Third-party CAD/CAM developers may be interested in the CAD/CAM Developer's Kit (CCDK) from Building Block Software. CCDK is a toolbox of C functions that provides full 3-D DXF, 2-D and 3-D display and geometry operations, and list-management capabilities.
DDJ spoke with Kevin Green of Karta Technology, who said that "We needed to create a drawing with AutoCAD and bring the drawing into our program, which links to databases or a variety of other things. The big advantage [of CCDK] was the DXF support. It would have taken us a lot of time to develop this on our own." Kevin also mentioned that the documentation and tech support are exceptional.
CCDK can be used for developing DXF file viewer add-ons to database programs, numerical code generators, finite element mesh generators, 3-D piping layout tools, and printed circuit board layout checking programs. CCDK augments Autodesk's C-binding environment with a full set of functions for CAD/CAM operations, saving developers the task of writing all the computational functions themselves. Object hierarchies and data encapsulation make programming faster and minimize the number of public routines required to support all of CCDK's operations. Full DXF Release 10 functionality is supported, so programs can read and write both ASCII and binary DXF formats. Block inserts can be exploded into geometry and solid models can be generated for shading with AutoSolid. The routines are adaptable to popular graphics libraries. CCDK is compatible with Microsoft C 5.1 and 6.0 and Borland Turbo C 2.0, and supports Metaware and Watcom compilers as well. Single programmer licenses start at $1,295. Reader service no. 20.
Building Block Software Inc. P.O. Box 1373 Somerville, MA 02144 617-628-5217
The Am29050 Floating Point Processor is a general-purpose, 32-bit microprocessor from Advanced Micro Devices. Featuring a RISC architecture, the Am29050 has a pipelined, on-chip floating point unit that performs IEEE-compatible, single- and double-precision arithmetic at a rate of 80 MFLOPS at 40 MHz. Other features improve the performance of loads and branches, allowing sustained integer performance of 32 MIPS at 40 MHz.
The Am 29050 microprocessor is pin and code-compatible with the Am 29000 microprocessor, so existing Am29000 microprocessor applications can use the Am29050 processor without modification and can achieve a factor-of-four increase in performance for such floating-point-intensive applications as graphics (faster 3-D performance) and laser printers (highest page description language performance). Reader service no. 21.
Advanced Micro Devices 901 Thompson Pl. Sunnyvale, CA 94088 408-732-2400
The ToolBook Author's Resource Kit (ARK) is now available from Asymetrix. The ARK includes a license to distribute a royalty-free runtime version of ToolBook and three DLLs, as well as development tools. ToolBook 1.0 is a software construction set for building graphical applications without using traditional programming languages. You can use ToolBook to build Windows 3.0 applications.
ARK includes two development utilities, and two online applications offer ideas on user interface design for ToolBook applications. The Windows DLLs include a DLL that provides access to and file manipulation of dBase III data files; another for determining the characteristics of a display device, for determining which fonts are available for display and printing, and for setting and retrieving values in a Windows initialization file directly from a ToolBook script; and one for copying and deleting DOS files and for performing other DOS functions within a ToolBook script.
Merillin Paris; head engineer on the project, told DDJ that "a misconception some people have is that ToolBook is interpreted. It is not interpreted, it is p-code. You can strip the code down to binary and remove the script to protect your source code." The utility included for that is Script Remover. Another utility included is BookLook, for examining and changing an object's properties. The ARK is priced at $450, and for another $495 you can subscribe to the Asymetrix Developer Support Partnership program and be assigned to a support engineer for one year of technical support. Reader service no. 22.
Asymetrix Corp. 110 110th Ave. NE, Ste. 717 Bellevue, WA 98004 206-637-1500
If you need high-performance, interrupt-driven control of asynchronous communications in your C programs, you might want to check out the new SilverComm C Async Library from SilverWare. The library is customizable, as full source code is included.
A device event monitor capability permits execution of your C functions at interrupt time. These functions can set flags that signal an event in your application. And you can create functions that process the interrupt.
Jim McCusker of Electronics Unlimited has been a beta tester for all evolutions of the Async package. He told DDJ, "We have used the library on various projects here. We do a lot of custom software and hardware for the process-control industry. This package takes the burden off the user -- you don't need to know about serial ports on a PC. You can write a comm program in about 10 minutes for a dumb terminal. You can grow with this package -- it has extra functions, such as timers for setting a delay and basic video I/O. And it supports multiple communication ports simultaneously, asynchronously. One of the best things is the manual; each function is described in detail and has an example of its use."
