vlv@drux1.UUCP (Vaughn Vernon) (04/30/85)
I'm in need of the following information about graphics drivers and libraries for VDI (Virtual Device Interface): 1. Is DRI's GEM (Graphics Environment Manager) Programmer Tool Kit a decent product for VDI. Is it fast? 1.1. Can you break up DRI's package and just use the device interface and 'C' bindings or must you OEM the whole package just to use the VDI for graphics? 2. Are the 'C' bindings libraries included and the VDI driver the same as or compatable with GSS's? DRI once did business with GSS. 3. GSS's (Graphics Software Systems) bindings and drives are available on the AT&T Unix PC (7300), are they available for the 6300 or IBM PC and compatables. 3.1. Does GSS Bindings come with source? 4. Phone number and address for GSS. 5. Does anyone know of a VDI which is upgradable from [MS|PC]DOS to Unix and Xenix for graphics, plotters, printers and mice? 6. Any price information as well as OEM details would be helpful. 7. What 'C' compilers are supported? Is 'C' and ASM source included? DRI includes 'C' bindings source. 8. Do any of these do 3D and or rotation of objects? 9. Ohhhhhhhhhh yeh! how about that nasty word ..... documentation! Thanks in advance, Vaughn Vernon AT&T ISL Denver, CO drux1!vlv "It is easier to ask forgiveness than for permission"
skinner@saber.UUCP (Robert Skinner) (05/20/85)
> I'm in need of the following information about graphics drivers and > libraries for VDI (Virtual Device Interface): > Here's some info about what I learned working with DRI's VDI package (no GEM) last year at another company: > 1.1. Can you break up DRI's package and just use the device > interface and 'C' bindings or must you OEM the whole > package just to use the VDI for graphics? > DRI's VDI package is available seperately. I wish I could remember the product name, but I just went completely blank. > 2. Are the 'C' bindings libraries included and the VDI driver > the same as or compatable with GSS's? DRI once did > business with GSS. > C bindings are not included with DRI's product, they are a separate package. I would not recommend DRI's "bindings", I think they are a complete rip-off and virtually useless, here's why: The VDI interface is just a pointer to an array of five pointers. These five pointers point to a control array, and integer and real arrays for input and output. All of the information for the function wanted is in the control array, and info for, say a polyline is in the integer input array. The ONLY thing in DRI's binding is ONE 'C' routine with the first pointer as an arguement. In other words, the programmer is still faced with building up the structures needed for the DOS call. The really iritating thing about this is that there is a BDOS call builtin to DRI's 'C' language, which does exactly the same thing, no less. What you really want 'C' call for each function that looks something like: v_pline( number_of_points, x_array, y_array ) to do a polyline. Then let the binding set up the silly data sturcture I know you don't want to worry about. This is what GSS's bindings do. A word about the DRI-GSS relationship: As I understand the folklore, DRI's VDI was done by GSS for DRI. The two companies parted ways when the product was barely done. To my knowledge, DRI has not expanded or fleshed out the product, because they are in the operating systems business. GSS on the other hand has evolved the product, since it is the foundation for their entire product line. For example, there is absolutely no error checking in DRI's VDI, whereas GSS does have error checking, at least at the binding level. And, GSS has a real binding. > > 4. Phone number and address for GSS. 25117 SW Parkway PO Box 673 Wilsonville, OR 97070 503-682-1606 > > 5. Does anyone know of a VDI which is upgradable from [MS|PC]DOS > to Unix and Xenix for graphics, plotters, printers and > mice? GSS runs under Unix > > > 8. Do any of these do 3D and or rotation of objects? Not to my knowledge, but I know that GSS is working on 3D-GKS (3KS). > > 9. Ohhhhhhhhhh yeh! how about that nasty word ..... documentation! > GSS gets my strong vote here too. Robert Skinner Saber Technology San Jose, CA
johnl@ima.UUCP (05/23/85)
> 3. GSS's (Graphics Software Systems) bindings and drives are > available on the AT&T Unix PC (7300), are they available > for the 6300 or IBM PC and compatables. > > 6. Any price information as well as OEM details would be helpful. > > 7. What 'C' compilers are supported? Is 'C' and ASM source > included? DRI includes 'C' bindings source. IBM sells the GSS stuff as the IBM-logoed Graphics Development Toolkit, for $350. It comes with bindings for compiled Basic, Pascal, and assembler (some macros you can use.) Send in the registration card and they send you an update kit including bindings for Lattice C, large model only. Source is not available from IBM. It looks pretty good, and the documentation is extensive. My main complaint is that the interface is implemented as device drivers. That does mean that your code will continue to work when you write new drivers for new devices, but it also means that installation is too hard for casual users, which makes it a bad idea to plan to distribute software that depends on it to other than hard-core graphics users. John Levine, ima!johnl