leonardr@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu (05/02/88)
jas@cadre.dsl.PITTSBURGH.EDU(Jeffery Sullivan) writes in comp.sys.mac.programmer >Has anyone had any experience with Programmer's Extender or MacExpress or >any of these COMMERCIAL generic application/apptools kinds of products? I >am assuming that they are like enhanced versions of transskel with more >functionality and the like. I enjoy transskel/edit/display/blob, but there >are things i'd like to do that they can't and which bomb when I work on them. >For me, getting the programs done is more important than really understanding >the innards of the Mac II. Oh, by the way, are they both Mac II compatible? I have not used MacExpress, but I do have considerable experience with the Programmer's Extender packages from Invention Software Corp. (NOTE: I helped write some of the code currently contained in the Volume II of the Extender and am therefore possibly biased) The Programmer's Extender comes in two volumes. Volume I's routines are much like those found in Transkel. Event Handling, Menus, Dialogs, Windows, Some File I/O, etc. As well as some extra little functions that might come in handy. Volume II is the more advanced routines for handling the List Manager (this stuff it VERY NICE!), PICT/Bitmapt handling, Printing, Extended File I/O, Window Tiling/Stacking, Extended Text routines, etc. Much of the source is included (approx 90% of Volume I, and 75% of Volume II) in the standard versions or if you want ALL of the source code they have the Professional Extenders which are MUCH MORE Expensive but you do get complete source to everything!! As far as extendability there are userHooks to everything so that you can handle things yourself if the standard method is not to your liking (a good example of this is WindowUpdates!). The only provision when using the routines is that you includes a copyright notice in your program and in the docs (like what you have to do with LSP & C) and other than that it's all yours!! That's a pretty brief explanation of the packages. If you are interested, I can send you a review of the packages that appeared on GEnie a bunch of months back that gives you an indepth look at the packages. +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ + + Any thing I say may be taken as + + Leonard Rosenthol + fact, then again you might decide+ + President, LazerWare, inc. + that it really isn't, so you + + + never know, do you?? + + leonardr@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu + + + GEnie: MACgician + + + Delphi: MACgician + + + + + +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------+