[comp.windows.x] Beginning use of Xlib

PJS@GROUCH.JPL.NASA.GOV (Peter Scott) (04/18/89)

Hi, I've just joined this list and also just started delving into X.
We have V11R3 on a Sun-3 with uwm and Xtk; I want first of all to write
programs using Xlib only, not the toolkit.  The only text I have on Xlib
is "X Window System", by Scheifler, Gettys, Newman.  Unfortunately it
includes zero examples, and my simple, 150-line Hello World program
produces no errors, no crashes or hang-ups, but also no output.

My question: what is a good text for learning how to write in Xlib, with
examples?  The supplied source code is no good because (1) it uses the
toolkit, which I don't want to get into yet, and (2) it is poorly
commented.  Also, is it the case that I shouldn't have to know anything
about uwm and/or the toolkit in order to get programs that just call
Xlib working?

Peter Scott (pjs@grouch.jpl.nasa.gov)

sscott@camdev.UUCP (Steve Scott) (04/18/89)

In article <890417132825.000005B7261@grouch.JPL.NASA.GOV> PJS@GROUCH.JPL.NASA.GOV (Peter Scott) writes:
>
>My question: what is a good text for learning how to write in Xlib, with
>examples?  The supplied source code is no good because (1) it uses the
>toolkit, which I don't want to get into yet, and (2) it is poorly
>commented.  Also, is it the case that I shouldn't have to know anything
>about uwm and/or the toolkit in order to get programs that just call
>Xlib working?
>

I would like to recommend to you a book by Oliver Jones called "Introduction
to the X Window System".  It is published by Prentice Hall and it's ISBN
number is 0-13-499997-5.  The reason I can recommend this book is because
Jones states emphatically that the purpose of the book is to allow you
to learn how to program X using Xlib with the specific intent of BYPASSING
THE TOOLKITS!.  Not that I have anything against thge toolkits (wouldn't
life be difficult without them ;-)) but if you understand the system well
enough to program using Xlib, then you understand it well enough for nearly
all programming projects (and we all know that only a true masochist would
want to get in and muck with the base window system ;-))


-- 
Steve Scott            UUCP: {killer|texbell}!camdev!sscott
Motorola, Inc.         Telephone : 1-817-232-6317

tim@ora.UUCP (Tim O'Reilly) (04/21/89)

In article <890417132825.000005B7261@grouch.JPL.NASA.GOV>, PJS@GROUCH.JPL.NASA.GOV (Peter Scott) writes:
> My question: what is a good text for learning how to write in Xlib, with
> examples?  
>
My company publishes two books on Xlib, Xlib Programming
Manual and Xlib Reference Manual.  The set is available in
many bookstores, or from the 800 number below, for $60 plus
shipping.  Source code for examples is available by uucp or
anonymous ftp from uunet.

Another excellent book is Introduction to the X Window
System, by Oliver Jones, which is published by Prentice
Hall, and I believe retails for $32.  Despite its title,
Ollie's book is about Xlib programming.


-- 
Tim O'Reilly (617) 527-4210 or (800) 338-NUTS
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., Publishers of Nutshell Handbooks
981 Chestnut Street, Newton, MA 02164
UUCP:	uunet!ora!tim      ARPA:   tim@ora.uu.net