xug@lta.com (X User's Group) (05/30/91)
[Last changed: 29 May 91]
This article contains the third of four parts of a set of answers to some
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) often seen in comp.windows.x.
It is posted to help reduce volume in this newsgroup and to provide
hard-to-find information of general interest.
Please redistribute this article!
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Subject: 61) Where can I get an X server with a touchscreen or lightpen?
Labtam offers a 19" Surface Acoustic Wave touch-screen option on its
Xengine terminals.
Tektronix (1-800-225-5434) provides an X terminal with the Xtouch
touch-screen. This terminal may also be resold through Trident Systems
(703-273-1012).
[1/91]
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Subject: 62)* Where can I get an X server on a PC?
AGE (619-565-7373) offers the XoftWare TIGA.
PC DECWindows 3.0 is an MS-DOS application that turns your PC into an
X11R4 terminal. It supports DECnet and TCP/IP. Available from DEC.
[Dennis Giokas (giokas@mosaic.enet.dec.com), 3/91]
HP (800-752-0900) has the "HP Accelerated X Window Display Server"
(HP AXDS/PC; HP part D2300B) which will run on any AT-class DOS machine with
640KB, MSDOS 3.1 or higher, and the HP Intelligent Graphics Controller 10 card,
to which the X11R3-based server is downloaded (avoiding performance-limitations
from PC RAM-size and processor speed). [from John Kempff (kempff@hppad.hp.com),
3/90]
Hummingbird Communications (Canada 416-470-1203) produces the
HCL-eXceed and HCL-eXceed Plus for EGA, VGA, and VGA+ controllers.
Information Network Solutions also offers a product called HCL-eXceed
for the *86. The fax is 02-4122079 inside Australia, 612-4122079 from overseas.
Integrated Inference Machines (714-978-6201 or -6776) is shipping
X11/AT, an X server that runs under MS-windows. The server converts an IBM-AT
into an X terminal which can simultaneously run MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows
applications.
Intelligent Decisions, Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA: 408-734-3730)
IBM is rumored to offer a product; part #5709-029.
Locus Computing (800-955-6287; CA: 213-670-6500; UK: +44 296 89911) has
a server called PC-Xsight which also appears in Acer's X terminal.
Metro Link Inc. (+1-305-566-9586, sales@metrolink.com; in Europe contact
ADNT, (33 1) 3956 5333) ships an implementation of X11R4 for the 386/486 Unix
market.
Pericom's TeemTalk-X for IBM clones allows toggling between X and DOS.
Information: +44 (0908) 560022. [5/90]
DESQview/X from Quarterdeck (213-392-9851; 213-399-3802 FAX)
incorporates X into the DESQview multi-tasking DOS environment.
SpectraGraphics/GSS (503-641-2200) makes PC-Xview, an
MSDOS-based X server which interfaces with PC/TCP Plus networking software from
FTP Software and Excelan's LAN WorkPlace for DOS. The server works with
(a) 286, 386, 486 (b) EGA, VGA, DGIS displays. (c) DOS 3.2 and above
(d) Microsoft, Logitech, Mouse Systems Mice (e) 640k memory up to 16 MB memory
[the PC-Xview/16 is available for PCs with extended memory].
StarNet Communications (408-739-0881 Fax-739-0936) makes MicroX, an X server
that runs on MS-DOS. MicroX has TCP/IP built-in and will work with any ethernet
card that has a driver that conforms to the PC/TCP Packet Driver Specification,
video drivers for the most common cards and 256-color mode on most super VGA
cards. Information: Contact Larry Wible <larry@starnet.com>.
VisionWare's XVision is a Microsoft Windows-based X server which allows
an IBM-compatible PC or PS/2 to display X clients running on a networked
computer at the same time as local DOS programs. VisionWare is at 612-377-3627
or vision@vware.mn.org (UK: +44 532 788858 and vware@vision.uucp).
Xinetron (CA 408-727-5509) offers a 286- and 286-based PC
preconfigured with X server. The Xinet X-Station offers a maximum of 8 clients.
Xnth is an implementation of X11 R4 which runs on AT-bus PCs running
DOS 3.3 or higher. It currently supports 1280X1024 or 1024X768 resolution
monitors at 256 colors (out of 16M) with hardware accelleration for graphics
and text operations. It currently utilizes a TCP/IP byte stream over Ethernet.
Information: Jerry Norman, Nth Graphics, Ltd., 1-800-624-7552.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 63) Where can I get an X server on a Macintosh running MacOS?
eXodus from White Pine Software (603-886-9050) runs on any Mac with
at least 1MB of memory and runs the X server within a standard Macintosh
window. eXodus II uses the math co-processor and other features of high-end
Macs. [info current as of 6/89] Version 2.0 supports DECWindows colors, fonts,
and cursors, and session management, and supports color and multiple screens.
[5/90]
Apple's MacX runs on MacPlus or newer machines with >= 2MB of memory
and system software 6.0.4 or later. Version 1.1 is fully X11R4-based. It
supports full ICCCM-compatible cut and paste of text AND graphics between the
Macintosh and X11 worlds, the SHAPE extension (including SHAPEd windows on the
Macintosh desktop), an optional built-in ICCCM-compliant window manager, X11R4
fonts and colors, a built-in BDF font compiler, and built-in standard colormaps.
