[comp.lang.objective-c] Details about ICPAK201?

mcintyre@turing.cs.rpi.edu (David McIntyre) (11/03/90)

Can someone (maybe from Stepstone?) post some information about what IC PAK 201
includes?  Does it run under X?  What kind of look and feel does it have?
What classes are included?

For non-Stepstone people:  how was this package to use?

				Thanks,
				  Dave

Dave "mr question" McIntyre          |    "....say you're thinking about a plate
mcintyre@turing.cs.rpi.edu           |     of shrimp.....and someone says to
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ejd@iris.brown.edu (Ed Devinney) (11/08/90)

In article <~A0%46|@rpi.edu> mcintyre@turing.cs.rpi.edu (David McIntyre) 
writes:
> Can someone (maybe from Stepstone?) post some information about what IC 
PAK 201
> includes?  Does it run under X?  What kind of look and feel does it have?
> What classes are included?
> 
> For non-Stepstone people:  how was this package to use?

I'll leave it to Stepstone people to post details about what classes 
ICpak201contains - BTW, they have a pretty decent ad pamphlet available 
that describes it.

We're just now evaluating it under X - it does run, but employs its own 
look and feel which is probably closest to Microsoft Windows.  That's not 
too bad for most things, as Windows is like X is like the Macintosh 
insofar as using windows, a mouse, and pop-up menus.  For writing an X 
application, the Windows metaphor becomes really annoying, though, in that 
the applications windows all appear within an encompassing BaseLayer or 
'system window'.  We're still waiting for official word, but there doesn't 
seem to be a way to just pop windows up onto the X desktop as one normally 
does.

Additionally, the applications made using ICpak201 don't follow the 
Xdefaults protocol for preferences like fonts, etc (though that would be 
pretty easy to implement).

ICpak201 is pretty easy to use, and provides many useful classes for 
working within the UI metaphor.  Word is that a 2D graphics lib will be 
available soon for it, which would be nice, as the basics provided seem 
limited to text, lines, and bitmaps.

IMHO, the biggest problem for using ICpak201 under X is the inability to 
make sort-of "real X" applications.  One just has to determine how crucial 
this is for one's own needs.

Hope this is helpful,

ed

Ed Devinney ... ejd@iris.brown.edu ... IRIS/Brown University
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