The SilverComm C Async Library features huge model queues; terminal emulation; XModem, YModem, YModem batch, and ASCII; background timers; enhanced compatibility; flow control; smart modem support; high-level remote input; character filtering; and supports up to 115K baud. The library sells for $259. Reader service no. 25.
SilverWare Inc. 3010 LBJ Freeway, Ste. 740 Dallas, TX 75234 214-247-0131
UniFLEX.wks, from UniFLEX Computing, is a real-time cross-development package for VME designers. Previously only available as a self-hosted development system, UniFLEX is now fully integrated with Sun Microsystems SPARC and 68000 workstations. UniFLEX is Unix-compatible, multitasking, and multiprocessing. You can use Sun's Unix development tools to edit, track, and manage system software, and then use UniFLEX.wks to compile, link, and down-load object modules over the Ethernet to the target VME system, and then debug with UniFLEX tools such as the GBD symbolic debugger.
UniFLEX.wks produces a pseudodisk that contains the UniFLEX kernel and application programs and which can be placed in ROM for embedded system applications. Real-time features include programmer-declared real-time priorities, task synchronization, contiguous file system, and intertask communication using binary semaphores or named message exchanges. Tightly coupled multiprocessing allows multiple CPUs on a single backplane executing in concert with dynamic load balancing. UniFLEX.wks allows for the development of X Window (with Motif) applications on target systems using Sun Workstations. Reader service no. 23.
UniFLEX Computing Ltd. 111 Providence Rd. Chapel Hill, NC 27514 919-493-1451; 800-486-1000
The C++ Rider package for source code analysis and online help for C and C++ is now available from Western Wares. Based on the CC-Rider tool for C, C++ Rider consists of a pop-up source-browsing utility (CCRIDER) and a source code analyzer (CCSYM). CCRIDER can be used with any text-mode editor, integrated environment, or debugger to provide hypertext symbol referencing as you program. You can display, view source, edit, or paste any symbol definition using a hotkey, and you can recall all classes, structures, unions, enums, enum values, typedefs, macros, functions, and data symbols.
CCSYM performs analysis and symbol database management for C and C++ programs, and can generate function prototype header files as required by the C++ language. The package supports Microsoft C 6.0, Zortech C++ 2.1, and Borland's Turbo C++. It is available in both a standard edition and a professional edition. Contact the company for pricing. Reader service no. 26.
Western Wares Box C Norwood, CO 81423 303-327-4898
Macintosh programmers now have an alternative to TextEdit with the release of DataPak Software's Word Solution Engine, a new module for basic text editing with multiple font and style support. The company claims that Word Solution Engine has superior buffering capabilities (16 Mbytes) to TextEdit (which has a 32K limit), is faster, and formats better.
Ben Cahan of MacToolkit concurs. He told DDJ that Word Solution Engine "is very complete and works flawlessly. I'm working in an application that is text-editing intensive, and this product handles pretty much everything. It could save one or two years of work writing your own text editor. This is the only solution I've seen so far for quality text editing."
Word Solution Engine features fast editing and display of large text files, Script Manager support, Quickdraw color support, and "User Styles." Also multiple stylations, tab handling, I/O and printing support, "scrap" support, and full-justification. The package includes a programmer's guide, sample source code that demonstrates each function, interface files for MPW Pascal and Think C, and linkable object files for both. Object code is being offered at an introductory, one-time royalty-free rate of $300. Reader service no. 24.
DataPak Software Inc. 9317 NE Highway 99, Ste. G Vancouver, WA 98665-8900 206-573-9155 800-327-6703
The Solid Link Library from Solid Software is a telecommunications package for C, C++, and Modula-2 programmers. It includes the difficult-to-implement ZModem protocol, as well as XModem, XModem-1K, YModem, Modem7, TeLink, and SEAlink file transfer protocols with concurrent and background transfers. XON/XOFF, DSR/DTR, CTS, RTS, as well as Ctrl-C/Crtl-K handshaking are supported. The package includes a sample terminal program with source code. Supports most popular C, C++, and Modula-2 compilers. Solid Link for C and Modula-2 is $199, with source $498; add $50 for C++. Reader service no. 27.