[courtesy Alan Mimms (alan@apple.com], 2/91] "X for the rest of us."
[Note: MacX is also the name of a vax-mac xmodem transfer utility.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 64) Where can I get X for the Amiga?
The new Amiga 3000 machines offer an X server and OPEN LOOK tools and
libraries on a full SVR4 implementation.
GfxBase, Inc. provides "X11 R3.5" for the AmigaDos computer; it contains
X11R4 clients, fonts, etc., and a Release 3 server. An optional programmer's
toolkit includes the header files, libraries, and sample programs. Info from
GfxBase, 408-262-1469. [Dale Luck (amiga!boing!dale@bloom-beacon.mit.edu); 2/91]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 65) Where can I get a fast X server for a workstation?
The R4 server should be among the fastest available for most machines.
The "Purdue" speedups significantly speed up the X11R3 server. Look on
export.lcs.mit.edu:contrib/Purdue.2.[01]-tar.Z. (You'll also need gcc.)
International Quest Corporation (408-988-8289) has an optimized R3
server for Sun3/4/386i under SunOS 4.0 and also an optimized R4 server.
Unipalm XTech (+44 954 211244) makes several R3-based and R4-based
tuned servers, most notably for Sun 3 and Sun 4. (Note: the original work
was inherited from Torch Technology.)
Xgraph's Xtool (408-492-9031) is an X server implemented in SunView
which boasts impressive results on Sun 3 and SPARC systems. [6/90]
Several companies are making hardware accellerator boards:
Dupont Pixel Systems (302-992-6911), for Sun.
Megatek's (619-455-5590) X-cellerator board for the Sun 3 and Sun 4 is
based on the TI 34020; the company claims performance improvements of 5x to
10x over the sample X11R3 server.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 66) Where can I get a server for my high-end Sun graphics board?
Takahashi Naoto of the University of Tsukuba (ntakahas@is.tsukuba.ac.jp)
posted a set of diffs to the MIT X11R4 server to support the Sun CG8 and CG9
boards. These are available in the comp.sources.x archives for October 1990 and
from alw.nih.gov (128.231.128.251) in pub/cg9_cg8.tar.Z. Version 1.2 of
the "Xsun24" server became available 3/91 and offers faster speed and
DirectColor support. Note that the CG12 is not yet supported.
[thanks to John Powell (jip@alw.nih.gov)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 67) Where can I get an "X terminal" server for my low-end Sun 3/50?
Seth Robertson (seth@ctr.columbia.edu) has written Xkernel; the current
version [1.2 gamma as of 3/91, 2.0 expected RSN] is on sol.ctr.columbia.edu
[128.59.64.40] in /pub/Xkernel.gamma. It turns a Sun 3/50 into a pseudo- X
terminal; most of the overhead of the operating system is side-stepped, so it
is fairly fast and needs little disk space.
A similar approach is to run the regular X server by making /etc/init
a shell script which does the minimal setup and then invokes Xsun, like this
script from mouse@lightning.mcrcim.mcgill.EDU:
#! /bin/sh
exec >/dev/console 2>&1
/etc/fsck -p /dev/nd0
case $? in
0) ;;
4) /etc/reboot -q -n
;;
8) echo ND fsck failed - get help
/etc/halt
;;
12) echo Interrupted
/etc/reboot
;;
*) echo Unknown error in reboot fsck - get help
/etc/halt
;;
esac
/bin/dd if=/tmp-fs of=/dev/nd2 bs=512 count=128 >/dev/null 2>&1
/etc/mount /dev/nd2 /tmp
/etc/ifconfig le0 netmask 255.255.255.0 broadcast 132.206.41.255
/etc/mount -o ro apollo:/u2/x11/lib /local/lib/X11
/etc/route add default 132.206.41.1 1 >/dev/null
set `/etc/ifconfig le0`
exec /Xsun -once -multidisp -mux -query `(sh -vn </local/lib/X11/xdm-servers/$2 2>&1)`
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 68)* What terminal emulators other than xterm are available?
PCS has rewritten xterm from scratch using a multi-widget approach that
can be used by applications. The *alpha* distribution is available [1/91] on
export in contrib/emu.tar.Z. More information is available from
emu@pcsbst.pcs.com.
kterm 4.1.2 is an X11R4-based vt100/vt102 (and Tektronix 4014) terminal
emulator that supports display of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean text (in VT
mode). Also supported are: ANSI color sequences, multi-byte word selection,
limited Compound Text support, and tab and newline preservation in selections.
kterm 4.1.2 is also available from these anonymous ftp sites:
clr.nmsu.edu:pub/misc/kterm-4.1.2.tar.Z [128.123.1.14]
export.lcs.mit.edu:contrib/kterm-4.1.2.tar.Z [18.30.0.238]
kum.kaist.ac.kr:pub/unix/Xstuffs/kterm-4.1.2.tar.Z [137.68.1.65]
[courtesy of Mark Leisher <mleisher@nmsu.edu> ]
mterm, by mouse@lightning.McRCIM.McGill.EDU, is an X terminal emulator
which includes DEC emulation modes. It is probably available on 132.206.1.1.
