of X-window manuals, I got quite of
a list back. I have put some together; there may be some duplicates in
the list.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
	_Introduction to the X Window System_ by Oliver Jones, Prentice Hall

		Fairly good background to the X protocol
		Nice Discussion of Xlib, the X library.

	_X Window Systems  Programming and Applications with Xt_,
	   Douglas A. Young, Prentice Hall

		Reasonable overall background to X protocol, nice introduction
		Best general discussion of Xt (widgets/intrinsics) I found
		Scarce for Xlib, but it does give what you NEED for widgets

	_X Window System  C Library and Protocol Reference_,
	   Robert W. Scheifler, James Gettys, and Ron Newman, Digital Press

		I've not really READ this one, so I don't know what it
		  says overall, but it is a GOOD reference for quick 
		  "I want to know this" type things.


1.  O'Reilly and Associates (Nutshell Publishing, 1-800-338-NUTS) publish
    a three-volume set: Xlib Programming Manual, Xlib Reference Manual, and
    X Window System User's Guide.  I've used them a bit, they're good.

2.  Doug Young's book "X Window Systems Programming and Applications".  It
    covers programming issues.  I have this on order from Derby -- they will
    get several in when mine comes in, you could call them and reserve one of
    the copies they will receive (hopefully soon).

The Young book's title is 

	X Window Systems Programming and Applications with Xt

*X Window System*, by Scheifler, Gettys & Newman, DEC Press
	The bible on X, included with the official X11R3 tape from
	MIT.  This is the most complete published description of X
	programming interface (Xlib) and X protocol, other than the
	source code.
	Price $55.00      Acknowledge-To: <ENGP9043@NUSVM>
	ISBN 1-55558-012-2.  DP order number EY-6737E-DP.  
	Address 12 Crosby Drive, Bedford, MA.  c. 1988.

*Introduction to the X Window System*, by Jones, Prentice-Hall
	Not as complete as the above, but includes lots of excellent
	material on beginning and advanced X programming techniques.
	ISBN 0-13-499997-5 $27.95
	
"the O'Reilly books", by Nye and others, O'Reilly & Associates  $60.00
	I - XLIB System Programming manual   ISBN 0-937175-26-9.  
	II- XLIB Reference Manual            ISBN 0-937175-27-7.  
	III X Window User's Guide	     ISBN 0-937175-29-3.  

        They do include lots of good "intro to window systems" and
	basic user-level stuff, though, so they're good for novice
	programmers and non-programmer users.  Call 800-338-NUTS
    
"The X Window System: Applications and Programming with Xt" by Douglas Young
	this book is supposed to be a fairly comprehensive tutorial on
	both Xt and Xlib. *Many* people recommend it.  ISBN
	0-13-972167-3 Prentice-Hall ordering is 201-767-5937.

"X Window Applications Programming" by Johnson and Reichard
	ISBN 1-55828-016-2  MIS Press Portland OR (503) 282-5215
         a *good* book at the C level.