Solid Software 227 West Fourth St. Cincinnati, OH 45202-2645 513-651-1133
Microway has announced NDP C++, a full 32-bit, protected-mode C++ compiler that is AT&T Release 2.0-compatible. It runs on the 80386, 80486, and i860, under DOS, Unix, Xenix, and SunOS. NDP C++ utilizes the same code generators and global optimizing technologies used in the NDP Fortran, C, and Pascal compilers, and includes extensions that specifically handle C++ features, such as function inlining, classes, constructors and destructors, single and multiple inheritance, and function and operator overloading. Microway integrated C++ extensions into their ANSI C front end and extended their optimizer and code generator to handle C++-specific operations. They claim this approach increases the execution speed of the compiler and improves the quality of the generated code. The 80386 version is $895, the 80486 version is $1,195, and the i860 version is $1,995. All include one year of free updates. Reader service no. 28.
Microway P.O. Box 79 Kingston, MA 02364 508-746-7341
The Multimedia Expo, held in San Francisco in early October, consisted of seminars, workshops, corporate presentations, and exhibits in the field of multimedia, the components of which are based on digital technology. Seminar topics included telecommunications and networking, desktop video workstations, voice command, multimedia engines and systems, CD-ROM XA production, full-motion video hardware and software, hypertext and hypermedia authoring, visualization, animation, artificial reality, and multimedia projects in education. The professional workshops covered similar topics, but included hands-on instruction and indepth information. The thrust of the Expo was on the business applications of multimedia for corporate presentations and information systems. Sponsored by American Expositions, Multimedia Expo will be held in New York in May 1991 and again in San Francisco in October 1991. Call 212-226-4141 for information.
Communications Formulas and Algorithms by C. Britton Rorabaugh has been published by McGraw-Hill. Rorabaugh focuses on definitions, formulas, algorithms, and design data needed by communications engineers, programmers, and technicians. The author presents techniques for analyzing, simulating, designing, and testing communications systems. Each procedure, method, and algorithm includes the relevant mathematical notation and pseudocode, guidelines for selection and use, function plots, graphs, and diagrams, and practical examples. Topics range from probability distributions in communications to pulse modulation and transmission, from random processes to signals and spectra, and from communication channels to phase shift keying. The book sells for $39.95. ISBN: 0-07-053644-9. Reader service no. 29.
McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. 11 West 19th St. New York, NY 10011 212-337-5945 800-262-4729
Help! is a help system for creating pop-up help and menus, from Zaron Software. Help! can be adapted to any application you buy or write yourself. Help! can be used with standard text files to create a custom "flat" help system. It automatically displays the correct help file for the program you are running, returns values or commands to the executing program or to DOS, provides context-sensitive help at every point in each program's operation, and can be used as a menu system as well. Sample help files and programs are included, as is a help system for commonly used DOS commands. Help! is a TSR, requires less than 14K of memory, and includes mouse support. The price is $49.95. Reader service no. 30.
Zaron Software 13100 Dulaney Valley Rd. Glen Arm, MD 21057 301-592-3334
Objectworks\Smalltalk, Release 4, is a new generation object-oriented programming system from ParcPlace Systems. It is designed for creating customized, true color, graphic applications for heterogeneous computing environments under standard windowing systems. Other new features include the Smalltalk Portable Imaging Model (SPIM), incremental garbage collection, and support for international applications. Objectworks\ Smalltalk is designed for creating interactive business and technical applications such as information management and decision analysis, systems design and simulation, and application-specific CASE tools. Objectworks\Smalltalk sells for $3,500. Reader service no. 32.
ParcPlace Systems 1550 Plymouth St. Mountain View, CA 94043 415-691-6700
C++/Views from CNS is fully validated with Zortech C++ Version 2.1. C++/ Views is an application development framework for Windows 3.0 development that provides object classes and productivity tools. C++/Views comes with over 60 ready-made C++ object classes that encapsulate the functionality within Windows. C++/Views also comes with a C++ object class browser, which manages such mechanics as building make files. An interface generator is also included for building C++ dialog objects. C++/Views retails for $495. Reader service no. 36.
CNS Inc. Software Products Dept. 7090 Shady Oak Rd.; Minneapolis, MN 55344 612-944-0170