Also:
Century Software (801-268-3088) sells a VT220 terminal emulator for X.
VT102, Wyse 50 and SCO Color Console emulation are also available.
Grafpoint's TGRAF-X provides emulation of the Tektronix 41xx and 42xx
series. Information: 408-446-1919. [5/90]
IXI's X.deskterm, a package for integrating character-based
applications into an X environment, includes a number of terminal-emulation
modules. Information: +44 (0223) 462131. [5/90]
Pericom produces Teem-X, a set of several emulation packages for a
number of Tek, DEC, Westward, and Data General terminals. The software runs on
Sun 3, Sun 4, Apollo, DEC, ISC, IBM/AIX. Information: US: 609-895-0404,
UK: +44 (0908) 560022. [5/90]
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Subject: 69)* Where can I obtain an X-based editor or word-processor?
You can ftp the latest version of emacs, including X11 support, from
prep.ai.mit.edu [18.71.0.38]. The file you probably want is
~ftp/pub/gnu/emacs-18.55.tar.Z, or similarly-named files.
Epoch is a modified version of Gnu Emacs with additional facilities
useful in an X environment. Current sources are on cs.uiuc.edu (128.174.252.1)
in ~ftp/pub/epoch-files/epoch; the current [2/91] version is 3.2. [In Europe,
try unido.informatik.uni-dortmund.de]. There are two subdirectories: epoch
contains the epoch source, and gwm contains the source to the programmable
window manager GWM, with which epoch works well. You can get on the Epoch
mailing list by sending a request to epoch-request@cs.uiuc.edu.
The Andrew system on the X11R4 tape has been described as one of the
best word-processing packages available. It supports word processing with
multi-media embedded objects: rasters, tables/spread sheets, drawings, style
editor, application builder, embedded programming language, &c.
[Fred Hansen (wjh+@ANDREW.CMU.EDU)]
The InterViews 3.0-beta C++ toolkit contains a WYSIWIG editor called
Doc; it saves and loads files in a LaTeX-*like* format (not quite LaTeX). The
package can also import idraw-PostScript drawings.
In addition:
Elan Computer Group (Mountain View, CA; 415-964-2200) has announced the
Avalon Publisher, an X11/OPEN LOOK WYSIWYG electronic publishing system.
FrameMaker and FrameWriter are available as X-based binary products for
several machines. Frame is at 800-843-7263 (CA: 408-433-3311).
WX2 (formerly InDepthEdit) is available from Non Standard Logics
(+33 (1) 43 36 77 50; requests@nsl.fr).
Buzzwords International Inc. has an editor called 'Professional Edit'
that runs under X/Motif for various platforms. Info: +1-314-334-6317.
DECwrite is available from DEC for some DEC hardware and SunWrite is
available from Sun.
IslandWrite will soon be available from Island Graphics (415-491-1000)
for some HP & Apollo platforms.
Interleaf is currently available from Interleaf (800-241-7700,
MA: 617-577-9800) on all Sun and DEC platforms; others are under development.
The Alis and Asterix office-productivity tools from Applix
(1-800-8APPLIX, MA: 508-870-0300) include a multi-font WYSIWG document
composer; for several systems.
ArborText, Inc. provides an X11 version of its Electronic Publishing
program called "The Publisher". The Publisher is available on Sun, HP and
Apollo workstations. Contact Arbortext at 313-996-3566. [5/90]
Iris Computing Laboratories (615-886-3429) makes the "ie" editor.
BBN/Slate from BBN Software Products includes a menu-driven word
processor with multiple fonts and style sheets. It supports X on
multiple platforms. (617-873-5000 or slate-offer@bbn.com) [11/90]
The powerful "sam" editor by Rob Pike is split into a host portion and
a front-end graphics portion, which now has an X implementation. Sam is
available from the AT&T Toolchest; additional X support is available from Doug
Gwyn (gwyn@brl.mil). [1/91]
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Subject: 70)* Where can I obtain an X-based paint/draw program?
xpic is an object-oriented drawing program. It supports multiple font
styles and sizes and variable line widths; there are no rotations or zooms.
xpic is quite suitable as an interactive front-end to pic, though the
xpic-format produced can be converted into PostScript. (The latest version is
on the R4 contrib tape in clients/xpic.)
xfig is an object-oriented drawing program supporting compound objects.
The text-handling is limited. The xfig-format can be converted in PostScript or
other formats. One version is on the R4 contrib tape in clients/xfig; it is one
of the several 'xfig' programs which several groups independently developed
parallel versions of from the R3 xfig.
idraw 2.5 supports numerous fonts and various line styles and arbitrary
rotations. It supports zoom and scroll and color draws and fills. The file
format is a PostScript dialect. On the R4 tape; see also
interviews-request@interviews.stanford.edu.
