jaj5c@helga7c.acc.Virginia.EDU (John Anthony Jordano) (12/10/90)
I'm using IB to rapid prototype a user interface for an application we're developing. I'd like to develop the system fully on a NeXT, but our client has already locked themselves into a Sun workstation using XWindows. Is it easy, or even possible, to port code created by IB from NeXTStep to XWindows? I'm familiar with XWindow programming, but I've never programmed on a NeXT before. If we can port the code from IB, it will save us a few weeks in coding and debugging time, which is critical to us right now. Respond via comp.sys.next newsgroup or through e-mail to jaj5c@virginia.edu -- John Jordano JAJ5C@virginia.edu 804/296-2520
scott@next-8.gac.edu (Scott Hess) (12/11/90)
In article <1990Dec10.145907.24228@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> jaj5c@helga7c.acc.Virginia.EDU (John Anthony Jordano) writes:
I'm using IB to rapid prototype a user interface for an application we're
developing. I'd like to develop the system fully on a NeXT, but our client
has already locked themselves into a Sun workstation using XWindows. Is it
easy, or even possible, to port code created by IB from NeXTStep to XWindows?
I'm familiar with XWindow programming, but I've never programmed on a NeXT
before. If we can port the code from IB, it will save us a few weeks in
coding and debugging time, which is critical to us right now.
First: (Hee, hee, hee - this in the background, sort of muffled).
Second: That would be nice. The problem is, there's really no support
for something like the appkit in most of the world - you could do it
with Objective-C, but C++ would be harder. The problem is that you'd
have to define a class hierarchy. Let me rephrase that: a _Class_
hierarchy. Right now, C++ has classes, and instances of them, but
there are no instances who are classes. You could define these,
of course, but this will take some thought (unless someone's done
it . . .)
The other problem is the massive amount of coding needed. When it
comes right down to it, no, you cannot port Objective-C to X if
you write code in a standard NextStep fashion. It might be possible
to code things so that you _can_ port easily, but I suspect you lose
most of the functionality of InterfaceBuilder (you'd have to code
to the lowest common denominator, which isn't NextStep).
--
scott hess scott@gac.edu
Independent NeXT Developer GAC Undergrad
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