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From: pefv700@perv.pe.utexas.edu
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: programming strategy for interactive simulator
Message-ID: <45921@ut-emx.uucp>
Date: 20 Mar 91 21:45:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: ut-emx.45921
Sender: news@ut-emx.uucp
Distribution: usa
Organization: Dept. of Petroleum Engineering, The University of Texas at Aust
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I hope this group is ok for this. (I couldn't find a comp.x.programming
`a la comp.unix.programming.)

I have a FORTRAN simulator that simulates a physical process that proceeds
through time.  The two pertinent graphics during a run are:

1) a property of the physical system vs. time (in other words, a single-valued
function)
and
2) a cross-section of the actual 3D system at a point in time (each point in
the domain will either be of characteristic "A" or "B" and color will be used
to distinguish them).

During the simulation run, the user should be able to type a key and get a new
graphic of either type 1 or 2 (as above).  And of course redrawing should be
done as necessary.

My question is: should I have 2 processes, one that controls the simulator?
If so, what is the best way to get data from the FORTRAN program? sockets?
Or should I have just one process that just checks for keyboard and button
events periodically?

Surely this has been done already.  All comments are appreciated.

Chris