[courtesy Jim Helman (jim@kaos.Stanford.EDU) 7/89]
A new OpenWindows PostScript-based graphical editor named 'ice' is now
[2/91] available for anonymous ftp from Internet host lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu
(129.236.10.30). ice (Image Composition Environment) is an imaging tool that
allows raster images to be combined with a wide variety of PostScript
annotations in WYSIWYG fashion via X11 imaging routines and NeWS PostScript
rasterizing. It may require OpenWindows 2.0 and Sun C++ 2.0.
tgif is available from most uucp sites and is frequently updated.
In addition:
dxpaint is a bitmap-oriented drawing program most like MacPaint; it's
good for use by artists but commonly held to be bad for drawing figures or
drafting. dxpaint is part of the Ultrix 3.x release.
FrameMaker has some draw capabilities. [4/90]
ArborText (313-996-3566) offers PubDraw, an X11-based drawing program,
on Sun, HP and Apollo workstations.
BBN/Slate from BBN Software Products includes a full-featured draw and
paint program with object grouping and multiple patterns; multiple X platforms.
(617-873-5000 or slate-offer@bbn.com). [11/90]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 71) Where can I obtain an X-based plotting program?
These are mostly available from uucp sites such as uunet or other sites as
marked.
gnuplot X (xplot), PostScript and a bunch of other drivers.
cs.duke.edu:/dist/sources/gnuplot/gnuplot2.02.tar.Z [128.109.140.1]
monu1.cc.monash.edu.au:/pub/gnuplot2.02.tar.Z [130.194.1.101]
irisa.irisa.fr:/pub/gnuplot2.02.tar.Z [131.254.2.3]
comp.sources.misc/volume8
gl_plot X output only [?]
comp.sources.unix/volume18
graph+
yallara.cs.rmit.oz.au:/pub/graph+.tar.Z [131.170.24.42]
comp.sources.unix/volume8
pdraw,drawplot 2D and 3D X,PS
scam.berkeley.edu:/src/local/3dplot.tar.Z [128.32.138.1]
scam.berkeley.edu:/src/local/contour.tar.Z [128.32.138.1]
scam.berkeley.edu:/src/local/drawplot.tar.Z [128.32.138.1]
uunet:~ftp/contrib/drawplot.tar.Z
xgraph plot, zoom. Outputs PS or HPGL.
shambhala.berkeley.edu:/pub/xgraph-11.tar.Z [128.32.132.54]
sun1.ruf.uni-freiburg.de:X11/contrib/xgraph-11.tar.Z [132.230.1.1]
nisc.jvnc.net:pub/xgraph-11.tar.Z [128.121.50.7]
comp.sources.x/volume3
or many other sites
xvgr An XView xgraph++ program.
sun.soe.clarkson.edu:pub/src/xvgr-1.06alpha.tar.Z [128.153.12.3]
uvax.rrz.uni-koeln.de:pub/windows/xcontrib/xvgr-1.06alpha.tar.Z
[2/91. Thanks to:
emv@ox.com (Ed Vielmetti) ; geoff@Veritas.COM (Geoffrey Leach) ;
Paul A. Scowen (uk1@spacsun.rice.edu) ; black@beno.CSS.GOV (Mike Black)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 72) Where can I obtain an X-based spreadsheet?
Vendor Product Phone
------ ------- -----
Access Technology 20/20 (508) 655-9191
Informix WingZ (800) 331-1763
Quality Software Products Q-Calc/eXclaim 800-628-3999 (CA:213-410-0303)
Unipress Q-Calc (201) 985-8000
Uniplex Uniplex (214) 717-0068, (800) 356-8063
[above from Walter E. Gillett (gillett@AI.MIT.EDU)]
Digital DECdecision 1-800-DIGITAL
BBN Software Products BBN/Slate 617-873-5000 slate-offer@bbn.com
(the product includes WordProcessing, Spreadsheet, Graphics, Image
Processing, Foreign Language WordProcessing, Electronic Mail, and
Elecronic Conferencing)
AIS's (919-942-7801) XESS spreadsheet for VMS/Ultrix has either DECWindows or
Motif look/feel.
The Alis and Asterix office-productivity tools from Applix (1-800-8APPLIX,
MA: 508-870-0300) include a spreadsheet.
There is a spreadsheet program in the Andrew Toolkit on the R4 contrib tape.
Applied Information Systems (Chapel Hill, North Carolina; 1 800 334 5510) will
begin shipping in mid-October 1990 an X11/Motif spreadsheet called Xess.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 73) Where can I get an X-based PostScript previewer?
xps is available from almost everywhere that the X11 contributed source
can be found. The version currently on export is based on Crispin Goswell's
PostScript interpreter with fixes and speedups by John Myers and Barry Shein
and an X11 driver by Terry Weissman. There are known problems with fonts. The
package is good for lowering the edit-print-edit cycle in experimenting with
particular PostScript effects. [ralpage, also widely available, apparently
shares with xps a common ancestor, and should also be considered.]
Ghostscript is distributed by the Free Software Foundation
(617-876-3296) and includes a PostScript interpreter and a library of graphics
primitives. Version 2.1.1 is now available. The major site is prep.ai.mit.edu.
[2/91] 2.2 very soon, maybe yesterday.
