Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hp-sdd!ncr-sd!sagpd1!jharkins
From: jharkins@sagpd1.UUCP (Jim Harkins)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: Textbook about using C to write menu?
Message-ID: <523@sagpd1.UUCP>
Date: 10 Nov 89 15:50:03 GMT
References: <897daiyingshi@yvax.byu.edu> <11565@smoke.BRL.MIL>
Reply-To: jharkins@sagpd1.UUCP (Jim Harkins)
Organization: Scientific Atlanta, Government Products Div, San Diego, CA
Lines: 28

In article <11565@smoke.BRL.MIL> gwyn@brl.arpa (Doug Gwyn) writes:
>In article <897daiyingshi@yvax.byu.edu> daiyingshi@yvax.byu.edu writes:
>>     Does anybody know if there is a textbook about using C language to write
>>pull-down menus, windows, or other friendly user interfaces?
>
>There undoubtedly are, but you should be aware that the details are
>HEAVILY dependent on the specific target system, because the support
>provided by the system for such operations varies.

Because of this I would have to recommend you buy a package from a third
party.  Writing this code, while lots of fun, is time consuming, difficult,
and if it's not bulletproof some weenie out there will make your system
look like crap.  Contrast the $100-$200 you'll pay for the package to
the time spent developing your own.  It goes without saying you should buy
the source code, not just binary libraries.

If you need to support multiple platforms then buy a screen handling package
for each, then develop macros like 'pullwindow(x,y,etc.)' that interface
to the package used for each system.

Of course, if you're on a proprietary architecture for which no such package
exists then I've just wasted some net bandwidth wearing out my keyboard.
Although it may be instructive to buy a package thats close to what you have,
then either modify it or re-write it.  Watch your legal backside when doing
this tho.

jim
"broken spanish spoken perfectly"