To kickstart PowerPC application development, Apple's APDA group has announced a number of Macintosh-based programmer tools for yet-to-come PowerPC-based Apple computers. The "Macintosh on RISC SDK" includes tools for creating new applications or porting existing Macintosh applications for future Apple PowerPC-based PCs. At the same time, Apple introduced the "Macintosh-with-PowerPC Starter Kit" and a comprehensive, self-paced training course entitled Programmer's Introduction to RISC and PowerPC. Additionally, Apple is offering Metroworks' native PowerPC development environment, CodeWarrior. Apple PowerPC-based computers are expected to become available in the first half of 1994.
The Macintosh on RISC SDK is an MPW-based cross-development environment that runs on a 680x0 Macintosh, generating native code for Macintosh-with-PowerPC-based systems. When these Macs become available, you can finish the port by testing and debugging your native Mac-with-PowerPC applications. The Macintosh on RISC SDK includes a C/C++ compiler that generates optimized code, PowerPC assembler, two-machine PowerPC debugger, universal system header files for both 680x0 and PowerPC processor-based platforms, MacApp 3.1 (Apple's object-oriented application framework), Apple Installer 4.0 (which is capable of installing either 680x0 or PowerPC environments from a common set of files), MPW Development System 3.3, a PowerPC linker, build tools and scripts, and sample applications for Mac-with-PowerPC.
The Macintosh-with-PowerPC Starter Kit includes detailed technical documentation about both the PowerPC microprocessor and System 7 for Macintosh with PowerPC. Among other information, this kit includes Motorola's PowerPC 601 RISC Microprocessor User's Manual, Inside Macintosh: PowerPC System Software.
CodeWarrior is a native development environment for the PowerPC-based and 680x0-based Macintosh that lets you create applications for both platforms using the same source-code base. CodeWarrior comes in three versions: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Gold, the most comprehensive, includes development releases of C/C++ for the 680x0 Mac and Mac-with-PowerPC, a development release of Pascal for the 680x0 Mac, and C/C++ cross-compilers. Silver supports native PowerPC development only, and will be released when Apple ships Mac-with-PowerPC systems. Bronze supports 680x0 development only.
The Macintosh on RISC SDK, available in prerelease with an automatic upgrade, sells through APDA for $399.00, CodeWarrior Gold (also prerelease) for $399.00, the PowerPC Starter Kit for $39.95, and the Programmer's Introduction for $150.00. Alternately, the tool sets are bundled, selling for $849.00. Reader service no. 20.
APDA
Apple Computer
P.O. Box 319
Buffalo, NY 14207-0319
800-282-2732
A library of encryption tools implemented as linkable object modules and Windows DLLs has been released by AT&T. The library includes RSA, DES, El Gamal public-key, Secure Hash, MD5, and Diffie-Hellman encryption technology.
The code modules are packaged as SecretAgent (DES, El Gamal, and DSA digital signature), SecretAgent II (DES, RSA, and MD5), Surety (DSA), and SecureZmodem (DES using Zmodem protocol).
Prices for code packages containing DSA are $750.00 for DOS/Windows, $1000.00 for Macintosh, and $1250.00 for UNIX. Packages that include RSA sell for $300.00 for DOS/Windows, $400.00 for Macintosh, and $500.00 for UNIX.
The license allows programmers to load the code into two workstations for development purposes. Royalties are required for software distributed to end users. Reader service no. 21.
AT&T Secure Communications Systems
800-203-5563
Visual Xbase, a visual application- development tool for Xbase and C programmers, has been released by Rytech International. The tool includes a 3-D screen designer with an integrated, intelligent data dictionary, workbench, and a flexible, self-optimizing multidialect code generator.
Visual Xbase supports FoxPro 2.5 (DOS and Windows), Clipper 5.2, dBase (IV 2.0), and X2C, an add-on that converts Xbase code to C. In each case, the tool generates code optimized to the selected language. It supports query by example, incremental table searches, filter by example, data-integrity searches, calculated fields, key checking, memory variables, cascaded deletions, and more.
Visual Xbase sells for $495.95. There are no run-time license fees. Reader service no. 22.
Rytech International Inc.
2 Stamford Landing, #100
Stamford, CT 06902
203-357-7812
Mathematica toolkits for electrical engineering, signal processing, control engineering, statistics, finance, and similar disciplines are on the way. The first in the series is the Electrical Engineering Pack, which covers topics ranging from elementary to advanced and includes examples in circuit analysis, transmission lines, and antenna design. The EE Pack also covers Bode, Nyquist and root-locus plots, Smith Charts, and antenna-field patterns. New functions, which extend the original Mathematica product, are specifically aimed at the EE problem domain. Full source code for the examples is also included.
The Electrical Engineering Pack is available for the Macintosh, Windows, and X Window System and is priced at $195.00. Reader service no. 23.
Wolfram Research
100 Trade Center Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
217-398-0747
Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C, by Bruce Schneier, has been published by John Wiley & Sons. In its coverage of cryptographic protocols, techniques, and algorithms, Applied Cryptography is perhaps the most complete book of its kind. For instance, Schneier (who is a frequent DDJ contributor) unravels virtually all block algorithms (including the NSA-backed Skipjack), public-key algorithms (from RSA to cellular auto-mata), one-way hash functions, random-sequence generators, and special algorithms for protocols. In addition, the book provides over 100 pages of published source code for many of these algorithms. Likewise, Schneier's 35-page reference and bibliography section (listing over 900 sources) is of particular value for research.
The 618-page book sells for $44.95 (ISBN 0-471-59756-2). Reader service no. 24.