In addition:
ScriptWorks is Harlequin's software package for previewing and printing
PostScript(R) descriptions of text and graphics images; previewers for X are
available. For information call +44-223-872522 or send email to
scriptworks-request@uk.co.harlqn.
Digital's dxpsview runs on UWS 2.1 and 2.2.
Sun's pageview runs with the X11/NeWS server.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 74) Where can I get an X-based GKS package?
The latest freely-available XGKS can be obtained from
xgks-request@unidata.ucar.edu; this is a 2c implementation derived from the
X11R4 contrib XGKS from IBM and the University of Illinois. Release 2.2
is on unidata.ucar.edu [128.117.140.3] as pub/xgks.tar.Z. [12/90]
In addition, Grafpak-GKS is available from Advanced Technology Center
(714-583-9119).
GKSUL is available from gks@ulowell.edu (ULowell CS department). It is
a 2b implementation which includes drivers for a variety of devices. It can be
passed an X window ID to use. The package includes both C and Fortran bindings.
[11/90; from dsrand@mitre.org and from stew@hanauma.stanford.edu]
An XgksWidget is produced by Neil Bowers (neilb@leeds.dcs;
neilb@dcs.leeds.ac.uk); the latest [2/91] conforms with the new version of
XGKS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 75) Where can I get an X-based PEX package?
The "official" release of PEX will be with X11R5.
There is now available from the University of Illinois an
implementation of the PEX 4.0 specification called UIPEX. It contains a "near-
complete" implementation of PHIGS and PHIGS PLUS. The file pub/uipex/uipex.tar.Z
is on a.cs.uiuc.edu (128.174.252.1); the porting platform was an RT running 4.3.
Questions and comments can to go uipex@cs.uiuc.edu.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 76) Where can I get an X-based TeX or DVI previewer?
The xtex previewer for TeX files is available from a number of archive
sites, including uunet; the current version is usually on foobar.colorado.edu
(128.138.243.105) in SeeTeX-2.17.0.tar.Z; pre-converted fonts are also on that
machine. The distribution all includes "mftobdf" which converts PK, GF, and PXL
fonts to BDF format, where they can then be compiled for use by your local X
server. Xtex 2.17 was announced 3/1/91.
The xdvi dvi-previewer is fairly comprehensive and easy to use. It is
also available from a number of sites, including uunet and export.lcs.mit.edu.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 77) Where can I get an X-based troff previewer?
X11R4 has two previewers for device-independent troff: the supported
client xditview, and the contributed-but-well-maintained xtroff. An earlier
version of xtroff also appeared on the R3 contributed source.
In addition, the xman client can be used to preview troff documents
using the -man macros.
In addition:
xproof, an X previewer for ditroff has been contributed by Marvin
Solomon (solomon@cs.wisc.edu); version 3.5 is available on export in
contrib/xproof*. [8/90]
Elan Computer Group (CA: 415-964-2200) produces eroff, a modified
troff implementation, and Elan/Express, an X11 eroff previewer.
SoftQuad (416-963-8337; USA only 800-387-2777, mail@sq.uu.net or
mail@sq.com) offers SoftQuad Publishing Software, including a substantially-
rewritten troff formatter, a better intermediate language with backwards
compatibility, and an X11[R3,R4] previewer. (This is the package adopted by
AT&T's own MIS department, and used in and re-sold by many parts of AT&T).
[information from Ian Darwin, SoftQuad (ian@sq.com) 3/90]
Image Network (1-800-TOXROFF; CA: 415-967-0542) offers the Xroff
package, which includes a fine modified troff implementation and a set of
X11-based page previewers. (This is the package OEM'ed by several hardware
vendors.)
[mostly courtesy moraes@cs.toronto.edu (Mark Moraes)] [2/90]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 78)* Where can I obtain a WYSIWYG interface builder?
Preliminary verions of the Xt application builder DIRT by Richard
Hesketh are available on export.lcs.mit.edu (18.30.0.238) as contrib/dirt* and
ftp.Adelaide.EDU.AU (129.127.40.3) under /pub/X/R4/contrib/dirt.*. It is often
updated. Dirt requires X11R4 through patch 18. From the README:
This builder allows the interactive creation and rapid prototyping of X user
interfaces using the X Toolkit and a number of Widget Sets. Dirt generates
"Wc - Widget Creation" resource files and this distribution also includes the
Widget Creation Library (version 1.04, with the exception of the demos and
Mri/Ari source code) with the kind permission of its author David E. Smyth.
[Note: get it from export; the version on uunet may be old (level as of 2/91 is
Alpha 1 pathlevel 8).]
The InterViews 3.0-beta C++ toolkit contains a WYSIWIG interface builder
called ibuild. ibuild generates code for an InterViews application complete
with Imakefile and an X-resource file. Documentation is /pub/papers/ibuild.ps.
on interviews.stanford.edu (36.22.0.175).
