stb@isbank.is (stb) (02/04/91)
Recently I asked if anyone knew about screen management libraries for Turbo C++. I got the names of two packages, the Zinc Interface library and The Mewel library from Magma Software. I will buy them both for evaluation and testing and will let you know later on how they compare. I also got some replies about standard C libraries which should be usable with TC++. Here are the replies : =========================================================== THE ZINC INTERFACE LIBRARY: =========================================================== From: Doug Stevens <dougs%videovax.tv.tek.com@RELAY.CS.NET> You might get the demo for Zinc Interface Library (801-785-8900). It's a C++ library for a very nice-looking, nice-feeling GUI. ----------------------------------------------------------- From: oysteing@idt.unit.no We have bought Zinc for use in a programming project for 2nd year students. I have not looked that much at it yet, but judging from the demo you can get pretty fancy user interfaces. A drawback is that we have not found any way that you can have windows with graphics (except from small icons). And you can not define your own routines for refreshing the windows. A colleague that have worked with other libraries, was not impressed by Zinc. Zinc needs more program lines than C++/Views and CommonViews for doing the same thing. (C++/Views and CommonViews runs under Windows and are compatible with TURBO C++). ----------------------------------------------------------- >From te@ejs.is Tue Jan 29 11:42:58 1991 A review of Zinc appeared in BYTE, january 1991 and in Dr Dobbs Journal, des. 1990. ----------------------------------------------------------- From: jamshid@emx.utexas.edu (Jamshid Afshar) ZINC is the only thing I know of right now. I've only used it a little, but it seems very well designed and it's supposed to be extendible. Call 1-800-638-TOOL for a free demo. It looks really good. You might want to wait for TC++ for Microsoft Windows. The Jan. 14th PC Week (Leak) says it should be out in about two months and it will come with Borland's own easier to use SDK and the Whitewater Group's Resource Manager (not sure exactly what this is). I don't know when any 3rd party MS Windows libraries will be compatible with TC++. =========================================================== THE MEWEL LIBRARY =========================================================== From: "David Gardiner" <gardiner@cs.umn.edu> The Mewel library from Magma Software in New Jersey supports Turbo and Zortech C++. This is a character-based windowing environment that uses the same calls and structure as MS Windows 3.0. We are using it and are pretty well satisfied. ----------------------------------------------------------- I asked him some more detailed questions about the Mewel library: ----------------------------------------------------------- From: "David Gardiner" <gardiner@cs.umn.edu> > Does this library use exactly the same call structure ? Yes. > > If so then it should be possible to re-link programs written with this > library with the Windows 3.0 SDK from Borland (when it will be available) > and get a windows 3.0 program. That is the idea. There are some differences, though I believe they are trying to remove them. The primary one that I am aware of is that window coordinates are all absolute rather than relative. Our primary objective in using Mewel is to be able to easily convert to Windows at a later date. We will see how easy that really is... > > Do you have any more details about this product ? > - The address of Magma Software. > - Price. > - Is it relativly bug free ? I don't have their address handy, but their phone number is (201) 912-0192. They are located in New Jersey. They have a bulletin board at (201) 912-0668. The code is generally good, but being such a complex program, there appear to be some bugs. The documentation, though, is very good. It is almost worth buying just for the clear explanation of Windows concepts. We are using it for a critical project. The next few weeks will let us know whether it was a good choice. So far, they have been helpful when we have called with problems. =========================================================== STANDARD C LIBRARIES =========================================================== From: ath@linkoping.telesoft.se (Anders Thulin) I know of none that is for C++ using the ordinary text mode - there are a number of C++ and Windows. Some compiler vendors have text screen support in their libraries: Zortech is one. Apart from that, there are seldom any problems using C libraries in C++ projects. See for instance C-Scape, which is object oriented, but written in C. ----------------------------------------------------------- From: larry hughes <hughes@copper.ucs.indiana.edu> C-scape has an excellent product, and even has fully compatible libraries for Unix and VMS -- just recompile on the new host. -- Steinthor Bjarnason Internet: stb@isbank.is Islandsbanki h.f. UUCP: {mcsun,sunic,uunet}!isgate!isbank.is!stb Kringlan 7 Phone: 354-1-608000 155 Reykjavik, Iceland Fax: 354-1-679037