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
605 Third Ave.
New York, NY 10158
212-850-6000
RenderWare, an interactive 3-D graphics API for Windows released by Criterion Software, supposedly increases Windows 3-D graphics performance, without the need for special 3-D graphics accelerators. Based on 3-D graphics software technology from Canon (Criterion's parent company), RenderWare reportedly enables mid-range workstation performance on a 486/50 PC.
RenderWare provides a device- independent 3-D graphics API, an object-based interface consisting of a small number of object types, and functions such as advanced shading and texturing. Typical applications for RenderWare include multimedia, visual simulation, scientific visualization, CAD, virtual reality, presentation graphics, and entertainment/games.
In addition to Windows, the RenderWare API is available on other platforms such as Macintosh, UNIX (X11), and OS/2. The RenderWare SDK, which is priced from $10,000.00, includes a development library, debugging library, documentation, examples, and demos. Reader service no. 25.
Criterion Software Ltd.
17-20 Frederick Sanger Road
Guildford, Surrey
United Kingdom, GU2 5YD
+44-483-574-325
Undocumented DOS, second edition, by Andrew Schulman, Ralf Brown, David Maxey, Raymond Michels, and Jim Kyle has been released by Addison-Wesley. The book, spearheaded by Schulman, who edits DDJ's "Undocumented Corner" column, has been updated to include coverage of MS-DOS 6, Novell DOS, Windows 3.1, the forthcoming "Chicago" operating system (DOS 7 and Windows 4), and more.
Like its predecessor, Undocumented DOS, second edition belongs on every PC programmer's bookshelf. The book, with disk, retails for $44.95. (ISBN 0-201-63287). Reader service no. 26.
Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
1 Jacob Way
Reading, MA 01867
617-944-3700
A set of tools that provide programmers with an API for fax-related applications has been developed by Sofnet. These tools, called the "FaxWorks API," facilitate the development of apps that integrate fax, OCR, scanning, voice, and image viewing. The API is proprietary, however, in that it was developed to support Sofnet fax-related software--FaxWorks Pro LAN, FaxWorks OS/2, FaxWorks ProServer, and so on.
The FaxWorks API forms a protocol layer in which other apps can exchange information. FaxWorks acts as a server when applications ask it to perform tasks such as faxing, scanning, or OCR. It acts as a client, however, when it asks applications for data such as a list of names and fax numbers from a phone book. The FaxWorks API and documentation are available free on CompuServe (GO SOFNET). Reader service no. 27.
Sofnet Inc.
1110 Northchase Parkway, Suite 150
Marietta, GA 30067
404-984-8088
As Ken North pointed out in his article, "Database Development and Visual Basic 3.0" (DDJ, March 1993), languages embedded in application programs are becoming more and more common. In the case of Microsoft, Visual Basic for Applications (formerly Object Basic) is a programming tool currently available only for Excel 5.0, but with more application support presumably on the way. WordPerfect has countered with WordPerfect 6.0 for Windows SDK and WordPerfect File Format SDK.
The WordPerfect 6.0 for Windows SDK features WordPerfect's new Writing Tools API, a macro language, and Shared Code 2.0 for Windows--a shared library of routines used by all WordPerfect for Windows software. The File Format SDK, which is available on a nondisclosure basis, contains documentation defining the WordPerfect 6.0 format and the WordPerfect Graphic File Format.
In related news, Softbridge has announced that SBL 3.0, an implementation of the Basic language for embedding into application software, now supports OLE 2.0 automation. This means that SBL, which has a syntax compatible with Visual Basic, can operate within and across applications.
The WordPerfect 6.0 for Windows SDK and WordPerfect File Format SDK sell for $149.00 each. Reader service no. 28.
Softbridge provides various licensing arrangements for SBL 3.0. Reader service no. 29.
WordPerfect Corp.
1555 N. Technology Way
Orem, UT 84057-2399
800-451-5151
Softbridge Inc.
125 Cambridge Park Drive
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-576-2257
According to Al Stevens in this month's "Examining Room," good help can be hard to find when it comes to creating Windows help systems. Addressing this problem is Masterhelp, a new tool from Performance Software. MasterHelp takes text formatted for printing with Word for Windows and automatically creates a Windows help file, including hypertext jumps. The program also automatically creates Microsoft's Multimedia Viewer files for interactive tutorials and the like.
Among features created by MasterHelp are: a table of contents in a secondary window; a pop-up window which provides an overview of the entire document; a pop-up window that lets you know where you are in the document; and a pop-up window that shows hypertext-related topics. MasterHelp retails for $495.00. Reader service no. 30.
Performance Software Inc.
575 Southlake Blvd.
Richmond, VA 23236
804-794-1012
Manageware for NetWare, a multiplatform tool for managing NetWare-based networks from Hitecsoft, is designed specifically for creating NetWare Loadable Modules (NLMs) and server-based applications. Manageware is based on a specification called the "Network Management Language" (NML) developed by Hitecsoft. Similar to a fourth-generation language, NML provides a more flexible means of accessing network internals than traditional languages. NML is operating-system independent and has built-in network extensions (such as client/server, distributed processing, smart-object architecture, and others).
Manageware-based NLMs run under all supported platforms without source-code modification. This means that you can develop and test network-management programs under DOS, then run them as NLMs on the server.
Manageware Version 1.0 is an interpreter (and compiler for the developer's edition) that features a flexible preprocessor, virtual memory management, automatic variable declaration, external function calls, and user-definable functions with local variable declaration and dynamic parameter passing. The tools provide full access to NetWare internals such as binderies, connections, directories, queues, IPX, SPX, and so on.
Manageware for NetWare sells for $895.00. Reader service no. 31.
Hitecsoft Corp.
3370 N. Hayden Road, Suite 123-175
Scottsdale, AZ 85251-6632
602-970-1025
Copyright © 1994, Dr. Dobb's Journal