Druid (Demonstrational Rapid User Interface Development) runs on SPARC
machines using OSF/Motif 1.0; it is intended eventually to be a full UIMS but
apparently now has only support for creating the presentation components, for
which it generates C/UIL code. Info: Singh G, Kok CH, Ngan TY, "Druid: A System
for Demonstrational Rapid User Interface Development". Proc. ACM SIGGRAPH Symp
on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST'90). ACM, NY, 1990, pp: 167-177.
In addition, these commercial products (unsorted) are available in
final or prerelease form [the * following the product name indicates that the
product is known to allow the designer to specify for each widget whether a
particular resource is hard-coded or written to an application defaults file,
for at least one form of output]. Some are much more than user-interface tools;
some are full user interface management systems:
Product Name Look/Feel Code Output Vendor
HP Interface Motif 1.0 C(Xm) HP/Visual Edge
Architect/ UIMX
OPEN LOOK Express OPEN LOOK C(Xol+ helper lib) AT&T/Visual Edge
UIMX [Sun version] Motif 1.0 C(Xm+ helper lib) Quest
(408-988-8880)
Visual Edge
514-332-6430
VUIT 1.0 Motif 1.1 UIL[r/w] DEC
(1-800-DIGITAL)
X-Designer 1.1 * Motif 1.0 C(Xm); C/UIL Imperial
Software
Technology, Ltd
(+44 734 587055)
sales@ist.co.uk
XFaceMaker2 (XFM2) * Motif 1.0 C;C/script (C-like procedural language)
NSL
(33 1 43 36 77 50)
requests@nsl.fr
Builder Xcessory 1.0 * Motif 1.0 C(Xm); C/UIL[r/w] ICS
(617-621-0060)
info@ics.com
XBUILD 1.1 * Motif 1.0 C(Xm); C/UIL Nixdorf
(617-864-0066)
xbuild@nixdorf.com
TeleUSE 1.1 Motif 1.0 PCD (like UIL);C + helper lib
Telesoft
(619-457-2700)
ezX Motif 1.1 C(Xm +helper lib) Sunrise
(401-847-7868)
info@sunrise.com
/dev/GUIDE OPEN LOOK GIL [-> XView] Sun
ExoCode/SXM Motif C(Xm) Expert Object
ExoCode/Plus OPEN LOOK XView 708-676-5555
TAE+ Xw;Motif C(Xw,Xm); C/TCL (TAE Control Language,
like UIL[needs helper library]);
VAX Fortran; Ada
Nasa Goddard
(301) 286-6034
PSM PM, MSW 3.0, C/UIL LanCorp
Motif 1.0.3,Mac Technologies
+61 3 606 3801
(Australia)
[Future versions of this table may include information on the meta-file format
used and will probably be more specific about the portability and completeness
of output code and will probably look more like a Consumer Reports summary of
features.]
In addition, Neuron Data makes Open Interface, a window-system-
independent object toolkit which supports interfaces which are or resemble
(supersets of) Mac, Windows, and Motif and Open Look; the package includes an
interface builder.
In addition, these non-WYSIWYG but related products may help for goals
of rapid prototyping of the application interface:
WCL: the Widget Creation Library. Basically describes the widget
hierarchy and actions in a resources file; available from fine archive servers
everywhere, including devvax.jpl.nasa.gov (128.149.1.143) in pub/.
WINTERP: an Xlisp-based Motif toolkit allows for interpretive
programming. The copy on the R4 tape is outdated; get a copy off export or email
to winterp-source%hplnpm@hplabs.hp.com.
The Serpent UIMS permits the building of user-interfaces without
specific knowledge of coding but with an understanding of attributes being set
on a particular [Motif] widget. More information is available from Erik Hardy
(erik@sei.cmu.edu)
Garnet is a Common Lisp-based GUI toolkit. Information is available from
garnet@cs.cmu.edu.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 79) Where can I find X tools callable from shell scripts?
I want to have a shell script pop up menus and yes/no dialog boxes if the user
is running X.
Several tools in the R3 contrib/ area were developed to satisfy these
needs: yorn pops up a yes/no box, xmessage displays a string, etc. There are
several versions of these tools; few, if any, have made it to the R4 contrib/
area, though they may still be available on various archive sites.
In addition, Richard Hesketh (rlh2@ukc.ac.uk) has posted the xmenu
package to comp.sources.x ("v08i008: xmenu") for 1-of-n choices. [7/90]
Two versions of XPrompt have been posted to comp.sources.x, the latter
being an unauthorized rewrite. [R. Forsman (thoth@reef.cis.ufl.edu), 1/91]
There is a version of XMenu available from comp.sources.x; it is
being worked on and will likely be re-released.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 80) Where can I get an X-based debugger?
xdbx, an X interface to the dbx debugger, is available via ftp from
export. The current [1/91] version is 2.1 patchlevel 2.
An X interface to gdb called xgdb is also available as part of the gdb
distribution (on prep.ai.mit.edu and other archive servers); when last checked,
it needed minor modifications to upgrade from R3 to R4.
Also, an X interface to gdb called xxgdb is more like xdbx 2.1.2. It
is part of comp.sources.x volume 11 [2/91].
UPS is a source-level debugger which runs under the X11 and SunView
window systems on Sun and DEC platforms. It is available from export
(18.30.0.238) as contrib/ups-2.28.tar.Z.
