ekberg@ti-csl.csc.ti.COM (05/29/90)
-*- Mode: text -*-
Here is some information on the C++ interface to Motif.
Last year, OSF contracted the University of Lowell to implement a C++
binding to Motif. I have been in contact with a person at the University
of Lowell since February 21, 1990 and with a person at OSF since March 27,
1990 in an attempt to obtain this C++ binding to Motif. I have received
the following from ULowell:
What Page count
---------------------------------------------------------- ----------
(1) C++ binding document, 37
(2) the order form, 1
(3) the software usage license agreement, 3
(4) a boiler-plate for a commercial license agreement, and 7
(5) an overview of the Motif language bindings. 2
Item (1), the C++ binding document, gives a good overview of the C++
binding to Motif. The C++ binding is more than just a simple C++
interface to Motif since it defines C++ objects which parallel the
Motif/Xt objects and methods. This allows the user of the binding to deal
more naturally with Motif via the C++ language. I generated some comments
on this paper and sent them back to the authors, in case anyone else is
interested in them. If you ask for the paper (see item (5), below), be
sure to ask to receive figure 1.
Item (2), the order form, states that this binding is available for $200
via FTP, or for $500 if you want it on tape. There are places to specify
the binding being ordered: C++, FORTRAN and Ada.
Item (3), the software usage license agreement, is rather ordinary and
easy to read. Two items of interest are (a) it is a single-site license,
and (b) it does not allow for use in a product for sale. To use the
binding in such a product, one must obtain another license which is item
(4).
When I received item (4) on May 17, 1990, the I also received information
regarding site license prices:
Corporate wide license $30,000
Single site license $10,000
LAN license $5,000
Single department license $1,000
Single machine license $500
Note that the prices conflict with what is stated in items (2) [$200 or
$500] and (3) [site license is an mailing address]. As you can tell from
the page count, item (4) is more complex than item (3).
Item (5) is more like a README file and describes the (currently) three
language bindings of Motif: C++, FORTRAN and Ada. It also lists the
following where more information can be obtained.
University of Lowell
Computer Science Department
Graphics Research Laboratory/Motif
One University Avenue
Lowell, MA 01854
attn: Fran Ward
(phone: 508-934-3628)
Note that this not a technical contact; this person will be able to mail
you the information I have received. The following is an excerpt from
item (5):
The following features are included:
o Completely hides the concept of a widget from the programmer.
C++ objects are provided corresponding to the widgets with the
necessary methods.
o All the Intrinsics functions are also available as methods.
o ANSI compatible header files are provided for the Xm, Xt and
Xlib libraries.
o Convenient macros are provided for making the C++ program look
clean.
o Widget resources are now methods in the C++ object. All the
methods are provided for creating new class constructors.
o Complete source code.
o Reasonable documentation, and demo programs.
In addition to ULowell, I have also been in contact with OSF to obtain the
C++ interface to Motif. Recall from above that OSF contracted with
ULowell to implement the C++ language binding to Motif. My last mail
message from OSF contained the following:
Date: Fri, 18 May 90 18:37:42 GMT-0400
We received your request for one or several of the following
distributions:
MIT Project Athena: OSF/Motif Applications
University of Guelph: OSF/Motif graphical shell
University of Lowell: OSF/Motif language bindings.
We are setting up a distribution mechanism and will send you
instructions by 1 June on how you may obtain the distributions.
Thank you for your patience,
Chantal Eide
OSF Research Institute
Hopefully this answers enough of the questions that have been raised about
this C++ interface to Motif.
-- tom (aisle C-4Q), ekberg@csc.ti.com