PJS@GROUCH.JPL.NASA.GOV (Peter Scott) (04/28/89)
After seeing a demo of the NeXT machine today, I realized that what I could really use is a graphical tool for building X programs - something that would let me pick a widget from a list, say, design resources, set window attributes, etc, and let me specify placement of objects by dragging them into position rather than using pixel coordinates. Then it would write the code. Is anyone working on *anything* like this? Peter Scott (pjs@grouch.jpl.nasa.gov)
smikes@hound.UUCP (S.MIKES) (04/28/89)
Yes, but I cannot tell you any specifics because of my affiliation with AT&T (non-disclosure agreements, etc.); you need to contact the vendors of X products, such as Sun Microsystems or HP or DEC. They will be able to tell you specifically what they have available. I would love to tell you what I know, but if I want to keep working I have to be discreet with what I say on the Internet. Steve
fkittred@bbn.com (Fletcher Kittredge) (04/28/89)
In article <890427110956.00001716091@grouch.JPL.NASA.GOV> PJS@GROUCH.JPL.NASA.GOV (Peter Scott) writes: >After seeing a demo of the NeXT machine today, I realized that what I >could really use is a graphical tool for building X programs - something >that would let me pick a widget from a list, say, design resources, set >window attributes, etc, and let me specify placement of objects by dragging >them into position rather than using pixel coordinates. Then it would >write the code. Is anyone working on *anything* like this? > >Peter Scott (pjs@grouch.jpl.nasa.gov) Visual Edge Software is. I would tell you about it, but I am suppose to have signed a non-disclosure agreement. regards, fletcher Fletcher E. Kittredge fkittred@bbn.com
chdana@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (Charles H. Dana) (05/03/89)
PJS@GROUCH.JPL.NASA.GOV (Peter Scott) writes: >After seeing a demo of the NeXT machine today, I realized that what I >could really use is a graphical tool for building X programs - something >that would let me pick a widget from a list, say, design resources, set >window attributes, etc, and let me specify placement of objects by dragging >them into position rather than using pixel coordinates. Then it would >write the code. Is anyone working on *anything* like this? Some students and I are working on such a tool here. While it is not so 'mysterious' as the commercial ones cloaked in non-disclosure agreements that were mentioned in other followups to the original posting, it also is not yet quite ready to release out to the cold cruel world (even as a beta release). I think by this summer we can have something for people to play with. I have been using it here for three quarters in a course on window systems and it is improving rapidly. -- Charles Dana | chdana@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU Computer Science Department | or California Polytechnic State University | ucbvax!voder!polyslo!chdana San Luis Obispo, CA. 93407 |
thor@stout.ucar.edu (Rich Neitzel) (05/03/89)
In article <10949@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU> chdana@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (Charles H. Dana) writes: >PJS@GROUCH.JPL.NASA.GOV (Peter Scott) writes: > >>After seeing a demo of the NeXT machine today, I realized that what I >>could really use is a graphical tool for building X programs - something >>that would let me pick a widget from a list, say, design resources, set >>window attributes, etc, and let me specify placement of objects by dragging >>them into position rather than using pixel coordinates. Then it would >>write the code. Is anyone working on *anything* like this? > >Some students and I are working on such a tool here. While it is not so >'mysterious' as the commercial ones cloaked in non-disclosure agreements >that were mentioned in other followups to the original posting, it also is not >yet quite ready to release out to the cold cruel world (even as a beta release) Well, there is a product out that does the functions mentioned, is being released and is largely bug free. The product is called TAE Plus (or TAE+). TAE+ is a package developed by NASA/Goddard. You can build complete user interfaces by interaction with a set of description windows. You may copy, duplicate and otherwise manipulate objects. Currently C code is generated, but Fortran, Ada and C++ should be available soon. Two very nice features that speed design are rehersal mode and the use of resource files. When you are building the interface, you can go into rehersal mode. This allows the interface to perform a limited set of interactions, such as openning or closing subwindows, without any code being generated. Resource files hold the description of the initial interface. This means that you can alter the interface appearence without having to recompile your source code. Changes to the interface are made by using the development tool and are applied only to the resource file. For example, we are using TAE+ to develop a control interface for an airborn research weather radar. Our users will require at least English, French and German interfaces. We can supply resource files for all three, but use exactly the same C code. TAE+ is currently in beta form. The current release is V3.2. This uses the HP xray toolkit. However, in June/July V4.0 will be released, which will use Xt instead. In addition, there will be new features that make it more powerful. The best part is that currently TAE+ is a no cost item. To get more information contact: Goddard Space Flight Center TAE Support Office Code 522 Greenbelt, MD 20771 or call 301-286-6034 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Richard Neitzel National Center For Atmospheric Research Box 3000 Boulder, CO 80307-3000 303-497-2057 thor@thor.ucar.edu Torren med sitt skjegg Thor with the beard lokkar borni under sole-vegg calls the children to the sunny wall Gjo'i med sitt shinn Gjo with the pelts jagar borni inn. chases the children in. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------