Also:
MIPS produces a highly-customizable (WCL-based) Visual Debugger.
You should be able to use Sun's dbxtool with its X11/NeWS server.
The Saber-C (617-876-7636) source-level debugger includes an X-based
interface; this essential programmer's tool run on most major platforms.
AT&T offers the eXamine Graphical Interface, an X11 interface to dbx
and C++ dbx for Sun3 and Sun4 and sdb and sdb++ for 386 and 3B2 platforms. Call
1-508-960-1997 or contact examine@mvuxi.att.com for more information.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 81)* How can I "tee" an X program identically to several displays?
There are several protocol multiplexer tools which provide for the
simultaneous display of X clients on any number of machines.
XMX (an X Protocol Multiplexor) is available from wilma.cs.brown.edu
(128.148.31.66) as pub/xmx.tar.Z It works independently of the server and does
not affect the application being shared; it was developed for use in the
electronic classroom.
SHX from Michael Altenhofen of Digital Equipment GmbH CEC Karlsruhe
also does this; it is a "WYSIWIS" (What You See Is What I See) package in the
context of a computer-based learning/training tool to provide online help from
remote tutors but is also useful for general window sharing. Information:
shX@nestvx.enet.dec.com. SHX can be found on export and
gatekeeper.dec.com:/pub/X11/contrib/shX.tar.Z,
crl.dec.com:/pub/X11/contrib/shX.tar.Z
XTrap is implemented as a server/library extension. It is available as:
gatekeeper.dec.com pub/X11/contrib/XTrap_v31.tar.Z
export.lcs.mit.edu contrib/XTrap_v31.tar.Z
Also:
Hewlett-Packard Co. has a commercial product, "Shared X" which works
under HP-UX currently on their 300 and 400 series workstations. The product
number is B2305A for the media and manuals and B2305L for the license.
Apparently it works by temporarily replacing the X server with a special one.
[Thanks in part to scott@spectra.com (Tim Scott),5/91]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 82) TOPIC: BUILDING THE X DISTRIBUTION
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 83) How do I build X with gcc?
MIT is now using regularly the Free Software Foundation's
GNU-CC to build the X distribution and uses gcc-built servers to test
performance increases.
[These options are gathered from several descriptions of building
X with gcc 1.34, 1.35, and 1.36]:
Use the options
-O -fstrength-reduce -fpcc-struct-return
-traditional may also be necessary if your version of
gcc is sufficiently old (but don't use with 1.38).
Do not use -finline-functions, particularly on the R4 server.
---> Make sure to run 'fixincludes' from the gcc distribution
---> before doing anything, or you will get fatal errors such as:
---> xterm: Error 15, errno 25: Inappropriate ioctl for device.
HOWEVER, there is a bug in gcc 1.34 and 1.36 (but not in 1.35 or 1.37) which
miscompiles things of the form (expr == 0 ? exp1 : exp2). The fix needed in
X11R4 (and probably X11R3) is to change the definition of XtNewString in
Intrinsic.h to:
#define XtNewString(str) \
((str) != NULL ? (strcpy(XtMalloc((unsigned)strlen(str) + 1), str)) : NULL)
A work-around is also in fix-2 to X11R4.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 84) Why can't gcc compile X11R4 on my SPARC?
I used gcc to compile the whole distribution, but I get several segmentation
faults when running X.
Note first that gcc on RISC machines does not necessarily result in
any performance increase; it certainly is not as noticeable as it is on the
680x0 or VAX platforms.
Here is the problem: gcc and cc use incompatible methods of passing
structures as arguments and returning them as function values, so when
gcc-compiled parts of X are linked with Sun-supplied functions that pass or
return structs, run-time errors occur. Affected programs include rgb and
the server.
This is from the GCC manual:
On the Sparc, GNU CC uses an incompatible calling convention for
structures. It passes them by including their contents in the argument
list, whereas the standard compiler passes them effectively by
reference.
This really ought to be fixed, but such calling conventions are not yet
supported in GNU CC, so it isn't straightforward to fix it.
The convention for structure returning is also incompatible, and
`-fpcc-struct-return' does not help.
You can duck the problem either by using cc throughout or by using it for just
the routines which cause incompatibilities; the problem cannot be solved with
compilation flags.
Files which need to be compiled using cc include:
server/os/4.2bsd/oscolor.c
rgb/rgb.c
In addition, several of the "inet_" functions use structs as args or
return values:
clients/xhost/xhost.c
clients/xauth/gethost.c.
Calls to inet_addr in /lib/CLX/socket.c and lib/X/XConnDis.c are possibly
harmless as they don't involve structs.
[collected by bashford@scripps.edu (Don Bashford); 8/90]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 85) What are these I/O errors running X built with gcc?
When I try to run xinit or the Xsun server I get the error
"Getting interface configuration: Operation not supported on socket.
Fatal server bug! no screens found."
