OF INTEREST

Microsoft has announced the completion of the first version of the SDK for the Messaging API (MAPI). MAPI is a set of messaging function calls that allow developers to create message-enabled applications. The SDK contains the Windows operating system DLLs that implement the MAPI calls described in the finalized portions of the specification. Microsoft will make MAPI available on four platforms: Windows, DOS, Macintosh, and OS/2, allowing the same basic messaging functionality across the board.

Microsoft is making the specification for MAPI available to all interested. Some areas of the specification are still open for developer comment. The areas still under review are explicitly called out in the specification. Developers interested in obtaining the MAPI specification can contact Microsoft Developer Services at 800-227-4679. Reader service no. 20.

Microsoft Corp.

One Microsoft Way

Redmond, WA 98052-6399

Introl's C compiler line now includes support for Motorola's 68HC16 microprocessor. The 68HC16 supports multiple memory models, making it more useful in complicated embedded systems than the 68HC11. This latest offering, coupled with Introl's C compilers for the 68HC11 and 68332, amounts to a complete set of development tools that include the compilers, source-level debuggers, target-specific relocating assembler, stand-alone library, and support utilities.

Introl C is available for PCs, Macintoshes, and workstations. Prices begin at $2000 and vary according to platform. Reader service no. 21.

9220 W. Howard Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53228

The ISIcon programming language and ISIcon/SI screen-interface development system are two new UNIX products from Iconic Software. ISIcon 1.0 is the first commercial release of the Icon programming language for UNIX/386 platforms, with new features designed to support a production software development environment. The Screen Interface (SI) development system combines ISIcon with the UNIX industry standard character-terminal optimization package, the extended terminal interface (ETI). This system supports the rapid development of high-performance, terminal-independent, full-screen user interfaces with ETI character-terminal text windows, menus, and forms. Front ends and interfaces developed with SI will operate on devices ranging from character terminals to graphical workstations running terminal emulators. SI allows you to both prototype new interfaces and develop transportable front ends to C-language applications.

ISIcon and ISIcon/SI are both available for 386- and 486-based PCs running most versions of UNIX. List prices are $395 for ISIcon and $695 for ISIcon/SI. Reader service no. 22.

Iconic Software Inc.

Lisle, IL 60532

Magna Carta Software has announced the C Communications Toolkit/Extended DOS, a C-language developer's library for serial and fax communications. The toolkit provides interrupt-driven serial communications at speeds of up to 115,200 bps using standard PC hardware. For file transfer, you can choose from XModem, YModem, ZModem, and Kermit protocols. The package supports Hayes-compatible modems, emulation of VT100, VT52, and ANSI terminals, and fax communications.

For 286 protected mode, the toolkit supports Borland C++ and Microsoft C using the Phar Lap 286 | DOS-Extender. Applications developed with either compiler can use up to 16 Mbytes of memory and use 286 protected-mode instructions. For 386 protected mode, the toolkit supports the Intel C Code Builder 386/486; MetaWare High C with Phar Lap 386 | DOS-Extender; and Watcom C/386 with 386 DOS extenders from Rational Systems, Phar Lap, or Intel.

The price is $299.95 and includes source code. Reader service no. 23.

Magna Carta Software

P.O. Box 475594

Garland, TX 75047-5594

Coherent 4.0 is a 32-bit version of Mark Williams' UNIX-compatible operating system. New to the version is the ability to run COFF binaries that run on other PC UNIX systems (such as SCO UNIX System V/386 3.2.2), allowing users access to software libraries from other PC UNIX vendors.

The distribution consists of six floppy disks, and takes up less than 10 Mbytes of hard-disk space; the kernel is around 100K. Coherent 4.0's development tools include an optimizing C compiler, optimizing linker, and versions of lex, yacc, awk, make, termcap, terminfo, and curses. A new 386 macro assembler is included, as is support for conditional assembly, listings, and assembly time variables. Text processing is done with nroff and troff; UUCP, ckermit, and kermit handle communications. The administrative commands include archiving utilities, a Bourne shell, a Korn shell, System V-style cron, virtual console support, and online man pages.

