ambar@ora.com (Jean Marie Diaz) (09/19/90)
Volumes 4 and 5 in the X Window System Series, X Toolkit Intrinsics
Programming Manual and X Toolkit Intrinsics Reference Manual, are a
complete guide and reference to programming with Xt intrinsics. Xt is
the library of C language routines created to facilitate the design of
user interfaces, with reusable components called widgets. Both these
manuals are now revised for Release 4 of X Version 11.
The significant R4 changes to the Xt programming interface are:
- R4 provides a "varargs" interface to functions that
create widgets or set resources. The old functions, which
accepted static argument lists, are still supported, but the
varargs interfaces are preferred, both because they are easier to
use and because they provide a way to involke type
converters while setting resources.
- There is support for non-widget objects. That is, there have
always been two "hidden" classes before Core, namely Object and
RectObj; Xt now supports instantiation and subclassing of these
objects. The famous Motif "gadgets" are subclasses of RectObj.
- There is a new interface for initializing X toolkit applications.
This interace does not create the default application context;
instead it provides an argument for fallback resources. (Fallback
resources are a backup in case the application's app-defaults file
is not installed.) The interace also lets you set Shell resources
while cretaing the main application shell. XtInitialize did
neither of these.
- There is some change to the way the resource database is loaded.
Specifically, there are routines for parsing a file search path
that points to the location of application resources. (This
lets applications provide files in each language so that
users can choose the language the application will run in.)
In addition, there is a routine for setting "fallback resources"
that will be used if no resource file is found.
- There are several new default application resources, most
significantly one that identifies a language. This provides support
for different resource files depending on the language the user speaks.
- There are numerous additional macros for obtaining information about
widgets.
- There are numerous small changes to widget internals.
- There are several new Athena widgets, and changes to some of the
existing widgets.
Both manuals have been significantly changed by the R4 updates. In
the Reference Manual there are 68 new man pages, changes in the Athena
Widgets, and small changes to most other pages. In the Programming
Manual, all R4 changes are documented, and examples are updated to
reflect the new varargs interfaces, XtAppInitialize call, and bug
fixes.
Books are available 9/15.
If you have previous editions of these books, you can receive a 25%
discount. Send us the title page (first page of the book) with your
order.
Volume 4, X Toolkit Intrinsics Programming Manual
ISBN # 0-937175-56-0, 624 pages, $30.00
Volume 5, X Toolkit Intrinsics Reference Manual
ISBN # 0-937175-57-9, 776 pages, $30.00
Volumes 4 and 5 as a set
ISBN # 0-937175-58-7, 624 and 776 pages, $55.00
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
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