Running the gcc fixincludes script apparently didn't work. You can do
this simple test:
#include <sys/ioctl.h>
SIOCGIFCONF
Run that through cc -E and gcc -E. The last line of output is the piece of
interest; it should be identical (modulo irrelevant differences like
whitespace). If the gcc version has 'x' where the cc version has 'i', your
fixincludes run didn't work for some reason or other; go back to your gcc
sources and run `fixincludes`; then rebuild the X distribution. If they are
identical, try running a make clean in mit/server and rebuilding, just to make
sure everything gets compiled with the proper include files.
[courtesy der Mouse, mouse@LARRY.MCRCIM.MCGILL.EDU; 9/90]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 86) What are these problems compiling X11R4 with "gcc -traditional"?
There are known problems with gcc 1.38 which cause use of the
-traditional to produce errors along the lines of "gcc: Program cpp got fatal
signal 6". The fix is to upgrade to 1.39.
[from Darryl Okahata (darrylo%hpnmd@relay.hp.com); 2/91]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 87) What are these problems compiling X11R4 on the older Sun3?
In mit/server/ddx/sun/sunCG3C.c, we have found "missing" defines for
CG3AC_MONOLEN, CG3BC_MONOLEN, CG3AC_ENBLEN, CG3BC_ENBLEN. What should these be?
The R4 Errata list distributed after X11R4 mentions that you can add
these lines to the file on older SunOS versions (e.g. 3.5) to compile:
#define CG3AC_MONOLEN (128*1024)
#define CG3AC_ENBLEN CG3AC_MONOLEN
#define CG3BC_MONOLEN CG3AC_MONOLEN
#define CG3BC_ENBLEN CG3AC_MONOLEN
However, the Sun3 should not actually ever have the CG3 device, and so
references to it can be removed from mit/server/ddx/sun/sunInit.c and the
Imakefile. [11/90]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 88)* What are these problems compiling the X11R4 server on SunOS 4.1.1?
The file <sundev/cg6reg.h> isn't being found.
Sun omitted <sundev/cg6reg.h> from SunOS 4.1.1. Remove the #include
from sunCG6C.c and replace it with the line
#define CG6_VADDR_COLOR 0x70016000
The file has changed from earlier versions of SunOS and should not be copied
from another distribution.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 89) What are these problems using R4 shared libraries on SunOS 4?
All of the executables that I try to run have the following results:
ld.so: libXmu.so.4: not found
or even:
ld.so: call to undefined procedure __GetHostname from 0xf776a96c
If you are building with shared libraries on a Sun, remember that you
need to run "ldconfig" as root after installing the shared libraries (if you've
installed X on a file-server, run it on the server's clients, too). While
building and installing the distribution, you need to be careful to avoid
linking against any existing X shared libraries you might have (e.g. those
distributed with OpenWindows). You should make sure you do not have
LD_LIBRARY_PATH set in your environment during the build or the installation.
If you are going to keep xterm and xload as setuid programs, please note that
the shared libraries must be installed in /usr/lib, /usr/local/lib, or
/usr/5lib for these programs to work (or else those programs must be linked
statically). [courtesy MIT X Consortium]
Note also that the program mkfontdir is run as part of the build; it
attempts, however, to use the shared libraries before they have been installed.
You can avoid the errors by building mkfontdir statically (pass -Bstatic to
most C compilers).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 90) How do I get around the SunOS 4.1 security hole?
There is a security problem with certain X clients running under SunOS
4.1 that have been installed setuid root and are using shared libraries; to
avoid the problem, do one of these:
1) make the program non-setuid. You should consult your system
administrator concerning protection of resources (e.g. ptys and /dev/kmem) used
by these programs, to make sure that you do not create additional security
problems at your site.
2) relink the programs statically (using -Bstatic).
3) install the libraries before linking and link with absolute paths
to the libraries.
[from rws@EXPO.LCS.MIT.EDU (Bob Scheifler), 12/90]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 91) What are these funny problems compiling X11R3 on the Sun4?
cc -c -O -I. -I../../include -I../../.././X11 -I../mfb cfbbitblt.c
cc: Fatal error in iropt: Illegal instruction (core dumped)
Known problems with the Sun4 optimizer render the -O flag unusable
on this file.
In addition, there is a problem in all of the procedures that return a
parameter that was never referenced. Instead of returning the string, the
compiler with optimization seems to be returning the last value computed. You
can compile lib/Xt/TMparse.c without optimization; alternatively, you can
replace the "return str" in various routines to use that parameter [courtesy of
Jim Fulton, MIT X Consortium]:
#ifdef sparc
/*
* The silly optimizer in SunOS 4.0.3 and below generates bogus code that
* causes the value of the most recently used variable to be returned instead
* of the value passed in.
*/
static String silly_optimizer_kludge;
#define BROKEN_OPTIMIZER_HACK(val) silly_optimizer_kludge = (val)
#else
#define BROKEN_OPTIMIZER_HACK(val) val
#endif
and have routines end with
return BROKEN_OPTIMIZER_HACK(str);
Note also that the SPARCstation1 has a bug in its use of -misalign; a fix
to cc should be obtained from Sun.
--
David B. Lewis for XUG
The X User's Group xug@expo.lcs.mit.edu
"Just the FAQs, ma'am." -- Joe Friday