Coherent 4.0 costs $99.95. Reader service no. 24.

Mark Williams Co.

60 Revere Drive

Northbrook, IL 60062

TeraTech announced that they have begun shipping Dazzle/VB, an image library for Visual Basic. In addition to allowing the display of existing images, Dazzle lets you draw lines, points, boxes, and circles in both filled and outline versions, using any of 256 colors. Dazzle also has text-drawing routines which can use any font and point size. Thirty different screen wipes allow effects such as closing curtains, explosions, implosions, and more. You can also write your own wipes using the high-speed, partial image-block copy routines in Dazzle's DLL.

Dazzle Professional has all the same features as Dazzle/VB, plus: grey conversion and display, full-color negative, image compression, color-image enhancement, and extended palette control.

The list price of Dazzle is $299; Dazzle Professional costs $499. Reader service no. 25.

3 Choke Cherry Road, Suite 360

Rockville, MD 20850

Now shipping from Compiler Resources is Yacc++, an object-oriented rewrite of lex and yacc. Yacc++ creates classes of lexer and parser objects that act as call back coroutines within eventdriven applications such as found on Windows. Presentation Manager, OpenLook, and Motif. The lexer and parser objects are reentrant and can be active concurrently. They are created from grammars, which can be modularized and reused, owing to multiple inheritance. The grammar classes can be dynamically bound to lexer and parser objects.

Yacc++ directly translates regular expressions and produces minimal state LR(1) lexers and parsers. It comes with the Language Objects Library, a class library intended for managing lexer and parser objects and developing language processors.

Single-user professional versions cost $495 for DOS or Windows, $695 for OS/2 or PC UNIX, and $995 for SPARC or Sun workstations. Source code included. Reader service no. 26.

Compiler Resources Inc.

3 Proctor Street vHopkinton, MA 01748

M++ QUAD is a C++ numerical integration package from Dyad. The package works with Dyad's M++ Scientific to allow integration of one- or two-dimensional functions over finite or infinite limits. The functions can be continuous, discontinuous, or infinite. The user can select the integration rule, the end points, the number of points, and the error criteria.

The integration procedure is based upon the adaptive Gauss-Konrod quadrature rules, but nonadaptive rules can also be selected. QUAD++ offers a set of special-purpose software modules designed for advanced mathematical operations, as well as modules for optimization, statistical utilities, testing, and least squares.

QUAD++ costs $195 for DOS and $245 for UNIX and requires M++ Scientific. Reader service no. 27.

Dyad Software Corp.

515 116th Ave. NE, Suite 120

Bellevue, WA 98004

800-366-1573 or 206-637-9426

FlashTek has released two new 32-bit DOS extenders: X-32 and X-32VM. X-32 (an evolution of the DOSX DOS extender included with Zortech C/C++) now includes: a debugger interface; spawn(), exec(), and system() functions; and extender function calls. X-32 is compact, with executables either slightly larger or smaller than equivalent large-model 16-bit programs, depending on program size.

X-32VM combines all the features of X-32 with up to 3.5 gigabytes of virtual memory. The package for the Zortech compiler sells for $69.00 and includes both X-32 and X-32VM. Reader service no. 28.

804 Airport Way, Suite D

Sandpoint, ID 83864

Support for OS/2 2.0 and new 486 optimization has been included in version 9.0 of the Watcom 32-bit compilers. The compilers are supported by various add-ons such as libraries for graphics and communications and Windows development tools. The tools will support development of 32-bit applications for OS/2 2.0, and use of OS/2 2.0 as a host system enabling 32-bit cross development for a large set of target 32-bit environments, including Windows and DOS.

The new version costs $895. Upgrades are $99. Reader service no. 29.

415 Phillip Street

Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2L 3X2

Copyright © 1992, Dr. Dobb's Journal