OF INTEREST

The Tool Interface Standards (TIS) Committee, a group of software companies working to advance the interoperability and portability of development tools for 32-bit Intel architecture operating environments, has announced version 1.1 of the TIS Portable Formats Specification.

The TIS spec standardizes the first linkable, loadable, and debug formats. The formats include the relocatable object module format (OMF), executable linkable format (ELF), and debug information format (DWARF). The committee has also agreed upon Microsoft's PE and symbol and type information (STI) for the Windows environment. Version 1.1 updates OMF and DWARF by clarifying inconsistencies in the OMF standard and adding functionality to the DWARF standard through support for C++, Fortran-90, Modula-2, and Pascal.

TIS includes the aforementioned Portable Formats Specification for defining file formats portable across Windows, UNIX, OS/2, and other operating systems, and the Formats Specification for Windows, which describes formats for 32-bit implementations of Windows. TIS-compliance enables you to mix- and-match tools that previously conformed to proprietary interface specs. Companies backing TIS include Borland, IBM, Microsoft, Intel, SCO, Novell, Microtec, Watcom, Lotus, Metaware, Lahey, Autodesk, SSI, and Absoft.

Copies of the Tool Interface Standards specification are available on Compu- Serve (GO IntelAccess) or the Intel Literature Center (order #241597). Reader service no. 20.

Literature Center

Mt. Prospect, IL 60056-7620

BetterState from R-Active is a Windows-based visual programming tool for developing state machines which include concurrency and hierarchy. The tool's graphical environment lets you draw states, identify threads of concurrent control, and annotate diagrams. These diagrams can be on one or more linked "pages."

Once a BetterState diagram is complete, the tool generates C, C++, VHDL, or Verilog HDL code. The software comes with templates for scheduling the design deterministically, stochastically, or using specific scheduling algorithms (round robin, for example).

BetterState retails for $1195.00. Reader service no. 21.

R-Active Concepts

20654 Gardenside Circle

Cupertino, CA 95014

The Windows API is rapidly becoming a de facto standard for programmers developing under both UNIX and Windows. Joining the ranks of Bristol

Technology's Wind/U cross-platform development tool is Mainsoft's MainWin Cross-Development Kit which now supports VC++/MFC. (Wind/U is discussed in this issue's article "Cross-Platform Development with Visual C++" by Chane Cullens, while the underlying technology to MainWin is discussed in "Binary-Data Portability" by José Luu.)

With the MainWin CDK, you can write a single code base using VC++/MFC on Windows or Windows NT, and recompile it for Sun, IBM, HP, and SGI workstations and for X Terminals that support Motif.

The MainWin Cross-Development Kit sells for $5000.00; discounts and licensing agreements are available. Reader service no. 22.

883 North Shoreline Blvd., Suite C-100

Mountain View, CA 94043

A series of new app notes of interest to developers of testing, measurement, and control applications have been prepared by National Instruments. The notes, as you might expect, focus on National Instruments tools.

The first app note, "VXI Block Data Transfer and Register-based Device Programming Using the GPIB-VXI," discusses the methods for transferring data between National Instruments' GPIB controllers and VXIbus instruments linked by GPIB-VXI interface kits (part #340568-01).

As its title suggests, "Measuring Temperature with Thermocouples" (part #340524-01) examines the use of thermocouples to measure temperature and how to avoid common problems. "Measuring Temperature with RTDs" (part #340557-01) addresses how scientists and engineers are able to use the high-accuracy and stability of resistance-temperature detectors (RTDs) to measure a wide range of temperatures.

"Signal Conditioning Fundamentals for PC-based Data Acquisition Systems" is an introduction to the fundamentals of using signal-conditioning hardware with PC-based data acquisition systems (part #340565-01).

Other app notes covering topics ranging from DSP-based data acquisition to fast Fourier transforms for Windows applications are available on request. Reader service no. 23.

National Instruments

6504 Bridge Point Parkway

Austin, TX 78730-5039

The Kolibri Custom Control Library is a DLL that allows integration of 3-D Windows controls into C, C++, and Pascal programs. Kolibri consists of 12 control classes for animation, slider controls, swivel controls, list browse boxes for large databases, flexibutton controls, motion controls, and so on. The Kolibri controls integrate direction into the Borland Resource Workshop, essentially becoming an additional set of Resource Workshop tools. (Note that the library does not require the Borland compiler, however.)

The Kolibri for VBX library provides similar functionality for languages that support VBXs--Borland C++ 4.0, Visual Basic, and the like.

Each library sells for $149.00, or $298.00 with source code. There are no run-time royalties. Reader service no. 24.

European Software Connection

Lawrence, KS 66044

The HTI Map Developer's Kit from Horizon Technology is a set of three programming libraries that allow you to add detailed raster-mapping capabilities to any Windows- or DOS-based application. The Map Display Library, on which the Developer's Kit is based, supports functions such as loading, displaying, zooming, and seamless scrolling through a database of geo- referenced raster maps. It also contains functions to convert geographic coordinates to screen coordinates and vice versa.

In addition to the Map Display Library, the Developer's Kit includes the Map Overlay and GPS Support add-on libraries. These tools can be used in conjunction with CD-ROM-based regional and metropolitan map sets, also available from Horizons.

