dave@emerald.PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek) (02/14/89)
I posted the original request for opinions on Prototyper. I got quite a few responses. On the strength of those responses I bought Prototyper 1.0 and have been using it. It turns out to be exactly like you all said it was. Thanks, everybody - this is the net at its best. First, the bad news. Prototyper 1.0 is incredibly buggy. Most of the problems are, ironically, in the user interface, which is also very s-l-o-w to respond. This program has all the earmarks of a good program rushed to market well before completion. (It reminds me of Apple's original (unreleased) public domain font editor--reeeally buggy, but the only game in town.) 1. The very first window I created, just to learn my way around, I was unable to delete (Remove Window). I couldn't remove it a second time, but it stayed in the window list and Prototyper generated code for it. 2. I have hung it twice--once in attempting to simulate a window I had loaded, and once stupidly (I put up a modal dialog with no buttons!). 3. Minor things: there is sometimes garbage in lists; double-clicking on a window name doesn't open it, you have to explicitly choose "Open"; in simulating a dialog with a default button, hitting the return key often highlights the wrong button (I don't yet know if the code is OK); the fonts menu somehow became inactive and stayed inactive for the rest of one session; and so on. Now the good news: it mostly works. It generates clean, well-documented code with no errors that I have found yet (though my experience is limited). It saves an incredible amount of low-level mucking around that I was doing before by hand. I can afford to experiment with different interface designs. Prototyper does NOT substitute for knowing how to program the Mac, but if you DO know how, it is a fantastic timesaver. You still have to write the text editing code, etc., etc., and merge it with the Prototyper code, but that's much easier than I had expected. Like most who responded to me, I RECOMMEND this program despite its problems. I understand Prototyper 2.0 is now out. I bought Prototyper 1.0 from MacWarehouse for $73, and will soon upgrade for $49+shipping, as this was probably cheaper than waiting for Prototyper 2.0; 1.0 may still be available in some places. The upgrade adds C code generation (1.0 only generates Pascal), popup menus, hierarchical menus, and a few other "newer" bits, none of which I need - but I will upgrade in the hope that 2.0 has fewer bugs and a better user interface. Thanks again to all who responded. -- Dave Matuszek (dave@prc.unisys.com) -- Unisys Corp. / Paoli Research Center / PO Box 517 / Paoli PA 19301 -- Standard disclaimer: Any resemblance between my opinions and those of my employer is strictly coincidental.