The Map Overlay Library allows you to create object-oriented databases using objects such as points, lines, ellipses, polygons, and so forth. These objects can be geo referenced to the underlying map database and application-

The Developer's Kit supports Microsoft C and Borland C++. The three-library kit sells for $1739.00. You can also buy the libraries separately. Reader service no. 25.

Horizons Technology

3990 Ruffin Rd.

San Diego, CA 92123-1826

Visual Edge's Visual Action Toolset is a collection of tools that incorporates Display PostScript and the OSF/Motif widget set for creating document interfaces which allow a PostScript image to be used as an interface element. Additionally, any standard interface element can be incorporated into a PostScript image or document. The tool set uses a layered approach to development that parallels X application development. The Visual Action Widget Set, comprised of rendering widgets, see-through controls and a Visual Manager, is analogous to Motif. In this layer, rendering widgets give the ability to display a PostScript image and to control interface graphics, see-through controls enable the developer to create widgets with transparent backgrounds, and Visual Manager widgets control the display and position of child widgets.

The Visual Action Toolset Framework, analogous to the Xt toolkit, provides the functionality common to VA widgets. The framework can be used to subclass existing VA widgets or to create new widget classes. A Display PostScript Client Library, similar in nature to Xlib, provides a C language interface to the Display PostScript system.

The Visual Action Toolset sells for $2500.00. It supports UNIX and Motif on SunOS 4.1.3, AIX 3.2.4, and SGI IRIX 5.1.1. Reader service no. 26.

Visual Edge Software

3950 Cote Vertu, Suite 100

Procase Corporation is shipping SmartSystem 3.0, a software tool that helps programmers understand and fix large amounts of unfamiliar source code by graphically displaying code structure, providing information about errors and dependencies, and performing impact analysis. SmartSystem is distinguished by its large capacity (able to handle C programs in excess of 1 million lines of code) and robustness (able to handle code that is incomplete, does not compile, or has errors). It can handle many dialects of C, including code targeted for many UNIX platforms and embedded systems, providing both graphical and textual views of code, using a variety of formatting styles.

Version 3.0 runs on Sparc/SunOS, Sparc/Solaris, HP9000/700, and IBM RS/6000 platforms. The major new functionality is the addition of a makefile analyzer to facilitate getting started in building the code database. It also provides additional code comprehension capabilities in the Call Graph display, by showing dependencies involving global data and function pointers (in addition to showing function and library calls, as supported in the previous version). There are also mechanisms for uncovering undefined preprocessor macros. Reader service no. 27.

Procase Corporation

2694 Orchard Parkway

San Jose, CA 95134

Visual SlickEdit, an updated version of the venerable SlickEdit programmer's editor from MicroEdge, is available for Windows and Windows NT. Visual SlickEdit is a configurable editor that uses an object-oriented, C-style macro language (source code for the macro language comes with the editor) and a built-in dialog editor. The dialog editor lets you create event-driven dialog boxes. Additional controls the tool provides include spin, gauge, drive list, file and directory list, and the like. The editor also makes use of a technology MicroEdge calls "clipboard inheritance," which provides inheritance of code pasted to the clipboard.

Visual SlickEdit, which sells for $295.00, includes Brief and Emacs emulation and provides special support for most compilers and languages. The editor is available for Windows 3.1 and Windows NT on Intel, Mips, and Alpha machines. Reader service no. 28.

Raleigh, NC 27619-8038

Intel and Microsoft have jointly announced an update to the Advanced Power Management (APM) Interface specification, which is designed to increase battery life for portable and other low-power consumption computers based on Intel platforms. Originally released in January 1992, APM allows the operating system to communicate through ROM BIOS to instruct system resources to power down during periods of nonuse. APM is already supported by the Plug and Play BIOS specification. New features of APM 1.1 include new power-management functions to enhance cross-platform compatibility, enhancements to the suspend/pause scheme for improved communication between the operation system and BIOS, and a BIOS-compatibility test so that BIOS developers can verify compliance with the specification.

Copies of the APM 1.1 BIOS Interface specification are available through the Intel Literature Center, order #241704. The document is also available on

CompuServe through Intel Access, the company's developer-support service. Alternatively, the specification can be obtained through Microsoft's Hardware Vendor Relations Group, or through the Plug and Play forum on CompuServe. The APM 1.1 BIOS-compatibility test is available to OEMs and BIOS-developers through Intel's General Support Group (800-628-8686). Reader service no. 29.

Intel Literature Center

Microsoft Hardware Vendor Relations

WidgetKit/CUA '91 is an add-on for Objectshare's WindowBuilder Pro/V, an interface builder that works with Small-talk/V for OS/2. WidgetKit/CUA '91 adds support for OS/2-style user-interface elements as defined by the Common User Access (CUA) '91 specification. The tool includes various controls, including a notebook, sliders, spin buttons, containers, and value sets. Specialized editors are used for direct access to each of the control's attributes. The notebook control uses caching to enhance performance for large notebooks. Widget-Kit/CUA '91 includes full Small-talk/V OS/2 source code, and there are no royalties or run-time fees for applications developed with WindowBuilder Pro. The company plans to release Windows and Win32 versions of the product early in 1994.

WidgetKit/CUA '91 sells for $295.00. Reader service no. 30.

Objectshare Systems

5 Town & Country Village, Suite 735

San Jose, CA 95128-2026

Copyright © 1994, Dr. Dobb's Journal